One of my proudest photos from when I started photography was of Vernal Falls. This trip, we decided to hike up there again, not necessarily to get another picture, but to relive our adventures from four years ago.

Since it was May and the snow on the peaks were still melting, Vernal Falls was overflowing. Streams of water cascaded down the rock steps to form deep pools in the sunken sections of the trail, and the mist was so heavy that it should be classified as rain. I didn't even take my camera out on the way up because it was so wet; thankfully my windbreaker was water resistant and could be expanded wide enough to cover my backpack.

On the way down, I found a nook behind a large rock which, when the wind blew a certain way, provided some respite from the mist. I quickly set up my tripod, attached my ND filter, and framed the shot. I had no idea how it was going to turn out with how wet it was, as I stood for 30 seconds trying to shield the front of my lens from the mist while my camera took the long exposure photography.

The photo turned out much clearer than I thought. The rock on the right and the trees on the left highlighted the silky stream, and the rock hid just enough of the scenery to feel like a peek into Eden. Thankfully it worked out on the first attempt, because my lens was definitely too wet for a redo.