All posts by G Dan Mitchell

G Dan Mitchell, photographer and visual opportunist focusing on the Pacific coast, the Sierra Nevada, redwood forests, California oak/grasslands, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography and more. Posting daily photographs since 2005, along with articles, reviews, news, and ideas.

Mono Lake and Tufa Towers

Mono Lake and Tufa Towers
“Mono Lake and Tufa Towers” — A row of tufa towers at the shoreline of Mono Lake.

In early July I spent a few days in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, mostly photographing high country in and around the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. Since I was camped just outside the park boundary and east of the crest, I managed to get down to the high desert country east of the range, too. In particular, I spent one morning photographing at Mono Lake.

These tufa towers are, of course, more or less the classic subject at the lake. On this morning they were actually more of an afterthought for me. My main subject had been long views of the lake itself, and especially those that include the distant mountains to its east and north. I started photographing that subject before sunrise and kept at it until the early morning warm light dissipated. With plenty of time on my hands, I figured I might as well take a long, lazy walk down to the shoreline where I made this photograph.

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

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Forest and Pond

Forest and Pond
“Forest and Pond” — Trees reflected in the still water of a subalpine pond, Yosemite.

I have had my eye on this little scene for a while. The trees stand along the far bank of a small subalpine pond in the Yosemite high country. During the daytime it is a tough photograph, with the sunshine becoming almost unbearably bright. My ideal might be to photograph it before sunrise or after sunset. But this time I found myself here a bit earlier in the day — so I went ahead and made some photographs.

A challenge with scenes like this is that the dynamic contrast between the highlights on the trees and the background shadows can be huge if there is direct sunlight — too big to capture in a photograph. That’s partly why the soft light helps —before sunrise, after sunset, or when something else shades the scene. I timed this so that the trees were entirely shaded, yet nearby subjects in brighter light cast some directional light into the scene.

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

2 responses to “Forest and Pond”

  1. Oscar Ramirez Avatar
    Oscar Ramirez

    I know nothing about photography but enjoy your art and techniques. Your dedication to the art is commendable!

    1. G Dan Mitchell Avatar
      G Dan Mitchell

      Thanks, Oscar!

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Deserted Street, Porto

Deserted Street, Porto
“Deserted Street, Porto” — Nighttime on a deserted street in Porto.

On our sort-of-first-night in Porto in May we ended up at a little restaurant on this street. (I write “sort-of-first-night” since we had actually stopped for one night earlier on the trip, between Coimbra and our walk in the Douro hills.) We walked out of our hotel looking for a nearby place to eat that didn’t scream “tourist restaurant. We ended up at a little restaurant here, so unobtrusive that you might not even spot its entrance sign in the photo.

I made the photograph a few nights later as we headed back to our hotel from a long walk to the other side of the Douro River and back. We crossed back over the river after sunset, and our route took us past this side street again. This time I thought the night scene looked fascinating, so I paused and photographed down the deserted street.

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

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Dawn Sky, Mono Basin

Dawn Sky, Mono Basin
“Dawn Sky, Mono Basin” — Tufa towers in Mono Lake waters reflecting the dawn sky.

It is difficult to resist a visit to immense Mono Lake when I visit the Eastern Sierra, even when it isn’t the main goal of my trip. OK, it is actually just about impossible to resist making at least a quick stop there. In early July I spent a few days around the Sierra crest along the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park, and one morning I decided to head down to Mono Lake before dawn and spend a few hours photographing in the early light.

I hade this photograph near dawn, when the pre-sunrise light was deeply coloring the sky, which was reflected in the waters of the lake. I love how the apricot-olored sky near the horizon fades to blue far above. The distant mountains are on the far side of this gigantic lake, many miles away, and this cluster of tufa towers stands a good distance out in the water.

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

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)