Swinging Bridge view of Yosemite Falls & Merced River

This image was taken just next to Swinging Bridge along Merced River, with a view of Yosemite Falls within Yosemite National Park. To get there, I recommend taking a car and parking in the lot off of Southside Drive. After you park, follow the GPS coordinates to find the exact spot where I took the photo.

To capture the lush greenery and high water levels from the winter's snow, visit Swinging Bridge in the spring and summer months. Fall is also a personal favorite of mine because the fall colors in the valley are so vibrant. Water levels are a bit lower in the fall, which provides more opportunity for still water to produce more reflections. Winter is another amazing time to see the landscape covered in a fresh blanket of snow.

Visit in the morning just after sunrise to avoid crowds and to witness the best light possible. Watching the light pour into the scene after sunrise is something magical.

Try and bring along a wide-angle lens (16mm) to capture the most surrounding beauty in your frame as possible.

I like to shoot clean reflections first and then get creative and throw a stone or pebble into the middle of the frame to capture a splash or ripples in the foreground of the composition (like I have in the featured image).

I shot this photo handheld, but a tripod may be useful if you intend to shoot time-lapse or a long exposure.

Right around the corner is Cathedral Beach, another favorite spot of mine with a gorgeous view of El Capitan — which is also best viewed in the morning for better lighting.

Half Dome Village is really close by and it's a great place to grab a coffee or breakfast right after you check out Swinging Bridge.

There are designated campsites where you can sleep in multiple campgrounds and see all of the beauty that Yosemite has to offer.