Commentary

Storm Surf and Rocky Headlands

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Storm Surf and Rocky Headlands
Late autumn storm surf and Big Sur headlands

Storm Surf and Rocky Headlands. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Late autumn storm surf and Big Sur headlands

I hear that when many people think of California they envision a beautiful summer day at the beach, with warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and benign surf. Aside from the fact that it is more likely to be foggy than sunny on a summer day along much of the California coastline, that vision is limited and it ignores what I regard as being the most impressive conditions along the coast, namely those found during the wet season extending from late autumn through the end of winter. It is at this time that I find the coast to be the most compelling and impressive, especially when giant Pacific storm fronts roll through and, when things work out just right, the surf can be large enough to be downright scary.

We had such conditions for a few days in mid-December. The local news casts warned people to stay away from the coast and off the beaches, since waves up to 40 feet high were expected. Smart Californians do stay of the beaches at times like this, but we certainly don’t stay away from the coast — and I headed straight over the upper Big Sur coastline to take it all in and make photographs. I’ve seen big surf here before, but as I walked out onto headlands above the rocky shoreline south of Carmel and the first beg set of waves came in, I’m pretty sure I gasped audibly as they piled up on the shoreline. The biggest waves come in sets of perhaps a half dozen or so, and they raise mist and spray that lingers along the headlands until the next set of big waves arrives.

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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” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature

Autumn Tree, In The Light

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Autumn Tree, In The Light
An autumn tree emerges from fog and haze in morning light

Autumn Tree, In The Light. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An autumn tree emerges from fog and haze in morning light.

I found this tree, still with full late-season fall color, standing in the middle of a pasture. (If you look very closely you just might be able to spot some cattle.) It was a very foggy morning — mostly quite gray and colorless — until the fog finally began to thin and filtered light started to break through.

It is easy to pass through California’s Great Central Valley and miss its beauty. It is true that the air can become stagnant and that freeway driving isn’t conducive to seeing beyond the traffic in front of you. But get off the main roads, drive a bit more slowly, start very early and stay out until the sun sets, and there is a lot to see.

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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” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Trail of Boulders

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Trail of Boulders
Afternoon light on early autumn vegetation in the Eastern Sierra, and a trail of boulders crossing a meadow

Trail of Boulders. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Afternoon light on early autumn vegetation in the Eastern Sierra, and a trail of boulders crossing a meadow

This became a familiar bit of terrain during our weeklong (plus a bit) photography visit to an Eastern Sierra backcountry area last September. Our routine is to establish a base camp, photograph in the immediate vicinity, and then start working outward to photograph areas a bit further away. The area through which this trail passed became a favorite, and we walked this route many times.

There is a lot to observe in this scene. Perhaps one of the first obvious features is the trail of boulders crossing the meadow. Sierra Nevada backcountry travels might be struck by something about this — most meadow trails are either deep ruts, dug out by many hikers and animals, or they have been moved out of the meadows and onto tougher terrain. The extensive use of boulders here is unusual. (I wonder if it a good thing for avoiding the scarring of the typical deeply grooved trail, or if it might have been better to re-route.) Note the open quality of the forested terrain here — it is typical of the high country not far below the tree line. The trail is heading off towards higher country and, in fact, the trail runs out only yards beyond this point. Above that is a headwall and huge talus slopes which can be climbed, but only by those willing to travel cross-country. Finally, the peaks that lie dead ahead are on the Sierra Nevada crest itself.

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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” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Netherlands, Photographs: Travel

Canal, Cloudy Sky

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Canal, Cloudy Sky
The sun shines through cloudy skies to light up an Amsterdam canal and nearby buildings

Canal, Cloudy Sky. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The sun shines through cloudy skies to light up an Amsterdam canal and nearby buildings

I don’t think the sky was ever entirely clear during our four days in Amsterdam, but I was told by locals that this is pretty typical. In fact, based on what I was told, we were perhaps lucky to have as much blue sky as we did get! It rained the day we arrived, it was cloudy on most days, and that first day wasn’t the only rainy one.

I’ve observed that sunlight is often even more beautiful in places where it can’t be take for granted. I first understood this some years ago on a visit to Seattle, a place that is frequently also cloudy, wet, and gray. On the visit in question there was a period of beautiful, eighty-degree days of sunshine… and it seemed like every person in Seattle was suddenly outside. This day in Amsterdam wasn’t quite that extraordinary, but the filtered sunlight on the row of buildings along this canal seemed quite attractive.

See top of this page for Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information and more.

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 and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

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