Close-Up Vertical Plunge of Upper Yosemite Fall (1927)

An intense close-up vertical perspective of Upper Yosemite Fall roaring down the polished granite cliff face toward the trail base. — Close-Up Vertical Plunge of Upper Yosemite Fall (1927) · Donald A. Hall Estate Collection

Standing near the rocky base of the upper cliffs along the Yosemite Falls trail, Donald A. Hall Sr. angled his camera upward to record the thundering descent of Upper Yosemite Fall. The high-contrast exposure captures the turbulent velocity of the falling water, the fractured joints of the sheer granite cliff, and the billowing spray clouds, documenting the raw geological power and vertical scale of North America's tallest waterfall system.