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: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel

Buildings and Walkway, Orvieto

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Buildings and Walkway, Orvieto
“Buildings and Walkway, Orvieto” — Old buildings and a walkway in Orvieto, Italy

I have previously described our approach to travel, but this is an example of how it can pay off. While we have no objection to them, we don’t take “tours.” Instead we head out on our own, and we love to walk in the places we visit, often with no particular goal in mind. In truth, we sometimes do miss some famous sites and sights, but we also see lots of things that aren’t on the tour agendas. Ending up at this quiet spot in Orvieto is an example of how this works.

Orvieto is an Italian “hill town,” situated on the top of a large plateau surrounding by very steep slopes and even cliffs in some places. It is on the day trip itinerary for visitors from Rome, but we stayed there a ew days. That meant that we weren’t under pressure to dash around and see things. (It also meant we enjoyed fewer crowds in the morning and evening.) One afternoon we arrived at this spot on one of our walks and we were almost the only people there. A small garden and walkway led to an overlook that provided a panoramic view of the country below the town.

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: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Tall Black Oaks, Autumn

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Tall Black Oaks, Autumn
“Tall Black Oaks, Autumn” — Tall black oak trees in autumn colors in Yosemite Valley.

I think I photographed these oak trees at just about the peak of their fall color, and I also managed to show up when the light was just right. Autumn oak leaves tend more toward brown than golden, but in the right kind of backlight they can glow and even produce a rich golden color. The light here was quite soft, which is also beneficial, but with cloud-softened light on the trees in the middle of the frame.

The meadows of Yosemite Valley are marvelous places, even if these days our access to them is more restricted than it once was. In winter they are quiet and often filled with morning ground fog. In the spring new growth bursts forth and they are very green places. In summer the grasses turn that “California gold” color as everything dries out. And for a short time in autumn the golden colors extend up into the tree tops.

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: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

Mono Basin Sentinels

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Mono Basin Sentinels
“Mono Basin Sentinels” — Rock towers in morning light on high desert hills above Mono Basin.

Mono Lake is immense, but it is dwarfed by the full extent of Mono Basin, the large valley it occupies. Prehistoric Mono Lake was much larger and deep enough to leave water marks along the base of mountains that are today quite dry. To get an idea of the full extent of the basin you must either travel around it (and learn how long it can take) or find a high place from which the whole thing is visible.

On this morning I was up in mountains south of the lake and the basin, mountains that form part of its border. I was there for some other photographic targets, including long views of the east side of the Sierra Nevada and some aspen groves. But as I worked I noticed these rock “sentinels” standing guard on a nearby ridge in morning light, and the view of the vast basin in the distance.

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: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Stream, Autumn Reflections

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Stream, Autumn Reflections
“Stream, Autumn Reflections” — An Eastern Sierra Nevada stream reflects autumn aspen colors.

This is an older photograph (by a year or so) of a stream that I have photographed before — and I have shared other photographs of it here. It is a spot that I frequently pass, often stopping but typically not photographing. In some ways the subject can seem like a bit of a one-trick pony, and it is often photographed in pretty much the same way. But I stopped on this afternoon and liked the light, especially the bright aspens and their reflection in the stream.

On a technical note, this is a somewhat challenging kind of photograph to make. The difficulty is that there is a huge range of luminosity values between the brightly sunlit golden aspen leaves and the much darker creek running through the shadows. In the early days of digital photography this might have required a blend of two or more images, each optimized for either the bright or dark tones. But with a modern camera it is now possible to capture a useful single exposure and post-process it while retaining good quality.

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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