Double Rainbow Over Yosemite Valley

A well worn set of clichés amongst photographers in Yosemite is that: “Chance favors the prepared mind”, and: “Bad weather is good weather”. The former quote is oft-attributed to Ansel Adams but I am sure somebody else had that thought and articulated it  before Ansel came along. Still though, Ansel spoke wisely and there is truth in these sayings as far as the photographer is potentially concerned, and I put application with both in equal doses on July 5, 2001.

It was hot and very humid in Yosemite Valley  this day and the rain clouds started to build in the early afternoon. As the day progressed it became quite apparent to me and my way of thinking that it was definitely going to rain and the timing of the storm was going to coincide with the sun getting low in the late afternoon, early evening. Typical Sierra thunderstorms around Yosemite Valley in the summer are usually over by the time sun sets. If the convergence of a setting, low angle sun, and a rain cloud occur, one of nature’s most revered and colorful displays can enthrall the viewer with the appearance of the beloved rainbow.

Rainbows only happen when the water drops from a wet cloud are large enough to refract the sunlight. If one wants see a rainbow in a raincloud, one must turn toward what is called the antisolar point, directly away from the sun. The main arc of the rainbow will always form at a radius of forty-two degrees around that point and the second, higher rainbow with less intensity exhibits a wider fifty one-degree angular radius.

As I sat in my apartment the rain was coming down hard. My full camera bag and tripod sat by the door. My wife was feeling under the weather; if you'll pardon the pun, and would not be joining me for the potential specatcle. I was just waiting to run out the door and travel the four minutes out to the meadow that would give me a wide-open view of Half Dome and the eastern end of Yosemite Valley. I just KNEW that the perfect scenario for a rainbow was brewing and I also knew that I was going to be ready to photograph it when it happened.

At about 5:30pm the rain started to subside ever-so-slightly and I grabbed my umbrella, my gear, and made my way out to the pre-planned location. When I got out to the edge of the meadow it was still raining, so I stood under my umbrella, opened a bottle of beer, and bided my time. Not only are mountain thunderstorms exciting, but they convey a sense of power that is so-sorely lacking in our mundane, day-to-day, fair weather existence. I was totally enjoying just living in the moment and being out in this mountain thunderstorm. The real excitement however was in the anticipation of what I hoped was going to be an ultra-spectacular rainbow.

Soon the rain lessened in intensity and the sun behind me in the west began to shine through the wall of storm clouds that had previously blocked its vibrant beams of light. The colors began slowly right in the middle part of the image. As more and more light got through, the rainbow started to build in intensity, slowly at first, then, like a well written symphony, it went through its pace, building toward a grand climax of colors the like of which I had never seen before. I shot constantly, the whole time, using different framing, different focal length lenses, and just trying to shoot as much as possible.

In the end I got many different takes on the scenario. There were two different compositions out of all of them that really stood out. This image shows the totality of the size of the rainbow as it spans the entire width of Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point on the right, to Washington Column on the left. I used my 20mm wide angle lens and it was just wide enough to get both ends of the arc where they disappear into the granite landscape on each side of the image forming a true rainbow bridge.

I have witnessed many rainbows from this location over the course of the three decades in which I have lived in Yosemite. Each display of light and color was as unique and individual as a fingerprint with varying degrees of color intensity, background color and just plain “wow factor”. This is perhaps the most intense rainbow I have ever personally witnessed and photographed.

Nikon F5 Film Camera

Fuji Velvia 50 slide film

Nikon 20-35mm f2.8 Zoom lens

Nikon circular polarizing filter