Lisbon Graffiti #2

Lisbon Graffiti #2
“Lisbon Graffiti #2” — Brilliantly colorful graffiti on a door in the Alfama district of Lisbon, Portugal.

I am often a bit uneasy about photographing street art, tags, and graffiti. In some cases it feels more like attention-getting vandalism than creative work. But there are exceptions in places where it seems to be mostly tolerated, and when the work seems like an interesting expression.

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From Valley to Mountains

From Valley to Mountains
“From Valley to Mountains” — Sunrise view spanning the distance from Salt Creek to the base of the Panamint Range.

Photographing in the area around Salt Creek in Death Valley has long been a challenge. The place is intriguing, with its surprising creek flowing on the valley floor and its population of endangered pupfish. But visually it has generally not spoken to me. The light can also be challenging, especially with a large mountain range blocking late-day light. But I think there are possibilities in the area and I continue to visit from time to time.

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Crater Wall Detail (vertical)

Crater Wall Detail (vertical)
“Crater Wall Detail (vertical)” — Eroded strata of a Death Valley crater wall.

We ran into a photographer friend in Death Valley, and she reminded me of this location. It is a surprising and unusual geological formation, but one that I have never felt too enthusiastic about photographing. But her enthusiasm persuaded me to go there and try again. We got sidetracked by a different subject nearby, but we finally made it here late in the day.

The late arrival may have been fortuitous, since the sun had dropped behind nearby mountains, and much of the filtered light came from other bright clouds that were still sunlit. This softer light filled in the shadows of this rugged formation.


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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

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Woman With Blue Bags, Alfama

Woman With Blue Bags, Alfama
“Woman With Blue Bags, Alfama” — A woman carrying heavy blue bags walks along past weathered buildings along a curving Alfama street, Lisbon.

This photograph is a result of one of the quick, unexpected encounters that occur when doing street photography. Sometimes they happen so fast that there is hardly time to photograph. This one was brief, but not so quick that I couldn’t make a couple of photographs.

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