Tag Archives: america

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Into Dawn Sky

February 2, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A flock of Ross’s geese takes off into foggy Central Valley dawn sky

I was back in my favorite haunts in California’s Great Central Valley near the end of January, looking for migratory and other birds to photograph, along with the expansive landscapes of this region. After five years of awful drought, the Valley is now full of water again. Ponds are full and many fields have become ponds, and creeks and rivers are flowing once again. It is a beautiful thing to see! The birds are there in abundance — yet, somewhat ironically, the wet conditions have allowed them to find what they need across a larger, more friendly landscape, and sometimes they seem to not be where I expect to see them.

However, on this day there were plenty of birds — more than I’ve seen previously this year. The big flocks of (mostly) Ross’s geese are back and the sandhill cranes are active, too. My drive there was foggy, but it cleared up enough at dawn to give me some colorful sky. Bird action such as that in this photograph is pretty much a constant out here — but often not where I am with my camera! Photographing a lift off from the pond this closely, in such perfect dawn light, with subtle color in the sky depends on a lot of factors all coming together, and most of them are out of my control. The best I can do is to try to be in the right place when and where it might happen and to be ready to react quickly.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetlands, Fog, Dawn Sky

January 31, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fog blankets Central Valley wetlands beneath the winter dawn sky

For Americans, the world has recently been a wild and unpredictable place, and most everyone is feeling a great deal of angst. (This is particularly true if you belong to any of many common and large groups of America — people whose ancestors were immigrants, people who care deeply about the Constitution and America’s place in the world, people who believe in a country that is open and welcoming, and those of us who value our great public lands.) While there is a lot to do and it is not acceptable for citizens of a representative democracy to turn away from the struggle, one still must take a break at times. This morning was my break.

As I usually do, I arose very early and was on the road way before dawn, completing most of a two-hour drive before the first faint light came to the eastern sky. Turning off the main highway onto narrow country roads I soon ran into winter tule fog. I love the fog, especially for photography, so I was mildly disappointed when it thinned as I reached my destination. However, there was compensation for that feeling when I realized that it revealed the beautiful pre-dawn sky above the gentle fog above these wetlands.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Fractured Sandstone Cliff

January 30, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A fractured sandstone cliff and fallen boulders

A few years back a small group of us spent time photographing in southern Utah, from Capitol Reef National Park to the east to Zion National Park to the west and at points in between. The day when I made this photograph began very early in sub-freezing conditions, walking out on a route along a remote ridge. But we ended that day back in a more civilized location, at a canyon with tall sandstone walls, in places forming abrupt cliffs and in other areas being fractured and covered with some amount of vegetation.

We came to this section just after sunset, which comes a bit early in this spot since the terrain to the west of the part tilts gradually upwards. The spot where we photographed is along a gravel road, and on both sides it is lined with monumental sandstone cliffs that are fundamentally smooth and blocky. However, even such cliffs erode, and here the process is laid bare. Huge vertical slabs are separating from the walls and leaning away, and the bases of the cliffs are filled with broken material topped with giant boulders.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Juniper, Massive Sandstone Cliffs

January 28, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Massive sandstone cliffs tower above a single juniper tree among boulders

In the early evening, after a full day of photography that had begun in sub-freezing temperatures atop a remote ridge in Capitol Reef National Park, we found ourselves back in the more civilized regions, in a canyon served by a well-used road where a parking lot marked the jumping off point for trails that extended beyond the road end. We photographed here for a while, and as the canyon light faded we wandered back to our vehicle and loaded up to depart.

As we exited the mouth of the canyon and the terrain opened up, soft and subtle evening light glowed on the massive cliffs above. We had thought we were finished for the day, but we quickly reconsidered, pulling over and jumping out to retrieve cameras and tripods and find places from which to photograph in the diminishing light. I was intrigued by these huge, reddish blocks of sandstone standing against the base of a cliff of lighter rock, with a single juniper tree growing amongst the boulders.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: america

Into Dawn Sky

Wetlands, Fog, Dawn Sky

Fractured Sandstone Cliff

Juniper, Massive Sandstone Cliffs

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