Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Meadow, Forest, Cloud-Shrouded Peak

June 10, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Cloud-shrouded Mount Conness towers above the domes and forest of Tuolumne Meadows

I’ll take a break from the recent urban, night, and street photography and go back to the high country with a photograph from about this time a year ago. I spent a few days in the Tuolumne Meadows area, photography in the high elevation areas of the park. This was a particularly memorable evening that started without a specific plan, led to a surprise meeting with friends and photographs, including a hike down a river to a lovely area of granite slabs, and concluded with sunset back in the big meadow.

As we came back up the river we split up — some heading up onto a nearby high prominence and others (that would be me!) hanging out along the edge of the meadow, between the base of a granite dome and a large herd of grazing deer. As the final sun light touched the tops of the highest peaks, fog formed around the summit of Mt. Conness up along the Sierra crest.

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

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

Doorway and Gate

June 10, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A doorway and gate, San Francisco

I cannot explain why, but I’m always attracted to patterns of shape end color and to interesting juxtapositions. The colors in this little vignette seemed remarkable to me, from the intense green of the painted brick wall to the red and white stripes on the awning and the bit of yellow above. And this wild color is juxtaposed with the dark tones and very square geometry of the metal gate in front of the doorway.

It may not be apparent, but this is a night photograph. Perhaps the glow on the inner door could be a clue, or the intensity of the colors under artificial illumination from street lamps and store lights. As I walked past I stopped only long enough to make a small number of handheld exposures, and then in continued up the street.

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

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

Alley, Approaching Car

June 9, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A police car approaches in a narrow San Francisco alley

This photograph is pretty much what it appears to be — a narrow San Francisco downtown alley between two major streets, a police car entering the alley (soon to followed by others), a stop sign painted on the ground, and an unusual combination of artificial light coloration and reflections.

This is one of the many street photographs that simply happens, and happens quickly. I was crossing the outlet of this alley, when I looked into it and saw the interesting lighting effects. At that moment the car turned into the alley, providing a focus of brightness at its far end. I raised the camera and photographed, barely having time to carefully compose, and a moment later a couple of police cars approached my end of the alley and i had to get out of the way.

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

Cafe de la Presse, Night

June 8, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Night at the Cafe de la Presse, San Francisco

In San Francisco for an evening of night street photography, we first wound our way up into Chinatown from the northwest at twilight, then slowly worked our way along various streets, looking for interesting light, architecture, and people. Because the streets are so narrow, filled with people, and lit brightly, this is a very interesting place to photograph. We continued on, ending up in the busy and touristy areas just south of Chinatown, where we split up and went separate ways.

It was almost time for me to leave, so I headed back the way I cam, on streets that were now becoming a bit less busy and crowded. I passed this little restaurant, with its corner entrance, and paused long enough to make a handful of exposures, photographing the wood-paneled interior and exterior walls and columns and the people who seemed to be settled in for a slow and quiet evening.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Doorway and Gate

Alley, Approaching Car

Cafe de la Presse, Night

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