Bold vision of Yosemite in black-and-white

THE Traveler: Mick Richards of Burnsville.

The scene: Yosemite Valley wakes up to sunshine. This is the view that greets the national park's visitors who arrive at the west entrance. "This vantage point is called Tunnel View and is easy to access. There is a parking lot right when you enter and exit the park and there's an area that you can stand in that's conducive to taking photos. It's probably the most photographed spot in the park and is a stunning sight when entering or exiting the park," Richards wrote in an e-mail.

About Yosemite: "Yosemite is a magnificent area to view some of the most stunning landscapes in the United States," Richards wrote. "There are numerous hiking trails and waterfalls throughout the park. Yosemite is one of the most visited parks in the national park system and is a must-see destination." About 4 million people each year visit the park, in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Find more information at nps.gov/yose.

Getting the shot: Richards put a 15mm lens onto his Pentax K-5 II camera to create this image. "The lens has a dramatic characteristic when used with sunlight present, providing sun flare and also star bursts," he explained. He stopped at the overlook every day during his weeklong visit. In this shot, "I liked the sun coming up and backlighting the trees in the foreground," he wrote.