Category Archives: Photographs: Nature

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Wildlife

Elephant Seals in Surf

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Elephant Seals in Surf
Two young elephant seals sparring in the surf at Point Reyes National Seashore.

Elephant Seals in Surf. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two young elephant seals sparring in the surf at Point Reyes National Seashore.

This pair of young elephant seals was part of a larger group hanging out along the beaches inside the bay at Point Reyes National Seashore. The group was on a beach at the bottom of a steep hillside, so they were protected from human intrusion not only by law but also by terrain. I watched them for some time as they cavorted (or whatever it is they do) on the beach and in the shallow shoreline water.

While I can claim no expertise in elephant seal behavior, this pair appeared to be conducting a mild version of the often-violent sparring that goes on between the huge adult males. They position themselves face to face, then raise their heads with mouths agape and pointed toward the sky, sometimes pushing their necks into one another and occasionally biting.

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: Nature, Photographs: Pacific Northwest

Leaves in Shade

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Leaves in Shade
Large leaves photographed in shade, Portland, Oregon.

Leaves in Shade. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Large leaves photographed in shade, Portland, Oregon.

This is an update and a little bit of a reinterpretation of a photograph from 2012 and rediscovered during my pandemic review of old image files. I made the photograph back in 2012 on a vacation visit to Portland, Oregon. Photographically speaking, I travelled light on the trip, carrying only a single lens and no tripod. I made this photograph on a visit one of the many Portland-area public gardens.

Photographs of foliage like this both attract and challenge me. I’m immediately attracted to the overlapping forms, the textures, and the colors. But often as I look at the subject more closely I find “issues” that turn what had seemed like easy, obvious photographs into something more challenging — a flaw in the leaves, a gap opening to detail-free shadows, issues with light, and so forth. But this little scene — with a bit of post-processing assistance — seemed to work.

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: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Sculpted Sandstone

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Sculpted Sandstone
Detail of a section of eroded sandstone cliff at Arches National Park.

Sculpted Sandstone. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Detail of a section of eroded sandstone cliff at Arches National Park.

To be honest, I’m not sure I could find this bit of sandstone cliff again if I went back to Arches National Park and looked for it. I think I have a vague idea of where it was, but if I’m correct it was just one small section of a much larger wall that ran for a significant distance. But isn’t that part of the challenge of the red rock country, that there are so many impressive and fascinating walls with unending variations of color and form?

The basic shapes of the rock walls, arches, buttresses, and ridges are fascinating in their own right. But the surface textures of the rock are immensely varied and interesting. The blue material coats these rocks in many places, and it can outline erosion patters in the rock. There are vertical lines everywhere, formed by water oozing, dripping, flowing, and occasionally flooding across the faces. And the color can vary from hour to hour as the angle and quality of the sunlight change, and as light reflected from other red rock surfaces intensifies the color.

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: Nature, Photographs: Pacific Northwest

Waterfall and Pond, Japanese Garden

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Waterfall And Pond, Japanese Garden
“Waterfall And Pond, Japanese Garden” — Waterfall, pond, and trees in a quiet Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon.

Some years back we used to get to visit Portland, Oregon somewhat regularly when we had family in the area. (Our youngest son lived there for a few years.) Portland is a rather unique place, especially in the central core. I won’t try to explain except to point out that there is a rather unique fusion of cultures in the area. We like the place, though it has been a few years now since our last visit.

Portland seems to me to be a city off gardens. Two wonderful Asian gardens are in the area — the Chinese Garden in an urban setting close to the downtown area, and the Japanese Garden set in more rustic surroundings in the hills. We spent a day in the latter garden, and this photograph of a lush scene of water and vegetation is one of several photographs I made there during this visit.

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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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