Category Archives: Photographs: Central California

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Twilight, Monterey Bay

December 20, 2011 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Post-sunset light over the winter surf of Monterey Bay, California.

I’ve had some opportunities to photograph in the Monterey and Big Sur area this week. For the most part, it has been a bit tricky as the light has been less than cooperative. I was out and about early on this day but ended up spending a couple hours looking for photographs… and never found one! (I did find some very interesting locations that I had to previously visited, however, and I think I’ll be heading back to photograph them in the future when I have better light.)

In the evening I thought that I might just head over to the coast line along Pacific Grove. Initially I stopped to photograph along a beach near Asilomar, where people were walking toward the sunset, the surf was impressive, and the shoreline sand reflected the colors of the sky. Then I turned to my right and thought that I might try another minimalist seascape, this time by waiting until the sun had set and the light diminished to the point that I could make some relatively long exposures. I anchored the scene with the bit or rock at the lower left corner and then tried to time my long exposures for moments when the rocks would be all or partially uncovered. By the time I finished shooting it was almost too dark to see my camera!

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

Red Wing Blackbird, Fence Post

December 4, 2011 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A redwing blackbird pauses atop a fence post in front of central California oak/grassland, Calero County Park.

Photographed on the same morning as another recent shot of this same type of bird, the bright red upper wings of this redwind blackbird provide a striking contrast to its jet black body. This bird was on a fence surrounding an old manmade pond at the Calero County Park south of San Jose, California – a place that I can drive to in little more than 15 minutes, and where I have hiked extensively for a number of years. These birds often flock around this small lake on winter and early spring mornings. Here it was still overcast, though the low fog from earlier in the morning was now dispersing.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Redwing Blackbird, Fog

December 2, 2011 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A redwing blackbird rests on a branch on a foggy early spring morning at Calero County Park, California.

Although this photograph was made in April, it evokes the Central and Northern California winter for me. This is a time when tule fogs are common – the inland valley fogs, which are different from the coastal fog of warmer months – and when the number of birds and other wildlife seems to increase, perhaps because fewer people are out and about than in the summer.

This photograph was made at a small pond that is not too far from where I live. It is near the start of a trail that I have hiked many times, a trail that eventually rises through grass and oak covered hills to low ridges that catch the morning sun. The small ponds is only perhaps five minutes from the start of this trail, and it is a place where I can often find local and not-so-local wildlife if I arrive early and approach quietly.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Kelp Bed and Fog, Pacific Ocean

August 9, 2011 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Kelp bed and fog off the coast of Point Lobos State Reserve.

I haven’t posted one of my “minimalist seascapes” in a while, so here is a new one. The photograph was made on a quiet day at Point Lobos a few weeks ago – at least it started out quiet with fog and somewhat gentle surf. A certain amount of post-processing was done on this image in order to get the particular misty effect and somewhat leaden quality of light and color.

While the photograph was made at Point Lobos, something similar could have been produced at many places along the California coast on a day like this one – the image is completely devoid of the typical elements of Point Lobos photography.

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