Tag Archives: black and white

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Coastal Layers

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Coastal Layers
“Coastal Layers” — Stratified and eroded rock formations along the California coast at Point Lobos.

All of the other photograph s that I made in this location at Point Lobos turned out to be color images, but I decided that I wanted to use monochrome for this one. There were several reasons. There’s an old “rule” about using monochrome when subject’s colors aren’t its main feature, and that was the case here, at least in this light. In addition, I felt that black and white might better abstract the forms of these eroded coastal rocks.

It is a fascinating formation, partly for what it is and partly for how it has evolved. This layered rock apparently underlies the low headlands here, and the end of the formation has been exposed by ocean erosion. (Below this spot is a cove, while above it is a grassy headland.) As the erosion continues it exposes remarkable patterns in the underlying rock. much of it is a sort of familiar sandstone that has colors similar to those in the American Southwest, but interspersed are layers of pebble-filled conglomerate and, here and there, some surprising bits of color.

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: Abstract, Photographs: Imaginary Landscapes

Imaginary Landscape: Desert Mountains

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Imaginary Landscape: Desert Mountains
“Imaginary Landscape: Desert Mountains” — An imaginary landscape, based on a photograph of desert mountains.

The words, “imaginary landscape” are used her to alert viewers to what they are (and are not) seeing. It would be lovely if you encountered an actual landscape that looked like this, but you won’t — this landscape is invented. I began with a “real” image of a range of desert mountains, and from there I deeply modified that original to produce the photographic fantasy that you see here.

The image grew out of something I wrote elsewhere about “honesty” in photographs. The subject is too big to fully deal with here, but one component was that it is troubling to me when photographers tacitly rely on the presumption that viewers will imagine the unbelievable to be real. I have no objections to morphing the “real” into fantastical things — but I am uneasy about relying on viewers’ misinterpretations of what they are seeing. This highly processed image was created to illustrate that idea.

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: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Street Scene, Florence

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Street Scene, Florence
“Street Scene, Florence” — People walk along a narrow street in Florence, Italy.

There’s a lot happening in this little street vignette, photographed in Florence, Italy in the summer of 2023. You may have to look closely to see. Beyond the woman at the far right is another woman who is rather extensively tattooed. Behind her we see a young man and a fellow in black and a wide-brimmed hat assisting him. What looks like a family is about to disappear around a corner. One of the things that street photography aspires to do is capture these brief, fleeting events that occur spontaneously.

If you have been following along here you know that this photo is a pretty big contrast to the Death Valley photographs that I have been sharing since late March. There are more of those yet to come, but there are still even more of these photographs from our 10-week European adventure in 2023… and it is time to start catching up.

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: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Wall And Barred Window

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Wall And Barred Window
“Wall And Barred Window” — A barred window and weahtered wall in Italian summer sun, Siena.

This photograph of a small section of an otherwise nondescript wall along a Siena, Italy street was triggered, I suppose, by my fascination with patterns, textures, and forms — and by how they come together. You might not know it from the photograph, but the sun was very bright a the time. When I looked at the result later on, I first realized that color played virtually no role in the photograph and that I had more control over that light with a monochrome rendition.

As is often typical of me, I did not even note what the building was. (I might be able to figure it out from some other photographs, but it may not be important.) Part of what I like about the subject is the the perfect symmetry and form of the lines on the wall and the square window is dissonant with the weathered and peeling wall surface and the slightly bent grate over the mysterious window.

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.