The photograph’s title includes the words, distant hills.” But just how distant are they? From my position as I made this photograph, once I got to my vehicle, it would be a roughly 10 mile drive to those hills. Distances (and sizes) can be very deceptive in this park where we often experience huge vistas with features many miles away.

I made this photo near the end of the morning’s work. I had started before dawn, both to photograph in the soft predawn light and because I wanted to be in place for the arrival of the first direct sunlight. When that arrives, things transform very quickly. At first the color-saturated light hits only the high points, but as it increases the light works down onto and around other features.

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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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