Category Archives: Photographs: Structures and Objects

Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

Looking In

Image May 17, 2022 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

We were at this location to photograph flowers, but I almost always keep an eye out for other subjects besides the one I came for. This large public garden is centered around a historic mansion, and at times I found the old building to be as interesting as the flowers that were my object. I noticed that the outer screen didn’t quite close all the way, and then I noticed that a warm lamp was barely visible inside the building. Looking in at the warmly lit interior scene, as vague as it is, evokes memories of such places in the winter.

This is one of those photographs that —once again! — proves the point that we often do not expose for some compromise, straight-out-of-camera shot. instead, I like to think about what exposure will give me the image data that I can use to in post to produce an image that is true to what I saw. Here I had to control the brightness of the exterior — which was fortunately muted a bit as the sun passed behind some clouds —while getting enough of an image in the dark and subtle interior that I could work with it in post.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Abstract, Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Concrete Steps

Image May 14, 2022 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

The simple story behind this photograph is that the steps are located at a formal garden where we had gone to photograph tulips and other spring flowers in April. As I photograph those subjects I also had my eyes open for non-floral photographs, too — in fact, sometimes my favorites from such places are not the flower pictures. On one level, this is just a photograph of steps. It is up to you how far beyond that you want to go.

I’m thinking of an insightful Minor White quotation: “One does not photograph something simply for ‘what it is’, but ‘for what else it is.” You miss out if you look at a photograph merely as “what it is.” Sometimes the photographer intends the “what else” and hopes that the viewer sees it. But in many situations the photographer may not fully see what is in the image at the time of exposure, and only discover it later. Sometimes the viewer may find things that the photographer doesn’t recognize. I’m going to leave it to viewers to consider this photograph from that perspective.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

Quantity. Symbol. Written

Image January 17, 2022 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A sign on a preschool wall.

This photograph comes from some weeks ago, when a group of us were engaged in a little project to photograph orange things — a task related to the colors of the autumn season, but which I took to allow inclusion of distinctly non-seasonal subjects. I photographed it will on one of my pandemic-era local walks, on which I step out the front door carrying a camera and, if the spirit moves me, may photograph right in the neighborhood.

It is tempting to say no more about the subject and just let the viewer owner. However, I found this little bit of graphic and text content on the exterior of a pre-school. Taken out of that context — and that’s how I initially viewed it — the temptation was to try to find my own meaning in the odd mixture of letters, numbers and symbols.

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.

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. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Feed Lot

Image January 15, 2022 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

One of the benefits of photographing in fog is that it can make almost any subject mysterious and moody. Another is that the limited visibilities can mute or eliminate distractions from the visual focus on the elements that are the most interesting. It is hard to imagine a stronger illustration of these principles than a photograph of this particular subject.

I photograph quite a bit in California’s Great Central Valley during the winter months. During much of the year, this is perhaps not an obvious photographic destination (though looking closer may be worthwhile!). But in winter, when dense tule fogs often settle on the landscape, the place can be transformed in magical ways. If you have passed by one of these feedlots on a warm, sunny day… you probably rolled up your windows and held your breath. But morning tule fog on a winter day might can make it worthwhile to stop (while trying hard to ignore the smell!) and make a few photographs.