Mono Lake II, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

Another morning view of Mono Lake from last weekend. We have had so much unseasonably cool and wet weather lately, maybe this much snowpack is not normal for April in the Sierra Nevada. Taken around 1 hr after sunrise. The geology and ecology AND recent history of this lake is interesting, below I am pasting an overview, I took many photos that morning, and will add different eco-info with each one.

Mono Lake and its surrounding watershed encompass a unique region in California. Sagebrush, Jeffrey pines, volcanoes, tufa towers, gulls, grebes, brine shrimp, alkali flies, freshwater streams, and alkaline waters comprise an unlikely world at the transition between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Great Basin Desert. Pronghorn antelope graze in the Bodie Hills while yellow-bellied Marmots bask in the High Sierra summer sun. Great Basin spadefoot toads fill the evening air with an endless chorus of croaking while Nighthawks hunt for insects in the fading twilight. Trillions of brine shrimp eat and mate beneath the briny waters of Mono Lake as Wilson’s Phalaropes feast on alkali flies in preparation for their non-stop flight to South America. Embracing 14 different ecological zones, over 1000 plant species, and roughly 400 recorded vertebrate species within its watershed, Mono Lake and its surrounding basin encompass one of California’s richest natural areas.

PS I love off season travel like this, so I'm flying to Alaska for a long weekend but will still participate when not busy.

MarekP, tsumeb, abadlovesong, siolaw, singuanti, alainh, delkoo, macondo, carper, huynt, rhizomes, peter1892, ChrisJ, Paolo, Tue, marjan, Didi, rafelito, keribar, anavazao, ronners, patriik, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

MarekP (4750) 2006-04-12 20:55

Hi Tan,
Geology of this lake seems to be interesting indeed. I like this unusual rock and how its texture contrasts with the clean surface of the water. Well done!

Thanks,
Marek

Cormac (26565) 2006-04-12 21:09

Another great shot from this area. I like the reflection in this one, with the water being almost like a mirror. The strange rock formation is enhanced by the side lighting and great contrast. Great work!

tsumeb (470) 2006-04-12 21:30

Excellent photo of one of my favorite places. Excellent colors as well.

siolaw (38294) 2006-04-12 21:48

Hi Tn...such a magnficent spot...a noiseless image with beautiful reflections
well done
TFS
laurent

singuanti (15250) 2006-04-12 22:34

Hi Tan. You know those reflections are so good that it’s hard to tell the difference between reality and the reflection. You might be able to mess with our brains and even post it upside down. The time of day was more than ideal. tfs Tan.

alainh (33209) 2006-04-13 0:28

hello Tan
impressive rock and reflection !
very nice colours and beautiful landscape.
it's seems petrified penitents !!
have a good day
alain

jjcordier (79299) 2006-04-13 0:29

Another good photo of this lake.Very interesting rock formation.
TFS
JJ

joeydrops (2659) 2006-04-13 1:39

Hi Tan,
Wonderful shot. The scenery and reflections are gorgeous. I especially like the unusually shaped rock formation. The foreground grasses and distant mountains also add a lot to the composition and give good depth. Lovely colours and textures. Well captured!
Claudia

Gerrit (62042) 2006-04-13 2:34

Hi Tan,
this is rally a photogenetic place.
Ideal reflection, great composition and superbe colours.
Thanmks and regards, Gerrit

Nottinghill (1089) 2006-04-13 2:59

Fine view and I am amazed by colors. Very moody. Thenks for sharing. Regards Marek

delkoo (68) 2006-04-13 3:29

hi tan,
nice spot to potter along, interesting geologic formation.
thanks for sharing

didier

macondo (20449) 2006-04-13 3:41

I like this subject and the naturalistic colours. Lovely reflection in the very still waters. The rich brown of the grasses makes the picture more interesting. I appreciate the detailed notes, too. Thanks.
Andrew

valdec (7367) 2006-04-13 4:38

Cudowne, rewelacyjne, bardzo dobra kompozycja, perfrkcyjne. Ca³e Twoje portfolio jest mistrzowskie. Jestem pod wra¿eniem
Pozdrawiam serdecznie

dkeus31 (27739) 2006-04-13 6:00

Hello Tan,
I prefer this one, a nice foreground and especially the fact that the foreground stone does not interfere with the background mountains.
Regards,
Didier

bibs69 (3251) 2006-04-13 7:12

Hello Tan,

A very surprising view :).

Very smooth colors and many different things to observ on this picture.

Bravo !!

Best regards, Laurent.

carper (96) 2006-04-13 9:23

very nice one Tan.
very good result, the quality is very good and the point of view is nice, good colours too.and fantastic reflection, well done.
gr. jaap

huynt (5081) 2006-04-13 9:54

Hi Tan
What for a nice reflection.An interesting composition. Balance color. Thanks for sharing. Huy

rhizomes (15343) 2006-04-13 15:02

Hi Tan,
Fantastic place !! Your picture is excellent with great sense of composition and very nice reflections ! Interesting note too !
Christophe

peter1892 (1681) 2006-04-13 15:26

Very good - the temptation here would be to crop the vegetation from the foreground but I'm glad you didn't as it adds another point of interest & also helps to give a visual reference to some of the points made in your note.

ronners (10) 2006-04-13 16:08

I've stood in the same spot at a different time (January 2003), and you can see my take on it here. The lake really does look its best in early morning or around sunset, so your timing is good here. What surprises me somewhat is the choice of a wide aperture for a landscape shot - was the camera on Program/Auto mode?

gilou530 (34) 2006-04-13 16:53

salut tan
une autre belle photo du meme coin des States, belles couleurs contrastees et reflets géniaux
amitiés
gilbert

Ann75 (0) 2006-04-14 0:01

Hello Tan,

Another stunning shot of this Mono Lake. It's such an interesting place with these weird rocks in the water. The reflection in the water is amazing, the background mountains are stunning and the colours are amazing. Great POV and great composition!

Greetings,
Ann

ChrisJ (171252) 2006-04-14 4:08

Hi Tan

Missed this one. I like the suyperb reflections of the blue sky & white clouds, in the mirror like surface of the lake. Good color & sharpness. Tfs!

Paolo (41258) 2006-04-14 6:25

Hi Tan, both beautiful that 2 Mono views.
excellent colours and reflection, amazing light and a perfect composition.
that lake remember me the one that there is in Iceland, close to the Skaftafell National Park, where one of the tongue of the Vatnajokul glaciera enter in the sea. there is ice, but the colours are really similar.
thanks, ciao

anesugur (18789) 2006-04-14 11:00

Merhaba Tan,
Bu kaya değil sanki özellikle yapılmış bir heykel.Sakin su üzerindeki yansıma da nefis görünüyor.
Selamlar. Uğur

Tue (91604) 2006-04-14 12:44

Hej Tan,
Beautiful piece of nature with really great reflections. The light and colours are also very good. Well done and thanks for sharing!
Hilsen,
Lars

IvarsU (2505) 2006-04-15 18:59

Hi, Tan!
Wow - it is something!!! Greatest reflections here... Composing with white hills in back is outstanding!!!!
regards,
Ivars.

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2006-04-16 16:19

Merhaba,
Yansımalar, netlik ve renkler ne kadar harika...Super bir kompoziyon, selamlar.
Ahmet

Angshu (56760) 2006-04-17 4:21

Hi Tan
Lovely reflections again...looks like a mirror. Wonderful rock structure & view of the mountains...
Regards
Angshu

Didi (61589) 2006-04-17 13:05

Salaam Captain
Si votre travail vous permet de voyager, c'est une sacrée chance pour photographier à votre guise.
C'est un paysage très étrange; je ne savais pas que le climat est varié par la présence de ces sommets neigeux.
Un paysage bien composé par ce rocher à texture poreuse.

If your work enables you to travel, it's a good chance for you to spend some moment for photography.
It is a very strange landscape; I did not know that the climate is varied by the presence of these snow-covered tops. A landscape composed well by this rock with porous texture.

keribar (43841) 2006-04-18 14:01

Hi Tan,

In Turkey they say that I travel a lot which is probably true, of course they haven't met you yet and they would understand what travelling meant. It is incredible how you get the best of every part in the world.. I wish we could organize one or more exhibitions of your work in Turkey. I would gladly help you when you think the time is right. Many thanks - Izzet

anavazao (5592) 2006-04-20 7:03

wooooooow
the refex is perfect:)
what a lovely shot, the colors are so vibrant!
Beautiful composition and POV.
Thanks Ana:)

patriik (1935) 2006-05-24 12:38

Hi Tan,
I love this shot!
The view is outstanding but your choice of framing made this shot very very well done!
Wonderful reflections on the water!
Regards!
Patryk

plimrn (21344) 2007-01-21 4:00

Hi Tan,
Wonderful color and detail in your well-framed photo. The reflection doubles the pleasure.
I know you;re thinking about attending the TE meeting in this area the first weekend in in June, we're doing a theme about the area to let people know what's there to photograph. Hope to see you there to share some of your favorite spots to photograph.
Wishing you Health, Love & Joy (HLJ) in the New Year, Pat

syedmehdi (184) 2008-01-08 7:44 [Comment]