Don Smith Photography's Blog

Moonset and Lit Clouds Over Eastern Sierra Crest

Posted by Don Smith (California, United States) on 8 February 2010 in Landscape & Rural.

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Every once in a while, Mother Nature provides a show that even the most seasoned of photographers could not anticipate. Such was the case at our last morning of a recently concluded workshop held by Gary Hart that started in Death Valley and ended with this scene photographed from the Alabama Hills looking west towards the eastern-Sierra crest and Mt. Whitney.

As the sun began to paint the horizon, we were content to photograph a setting moon just to the right of Mt. Whitney. Unexpectedly, these bird-like clouds, which started as a pair of lenticular clouds, formed over the crest and were painted with the warm light of the rising sun resulting in this image!

Lenticular clouds, (think lens shaped) are stationary clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction. Moist stable air rises up and over the western front of the Sierra, then pours over the steep drop that characterizes the eastern front. Lenticulars (such as these) often form at the crest of these waves. Oftentimes, long strings of the clouds can form creating what is known as a wave cloud.

The other-worldly rocks that constitute the makeup of the Alabama Hills added an eerie foreground and I simply used the shadow-line to hold the base of the frame. I did crop some sky (and other non-desrcript clouds) off the top of the frame becasue I felt they were a distraction, but this was not photographed as a pano. This image was captured using only a polarizing filter; it was truly a remarkable moment!

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Comments (25)

Richard Geven from Montferland, Netherlands

What a fantastic moment. Beautiful sunset in combination with the moonrise. This is a weakupcall.
Stay at the top of the mountain and you have the most beautiful landscape you can wish!!!

8 Feb 2010 5:29am

@Richard Geven: Clouds can seemingly form (and dissipate) within minutes in the Eastern Sierra. It was quite a show - at one point, picture could have been made an literally any direction.

MK from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

wonderful image, the moon is a bonus

8 Feb 2010 6:06am

@MK: The moon was predictable, the clouds weren't; nevertheless, I am not complaining.

Stefan from Thiersee, Austria

Outstanding photo, what a magic moment..great!

8 Feb 2010 8:02am

@Stefan: Sometimes its just magical being out there Stefan, as I'm sure you can concur. Hope you are well.

Tamara from Aarschot, Belgium

Extraordinary light ! And these clouds are so special !!!

8 Feb 2010 9:01am

@Tamara: This is why I photograph around the fringes of the day Tamara - the quality of light is generally exquisite.

Vitor Martins from Lisboa, Portugal

A remarkable moment, and a remarkable image.

8 Feb 2010 9:23am

@Vitor Martins: What's the old saying, "Better to be lucky than good..."

Florence from Paris, France

A beautiful parenthesis !

8 Feb 2010 11:41am

@Florence: Thanks Florence.

Judy from Brooksville, Florida, United States

Sunrise and moonset, with spectacular cloud formation ... simply gorgeous!

8 Feb 2010 11:53am

@Judy: It was quite a morning - makes breakfast taste a whole better!

Barbara from Oakland, United States

Don, just wonderful! I gotta get to mine! I have put up three images from the workshop here....and this makes me gotta have that Vivezia! What a wonderful morning that was. To be remembered always - amazing light and great photographers!

8 Feb 2010 4:30pm

@Barbara: I was able to get a quick look at your images last night Barbara and you have some wonderful captures! This was without a doubt the best morning I have ever had at the Alabama Hills!

Dawn from Maryland, United States

Breathtaking. Absolutely gorgeous shot!!! 5 stars. : )

8 Feb 2010 4:31pm

@Dawn: Thanks Dawn.

Fred from Manila, Philippines

This photo is amazing Don! Another perfect moment -- the golden hues of the sun, the contrasting brown rocky terrain, that perfectly subtle blue sky, and of course, the clouds. They almost seem unreal; the clouds look like two birds flying over each other. Very nice!

8 Feb 2010 4:35pm

@Fred: It was really the cloud formation that I was after here Fred. It did look like a giant bird! When you place it over the top of one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the world (with a full setting moon), you can't help but come up with a nice image. Too bad it wasn't always this easy!

Sergei Z from Türi, Estonia

It's simply beautiful. Very well done. I could look at this image for hours.......

8 Feb 2010 4:43pm

@Sergei Z: That's a very nice compliment Sergei - thank you!

Thea from Leeuwarden, Netherlands

A breathtaking shot! really beautiful..

8 Feb 2010 5:46pm

@Thea: It was a breathtaking view - I just showed up! Thanks for writing Thea.

john4jack from Corvallis, Oregon, United States

Absolutely stunning!!

8 Feb 2010 5:51pm

@john4jack: Thanks John.

Elora from Genoa, Italy

I just love th orange colour here, and those Lenticular clouds are pretty amazing!

8 Feb 2010 6:19pm

@Elora: Lenticulars are always nice to photograph. Because of the topography of the Eastern Sierra, one sees them quite regularly. I have yet to photograph a Sierra wave, I believe summers are the best bet to see them.

Shahryar from Isfahan, Iran

very interesting capture ,well done :)

8 Feb 2010 7:37pm

@Shahryar: Thanks Shahryar. I tend to get quite a few photographers from Iran writing. Do many of you know each other, or is it just that many of you use Aminus3? Regardless, thanks for sharing your kind comments.

K.B.R from Switzerland

Abnormal !!!
great shot

8 Feb 2010 8:43pm

@K.B.R: Thanks.

Rémi Côté from Saguenay, Canada

Great light and perfect composition.

Congratulations!

8 Feb 2010 9:44pm

@Rémi Côté: The composition was something I played with for quite a while. I am of the belief that there is no one right or wrong way to compose. There were other more nondescript clouds present above these lenticulars, but in my opinion, they were more of a distraction, so out they went. Thanks for writing.

Paul from summerside, Canada

Love it

9 Feb 2010 12:41am

@Paul: Thanks Paul.

Tracy from La Selva Beach, United States

Usually I can go on and on about an image. This one stopped me in my tracks. Incredible!

9 Feb 2010 1:59am

@Tracy: It was an incredible morning Tracy. Pictures could have been made in any direction at one point. The Owens Valley is one incredible place to photograph!

DarkElf from Perth, Australia

oh this is just wonderful! lovely warm glow and the swish of clouds above complements the peaks and this composition superbly! i like the panoramic view as well - it makes the landscape seem to extend left and right forever...

9 Feb 2010 4:20am

@DarkElf: I actually just worked on a pano (7 frames) of this scene yesterday, but still I like this one better. The clouds formation lit by the warm sunrise light is what really made this image work for me.

Scott F. Schilling from San Martin, United States

These are my second favorite cloud types to the thunderheads! Fantastic light and I like the touches of snow down lower in the Alabama Hills and the mountains around Mt. Whitney are just aglow with the warm light!

Simply Awesome!

9 Feb 2010 6:15am

@Scott F. Schilling: And what almost gets lost in the scene is the setting moon! Pretty wet morning, we may have to bag the shoot. I'll call you when I get on the road.

steve loos from hollister, United States

I have stood in this spot many times; the last time was with my best friend of 25 years who has since passed. That has nothing to do with photography, but makes this photograph even more beautiful to me. Very beautiful Don.

9 Feb 2010 6:24am

@steve loos: I'm sorry about the loss of your friend Steve, but I am glad this image brings back happy memories. Thanks for sharing that with me.

KriKridesign from Cully, Switzerland

The moon and the ...big bird.... .........(sigh)

9 Feb 2010 1:16pm

@KriKridesign: At first it was just the two center lenticulars, then it quickly sprouted wings! It was fun to watch and to photograph.

Ralph Jones from Detroit, United States

Wow, this looks like it could just as well be a NASA photo from Mars.

9 Feb 2010 2:53pm

Babzy from Besançon, France

So beautiful that it seems an unreal world :)

9 Feb 2010 6:01pm

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Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
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ISO 200
40 mm