Mobius Arch Sunrise

[Kyle Jones]

Here's a wide view of Mobius Arch on a beautiful morning a few years ago. Mount Whitney is centered in the arch, but the whole scene was pretty enough I wanted to show more.

Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[AlanLichty]

Nice - I like the clouds that feel like they are emanating from Mt. Whitney.

I tried stopping at the Alabama Hills for this view a few years back but it turned out I arrived during the last weekend of the CA school system spring break. There were several people on top of the arch and about a dozen more drinking beer all around it. No camp sites within several miles of the place that weren't overflowing with people. I will be more diligent about visitation dates next time.

 

[JimFox]

Nice - I like the clouds that feel like they are emanating from Mt. Whitney.

I tried stopping at the Alabama Hills for this view a few years back but it turned out I arrived during the last weekend of the CA school system spring break. There were several people on top of the arch and about a dozen more drinking beer all around it. No camp sites within several miles of the place that weren't overflowing with people. I will be more diligent about visitation dates next time.

Hey Alan, you sure must have picked the worst of the worst times to have visited. It's not normally like that at all, though it's not uncommon to have 2 or 3 people there, so any midweek timing you can do will be better then the weekend. There is actually a very small area to shoot this scene maybe a circle of 3 or 4 feet, so being there first is really important.

 

[JimFox]

Very nice take on this Kyle. It's cool seeing the whole arch, and the color in the clouds is really nice what you got here.

 

[BarryHamilton]

That's some lovely morning light and color, Kyle! I like your wider comp, too.
I may try to make it here some time in mid-Dec on my trip west. Still haven't set dates, yet, will prolly be quite a seat-of-the-pants trip.

 

[AlanLichty]

Hey Alan, you sure must have picked the worst of the worst times to have visited. It's not normally like that at all, though it's not uncommon to have 2 or 3 people there, so any midweek timing you can do will be better then the weekend. There is actually a very small area to shoot this scene maybe a circle of 3 or 4 feet, so being there first is really important.

I had visions of the Alabama Hills looking like Kyle's image shows above - a very tranquil setting with pleasant shapes in granite all around for my photographic pleasures. Nice pastels with a great backdrop of Mt. Whitney, etc.

I was in for a rude awakening - the corner at the Whitney Portal Rd. and Movie Flat Rd. had several large trailers from the local Sheriff's office as a remote command center and when I got around the corner I understood why - the whole place looked like a giant tailgate party as far as I could see. There were several trailers from bicycle shops with mountain bike/horse rentals and people on top of just about every boulder you could see. It took me 20 minutes to find a place to turn around and flee.

I would love to revisit the place with conditions like Kyle shows here.

 

[Ben Egbert]

This is great Kyle, I like this more complete view with Whitney framed like that. The only time I did the arch there was 20 people around it and I had to settle for putting Whitney outside the arch.

 

[Zeph]

Nice shot Kyle...!
Now's a good time to be there, kids in school and the skiers don't have enough snow, yet.

 

[Jeffrey]

One of the best images of this thing I've seen. You backed off to get the entire rock feature in it's surroundings, with awesome light to boot. Nice work!

 

[Jim Sanderson]

Nice take on the arch. I have a couple similar, but I like the pinkish red of the arch rock you were able to capture.

 

[Alisa]

Here's a wide view of Mobius Arch on a beautiful morning a few years ago. Mount Whitney is centered in the arch, but the whole scene was pretty enough I wanted to show more.

Any thoughts are welcome.
View attachment 3052

I love the lighting and clouds in this shot!

 

[Kyle Jones]

Nice - I like the clouds that feel like they are emanating from Mt. Whitney.

I tried stopping at the Alabama Hills for this view a few years back but it turned out I arrived during the last weekend of the CA school system spring break. There were several people on top of the arch and about a dozen more drinking beer all around it. No camp sites within several miles of the place that weren't overflowing with people. I will be more diligent about visitation dates next time.

Thanks Alan - this was taken during the week between Christmas and New Years. Being winter and cold you definitely get fewer people, but because it is a holiday week plenty of other photographers are on the road too.

Hey Alan, you sure must have picked the worst of the worst times to have visited. It's not normally like that at all, though it's not uncommon to have 2 or 3 people there, so any midweek timing you can do will be better then the weekend. There is actually a very small area to shoot this scene maybe a circle of 3 or 4 feet, so being there first is really important.

If I'm doing sunrise at an iconic location with limited space (like this or Mesa Arch) I get there REALLY early to make sure I get a good spot. Preferably at least 90 minutes before sunrise.

That's some lovely morning light and color, Kyle! I like your wider comp, too.
I may try to make it here some time in mid-Dec on my trip west. Still haven't set dates, yet, will prolly be quite a seat-of-the-pants trip.

Thanks Barry - it is a wonderful area to shoot even if you skip this particular arch.

This is great Kyle, I like this more complete view with Whitney framed like that. The only time I did the arch there was 20 people around it and I had to settle for putting Whitney outside the arch.

Thanks Ben, glad you like the wide view.

Nice shot Kyle...!
Now's a good time to be there, kids in school and the skiers don't have enough snow, yet.

Thanks Zeph!

One of the best images of this thing I've seen. You backed off to get the entire rock feature in it's surroundings, with awesome light to boot. Nice work!

Thanks Jeffrey - it really was a beautiful sunrise that morning.

Nice take on the arch. I have a couple similar, but I like the pinkish red of the arch rock you were able to capture.

Thanks Jim, if I recall correctly there were some fires to the southeast that added some nice red light to the sunrise.

I love the lighting and clouds in this shot!

Thanks a lot Alisa!

 

[Jim Dockery]

Very nice, great light and of course the clouds make it - great leading lines into Whitney.

 

[Bart Carrig]

Kyle, that is a beautiful perspective, very well seen. And the light is perfect.

Great image.

Bart

 

[lionking]

Beautiful light Kyle.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Nice soft morning light brings subtle textures in the rocks. Really like the composition here.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

This is an iconic spot but like all good photographers you made it your own. Beautiful light and composition, Kyle. I have never understood putting your tripod in the holes everyone else uses. .

 

[Kyle Jones]

Very nice, great light and of course the clouds make it - great leading lines into Whitney.

Thanks a lot Jim. The clouds definitely worked with me that morning.

Kyle, that is a beautiful perspective, very well seen. And the light is perfect.

Great image.

Bart

Thanks a lot Bart!

Beautiful light Kyle.

Thanks a lot!

Nice soft morning light brings subtle textures in the rocks. Really like the composition here.

Thanks Jameel - I took the classic views as well, but it's nice to have something different.

This is an iconic spot but like all good photographers you made it your own. Beautiful light and composition, Kyle. I have never understood putting your tripod in the holes everyone else uses. .

Thanks a lot Douglas. My tripod may have been in well worn holes, but at least I tried a different lens!

 

[Vieri]

Very good take on an iconic location Kyle! I don't know about you, but I love the challenge of tackling well-known landmarks! Best regards,

Vieri