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Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 6:00 pm
by maverick
For those of you familiar with this spot know how special the sunsets and
views can be, especially during/after thunderstorms.
On my last trip I was fortunate to get a lot of activity the very first night out
in which mother nature gave me a present for my years of effort.
The many years I have been taking photo's, this year, and 2009 gave me
a spectacular lightening shot (this year is not over yet), I guess sooner
or later persistence pays off.
While enjoying the southern sunset views towards Tuolumne Meadows, and the
Cathedral Range, which I got a gorgeous 24x50 pano shot of, there was occasional
lightening to the north and west.
Then turning my attention towards the ever changing colors to the west
I got several shots of lightening but neither were going in an angle that was
particularly appealing or dramatic enough, but then from a darker cloud in the
middle of the frame a bolt shot across towards the highest peak on the left side of
the picture.
Add in the intensely dramatic colors brought about because of the thunderstorms
and earlier rain activity it made for a truly memorable moment, one wishes for, or
envisions, but never materializes.
Please turn off the lights in the room, click on the link, close your eyes for 3 seconds
to get the full affect.
Hope you are as blown away as I was.
Enjoy.

PS This print is for sale 16x26 and 24x26 sizes, PM if interested.

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:28 pm
by rlown
A beautiful shot. You seem to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. I've been up there at least 5 times, and you caught something that usually no one ever sees. Must be that aluminum foil hat you wear when out on cliff-tops and ridgelines.

Kudos.

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:52 pm
by maverick
It takes planning, but a lot more luck, and help from mother nature.
I try to plan my trips around thunderstorm activity when possible, like
the trip I was planning to go on 2 weeks ago, but mother nature was not
cooperating, so I have been waiting for the right conditions.
Unlike most folks who wish for pretty blue skies, I am wishing for the
exact opposite, of coarse I am not wishing for several days of continuous rain
just summer showers with lightening, and some clearing by the end of the day
which usually gives way to some spectacular sunsets.
Even if conditions are prime for action they do not all ways culminate into a
print that will have that wow factor, few do, but I believe the more you chase
that magic moment the better chances you will have to catch one.

PS Finally some activity on Thursday, off to Orchid, Apollo, and Vee Lakes.

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:12 pm
by Hikin Mike
Great capture!! :thumbsup:

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2010 4:53 pm
by maverick
Thanks HM.

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:17 pm
by Cross Country
Is that an awesome picture or what.
My most memorial times watching thunderstorms were in one of my various VW vans camping with my wife and kids. During T - storms while backpacking I'm usually huddled in my tent without a good view and they're usually to close for comfort anyway. Besides that the best ones I saw were usually in the Fall, when I camped a lot. The vast majority of my BP was during Summer Vacation.

Again - what a great shot!

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:54 am
by windknot
This is gorgeous; I'm definitely blown away. Thanks so much for sharing!

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:28 pm
by maverick
Thanks JT and Windknot.
If there is thunderstorm activity, monsoonal activity, or cold front with snow
like this past weekend, I'll be there, if work allows, and wait till you see some
of the shots of the sunsets and sunrise after the snow storm on Sat, wow!

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:29 pm
by schmalz
This shot is blowing my mind Mav. Congrats.

Re: Wildcat Point Sunset

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:08 am
by maverick
Thanks Schmalz.