Category Archives: Photographs: Photographers

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Owens Valley, Photographs: People, Photographs: People In Landscape, Photographs: Photographers, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Photographer Patricia Mitchell

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Photographer Patricia Mitchell
Photographer Patricia Mitchell at work in early morning autumn light in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Photographer Patricia Mitchell. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photographer Patricia Mitchell at work in early morning autumn light in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Someone has a birthday this week, so it seems appropriate to feature a photograph of, um, someone here. Photography is often a solitary activity — one person, a subject, a camera, how to see — and most of the time the two of us photograph alone. But every so often we get a chance to head out together on a trip that involves photography. We had such an occasion earlier this fall — and it has been too long! — when we did a weeklong trip that took us to the Eastern Sierra Nevada and then to Utah and a few nearby locations.

We started in the Sierra, where we headed into the eastern part of the range in search of fall color. Perhaps “search” is the wrong word here, as it is easy to locate! Instead of going to the “usual places” we wandered up some less-travelled roads, including the one that took us to this spot right beneath the eastern escarpment, a place with very few other people where the high desert and the beginnings of true mountain terrain intersect. We arrived on a brilliantly lit morning, with fall color everywhere, and a bit of early snow still on the peaks.

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: People, Photographs: People In Landscape, Photographs: Photographers, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Photographer Scot Miller

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Photographer Scot Miller
Photographer Scot Miller at work in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada

Photographer Scot Miller. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photographer Scot Miller at work in the John Muir Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada.

This photograph of Scot Miller comes from the most recent of our annual Sierra Nevada backcountry adventures. A group of photographers has been spending a week or more in the Sierra backcountry since 2001, typically base-camping and photographing the heck out of a limited geographical area. (I’ve been going out with the group for about the past decade.) As I have become more aware over the years each time I spend another week in the backcountry with this group, the collective vision and experience of this crew is quite special. Among the members there are deep connections to Yosemite and the Sierra, folks who worked with Ansel and other wonderful photographers, a collection of astonishing (and often humorous) stories about these mountains and the people who love them, and a deep appreciation for and understanding of the Range of Light.

Although I’m perhaps not qualified to summarize Scot’s attributes fully, what I know of them is impressive. He’s not “just” a talented photographer, but he is an outstanding videographer (video photographer?) whose work you have probably seen on television. He has been deeply involved in many important conservation projects. He’s an author of several excellent books. He and his wife have operated a Dallas gallery. And he’s also a truly fine backcountry partner.

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

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

Photographs: People, Photographs: Photographers

Photographer Charles Cramer

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Photographer Charles Cramer
Photographer Charles Cramer setting up a display for a reception to follow an August 16, 2015 concert

Photographer Charles Cramer. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photographer Charles Cramer setting up a display for a reception to follow an August 16, 2015 concert.

This photograph of Charles Cramer is perhaps a bit unusual in several ways. I made it while Charlie was setting up (or taking down?) a display of a number of his photographs at a concert he gave in the South Bay Area. (Many of you reading this are likely to be aware of his photography, but perhaps not everyone knows that he is also an accomplished pianist and organist… and even a choir director!) The pose is perhaps not typical for a photograph of a “landscape photographer,” either as he is a) indoors and b) setting up a light stand! (The purpose of the stand is to illuminate prints for display in this case.)

We count ourselves lucky to know Charlie and to have known him for some time. (He played at our wedding, believe it or not.) He has also graciously shared his photographic knowledge with us in a number of ways. I often tell the story of how I finally got up to speed on my conversion to digital photography. I had been using digital cameras for a while, and I had purchased an early digital printer, but the results were just not what I hoped for and I was getting frustrated. I contacted Charlie to ask for some advice — should I take a class? sign up for a workshop? read a book? something else? He replied and basically said, “Come over and bring a few files.” I did, and in the several hours he spent with me on these files I learned (as I often say) “90% of what I needed to know about digital post-processing and printing” — and for that I am forever grateful!

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

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: People In Landscape, Photographs: Photographers, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness

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Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness
Photographer Franka M. Gabler at work in the John Muir Wilderness

Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photographer Franka M. Gabler at work in the John Muir Wilderness.

A band of photographers, informally referred to by some as the “First Light Group,” has been photographing in the Sierra Nevada backcountry for nearly two decades as a group — and much longer as individuals. A core group has been there since the beginning, a few no longer join us (though they are present on every trip in our conversations), and others have joined the group subsequent to the first trip. I’m in the latter group, having gone along for about a decade. A remarkable collection of photographic work has come from the group over the years, and there is a story about this endeavor that warrants being told more widely.

At times the group has been sponsored by various entities. At one time the Yosemite Conservancy was a major supporter. On several occasions that group has been self-supporting. This past summer we were generously supported by Yosemite Renaissance. Our collaboration with them had several goals. They, of course, want to support artists creating work related to Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada — they were interested in learning about the logistics of putting artists in the backcountry for periods long enough to do significant work, something that the First Light folks know a lot about. They wanted to share in the experience of producing artistic work this way. As part of the latter goal several artists accompanied us this year, including photographer Franka M. Gabler, who is seen at work in this photograph.

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.

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