Photographs: People, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Waiting to Cross

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Waiting to Cross
A group of pedestrians waits at a San Francisco cross walk.

Waiting to Cross. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of pedestrians waits at a San Francisco cross walk.Her

Here is another recent San Francisco street photograph, this one made at the end of the work day as folks were heading home… and as the usual tourists were out and about, somewhere between seeing the sites and looking for a place to get dinner. Because it was not mid-autumn and Daylight Savings Time had ended, the sun was going down early enough to bring softer light at this time of day and to allow the various sources of artificial light to have a greater effect on the scene.

I generally prefer not to assign any particular ideas about a photograph like this one, instead allowing viewers to make their own associations and find whatever meaning makes sense to them. I will share that the variety of appearances and poses of these folks as they step off the curb attracted me. as did the interesting quality of the late-day light in the urban canyon.

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: Birds, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Three Cranes, Blue Sky

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Three Cranes, Blue Sky
Three sandhill cranes in flight against blue sky

Three Cranes, Blue Sky. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Three sandhill cranes in flight against blue sky.

What I regard as “bird season,”the time of year when I start to focus on photographing migratory birds, began this year in early November. I had several prints in the Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival, so I took the opportunity to head that direction and look for birds to photograph during the weekend of the event.

On my way to drop of prints very early on the first morning of the festival I headed out early enough to reserve time for a visit to an area west of Lodi where these birds are fairly easy to find. Pulling in from a long drive in the dark, opening the car door, and hearing the bedlam of thousands of birds is always a magical moment for me, and this one was more special as it was the first of the year. I made a few photographs in this area at dawn and then moved off on a rural road that I know, looking for more cranes. Eventually I found them, in a place where they were following a flight path that took them across the roadway, so I found a spot where the early morning light would catch them as they flew past.

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: Night, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Moonrise, San Francisco

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Moonrise, San Francisco
The autumn moon rises above San Francisco’s Transamerica building

Moonrise, San Francisco. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The autumn moon rises above San Francisco’s Transamerica building.

Late autumn and early winter are great times to do street photography, in my opinion. I suppose that I’m biased in that one of my objectives is to be able to photograph in the twilight and early evening hours, when a bit of remaining ambient natural light combines with artificial lighting to produce the feeling of night in photographs without looking all details to the darkness. (I also like the fact that I can photograph at night… and still catch a train back home from San Francisco at a reasonable hour!)

On this November visit I had arrived in The City in the early afternoon, doing the usual sorts of street photography in the more traditional daylight. As sunset approached I headed north through the Financial District, and eventually wandered up Columbus before reversing course and heading back to the south through the Chinatown District. (Main reasons I like to photograph there at night include abundant and colorful lighting, along with relatively narrow streets that let me get close to subjects.) As I began my walk south into this area I looked up and was surprised to see the rising moon sitting next to the Transamerica building.

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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: People In Landscape, Photographs: Photographers, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness

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Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness
Photographer Franka M. Gabler at work in the John Muir Wilderness

Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photographer Franka M. Gabler at work in the John Muir Wilderness.

A band of photographers, informally referred to by some as the “First Light Group,” has been photographing in the Sierra Nevada backcountry for nearly two decades as a group — and much longer as individuals. A core group has been there since the beginning, a few no longer join us (though they are present on every trip in our conversations), and others have joined the group subsequent to the first trip. I’m in the latter group, having gone along for about a decade. A remarkable collection of photographic work has come from the group over the years, and there is a story about this endeavor that warrants being told more widely.

At times the group has been sponsored by various entities. At one time the Yosemite Conservancy was a major supporter. On several occasions that group has been self-supporting. This past summer we were generously supported by Yosemite Renaissance. Our collaboration with them had several goals. They, of course, want to support artists creating work related to Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada — they were interested in learning about the logistics of putting artists in the backcountry for periods long enough to do significant work, something that the First Light folks know a lot about. They wanted to share in the experience of producing artistic work this way. As part of the latter goal several artists accompanied us this year, including photographer Franka M. Gabler, who is seen at work in this photograph.

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

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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.