Yosemite National Park, California
This image was made on the third day of a multi-day solo trip into Yosemite’s backcountry. After setting up camp in Little Yosemite Valley and climbing Half Dome the day before, I set out with lighter gear toward a place I had long wanted to see for myself—the Diving Board.
Though the route from camp is only 6.5 miles round trip, the hike includes over 2,000 feet of elevation gain, stretches of route-finding, and a bit of bushwhacking across granite slabs and forest. It’s the kind of effort that makes you appreciate every step—and every view.
From this narrow ledge high above Yosemite Valley, El Capitan anchors the distance while the valley floor drops away thousands of feet below. You can even spot Yosemite Falls in the right of the frame—a subtle but powerful presence. The Diving Board is a quiet, seldom-visited perch—hidden in plain sight within one of the most photographed national parks in the country. Despite its proximity to iconic landmarks, few make the effort to reach this ledge. I had hoped for dramatic light, but the clouds had other plans. What I came home with instead was something more grounded: a sense of scale, solitude, and awe.
This black and white photograph of Yosemite Valley, taken from the Diving Board, has earned a place in my portfolio not because of perfect conditions, but because of what it represents. It’s a reminder that some views are meant to be earned—and sometimes, the experience is the art.
I hope you enjoy this image as much as I did creating it.
~Andrew
Yosemite National Park, California
This image was made on the third day of a multi-day solo trip into Yosemite’s backcountry. After setting up camp in Little Yosemite Valley and climbing Half Dome the day before, I set out with lighter gear toward a place I had long wanted to see for myself—the Diving Board.
Though the route from camp is only 6.5 miles round trip, the hike includes over 2,000 feet of elevation gain, stretches of route-finding, and a bit of bushwhacking across granite slabs and forest. It’s the kind of effort that makes you appreciate every step—and every view.
From this narrow ledge high above Yosemite Valley, El Capitan anchors the distance while the valley floor drops away thousands of feet below. You can even spot Yosemite Falls in the right of the frame—a subtle but powerful presence. The Diving Board is a quiet, seldom-visited perch—hidden in plain sight within one of the most photographed national parks in the country. Despite its proximity to iconic landmarks, few make the effort to reach this ledge. I had hoped for dramatic light, but the clouds had other plans. What I came home with instead was something more grounded: a sense of scale, solitude, and awe.
This black and white photograph of Yosemite Valley, taken from the Diving Board, has earned a place in my portfolio not because of perfect conditions, but because of what it represents. It’s a reminder that some views are meant to be earned—and sometimes, the experience is the art.
I hope you enjoy this image as much as I did creating it.
~Andrew
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