Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany, Photographs: Travel

Heidelberg College

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Heidelberg College
Heidelberg College

Heidelberg College. Heidelberg, Germany. July 10, 2013. © Copyright 2013 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The front of a building identified as “Heidelberg College,” Heidelberg, Germany

To answer likely the first question, this is not Heidelberg University, a very old and very highly regarded institution. As near as I can tell it isn’t even related to the University, though information about a “Heidelberg College” in this town is sparse. (One source suggests that it might be a high school or similar, though I’m not sure about that.) The building was along our typical walking route to the old town section of Heidelberg, and the orderly appearance and combination of colors had caught my attention the first time we passed.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Calf, Cottonwoods, and Cranes in Flight

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Calf, Cottonwoods, and Cranes in Flight
Calf, Cottonwoods, and Cranes in Flight

Calf, Cottonwoods, and Cranes in Flight. San Joaquin Valley, California. November 24, 2013. © Copyright 2013 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A calf grazes near a row of autumn cottonwood trees on a foggy morning and as sandhill cranes fly overhead

On this foggy morning I had begun photographing a bit earlier, just at dawn. I gradually worked my way along a gravel country road, stopping frequently – spending more time stopped than driving, actually – to photograph the foggy landscape and migratory birds. At this early hour, the sandhill cranes were my primary targets. At times, when the fog cleared a bit, it was possible to see many of them taking off for distant points as the day began. When the fog thickened, they were heard more than seen, at least until they flew close enough to momentarily appear overhead through the fog.

In a place where the road paralleled a row of cottonwood trees with golden autumn leaves I stopped to wait for the birds to fly overhead. From a distance away I had figured out that many of the cranes were headed this way as they took off, so it seemed that if I stopped and waited here quietly the birds might come to me. And they did – every few minutes another group would fly low over my position. I shared this spot with a herd of cattle, quite a few of whom found me to be the most interesting thing in their early morning world and stared quietly at me. One calf that had passed beneath a fence around the pasture was busy grazing along the lane, so I stopped and photographed it beneath the cottonwood trees as a group of sandhill cranes passed overhead.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Deals and Sales

Fujifilm X-Series Lens Bundle Discounts Return

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Site affiliate B&H has a “Buy Together and Save” instant savings offer when you purchase a Fujifilm X PRO, X-E2, or X-E1 in a variety of configurations and colors and buy lenses at the same time. Savings on lenses range from $100 to $250 each.

Step 1: Purchase a camera using one of the following links:

Step 2: On the camera page at the above-listed links look for the “Buy Together and Save” link (which will likely list one specific lens). This goes to a page listing all of the available lenses and savings. Lenses include the essentially ALL X-series camera lenses, including the most recently announced. (Links not included here, since you’ll need to follow the B&H links when you buy the camera):

  • 14mm f/2.8 XF R ultra-wide lens – save $200
  • 18mm f/2 XF R lens – save $200
  • 23mm f/1.4 XF R lens – save $100
  • 27mm f/2.8 XF lens – save $150
  • 35mm f/1.4 XF R Lens – save $150
  • 60mm f/2.4 XF macro – save $250
  • 18-55mm f/2.8-4 XF R LM OIS lens – save $150
  • 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 XF R LM OIS – save $200

Lenses are also eligible for a 4% B&H “reward” offer. Note that not all lenses are necessarily available with all cameras. For example, the 18-55mm lens is already included with the bundles. Expires 12/24/13. (Check the B&H site for full details.)

See my post (“Taking Stock of the Fujifilm X-E1 & X-E2 Mirrorless Cameras“) for a review and more information about the Fujifilm X-series cameras and the Fujinon lenses. 

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Wildlife

Sunrise, Fog, Marsh

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Happy Thanksgiving 2013!

Sunrise, Fog, Marsh
Sunrise, Fog, Marsh

Sunrise, Fog, Marsh. San Joaquin Valley, California. November 24, 2013. © Copyright 2013 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Autumn sun rises through fog about California Central Valley marshland

I wanted to photograph migratory birds at sunrise in the San Joaquin Valley, so I was on the road from the San Francisco Bay Area shortly after 4:00 AM. As I drove it seemed like it might be a perfectly clear day, but on the last few miles of my drive I hit fog – thick enough fog to slow my progress considerably. I regard this as good news when I’m photographing birds out here, as drifting fog and mist makes for interesting conditions for photography, far more than clear skies.

I arrived at my destination, and the fog was so thick that I couldn’t see the morning light beyond the general increase in ambient light levels. However, as I stopped to see what birds might be about I noticed that the sun was barely visible through the low fog and some more distant clouds. At first it was so faint that it was possible to miss it, and as the fog drifted it occasionally completely muted the light of the sun. But after a few more minutes, as the sun rose higher the fog drifted and dissipated just a bit, and the globe of the rising sun become visible through the thick atmosphere, partially blocked by a layer of mid-level clouds.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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