Last week we had our 28th annual family vacation to Yosemite National Park. This is the place that got me into Photography in the 1st place! As a kid, I spent hours in the Ansel Adams gallery there, waking up at 6am to go on the photo hikes capturing images and taking pictures for hours before breakfast. I’d travel to Yosemite 2-4 times a year and hike or bike around, shooting for hours, getting inspired, whether it was snowing or sunny out. I would then come back and print black and white images in the darkroom in high school. When I got my Hasselblad, I ended up spending even more time in the darkroom.
The 1st thing we would always do is plan our hikes and hit the trails. Basking in the warm sun and smelling the pine trees is such a relaxing way to revive my mind & body. I love to read and have my quiet times to get into the word and be filled. Next to a river, sipping on some tea in the warm morning sun. Enough said, enjoy this collection.
In the mornings we would always make a hearty breakfast and get filled up for the day.
It rained and snowed so much last year that the rivers and falls were full and gushing!
One of my favorite reasons why Yosemite is such a great place to shoot is the variations of color in the granite, and foliage. Greys & greens, against blues.
A favorite place for us to visit is always the Ahwanee Hotel. Built around 1925, it stands as almost part of the park, blending in beautifully. Relaxing in the shade you can have a refreshing afternoon drink or ice cream and watch the falls and lay on the grass in the meadow in front of the hotel. Then later we would go biking around the valley, which is the fastest way and easiest way to get around.
We also love rafting down the Merced river, which takes 90 minutes and is a class 1 river, BUT it’s super relaxing to find a beach and have lunch secluded with a view of the falls or granite cliffs in the background.
I highly recommend everyone going to visit yosemite, however, to stay in the valley you must book reservations 5-12 months in advance to stay in the park between May 15th and Sept 15th.
Ginny Corbett — Breathtaking.
Eric Farewell — Yes sir, positively epic. I’d love to go there with you sometime, take you to all our family’s favorite haunts… And have you do the same for us :)
Jeanice — Beautiful! You captured it so well.
BloomDiva at panacea — Wow! I feel like I just had a mini vacation from looking through these. So beautiful and brought back some fun memories of last summer – I love the lighting. Glad you had a great time.
Tim Halberg — beautiful images of one of my favorite places on earth (besides the backcountry of Kings Canyon) a trick to keep in mind if you do want to stay in the valley without reservations during the peak season… get a backcountry permit for a day or two after the day you arrive and request a stay in the backpackers campground… or… get into the valley around 6 a.m. and go to camp 4, hop in line and get yourself some sweet walk in camping amongst the world’s best climbers and hear epic stories. we need to plan a trip there together sometime! (or maybe backpacking in the Kings Canyon backcountry)
William McKee — Wow, so beautiful and 28 years that’s impressive.
Ingoman — Awesome post. Sounds great that u guys had time to relax and recover. We r still on sevendaysaweek but so looking forward to our long trip in October. This national park is on our list since friends have been there. It will happen. U both take care and cu soon. Carmen and ingomar
fred — I love it Mike ! that changes from the surfing pics :-)
Roman — The strong and beautiful place! Mike, please tell me. What is providing this effect like a tilt-shift objective?
Jeniene — That is one of my favorite places on earth! And I don’t think I’ve ever seen it captured so well.
Mike Larson — Roman, yes, i used a tilt shift for some of the landscape images. I wanted to isolate specific elements for the viewer. Tim, I’d LOVE to hang with you guys up there! we are thinking about starting a camping tradition there every year with our friends. Is anyone else going to go to yosemite this year!?
Roman — Many thanks. Your pictures are very inspiring.
Jessie — these are beautiful images, very refreshing!
Marden – Brazil — Perfect place, perfect images, even been so far from this place we can dream just looking tru this pictures.
Stephen Knuth — So cool!! Great shots! Never knew that you were a film shooter.
Acres of Hope Photography — LOVE the pictures, Mike! As you know, we’ve camped there as a family for about the last 15 years… but always in the snow! I never seen Yosemite firsthand so green and lush! I can’t wait to go back in the later spring/summertime. Thanks for sharing. :)
Caelen W — Oh Mike! You’re making me jealous! We just finished a 3 day UK Pastor’s Conference here at our church and I was running our espresso shop from 7am-11pm and could seriously go for a vacation with my wife and daughter about now! Awesome shots, and a gorgeous place. Still really diggin’ that tilt-shift action. Such a cool effect, and put to very good use. God bless and hope you had very uplifting and blessed time. -CW
Mike Larson — Acres & Caeleen, thanks for the words! You should totally get out there to Yosemite, its a must, just like Disneyland is for kids! :)
Toby — I am a big fan from Germany. I love your pictures. They are absolutly inspiring. Do you do a lot of post on your pictures or do you try to get it done while shooting (setting light etc)? They always look so untouched and beautiful.