Tufas of Mono, III

California, November 2025.

From the video Photographing the ancient landscapes of Eastern California.

American Road Trip Journal #22: Mono Lake (and the White Mountains)

Episode 22 of the American Road Trip Journal.

Still in the Eastern Sierra, I drove more than 2 hours from Lone Pine to Mono Lake to photograph the sunrise at one of kind lake.

I took some long exposures of the tufas, but it was so cold that I couldn't focus on the photos too much.

On my way back, I stopped by June Lake and the White Mountains, where I visited and photographed some of the oldest trees on Earth.

Tufas II, Mono Lake, December 2017

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 250mm f/5.6
Film stock: Ilford FP4+
Exposure: 125
Developer: Ilfotec HC

This exposure is very similar to Tufas, Mono Lake previously posted here.

Also taken during sunrise, with that fog / mist present over some parts of the lake.

This one is a bit more minimalistic and focuses on just one tufa, further away and in the center of the frame. The mountains in the backgound are more visible, and darker.

See more photos of Eastern Sierra, California.

Tufas, Mono Lake, December 2017

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 150mm f/4
Film stock: Ilford FP4+
Exposure: 125
Developer: Ilfotec HC

This image is part of the first roll of FP4 I've ever shot. It was a bit of a gamble on my part to shoot a film stock I didn't know at a place I'd never been to before, and where I only had a few hours to spend. But it worked out just fine.

This was a long exposure of the tufas at Mono Lake, in California, just after sunrise.

See more photos of Eastern Sierra.

"Lone Tree" - Lee Vining, December 2017

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 80mm f/2.8
Film stock: Ilford HP5+
Exposure: 800
Developer: Ilfotec HC

Near the town of Lee Vining, approaching Mono Lake, at dawn.

I was on my way to the tufas that morning, and with the Sun almost peaking out in the horizon, I had not much time to spare. But then I saw this tree on the left side of the road, and I had to stop and take an exposure.

The fog was accumulating in the lake just behind the tree, that stood dark as no light was hitting it. The sky was already bright from the approaching sunrise.

A scene that really depicted this place.