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.
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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.
Aspen Autumn Reflection, Bishop Creek Canyon, Eastern Sierra
Storm Clouds, El Capitan, Yosemite
Autumn Snowfall Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Moonlight Cathedral, Valley View, Yosemite
Reflection, Mirror Lakes, New Zealand
Magenta Moonrise, Half Dome and the Merced River, Yosemite
Dawn Reflection, Trillium Lake and Mt. Hood, Oregon
Breaking Light, El Capitan and Three Brothers Reflection, Yosemite
Autumn Morning, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Starlight Reflection, Wizard Hat, Bandon, Oregon
Winter Reflection, Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Autumn Snow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Last Light, Half Dome, Yosemite
Rocks and Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Two Seasons, Valley View, Yosemite
Falling Snow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Reflection, El Capitan winter morning, Yosemite
Sunbeam Reflection, Mono Lake, California
Howling Dog at Sunset, Bandon Beach, Oregon
Winter Storm, El Capitan in the Snow, Yosemite
Before the Sun, South Tufa, Mono Lake
Autumn Morning, Half Dome and Sunstar from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
Fall Into Winter, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Spring Sunset, Leidig Meadow, Yosemite
Moonlight Reflection, El Capitan and the Three Brothers, Yosemite
Milky Way Reflection, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Moongazing, Face Rock, Bandon, Oregon
Daybreak, Mono Lake
Spring Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Half Dome Reflection, Mirror Lake, Yosemite
Half Dome Sunset Reflection, Mirror Lake, Yosemite
Sea Stacks by Starlight, Bandon, Oregon
Winter Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Fresh Snow, Valley View, Yosemite
Winter Sunset, Wanaka Willow Tree, New Zealand
Clearing Storm, Half Dome Reflection from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
Aurora on Ice, Glacier Lagoon, Icelan
Twilight, Tasman Lake, New Zealand
Dogwood Trio, Merced River, Yosemite
Dark Sky Dreams, Lake Matheson, New Zealand
White Gold, Three Brothers Reflection, Yosemite
Moonlight Magic, El Capitan, Yosemite
Gray Dawn, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Sand Like Glass, Bandon Beach Sunset, Oregon
Sunrise Mirror, Mono Lake
Autumn Light, North Lake, Eastern Sierra
Spring Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Red Sunset, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Autumn and Winter, El Capitan Reflection, Yosemite
Sunset Reflection, Badwater, Death Valley
Milky Way Reflection, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Autumn Swirl, Half Dome, Yosemite
Yosemite Falls Reflection, Swinging Bridge, Yosemite
Sunrise Starburst, Mono Lake
Aurora Reflection, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Wanaka Reflection, New Zealand
Winter Glaze, Valley View, Yosemite
Dark Night, Milky Way Reflection, Grand Canyon
White Gold, Half Dome Reflection, Yosemite
Moonlight and Milky Way, Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand
Sky Light,The Milky Way and City Lights, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Autumn Shroud, El Capitan, Yosemite
Milky Way Reflection, South Tufa, Mono Lake
Morning Pastels, Mono Lake
El Capitan Reflection, Yosemite
Green Streak, Aurora and Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Aurora Reflection, Vestrahorn, Iceland
Winter Moonrise, Merced River, Yosemite
Winter Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan and Three Brothers, Yosemite
Autumn Snow, Half Dome Reflection, Yosemite
Sunset Moonrise Reflection, Bridalveil Fall, Valley View, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite
Morning Reflection, Mono Lake
Autumn Morning, El Capitan Reflected in the Merced River, Yosemite
Winter Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Heavenly Veil, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Winter Blue Hour Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Sunset Calm, Trout Lake and Mt. Adams, Washington
Rainbow Reflection, Queen’s Bath, Kauai, Hawaii
Autumn Moon Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Winter Glow, El Capitan, Yosemite
Starry Night, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand
Autumn Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Rainbow Bridge, Colorado River, Grand Canyon
Autumn Snow and Reflection, Half Dome, Yosemite
Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Fall Reflection, Yosemite
Autumn Reflection, El Capitan and the Merced River, Yosemite
Twilight Reflection, Badwater, Death Valley
Neon Night, Aurora and Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
El Capitan and Three Brothers Reflection, Merced River, Yosemite
Aurora Streaks, Glacier Lagoon, Iceland
Winter Storm Reflection, El Capitan, Yosemite
Parting Clouds, Half Dome Reflection from Sentinel Bridge, Yosemite
Sunset Palette, Half Dome from Sentinel Dome, Yosemite
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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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