Tag Archives: ansel adams

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Two Trees, Sierra Rain

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Two Trees, Sierra Rain
“Two Trees, Sierra Rain” — Two trees standing on a rocky outcropping as a Sierra Nevada summer rain storm sweeps across the mountains.

In some ways I was surprised to find these two trees standing here, among high rocks not far from our campsite. After a day of heavy weather, I thought about how they had managed to escape significant damage from years of exposure to winds, precipitation, and lightning strikes. But there they were, standing tall on this little ridge above a small meadow as another storm cleared.

These are not my favorite weather conditions for photography. While clear, blue-sky mountain days don’t usually excite me, photographing in the rain is challenging, too. And it was still raining when I made this photograph. After being tied down by the storm for the better part of a day, I think I was anxious enough to get out and photograph that I was willing to work in the wet.

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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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Water Over Stones

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Water Over Stones
“Water Over Stones” — The waters of a Sierra Nevada creek flow over stones.

Every landscape photographer I know is easily distracted by flowing water. Our “thing” might be large-scale landscapes, trees, rocks, you name it. But during slow moments we’ll point our cameras down or across the nearest flowing water and see what we can do with this subject. It provides a lot of opportunities. Long exposures can turn flowing water into cloudy veils. Reflections introduce symmetry and/or colors. And, as in this photograph, the water diffuses and smooths features beneath its flow.

I was actually lucky to find such clear water on this backcountry trip. Right after we arrived at our basecamp the heavens opened up and it rained heavily for the next twenty-four hours. When we finally crawled out of our tents the day after it began, we found a nearby lake muddy with sediments washed down these creeks. But before long the sediments decreased and I found this clear creek.

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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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Two Peaks, Clearing Storm

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Two Peaks, Clearing Storm
“Two Peaks, Clearing Storm” — Clouds from a summer storm begin to clear above two fog-bound Sierra Nevada Peaks.

Rainy weather in the Sierra Nevada often produces post-storm treats, and many of them involve light and clouds and fog. The storms, often brief afternoon or early evening affairs, increase the humidity and drop the temperatures. So once they begin to dissipate it is common to see clouds floating among the peaks, and if you are in the right spot you might even be wrapped in fog. I photographed these two peaks and the clearing sky after one such storm.

The skies are usually clear on most Sierra Nevada summer days. In fact, sometimes they are clear for so long that photographers start to lament the constant blue sky and sun! But every so often moister air floats up the range and afternoon storms ensue. There are no guarantees, but many of them are gone by sunset. The storm that produced these clearing clouds was an exception, a full day of rain that largely kept us tent-bound until this evening.

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 | Post | Email

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.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Rock and Ice

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Rock and Ice
“Rock and Ice” — A permanent ice field and rugged alpine terrain in the Sierra Nevada.

This is a classic example of alpine Sierra Nevada terrain. At the very bottom is a bit of alpine meadow, located right at the upper edge of the local tree line. Above that we see large expanses of glaciated granite with rounded and smoothed forms that are now cracked and broken by erosion. Still higher, a permanent ice field (one of a diminishing number of them) nestles in a bowl eroded by its glacial ancestor. The ice field sits at the base of very steep and rugged slopes that rise to unseen peaks.

One result of spending a lot of time in the higher reaches of the Sierra Nevada is that it is easy to forget how exotic such landscapes look to those who don’t visit them. To them, this terrain might seem forbidding and out of reach. But the reality is that once you reach this elevation, the land opens up and you can go almost anywhere without trails, limited only by your imagination and you ability to find routes and navigate.

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 | Post | Email

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.