Category Archives: Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Photographs: Night, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Moonlit Cove, Thousand Island Lake

Leave a comment
Moonlit Cove, Thousand Island Lake

Moonlit Cove, Thousand Island Lake. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California. July 27, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

I spent a few hours on this cold, clear July evening photographing the light of the full moon, star trails, and reflections on the surface of Thousand Island Lake.

When using a digital camera to make such long exposures one must adopt a very patient attitude. First, find the spot for your photograph and set everything up in the dark. Then make an exposure of perhaps 15 minutes. Because DSLRs are subject to noise on these long exposures, you then wait another 15 minutes while the camera completes a “dark frame” exposure to determine how to compensate for the noise in the original exposure. Yes, it takes 30 minutes (and lots of battery power!) to make a 15 minute exposure.

You could become impatient. Or you could, as I do, sit back and enjoy the peace and quite of a beautiful moonlit Sierra night.

keywords: thousand, island, lake, cove, shore, surface, reflections, ritter, banner, peak, mount, mountains, alpine, night, black and white, photography, backpacking, john muir, trail, backpacking, landscape, scenic, california, usa, outdoor, stock, ansel adams, wilderness

Photographs: Night, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Moonlight, Thousand Island Lake, Mounts Ritter and Banner

Leave a comment

Moonlight, Thousand Island Lake, Mounts Ritter and Banner
Moonlight, Thousand Island Lake, Mounts Ritter and Banner. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California. July 26, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

Photographed on a full moon summer evening in the Ansel Adams wilderness. Taking these photographs was a wonderful and unusual experience – I had to find the shot and then still silently for many minutes as the camera exposed the frame – as long as 15-20 minutes. It is rare to simply sit quietly for such a long time in such surroundings. :-)

(The posting of this photograph is somewhat timely since I’ll be participating in a night photography shoot a Mare Island Naval Shipyard this weekend sponsored by The Nocturnes.)

keywords: black and white, thousand island, lake, mount, ritter, banner, peak, ansel adams, wilderness, night, photography, star trails, full, moon, light, reflection, rocks, forest, alpine, mountains, landscape, scenic, travel, camping, hiking, backpacking, stock, california, usa

Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Ghost Forest, Near Tawny Point

Leave a comment

Ghost Forest, Near Tawny Point
Ghost Forest, Near Tawny Point. John Muir Trail, Sequoia National Park, California. August 9, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

Black and white photograph of a high altitude “ghost forest” on the John Muir Trail near Tawny Point, Sequoia National Park. These dead trees are located right at timberline in the southern Sierra Nevada at an altitude of close to 12,000′. It appears that an older forest died and that a new one is in its infancy.

keywords: ghost, forest, dead, trees, snags, rocks, alpine, tundra, mountains, sky, sierra, nevada, john muir, trail, sequoia, national park, california, usa, landscape, scenic, travel, stock, hiking, backpacking, camping, kaweah

Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Lower Young Lake Shoreline, Dusk

1 Comment

Lower Young Lake Shoreline, Dusk
Lower Young Lake Shoreline, Dusk. Yosemite National Park, California. September 10, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

I spent several days in the Young Lakes area of the Yosemite Sierra Nevada back-country on a solo pack trip late last year. Although Young Lakes are very popular during the summer season and can be reached by a one-day roundtrip hike, this I was alone at the lake on a quiet evening following an afternoon of rainy weather.

keywords: black and white, shoreline, lower, young, lake, fall, autumn, evening, dusk, clouds, misty, beach, rocks, reflections, water, surface, trees, forest, silhouette, mountains, peaks, alpine, ridge, camping, hiking, backpacking, travel, scenic, landscape, stock, grass