When I photograph in the wetlands I am always fascinated by plants that grow in the shallow water, and especially by the stark forms of winter-dormant plants. The background of water — often reflecting sky — lets us see the forms of the plants without the distractions that would render them hard to see in dry areas.

Here I had an added advantage from tule fog that obscured anything more than a few yards away from me. (The slightly more distant plants at upper left are already muted by the fog.) The air was also still — or the fog would have dissipated — and this helped smooth the surface of the water, leaving just enough rippling to add a bit of texture suggesting the watery background

---

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

---

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.