Category Archives: Photographs: Structures and Objects

Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Travel

Door Knocker

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Door Knocker
Door knocker, Siena, Italy

Door knocker. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Door knocker, Siena, Italy

We had been to Siena once before — on a very quick day trip from the Chianti hills. Our time there was, literally, only hours. My recollection is that we parked, walked in from the west, headed to and then past Il Campo, briefly visited the front of the main cathedral, grabbed a bite to eat… and left. It was just enough to leave us very intrigued by what we saw and determined to go back and spend more time. On this 2023 visit we finally were able to do that, staying in the city long enough to explore.

There are lots of intriguing details in Siena, even by comparison to other places in Italy that share this attribute. I just happened to notice this door knocker — one of two on a matched pair of doors — as we walked up a narrow street. The figure is impressive, but almost seems more likely to scare away visitors than to encourage them to knock!

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: Architecture, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Alcove and Wall

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Alcove and Wall
An alcove, a weathered wall, a door, and a sidewalk — Florence, Italy.

Alcove and Wall. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

An alcove, a weathered wall, a door, and a sidewalk — Florence, Italy.

This photograph comes from Florence, Italy. Anyone who has been there, especially in the busy tourist season, knows that the place is incredibly busy and crowded, at least during the hours when visitors are out and about. We escaped the most intense crowds on this morning by heading “the other way,” into a neighborhood that lacked the usual tourist attractions.

Like almost any photographer visiting this part of the world, I cannot resist the colors and the old, weathered surfaces and shapes of the buildings. Back home, old buildings just took… old. But here the Latino of time and wear somehow seems more attractive.

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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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: Structures and Objects

Switch Box

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Switch Box
An old, weathered outdoor switch box on a brick wall.

Switch Box. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

An old, weathered outdoor switch box on a brick wall.

Ever since I can remember I have photographed odd bits of “stuff” like this — old fences, door handles and hinges, electrical boxes, anything that has the worn patina of age, rust, and weathering. The first time I recall doing this must have been in middle school or early high school — I went around the back side of my parents’ house and found an old wooden fence with a chain lock, photographed it, and made black and white prints.

On the day I made this photograph we were at a very large garden, with the plan being to photograph spring flowers and foliage. We certainly did that, but I’m easily distracted by things like this, and I came back with this photograph along with others of old signs, door knobs, windows, and similar non-garden stuff.

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 | Twitter | 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: Still Life, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Concrete Wall Detail

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Concrete Wall Detail
Shadows from nearby branches fall across a crached and weathered concrete wall.

Concrete Wall Detail. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Shadows from nearby branches fall across a crached and weathered concrete wall.

The garden where we recently photographed — where I made my recent flower photographs — is on the grounds of a historic San Francisco Peninsula estate that was once the home of some very wealthy people. Today the facility is open to the public and features tours of the mansion and the extensive gardens. This detail photograph was made in a patio area at the mansion.

Like many photographers I am fascinated by patterns, forms, and textures. I’m sure that this section of concrete wall was once, long ago, a new and perfect thing. But it has weathered in the intervening years. There are patched cracks, a few missing edges here and there, and it appears that lichen is starting to grow in places. The darker slanted lines are shadows of branches above the wall.

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 | Twitter | 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.)

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