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: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Ben Is Watching

March 10, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A Brooklyn, New York wall

I generally make it a rule to not photograph graffiti, though it is not quite a hard and fast rule. I almost never photograph a subject with someone’s vanity tag on it, and in a few cases when a larger subject as been compelling I have removed or defaced the tag in post. There are probably a range of reasons that one might write or scribble or draw on public and private property, ranging from a poor sense of social belonging to a desire to produce something like art — so the decision to show or not isn’t without context.

In this case, the wall seemed to be one that had become, likely by more or less popular agreement (or a concession?) a place where such public art is perhaps not only tolerated but also expected. While a simple tag doesn’t usually interest me, here there were layers of text and imagery that had been assembled over time and then modified by weather, wear, and perhaps later contributors. Eventually, the accidental juxtapositions seem to take on their own lives, as in this vignette featuring a worn dollar bill image of Benjamin Franklin, and oddly anthropomorphic red and white and green shape, bits and pieces of paint, and the underlying old brick wall. And, of course, this is all very temporary — and probably transformed or gone by now.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Wildlife

Tundra Swans, Mount Shasta, Winter

March 9, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Tundra swans fly over Klamath Basin and in front of Mount Shasta

Near the conclusion of several days photographing along the Oregon/California border around Klamath Falls I packed up for the last time, loaded my vehicle, and started the long return trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. Since it was a gray and rainy morning I had been lazy, sleeping in until there was some morning light before leaving — it didn’t seem like much of a morning for bird photography, at least not by comparison to the past few days, with their beautiful morning and evening light. I drove through town, picked up my highway, and headed out.

As I drove it was raining lightly and there was mist everywhere. As usually happens, I began to see photographic potential in this winter landscape, and when I saw a cloud-shrouded lake off to one side, I quickly turned onto a side road to investigate. There wasn’t much there to photograph, but I realized that this was the far end of a road along which I had earlier photographed tundra swans. I had no idea how far away they might be, but I wasn’t in a hurry, so I decided to investigate. It turned out that I didn’t have far to go, and too I saw flocks of tundra swans lined up and passing overhead as the rain let up. i turned of this road and onto a gravel track, driving out to an area that appeared to be under the birds’ path, and from there I saw this wintry view of Mount Shasta, with layers of storm clouds stacked above its snow-covered lower slopes — and I waited until a group of the swans passed in front to make this photograph.

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

Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Broken Glass, Spray-Painted Wall

March 8, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A shattered glass window and a spray-painted brick wall

This is another small and complex street vignette, found on a wall along a street in Brooklyn, New York while walking around making photographs and looking for a place to eat. This section of wall was covered with a lot of street art, layers of contributions from a large group of people over some period of time, no doubt.

There’s not a whole lot for me to write about this one, except that the juxtaposition of broken glass, a single clean vertical line, and the abstract shapes and colors on the right caught my attention. There appears to be some piece of paper behind the fractured glass, and it looks like it may hold some message, but the meaning remains unclear.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Birds, Fog, First Light

March 7, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Birds fly above pre-dawn fog at first light

If you think to hard about photography, things can quickly become quite confusing. Why do we make photographs? I have some ideas, but I’m not certain. (They involve searching for ideals, in the classic sense, along with dealing with the inexorable march of time, but it is a long story.) We often focus on the practical matters, partly because it is necessary but also because it is easier. Where should I go? What lens should I use? What are the right settings? What is the best subject? What is the ideal time? What if I come back empty handed? Am I on the right track? And much more.

But occasionally there are perfect moments of clarity, both mental and visual. In my experience, they almost always come as a surprise, though there are ways to increase the likelihood of encountering them. They may come when one is alone or in the company of others. These ephemeral experiences of near perfection may be found in mountains, along the ocean, in a city, almost anywhere if you are looking. Cold, a long drive, waking in darkness — they seem a small price for a few seconds of birds against a softly colored sky in the moments before dawn

G Dan Mitchell Photography

All posts by G Dan Mitchell

Ben Is Watching

Tundra Swans, Mount Shasta, Winter

Broken Glass, Spray-Painted Wall

Birds, Fog, First Light

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.