Category Archives: Photographs: Nature

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

Geology Lesson #2

Image Leave a comment
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.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

Scroll down to leave a comment or question.

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

Image 2 Comments
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.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question.

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

Image Leave a comment
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.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Green

Image 3 Comments
Winter Green
California winter grasses spout in January, San Francisco Bay Area

Winter Green. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

California winter grasses sprout in January, San Francisco Bay Area.

Today I break up the stream of recent photographs from more far-flung travels to share a very local photograph that I made this week right in my “own backyard” here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have hiked these local hills for decades, and these grasslands and oaks are in my blood by now — they are old friends. The specific location isn’t important, and you can find places like this all over California.

My reason for going out today was not photography — it was the hike. But like a good photographer I stuck a small camera and a lens in my pack. As I rounded a bend on the trail I was presented with this classic California winter scene of trees and shadows falling across a hillside with brand new grass — the very beginning fo California’s “impossible green season.” When much of the rest of the country is still deep in winter, here our terrain is just beginning to turn green.

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.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question.

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