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.
Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Corn Stalks

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Winter Corn Stalks
“Winter Corn Stalks” — Winter corn stalks, with the crop left behind.

This is where I should share a corny joke, maybe one about stalkers. Sorry… What we have here is a photograph of a corn field that is maintained all the way into the new year. Why are these stalks still standing on New Year’s Day, and why has the corn not been harvested? This crop is grown to provide feed to migrating waterfowl.

Over the next month or two, before the birds begin to depart the California Central Valley for distant summer homes, the stalks will be gradually knocked down so that the birds can feed on the corn. On our visit we passed this spot when the midday bird activity had declined, so I paused next to the field and made a few photographs of these textures, shapes, and colors.

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.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Curving Street, Lisbon

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Curving Street, Lisbon
“Curving Street, Lisbon” — A narrow road curves past colorful buildings, LIsbon.

This photograph comes from our longish walk across Lisbon to climb up toward the St. George Castle. If you walk in Lisbon, get used to hills! We walked down a pretty good one from our lodgings, and before long we climbed the large hill topped by the castle. We didn’t go into the castle grounds, since we had some other ideas in mind, so we were soon ascending and descending the steep hills again.

I loved this little narrow street. Just about every thing about it is charming, The route gently curves, and you walk along pavement embedded with interesting patterns and colors. The buildings themselves are painted in striking colors, too. And, of course, it is so narrow that it isn’t really suited to vehicles larger than scooters.

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.

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

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Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

European Starling

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European Starling
“European Starling” — A European Starling perched in the brush on a foggy Central Valley day.

You may already know this, but I’m not really the “birder” type. I love photographing birds, and by doing so I’ve learned more about them than I would otherwise know. But I have never had the same passion for identifying them or keeping track of which I’ve seen that characterize the birders I know. I’ve learned to understand their passion, but it is different than mine. Perhaps because I’m not that knowledgable about birds, I often get the joy of “discovering” a bird that turns out to be somewhat ordinary!

When I photographed this bird I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to what it is. I had been photographing red-winged blackbirds in these plants. I think I just assumed that it was some variation on that kind of bird. (I probably should be embarrassed to admit this!) But when I looked at the photograph I was fascinated by the color pattern on the feathers. I looked it up and “discovered” that it is a pretty common (though no less attractive) European starling.

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 | Post | Email

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

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetland Trees

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Wetland Trees
“Wetland Trees” — Wetland trees and brush growing near a Central Valley pond.

I made this photograph on New Year’s Day, when we joined friends to photograph and celebrate the first day of 2024. Mostly we photographed birds, but the landscape was never far from our minds. This is a simple photograph of a non-epic scene, but I think that this image of wetland trees has a lot to say about this area and season.

Notice the autumnal colors? In California’s Central Valley, these colors continue right on into winter and even the beginning of the new year. I love the quality of light here, too. The atmosphere in the valley is often a combination of hazy and foggy, producing a soft glow. It also can warm the colors and soften the contrasts of these subjects, producing a kind of quiet beauty that you might not expect here.

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 | Post | Email

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

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