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: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Geology Lesson #2

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Geology Lesson #2
Complex patterns of strata and erosion, Death Valley National Park

Geology Lesson #2. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Complex patterns of strata and erosion, Death Valley National Park.

This photograph is #2 because I have another photograph of this same scene, framed a bit differently. It is called “Geology Lesson” because… well, just look at it! There are so many layers — the literal layers of strata themselves, and the temporal layers of the effects of things that happened on extremely long time scales (the colorful layers of material laid down long ago and then twisted and bent) and more recent layers created by erosion.

Despite having a character that I find quite impressive, this particular spot is not one that usually rates more than a glance from park visitors, even though it lies between some very accessible and well known locations. In fact, I was driving past it on my way to another spot on this evening when I happened to look this direction and spot the juxtaposition of patterns. I quickly turned around and came right back, took out my gear, set up, and made a few photographs as soft evening light began to fade.

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 and Amazon.

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Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Yellow Doorway

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Yellow Doorway
Yellow light in a doorway along a Manhattan sidewalk at twilight.

Yellow Doorway. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Yellow light in a doorway along a Manhattan sidewalk at twilight.

As we walked south from midtown to lower Manhattan on this winter day, afternoon turned to early evening, and down along the streets of the city, in the valleys between tall buildings, the light began to feel more and more like evening. As we walked I photographed, looking for light, color, and people that stood out to me. I made most of the photographs on the move, barely pausing long enough to make and exposure and then moving on.

I now barely remember making this exposure. I’m pretty certain it was somewhere in the vicinity fo Chinatown, and it may have actually been within the rough boundaries of that district. I de recall being fascinated — as I often am — by the patterns and textures of the roll-up doors on the closed shops, and by the warm yellow color of the doorway and the light emerging from it.

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 and Amazon.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Avocet and Geese, Fog

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Avocet and Geese, Fog
An avocet crosses a marsh in front of a flock of geese on a foggy winter morning

Avocet and Geese, Fog. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An avocet crosses a marsh in front of a flock of geese on a foggy winter morning.

The two types of birds in this photograph could hardly be more different that those in this photograph — geese (Snow geese, if I recall correctly) and a solitary American avocet. The snow geese are annual visitors on the west coast of North American, migrating down from the arctic each winter. Avocets, as I understand it, a permanent residents of wet areas like this one. These migrating geese almost always flock together in very large groups, while I typically see avocets alone or possible in very small, loosely bound groups. And while these geese appeared to be mostly… just hanging out, this avocet was quite busy at feeding.

Of course, the birds aren’t the only story here. Winter brings wetlands fog, and on this morning it was thick. It had been even thicker when I started photographing just before sunrise, so much so that I really wan’t able to photograph much until it began to thin a bit, allowing in a bit more light.

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 and Amazon.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Morning Clouds, Salt Playa

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Morning Clouds, Salt Playa
Winter dawn clouds over Death Valley and the Panamint Mountains, reflected in seepage streams on the salt playa.

Morning Clouds, Salt Playa. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter dawn clouds over Death Valley and the Panamint Mountains, reflected in seepage streams on the salt playa.

Sometimes landscape photograph is almost easy and beautiful conditions, spectacular light, and wonderful subjects just seem to appear. It is a joy when it happens — and I think that when we imagine going into the field to photograph it is these conditions that we think of. The truth is more complex and often less exciting. There is the matter of travel to get from subject to subject. The best light and conditions are typically somewhat short-lived. It is fairly typical to spend many hours not photographing, perhaps waiting for light, traveling to a new location, or trying to figure out the best options. And sometimes the conditions don’t really cooperate.

I have understood this for a long time, but it was many years ago in Death Valley when the idea crystalized for me. On a weeklong shoot that had me traveling every day, I recall waking up one morning and realizing how much work was involved. And, yes, I got up, headed out, and found more wonderful subjects. On my recent mid-January visit the challenges were bigger than usual — often heavy overcast, atmospheric haze made it difficult to find what I was looking for. Even so, with patience and persistence I found myself in beautiful conditions more than once, as I did on this morning when clouds became transparent and then dissipated as the sun ruse over the salt playa.

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 and Amazon.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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