Yosemite Valley is mostly wooded, with towering pines framing gigantic walls of granite beyond. I had been concentrating on photographing a tighter crop of the lower falls, framed by the distinctive red barked pine trees.

But while that made a strong composition I felt uneasy excluding the massive upper falls, so I opted for a second wider composition to show the full incredible scale of the valley and waterfalls. The enormous waterfall is awe inspiring, and yet the beautiful trees either side are not overwhelmed by it in this composition.

In fact, without the trees the picture would not have anywhere near the same impact.

Highly Commended - Trees, Woods & Forests