Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Shades of Blue

Image January 14, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

I think of these photographs as a sort of “found geometry” — patterns of color and texture and lines that can be viewed abstractly if you prefer. When I travel I’m usually on the lookout for these little vignettes, which are everywhere once you start looking for them. This one is simply a wall of a building in the little Alsatian town of Eguisheim.

Beyond their abstract qualities, these subjects can also hold a lot of history if you look closely. Eguisheim is a very old town, and very old towns contain a lot of, well, very old stuff. But they also are usually continuously updated, repaired, and spruced up. We can let new things go for a while without maintenance, but these old structures require a lot of attention. Here someone has obviously taken the time to paint the walls in multiple colors. But before long the old walls wear out and chip and crack.

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.

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Trees, Sunrise Fog

Image January 13, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

If I could illustrate the conditions for my ideal morning of winter photography in California’s Central Valley, this morning would tell the story. It was cold and damp, and the fog started out thick enough that it was difficult to drive. There were birds about — geese, cranes, and the other usual suspects. The fog was thick but not deep — while it was difficult to see a hundred feet forward, the sky was visible overhead. The fog began to thin a bit at sunrise, and the glow of the sun shone faintly through the murk.

When a few thousand geese take to the air at once in a frenzy of beating wings and sound, it can momentarily be quite exciting out here. But more often things move very slowly. The fog drifts. The sound of birds are heard in the distance. The cool, damp air shifts gradually, The sun slowly rises. A winter tree is silhouetted against the soft light.

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Basilica Spires and Domes, Dusk

Image January 12, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

This remarkable basilica stands next to the Ebro river in Zaragoza, Spain. Among its eye-catching features are the numerous towers and domes — from the four tall spires at each corner, to the large central dome, to the other smaller domes in between. It is quite a beautiful sight in the daytime, but is even more dramatic at night when it is illuminated by artificial lights. The photograph is from a bridge crossing the Ebro.

Zaragoza is perhaps not on the main tourist circuit in Spain, but we really enjoyed the place. During our visit in December there may not have been many tourists, but the town was very busy and crowded with locals — after all, it was the holiday season! The central area near this cathedral is an enchanting older part of the city, full of very narrow and twisting streets.

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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

Migratory Geese, Wetlands

Image January 11, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Our little band of photographers gathered once again on New Year’s Day to greet the new year together and photograph migratory birds and the often-foggy Central Valley landscape. This photograph holds what I think of as the main elements of this winter landscape: birds, a bit of fog, sky, trees, and grasses. (OK, cattle and crops are part of the scene, but not in this photograph.)

There are various natural cycles to observe when photographing these birds. The most obvious is annual — they return from the arctic every autumn and around the start of spring. There’s a cycle during that period, too. At first they are often harder to find, settling into remote areas of the valley and being more uneasy around humans. As the season goes on they seem to be a bit easier to locate as they collect in gigantic flocks, and the become extremely active in the final month before their departure for points north.

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Shades of Blue

Winter Trees, Sunrise Fog

Basilica Spires and Domes, Dusk

Migratory Geese, Wetlands

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