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

Evening Light, Trees

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Evening Light, Trees
“Evening Light, Trees” — Just before sunset, evening light slants across trees high in the Eastern Sierra.

In late July a group of us camped for two nights at a lake just east of the Sierra Nevada crest. The lake is at about 10,000′ of elevation, and peaks to the west tower almost 3000′ higher. That tall ridge (the Sierra crest) begins to block the direct light remarkably early, in some places an hour and a half or longer before actual sunset. To photograph the “late” light close to this ridge I had to start quite early!

I had a rough plan to start closer to the ridge and catch the last direct light there on this rocky rise, and to then work my way to the east, following that edge of the light. This was one of the first photographs I made, and you can see the alpine terrain beyond these trees growing in this rocky landscape..

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel

Alfama and Panteão Nacional

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Alfama and Panteão Nacional
“Alfama and Panteão Nacional” — The dome of the Panteão Nacional rises above Alfama, Lisbon.

The Panteão Nacional is one of several sites along this ridge above the Alfama district of Lisbon. It and the others command a sweeping view of the city and the water, but they also form focal points for views of the area from elsewhere in the city. I photographed this view from the Portas do Sol viewpoint area.

As striking as the building and its dome are, the Alfama itself is really the show here, in my view. The colorful buildings with their red roofs are packed tightly together along narrow and curving streets.

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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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

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

Shoreline in Shadows

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Shoreline in Shadows
“Shoreline in Shadows” — An eastern Sierra lake, surrounded by meadows and forest and reflecting talus slopes, in early morning shadows.

While we love to photograph mountain light, sometimes it can be tricky. I photographed this scene in the early morning. I had gone out well before sunrise, planning to spend some time working with the soft light before the direct sunshine arrived. The the sunlight first touched peaks high above the distant talus slope, then began to descend toward the lake. I made this photograph while the directly-lit talus field was just outside the frame, and moments later things were very bright!

This is, at least for me, the kind of scene that I don’t immediately “see” as a photograph. But when I do I intuitively work out some kind of composition, moving forward and backward, left and right, higher and lower, and adjusting focal length until it just seems to come together.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Cathedral and Dark Sky

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Cathedral and Dark Sky
“Cathedral and Dark Sky” — The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela on an evening of dramatic light and clouds.

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is a remarkable structure, with its intricate towers looming over Obradoiro Square. This is the end point for walkers “doing a camino” from locations in France, Spain, and Portugal. You can watch them arrive and imagine what it must be like to finally reach this point after weeks or more than a month of walking.

Every so often conditions produce some remarkable light — this was one of those times. It had been cloudy, and the sky was still dark with just a hint of sunset color. But far to the west the cloud shield ended and a beam of warm evening light fell on the cathedral, highlighting it against that dark and dramatic sky.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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