Wandering Camera – Mono Lake Sunrise

 

Hello everyone!  Welcome to this month’s Wandering Camera.  Today I would like to share a few more photos from our last camping trip.  Mono Lake in the eastern Sierra is a very special place.  Its fascinating geology lends to its beauty.  I was a novice photographer when I was there the last time during sunrise many years ago and that left an impression on me.  Now, years later, it was time to revisit and refresh that memory.

 

 

High Sierra Tioga Pass Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

Wandering Camera – Sunset Hour

 

Last month I shared photos of a spontaneous visit to one of the many glacial lakes in the High Sierras during the sunset hour.  It was a magical hour.  Not quite so spontaneous, we headed out next morning toward Mono Lake for the sunrise.

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

In September, High Sierra mornings are already very cold.  Since we were going to be standing still by the lakeside for photography, we bundled up in layers of warm clothing and drove out in the darkness. 

The cold air, the gentle lapping of water on the shore, the peach and cream sky and the intensely blue lake interspersed by the Tufa all combined to make the place look very otherworldly.

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

 

Wandering Camera - Mono Lake Sunrise | Whims And Fancies

 

 

 

Unlike the sunset of the night before which unfolded over the course of an hour, the sunrise was a much briefer affair.   We left shortly thereafter with a dazed head from this ethereal early morning.

 

 

 

Fall Red Leaf Watercolour | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Next week is a holiday week here in the US, so I am posting this month’s Wandering Camera a week early. 

Thank you so much for sharing a little bit about where you live in the comments last month.  I not only loved reading them, I even made a few travel notes.  If you are in the US, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving next week.  If you are elsewhere, I wish you a wonderful week.

 

Will you be starting with early holiday shopping or do you have other plans for the Friday after Thanksgiving?  I will be visiting a redwood forest that I have not been to before.

 

This is also going to be the last Wandering Camera until January.  I will leave the linky party open throughout January in case you want to continue to link up.  I love visiting you and reading a bit about your world, where you have been visiting, and what you have been creating.

 

Wandering Camera - Photography Linky Party | Whims And Fancies

 

You can add any number of links to your posts, or write a new post to link up.

Please add the badge or a text link back to this site on each post that you link up. You can also add the badge to your blog. I am happy as long as you link back :-)

Wandering Camera is a monthly event that runs on the last Thursday of every month.  If you follow me via email, you will get a reminder.  All photography and creative-themed posts are welcome.

Have fun!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.  

 

 

Leave a comment

 

Wandering Camera – Sunset Hour

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

Welcome to October’s Wandering Camera!  I love October for many reasons, but this particular one is very special to me.  Twenty years ago, this east coast girl packed up on the last week of October and left for the west coast in pursuit of something she had read in a science fiction book.  I fell in love with the author’s description of California, and sight unseen I moved here.  I fall in love with her more with every passing day.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Last weekend we were without power for a very long time due to major Santa Ana winds.  The trees were swaying as if the ground itself was shaking them.  Colourful autumn leaves were swirling everywhere. Despite the drama, it was a tragic event, really.  I was wondering what keeps me here.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

As you know, I love camping in the high sierras at 10,000 ft. for the cold weather it brings in September.  It is a respite for me from the summer heat.  Despite my wish of seeing the sun colouring the rolling clouds over the high mountains at sunrise and sunset, the day started out quite mundane.

 

Nonetheless, we got up before sunrise at 5:30 AM and drove up to one of the many glacial lakes to see the sun blazing on the mountains.  We were not disappointed.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

As if mother Nature heard me, she started rolling in a few clouds later in the day.

 

 

Camping At The High Sierras Watercolour Painting | Whims And Fancies

 

 

I was trying hard not obsess about photography this time, and busied myself the next day with a bit of sketching of my new tent at the campground.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

However, when the clouds continued to billow overhead, it was very hard not to heed that call.  My husband, who knows me very well, smiled and we drove to one of our favourite spots on Tioga Pass a little before sunset.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

The 360-degree amphitheatre play of light, shadow, and colour unfolded around us slowly over the next hour.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

The clouds turned from white to orange to purple and pink.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

Then back to orange again on the other side of the mountain.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

It was getting really dark around us and we were the only living beings there apart from the trees to witness the drama that only Mother Nature can create.

 

 

High Sierra Sunset | Whims And Fancies

 

 

We finally left when the last light of the day had truly started fading away into night.  There was an intense pink glow around us still, and it was very hard to part myself from it.  Mesmerized and hypnotized, I wanted to stay there forever and become part of the mountains and the trees.

 

That’s why stay here in California.  I wanted to write something summarising my life here, but how do you capture twenty years of photographic journey in just one single article!  So I decided to share just one intense hour with you. 

 

Celebratory Giveaway

 

Today is my favourite holiday, plus as a celebration of life here in California, I am doing a giveaway.   This giveaway is for those who subscribe to my blog via email.  This is where I share my photos and work in context and I get to communicate with you directly and the most. Thank you for reading and for all the wonderful comments!

Please make sure you follow me and leave a comment.  If you spread the word about the giveaway online, leave another comment mentioning that.  To make things fun, tell me at least one thing that you love about where you live in the comments, I would love to know. 

 

Giveaway has now ended.

 

Also, don’t forget to link up on Wandering Camera. I love visiting you and reading a bit about your world, where you have been visiting, and what you have been creating.

 

Camera And Photography Linky Party | Whims And Fancies

 

You can add any number of links to your posts, or write a new post to link up.

Please add the badge or a text link back to this site on each post that you link up. You can also add the badge to your blog. I am happy as long as you link back :-)

Wandering Camera is a monthly event that runs on the last Thursday of every month.  If you follow me via email, you will get a reminder.  All photography and creative-themed posts are welcome.

Have fun!!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.  

 

 

 

Leave a comment

 

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