Tag Archives: bank

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

Winter Trees

March 30, 2018 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Bare winter trees alongside the Merced River

There is a, obviously, a lot to see in Yosemite Valley and the rest of this famous national park. Many of the iconic sights are well-known and there is little question why. (As someone said, “They are icons for a reason!”) We all love those familiar domes and cliffs and waterfalls, and we all photograph them. But eventually, after spending quite a bit of time in this place, it is easy to see that there are plenty of other things worth looking for in the Valley and beyond.

Most people are familiar with these scenes in spring and summer, and the ideal includes lots of greenery, perhaps some colorful wildflowers, flowing rivers and waterfalls. But those conditions account for only a small portion of the year here, and especially in late fall and winter you are more likely to find dormant meadows, leafless deciduous trees, rain or snow, and very different light. These trees grow in a location that in spring and summer is noted for green meadows, a flowing river, and sun and warmth When I photographed it this time it was very cold, at the end of a winter day, and thin light was coming through high clouds and softly lighting the bare trunks and branches of these trees.

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

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

Riverbank Trees, Winter Light

March 7, 2018 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Bare winter trees along the Merced River, Yosemite Valley

There are many interesting things in Yosemite Valley. (“Duh!,” right?) The big, iconic features are well-known, but wander away from those a bit and you are bound to find more things worth exploring — trails, bends in the river, groves of trees, meadows, boulders, views of less-known cliffs, hidden seasonal waterfalls, and even historical human structures. Wander in the right directions at the right times and you may even find something approaching solitude in this busy place. (You’ll increase the odds if you do your wandering at times other than the summer tourist season.)

This photograph only required a small bit of wandering, since the walk to this spot is quite short. One of may photography habits in the Valley is to seek out “edges” — where shadow and light meet. These places produce all kinds of wonderful effects, including the possibility of somewhat subdued light and the opportunity to place brightly lit subjects against darker backgrounds. These trees provided such an opportunity, as the long shadows of cliffs along the north side of the Valley were growing across the Valley floor, leaving the riverside trees in low, late-afternoon sun while the background subjects had already fallen into shadows. The stark winter light, nearly devoid of color, produced an almost monochromatic scene with only subtle hints of color.

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

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

Ground, Fog, Birds, Sky

April 8, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A flock of geese takes to the air above a fog bank at dawn

This might seem almost like a photograph of nothing, but I don’t see it quite that way. Arriving very early on a winter morning at one of my favorite bird areas in the Central Valley, I found it quite foggy. It wasn’t so foggy that I couldn’t see, but the atmosphere near the ground was opaque enough to limit my view to perhaps a few hundred feet, especially along the ground that was shrouded by this tule fog.

Before long a huge flock of geese lifted off from behind the low fog and streamed across by view from one side to the other, just about the fog cloud. Because of the distance to the birds their cries were muted and, oddly, everything seemed almost still and quiet even as what may have been thousands of birds were in the air. My idea for this photograph is to make it into a very large print, where the layers may have an imposing scale reminiscent of actually being there.

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

River Bank, Fall Foliage

November 11, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fall foliage along the banks of the Merced River, Yosemite Valley

This is a favorite area along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Here the river rushes just a bit faster as it descends through an area where I believe the remnants of old glaciers may be seen in the presence of large rocks. Because the area is close to the south cliff walls, it is often in shade — but across the valley the other side is often in such, producing colorful reflections on the moving water.

I’ve photographed here fairly often and at many times of the year. For a few weeks in the fall the spot produces some wild color combinations as the plants along the river’s banks take on fall colors from red to yellow. On this morning there was still a slight remnant of earlier morning fog, drifting through and beyond the trees of the conifer forest.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: bank

Winter Trees

Riverbank Trees, Winter Light

River Bank, Fall Foliage

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