Tag Archives: black and white

Photographs: Death Valley

Stovepipe Dunes, Tucki Mountain, and Morning Clouds

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Stovepipe Dunes, Tucki Mountain, and Morning Clouds

Stovepipe Dunes, Tucki Mountain, and Morning Clouds. Death Valley National Park, California. April 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Stovepipe Wells Dunes, Tucki Mountain, and morning clouds, Death Valley National Park, California. After shooting early farther out in the dunes, I encountered this scene while starting my hike back to my car.

It is interesting to note the number of ways in which this photograph was the result of serendipity. First, I went to the back side of the dunes rather than the more typical sections. Second, I had pretty much finished my shooting (yeah, right!) and was heading back to the car. Third, I just happened to wander up on this particular dune – almost didn’t go there at all. Fourth, the light was nothing like this when I first saw it – this section was mostly in shadow. Fifth, those wonderful clouds that mirror the texture of the dune surface just happened to float into the scene as the light came across the top of the dune to illuminate this section of the sand.

(This photograph brings to mind an Ansel Adams quote: “Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.” Adams also offer a critique of God: “Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships!” ;-)

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Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Coastal Meadow and Clouds – Davenport, California

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Coastal Meadow and Clouds - Davenport, California
Coastal Meadow and Clouds. Davenport, California. March 1. 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

This simple minimalist landscape juxtaposes the horizontal form of coastal fields and meadows with interesting cloud formations in the wake of a late-winter storm along the California coast.

The location is just outside of the small coastal town of Davenport, just north of Santa Cruz on the coast between San Francisco and Monterey – an area that combines coastal scenery with farmland.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Mare Island Chimney and Buildings, Night

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Mare Island Chimney and Buildings, Night
Mare Island Chimney and Buildings, Night. Mare Island Naval Shipyard. March 22, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white night photograph of the smokestack and industrial buildings at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. While I usually shoot this subject in color, I like the stark quality of this one in black and white, along with the way that the monochrome rendition emphasizes the forms of the buildings.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring

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From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring
From Pacheco to the Sierra, Spring. Pacheco State Park, California. March 16, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white spring view from the grass and flower covered hills of the Pacheco Pass area across the Central Valley to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. (I posted a color version of this photograph a few days ago, but I’m pretty sure I prefer this one in black and white.) Yes, the long focal length compresses the distance between the west side of the Valley, where I was as I shot this, and the east side where the Sierras rise.

I always think of John Muir when I pass though this area. As I recall, when he first headed to the Sierra he went through Pacheco Pass and his description remarks on the carpet of flowers extending into and across the great valley.

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