Tag Archives: above

Two Trees, Fog, and Promontory

Two Trees, Fog, and Promontory
“Two Trees, Fog, and Promontory” — Two trees stand atop a promontory above a foggy Pacific Ocean view, Point Lobos.

This photograph, the final in a set I’ve shared recently, comes from a half-day visit to Point Lobos one foggy late-July morning. Fog is always fun, but in this case it seemed extra special. California suffered through some extremely hot weather back in July, and I headed to the coast to try to find some relief. I found it! While the temperatures back home were rising into the upper nineties, here at the coast it was in the upper fifties under the overcast. I spent the morning and early afternoon wandering through the park.

These trees are Monterey cypresses, native to this region along the rugged coast. Here they grow along the tops of cliffs that drop steeply into the ocean. The promontory is along the north shore of Point Lobos where some of the higher cliffs are found. While the fog here was high enough to reveal the trees, a short distance offshore it was right on the water.


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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Forest Above Loch Ness

Forest Above Loch Ness
“Forest Above Loch Ness — Forest with green moss along the Great Glen Way above Loch Ness, Scotland.

This photograph comes from the second-to-last day of our walk on Scotland’s Great Glen Way . Every day was different, but this one stood out in several ways. First of all, we hiked it “backwards.” On every other day we hiked toward our destination of Inverness. But this time we were dropped off north of Lewiston, where we were staying, and we walked back toward town. A few miles into the walk we encountered our most exposed highland terrain as we crossed a high, windy ridge and then descended to re-enter forest.

This spot along that descent was a lovely surprise. Much of the forest land we had walked through was dense with trees, blocking the light and cutting off distant views. But on this bench high above Loch Ness we found this open and softly lit section of forest carpeted with green moss. Through the trees and far below we could see Loch Ness.


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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Interior, Duomo di Siena

Interior, Duomo di Siena
“Interior, Duomo di Siena” — An elevated view of the of the interior of the Duomo di Siena.

When we travel we prefer finding our own way over relying on guided travel. In our experience, a big part of the value of travel comes from things like feeling somewhat out of your element, encountering unanticipated things and events, and even just devoting some time to wandering. However, there are times and places when paying for guided access can get you to place that are otherwise inaccessible. That’s how we ended up on a guided tour of Siena’s Duomo, one that took us high up into the upper reaches of this remarkable structure.

I made the photograph on this tour. As we crossed over from one side of the roof area to the other we passed a portal into the cathedral, and it provided a remarkable perspective on the interior and, far below, the floor of the duomo. (One other advantage of this tour? It started well before the crowds arrived.)


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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | PostEmail

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Gull, Breaking Wave

Gull, Breaking Wave
“Gull, Breaking Wave” — A seagull flies about a breaking winter wave along the California coast.

Given this spectacular day of heavy winter surf along the California coast, it should be no surprise that there are more photographs coming from the event. I made this one from a promontory on a peninsula that juts out into the ocean, giving me a close-up view of the powerful breaking waves. It had been quite cloudy, but when I made this photograph the clouds were breaking up a bit and sunshine was beginning to reflect on the water and light the spray from the surf.

I’m intrigued by the different ways in which waves break, I suppose in response to underwater contours that we cannot see. This wave began to break to the right and left of the center, and the two zones of roiling water gradually merged as a single gull flew overhead.


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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | PostEmail

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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