Spotlight: Mono Lake

Mono Lake is a spectacular place to create images. At over a million years old, this ancient saline lake is one of the oldest lakes in North America. It’s located along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, on Highway 395, 13 miles east of Yosemite National Park. Throughout its existence salts and minerals have washed in from Eastern Sierra Streams; with freshwater evaporation, the lake is two and a half times as salty as the ocean.

The lake is about 65 square miles and home to trillions of brine shrimp and millions of birds. Perhaps it is most famous for the impressive "tufa towers" - calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by the interaction of freshwater springs and the alkaline lake water. A truly other worldly landscape to experience.

Only One Prayer

Only One Prayer

Mono Lake - Tufa towers and eastern Sierra Mountains

Mono Lake - Tufa towers and eastern Sierra Mountains

The combination of mountains, desert and water and how light plays on the various surfaces gives the area a truly spiritual beauty. There is a primordial feeling that just seeps into you at sunrise and sunset. As I stood on the shoreline of Mono Lake I found myself in awe of the natural beauty before me.

Kiss of the Moonrise

Kiss of the Moonrise

 
One Light from Mono Lake

One Light

 
 
 

Thanks for reading,
Joe

 
Joseph Donovan