Yosemite Tunnel Parking Lot view of El Capitan, Half Dome & Bridalveil Falls

This image of the Valley View, which has iconic views of El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil falls, was taken on the edge of the Yosemite Tunnel parking lot, looking east, in Yosemite National Park. You can reach this location by driving. As you enter the park (there will be a $30 entrance fee per car), reference the GPS coordinates to get to the exact spot where I stood on the parking lot's lookout point.

Visit this valley view during the winter for snowy and wetter conditions. There will also be a higher chance of you finding some incredible clouds.

Visit the park during sunrise to capture the morning clouds as they rise from the base of the mountain. During this time, you'll also be able to capture the pastel-colored sky.

Before visiting the park, please check if it is open. The park can close due to weather, so be prepared.

I suggest bringing along a lens kit where you can experiment with different focal lengths to get the shot you like best. I used a 28mm focal length here and I recommend using something similar to frame the iconic El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Falls all in your frame.

Try shooting with a high aperture and fast shutter speed (this will make your image darker), as it's easier to bring out the shadows than tone down the highlights. If the image is overexposed, the colors will appear unnatural.

Explore the rest of the park! Yosemite not only has some of the most breathtaking viewpoints in California, it also has some of the best landscape views in the country.

In Yosemite Village, you'll find local boutique shops, restaurants and lodging if you'd like to stay over night.

There's also the Yosemite Museum and the Ansel Adams Gallery nearby the valley. The gallery has beautiful black and white prints of the area's landscape that are definitely worth checking out.