Tunnel View

Yosemite's Tunnel View may just be the most photographed scene in the world. For many, it's their first memory of Yosemite; for many more it's their most enduring memory of Yosemite. You may recognize Tunnel View as the site of some of the most famous Yosemite photographs, including Ansel Adams' (and many others') Yosemite clearing storm images.

Standing at the view point in front of the Tunnel View parking lot, on your left is El Capitan, on your right are Bridalveil Fall and Cathedral Rocks, and straight down the middle is Half Dome. Who could ask for more? Nowhere is it easier to settle for the scene right in front of you, but try exploring a bit to find unique views.

Photographers' first inclination at Tunnel View is to compose wide and horizontal; while there's nothing wrong with that, don't forget to pull out a telephoto to isolate one or two of the view's landmark features. My general sense is that people compose too wide here; they less compelling subjects left of Half Dome and right of Cathedral Rocks and shrink the primary subjects nearly to the point of insignificance. With a nice sky or snow on the foreground trees, try a vertical composition to maximize the sky or trees without widening the frame beyond El Capitan and Cathedral Rocks.

Like most views in Yosemite, Tunnel View is best late afternoon through sunset. But don't leave as soon as the sun goes down--often the photography is best in the soft light and color that comes as late as 20-30 minutes after sunset. Nice images are possible at Tunnel View at sunrise if there are enough clouds in the sky to catch the color. Without clouds you'll find yourself shooting into a bright sky, at shaded subjects, an exercise in frustration for the photographer, but nice to the eye nevertheless. On these clear-sky mornings I shoot telephoto silhouettes of El Capitan and/or Half Dome.

How to get there

To get to Tunnel View from Yosemite Valley, drive about two miles up the hill from Bridalveil Fall—when you see the tunnel, pull into the parking area on your right or left. Coming from Fresno on Highway 41, when you exit the Wawona Tunnel (the only tunnel on Highway 41 in Yosemite) you'll see first hand how Tunnel View got its name.