One of the biggest challenges I have with landscape photography is establishing scale and depth. When you think about it, it's a pretty tall order to truly do three dimensions justice with the use of only two. This is why even though most of us have seen many beautiful photos of the giant sequoias of Sequoia National Park, nothing truly captures the impression you get from being there in front of one. That didn't stop me from trying, though! I hope these photos and videos inspire you to come visit this amazing park one day.
Now that I live in California, my fear of encountering creatures like bears, mountain lions and rattlesnakes on any given hike is pretty laughable. I was legitimately worried about encountering black bears at Sequoia, and truthfully they are pretty commonly spotted there. But I was (somewhat) put at ease when I read online that there have yet to be any *fatal* bear attacks at the park...
I didn't end up seeing any bears, which was a relief but I also was secretly hoping to spot one from a safe distance away. I even brought a long telephoto lens just in case, which I ended up barely using and really only weighed me down on my hikes. Maybe next time!
You might think the photo above was taken between two large trees, but it was actually taken inside of one. The base of the sequoia tree is truly massive, and many of them had these large, hollow, cave-like openings that several people could fit in. Or in my case, that my entire old apartment in Santa Monica could fit in.
Once inside, I was surprised to find the texture and density of the wood to be quite light, almost like cork.
There had been a pretty massive thunderstorm on the day I arrived in Sequoia, soaking everything in sight. The next morning I rose early to try to reclaim the lost day of hiking due to the weather. The morning sun was blazing and I was absolutely thrilled to see the trees were all steaming off the water from the rain. It was so majestic and otherworldly, I tried capturing in a photo (below), but I also winged it and took some hand-held video (also below).
Staying in the Sequoia National Park-adjacent town of Three Rivers was a wonderful experience in itself. I am a huge fan of small towns throughout the US, and this one was particularly quaint and beautiful. The photo below is from my favorite spot, the outdoor patio of The Gateway Restaurant & Lodge. I could spend all day just watching and listening to the mighty Kaweah River rush by, and the sunsets there are breathtaking.
You know this trip wouldn't be complete for me without some colorful infrared photography! I get asked a lot about how I create these types of photos. There are basically 3 ways I go about it. The easiest way and the way I tend to do it most of the time just for fun is by using apps like NeonCam on my iPad or iPhone. If I'm editing on my computer, I use LUTs in Lightroom like these to start and then edit to my liking. That is what I did for the photos below. And of course, the "real" way to do it is to use an IR converted camera + filters. I actually prefer to do most of my IR work in post though, because I find that no single conversion is exactly what I want, and I have to do a bunch of post processing anyway to get the colors I want.
I'm still dreaming about my time in Sequoia National Park. I'm tempted to go back as soon as possible! But I know there are so many other amazing National Parks to see. Where should I head next?
© 2026 Ellie Pritts
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