Not Your Mothers Valley w/repost

Through a series of mishaps, I ended up in Yosemite instead of my more usual road trip through the SW, ending up in Death Valley or the Eastern Sierras. I found the Valley to be quite a challenge photographically, as just about every composition has been done to death. I mean, the monoliths are spectacular and iconic for a reason, but what's so fun about getting the standard views? It had been an especially dry winter, so no snow on the ground, just dried grasses and the waterfalls were shrinking by the day.

Here's the Dark Side of the Mistbow at the base of Upper Yosemite Falls

While standing around in El Cap Meadows, waiting to see what sunrise would bring, I started looking for a foreground besides a meadow of dried grasses. I added some pine cones and leaves, then into my frame wandered this young coyote. It sniffed everything I had placed and wandered off. I had a 15mm lens on & didn't have the presence of mind to switch my settings to my wildlife settings, so all I got was a furry blur. But, as luck would have it, it came wandering back and did everything it could to get my attention (but no food, which I'm sure it was disappointed at): downward dog, played with a stick and chased its tail until it caught the offending member.

And finally I ended up at my sisters house, where I shot this from her deck

Monika, interesting take on the falls and mistbow. Both the falls and coyote images seem a little dark. The bottom of the falls looks to have a variety of different comps with the 'bow.

Doug, thanks. I'll take a look when I get home & brighten them up a bit. I walked to the base of the falls, but finding a comp without contrails (those darned jets!) was quite difficult, especially with trying to keep my lens dry! For this one, I was perched on a rock outcropping with nowhere to do. Getting around below looked difficult because of the dense groves of manzanita. But later in the day, I think the 'bow would be higher.

And thanks for visiting this forum -- trying to keep it alive!

I like the falls, but also think it's a bit dark, as is the coyote. A little punch-up would really make them nice.

Ooops, kind of embarrassing the difference between working from a laptop and desktop in a shaded room.

And cropped, too

Monika, both are MUCH better now. Very nice!

Monika, the coyote image looks like it could use a little ccw rotation based on the far tree trunks and bank top, and also a little warming of WB to rid the blue in his fur. I do like the increase in brightness of both images.

Good way to spend a snowy evening, guys!