Those many years ago, when I was last in Yosemite National Park, I remember the fog. It is still one of the signature elements of this location, at least in winter. Since I haven’t been in Yosemite in the months overrun by the “Madding Crowd,” I can’t speak to spring, summer, and fall, but in winter, the fog is wonderful. It is playful as it swirls around. It creates mood, subdues colors, and adds an ethereal effect to many scenes.

It is found along the Merced River, contrasting a sharp foreground with …

According to one of the signs in the park, Yosemite has the highest concentration of waterfalls anywhere in the world, including the tallest one in North America and fifth in the world, Yosemite Falls with a total drop of 2,425′. There’re also Horsetail Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Vernal, Nevada, and a host of others, some ephemeral. And we mustn’t forget all the cascades tumbling down and around boulders on steep mountain sides and the iconic Merced River that runs through Yosemite Valley. In short, there is no shortage of water, at least in spring and winter. One of the ironies of all this is that one needs to be careful in Yosemite and conserve water a good portion of the year. The old quote holds true, “Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to spare.”

We were lucky, however, since …

… We drove into the Sacramento Valley to enjoy a lovely evening with alumni friends, sharing stories, fun remembrances, and of course, photographs. The next morning, we headed down to Yosemite for final scouting. Days in this park are short at this time of year, so we couldn’t do any scouting on the way into the valley. By the time we checked into the Lodge, it was dark.

The next day, however, was beautiful, but the skies were boring. Either ho-hum, naturally polarized blue, or flat gray. It was frustrating, but Mother Nature always has a mind of her own. We scouted and found a lot of locations (and shots) that pleased us.

We checked out the classic, entering-the-valley view. More blue skies. Ugh! …