Reflecting on reflections
Winter Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
1.3 seconds
F/16.0
ISO 100
19 mm
What is it about reflections? I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love them–I love photographing them, and I love just watching them. Like a good metaphor in writing, a reflection is an indirect representation that can be more powerful than its literal counterpart. In that regard, part of a reflection’s tug is its ability to engage the brain in different ways than we’re accustomed: Rather than processing the scene directly, we first must mentally reassemble the reverse world of a reflection, and in the process perhaps see the scene a little differently.
Because a camera renders our dynamic world in a static medium, water’s universal familiarity makes it a powerful tool for photographers. We blur or freeze in space a plummeting waterfall to convey a sense of motion that conjures auditory memories of moving water. Conversely, the mere image of a mountain reflecting in a lake can convey stillness and engender the peace and tranquility of standing on the lakeshore.
This El Capitan winter reflection is another from last month’s Yosemite winter workshop. Arriving at Tunnel View before sunrise, we found a world covered in snow and smothered by clouds. But as daylight rose, the clouds parted and we were treated to a classic Yosemite Valley clearing storm scene. The photography was still great when I herded everyone away from Tunnel View so we’d have time to capture as much ephemeral grandeur as possible in the limited time before the snow disappeared. I tell my groups that, while the photography is still great where we are, it’s great elsewhere too. This approach ensure that not only does everyone get beautiful images, they get a variety of beautiful images.
El Capitan Bridge was our second stop after Tunnel View. El Capitan is so large and close here that capturing it and its reflection in a single frame is impossible without a fisheye lens, or stitching multiple images. But sometimes the desire to capture everything the eye sees introduces distractions. Feeling a bit rushed, I inhaled and forced myself to slow down and simply absorbed moment, soon realizing that it was the reflection that moved me most.
I attached my 17-40 and tried fairly wide vertical and horizontal compositions that highlighted the best parts of the scene, twisting my polarizer in search of an orientation that captured the the reflection while still revealing the interesting world beneath the surface. Of the dozen or so frames that resulted, this may be my favorite for the way it conveys everything in those few sunlit, snowy minutes when the world seemed silent and pure.
* * * *
A note to you skeptics: I’m asked from time-to-time why the trees are white, while their reflection is green. This actually makes perfect sense once you realize that you’re looking at the top of the snow-covered branches, while the reflection is of the underside of the branches, which are not covered with snow.
A gallery of reflections
Click an image for a closer look, and to view a slide show.
Fresh Snow, Valley View, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Winter Glow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Sky Light,The Milky Way and City Lights, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
White Gold, Three Brothers Reflection, Yosemite
Sunrise Starburst, Mono Lake
Winter Glaze, Valley View, Yosemite
Dark Night, Milky Way Reflection, Grand Canyon
Milky Way Reflection, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Autumn Swirl, Half Dome, Yosemite
Last Light, Half Dome, Yosemite
Sunbeam Reflection, Mono Lake, California
Autumn Morning, El Capitan Reflected in the Merced River, Yosemite
Autumn Snow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Rocks and Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Sunset Calm, Trout Lake and Mt. Adams, Washington
Spring Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Aurora on Ice, Glacier Lagoon, Icelan
Starry Night, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Morning Pastels, Mono Lake
Reflection, El Capitan winter morning, Yosemite
Moonlight Magic, El Capitan, Yosemite
Winter Sunset, Wanaka Willow Tree, New Zealand
Sunset Reflection, Badwater, Death Valley
Two Seasons, Valley View, Yosemite
Sand Like Glass, Bandon Beach Sunset, Oregon
Autumn Morning, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Morning Reflection, Mono Lake
Red Sunset, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Aurora Reflection, Vestrahorn, Iceland
Storm Clouds, El Capitan, Yosemite
Winter Reflection, Bridalveil Fall and the Merced River, Yosemite
Fall Into Winter, Bridalveil Fall Reflection, Yosemite
Autumn Snow, Half Dome Reflection, Yosemite
Fall Into Winter, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Parting Clouds, Half Dome Reflection from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
Half Dome Reflection, Mirror Lake, Yosemite
Dogwood Trio, Merced River, Yosemite
Twilight Reflection, Badwater, Death Valley
Autumn and Winter, El Capitan Reflection, Yosemite
Clearing Storm, Half Dome Reflection from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
El Capitan Reflection, Yosemite
Autumn Morning, Half Dome and Sunstar from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
Dark Sky Dreams, Lake Matheson, New Zealand
Gray Dawn, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Winter Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Dawn Reflection, Trillium Lake and Mt. Hood, Oregon
Breaking Light, El Capitan and Three Brothers Reflection, Yosemite
Sunset Moonrise Reflection, Bridalveil Fall, Valley View, Yosemite
Moonlight Cathedral, Valley View, Yosemite
Magenta Moonrise, Half Dome and the Merced River, Yosemite
Spring Sunset, Leidig Meadow, Yosemite
Wanaka Reflection, New Zealand
El Capitan and Three Brothers Reflection, Merced River, Yosemite
Yosemite Falls Reflection, Swinging Bridge, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Sunset Palette, Half Dome from Sentinel Dome, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan and the Merced River, Yosemite
Rainbow Bridge, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Winter Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Winter Storm Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Autumn Snow and Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Autumn Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Aspen Autumn Reflection, Bishop Creek Canyon, Eastern Sierra
Milky Way Reflection, South Tufa, Mono Lake
Rainbow Reflection, Queen’s Bath, Kauai, Hawaii
Half Dome Sunset Reflection, Mirror Lake, Yosemite
Moonlight and Milky Way, Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand
Moonlight Reflection, El Capitan and the Three Brothers, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite
Autumn Snowfall Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Heavenly Veil, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
White Gold, Half Dome Reflection, Yosemite
Spring Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Moongazing, Face Rock, Bandon, Oregon
Autumn Shroud, El Capitan, Yosemite
Reflection, Mirror Lakes, New Zealand
Winter Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Milky Way Reflection, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Howling Dog at Sunset, Bandon Beach, Oregon
Before the Sun, South Tufa, Mono Lake
Winter Storm, El Capitan in the Snow, Yosemite
Aurora Reflection, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Starlight Reflection, Wizard Hat, Bandon, Oregon
Falling Snow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Winter Blue Hour Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Green Streak, Aurora and Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Winter Moonrise, Merced River, Yosemite
Daybreak, Mono Lake
Neon Night, Aurora and Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Autumn Light, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Sea Stacks by Starlight, Bandon, Oregon
Aurora Streaks, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Twilight, Tasman Lake, New Zealand
Sunrise Mirror, Mono Lake
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Eloquent Images by Gary Hart 
Your “Winter Reflection”, is indeed a beautiful photo. Well done.
Beautiful shot! I love the reflections as well. Seem to gravitate to them.
Gary, ‘ Winter Reflection ‘ would warrant -2- pats from Ansel.
The ARTIST in you is revealed !
I aggree totally LOVE reflections! Thanks, Gary! Beautiful image!
Beautiful!
Stunning
Thanks for posting Gary. It is a beautiful picture. I live near a lake and it is one of favorite places to shoot reflections.
To me reflections are a little bit like ghost they have a mystery hidden inside.
Thanks. Fall and winter are a great time of year for reflections.
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