I'll say it right off the bat. This is a repost.

This was shot in the middle of the summer '18, when Yosemite Valley was closed to a nearby fire. Majority of my friends and locals had left with concerns for their health due to air quality. I quickly realized I possessed one of the only cameras left in Yosemite Valley, the want to evacuate dispersed immediately.

I want to say this was the 3rd sunrise after they shutdown the Valley. I woke up just before 5am, laying in bed trying to convince myself to grab my backpack and hop on my bike for 13 miles. Threw some sandwiches in my bag and I was off. Surprisingly I was able to make it down to this viewpoint from Curry Village in about 15-20 minutes. I had expected it to take a little longer, but it all worked out pretty good. As right when I set up my tripod, the sun began to rise not even a minute later. This photo may look blissful and serene, which it sort of was, but I was also surrounded by smoke without a single car anywhere in sight. While it was very relaxing at times, I often felt apocalyptic vibes.

I am a local here! I have been living and working in Yosemite Valley for the last 5.5 years! If you would like to see more of my Yosemite photography swing by my website rjfranklin.com or check out my IG @franklinsteinnn! Thank you!