Category Archives: Photographs: Yosemite

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Two Trees, Granite Face

August 7, 2015 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

Two trees, one very old and one very young, grow high on a granite face in Yosemite National Park

This tree grows high on the apparently barren face of a tall granite dome in Yosemite National Park’s high country. Of all of the improbably places to spot a tree, and one that seems reasonably healthy and strong at that, this has to be one of the most unlikely. Given its location, it must be putting its roots down in little more than a large crack in the rock and it has to be fully exposed to strong winter winds and snow.

I have photographed it more than once in the past, and it continues to intrigue me. For thinking that I know the tree well, I was surprised to find that I had not previously noticed the smaller tree growing just beyond and to the right of the main tree — perhaps the offspring of the larger tree? For a short time in the morning, low angle light streaming across the tops of more granite formations to the east glances across the surface of the dome and beautifully lights the two trees.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Glaciated Ridge and Trees, Morning

August 5, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Trees growing on rocky, glaciated granite terrain in morning light

Among folks who know me a bit, it is not a surprise to hear that this is my favorite kind of Sierra light — early morning light coming across hazy ridges and granite and striking sparse trees from behind, creating a glow among their branches. I can’t explain why it draws me, but it does, and I think it always has. Perhaps I saw something, now forgotten, during one of my first visits to the Sierra, or possibly I saw a photograph (possibly in one of my father’s books) many years ago and it made an impression.

This scene is obviously not a Yosemite icon (though one is nearby), but the nature of the view is iconic Yosemite for me. A handful of things seem characteristic of the Yosemite high country, and one of them is the sight of granite domes, usually with broken rock, and widely separated trees somehow eking out a livelihood on what appears to be bare rock. Undoubtedly, more square miles of the park are covered by forest, but we can find forest almost anywhere — these trees thriving on bare granite are more rare and more a special characteristic of this place.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Dawn Fog and Haze, Tuolumne Meadows

July 23, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Morning fog rises from Tuolumne Meadows toward surrounding forest and ridges

I was up quite early on this morning, and with a plan to drive a bit to photograph a particular subject as it was struck by the first dawn light. In the dark I got dressed, crawled out of my tent, got in my vehicle, and quietly left the campground. Within a few hundred yards of the campground exit my plans changed. A low fog lay across almost the entirety of Tuolumne Meadows, shallow in places and deeper in others, partially obscuring trees and domes. In the pre-dawn light the quiet scene was one of very low contrast and not altogether interesting color, but I suspected that once the sun begin to come over the Sierra crest that it might strike the fog and create some interesting effects. So, out the window with the original plan, and now to see what I could make of my new plan.

I headed to the far end of the meadow where I figured that several potentially interesting things would happen. First, the fog was likely to be back-lit once the sun hit it. Second, I could shoot back across large sections of the fog-blanketed meadow and do so from a slight elevation. Third, I knew that I could position myself so that interesting ridges and trees might appear in the frame. In fact, it all worked out! As the sun rose high enough to illuminate the drifting fog, it began to rise and form more distinct patterns against the background of ascending ridges. I’m often somewhat surprised to find myself completely alone at this utterly beautiful times of day, when the sun is just coming up or when its last light is leaving the meadows. Tuolumne is an impressive place at any time, but it is often special in all sorts of ways during these beginning and ending of the day times. Yet most people, folks who I assume come here at least partially to seek out mountain beauty, miss out as they sleep in, linger over morning coffee, or head back to campfires before the day is over.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Island and Trees, Tuolumne River

July 22, 2015 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

This first evening on a recent trip to the Yosemite high country turned out to be special. I arrived in the park in the middle of the day and snagged a camp site at Tuolumne Meadows. I set up my simple camp, lounged around a bit, and then it was time to head out and look for photographs. I headed back along Tioga Pass Road, making note of several possibilities as I passed the meadow, then turned around to go back to one of them. Along the way I decided to pull over to take in the view and by lucky coincidence I pulled in right behind my friends Michael and Claudia. We ended up hiking across the meadow to a likely photography location. Within moments a couple caught up with us — another group of friends, Charlotte and Gary!

Our group continued hiking along the river, eventually reaching a beautiful area where the slope increased, the channel narrowed, and the river picked up speed. Here it glides across granite slabs, bounces around and across boulders, and occasionally pools for a moment in hollows in the valley. We stopped at a granite bowl where the river makes a bend, and I photographed this small island and its trees against a background of late-afternoon sky with dissipating clouds.

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.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Category Archives: Photographs: Yosemite

Two Trees, Granite Face

Glaciated Ridge and Trees, Morning

Dawn Fog and Haze, Tuolumne Meadows

Island and Trees, Tuolumne River

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.