Tag Archives: blue

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

Dusk, Mounts Dana and Gibbs, Tuolumne Meadows

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Dusk, Mounts Dana and Gibbs, Tuolumne Meadows

Dusk, Mounts Dana and Gibbs, Tuolumne Meadows. Yosemite National Park, California. July 10, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Glowing lenticular cloud formations above alpenglow-illuminated Mounts Dana and Gibbs and the Tuolumne River, Yosemite National Park, California.

From mid-July through the first week of September, Tuolumne Meadows is a very popular high Sierra destination in Yosemite National Park. The meadows, which are much more extensive than drive-through visitors know, comprise one of the largset and most spectacular examples of sub-alpine meadows and are surrounded by spectacular high peaks including some, like Mounts Dana and Gibbs, that sit on the crest of the Sierra Nevada range.

Several thousand people camp at Tuolumne every evening, and after dinner many of them sit around their campsites and engage in the ritual burning of wood and other camping activities. Meanwhile, a five minute walk from the campground, a handful of people sit or stand alone or in small groups along the edge of the huge sub-alpine meadow or along the Tuolumne River and wait for magic to happen. On this evening in early July there couldn’t have been more than 30-40 people in the meadow with more near their cars along the roadway. And on this evening the magic did happen.

I feel sorry for those folks in the campground who had no idea of the sublime scene taking place mere steps away.

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God’s ready to have somebody click the shutter.” – Ansel Adams

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra nevada, summer, tuolumne, tioga, river, mount, dana, gibbs, bar, bank, meaadow, forest, trees, lenticular, clouds, formations, pink, blue, gray, sunset, dusk, evening, lembert dome, reflection, rocks, water, sky, alpenglow, snow, peak, mountain, landscape, travel, scenic, stock

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

Pacific Ocean, Rocks, and Clearing Fog

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Pacific Ocean, Rocks, and Clearing Fog

Pacific Ocean, Rocks, and Clearing Fog. Big Sur Coastline, California. July 2, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Offshore rocks and clearing fog above the Pacific Ocean, Big Sur coastline, California.

Over the past few years I have a made a series of what I think of as “minimalist seascapes” that feature mostly straight-on views of the Pacific Ocean along the California coast, often with fog or clouds and various patterns on the water. As we drove south down the Big Sur coastline last at the start of the Fourth of July weekend I spotted the fog starting to break up over this section of almost completely still water – and I imposed on my wife to stop while I set up the tripod and made a few exposures. (I make it almost a rule to not do landscape photography while I’m with family. My work habits would drive any sane person completely nuts!)

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: big sur, california, usa, seascape, landscape, minimalist, rock, surf, wave, foam, blue, kelp, sea, weed, ocean, pacific, reflection, gray, fog, bank, sky, morning, distant, surface, swell, highway, one, coast, coastline, summer, clearing, travel, scenic, stock, foam, wave

Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: People, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Java Hut Employee

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Java Hut Employee

Java Hut Employee. San Francisco, California. July 1, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Man standing in the doorway of the Java Hut, San Francisco, California.

As I was walking along the San Francisco waterfront very early in the morning on July 1, I was shooting the South Beach Harbor when I noticed this fellow standing in the doorway of the Java Hut and motioning to me to take his photograph – I couldn’t refuse. I managed to get two photographs of him in his red apron against the red and white exterior of the coffee shop. (I only realized today that this should have been my July 4 photo!) I didn’t get his name, but I know this place well so I’ll try to take him a print the next time I get up there.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: san francisco, california, usa, summer, city, urban, travel, man, person, street, urban, worker, employee, waiter, java hut, restaurant, coffee, shop, stand, door, window, blue, red, apron, moustache, plaid, embarcadero, portrait, south beach, harbor, shoreline, stock, travel, character

Photographs: Sports

Paceline – American Velodrome Challenge

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Paceline - American Velodrome Challenge

Paceline – American Velodrome Challenge. Hellyer Park Velodrome, San Jose, California. June 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The pack is strung out as the pace increases in a bicycle track race at the American Velodrome Challenge, Hellyer Park, San Jose, California.

The paceline in the late stages of a miss-and-out race at the American Velodrome Challenge at the Hellyer Park Velodrome in San Jose, California. Yes, another “blurry bike racers” shot! And it won’t be the last.

I was having great fun shooting this series. There are a few tricks that I use to make this work. Before I make the exposure I decide where in the frame I want the relatively focused rider to be – in this case I wanted him closest to me on the right side of the frame. I selected a single autofocus point on the camera and made it the one furthest to the right from the center. I used the AI servo mode on my Canon 5D II since it continuously adjust the AF and since it attempts to predict the position of moving objects, thus tending to keep them in focus… as long as you can manage to keep the AF point on the target as it moves by very fast and very close. So the trick was to begin to follow the riders around the far end of the turn that you can see at top left, and then to work carefully to keep this AF point on the lead rider – not as easy as you might think – while also keeping a watch on the positions of the other riders. Making this even more “fun” is the fact that I had absolutely no control over what the riders would actually do when they came around. Sometimes a rider might come up the bank and block my shot; sometimes a single rider might be too far separated from the others to make the composition I had in mind. Generally – but not quite always – I shoot anyway, and I’m more than willing to admit that there is a certain element of luck in making this work.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bike, bicycle, racing, track, velodrome, national, professional, san jose, california, usa, pack, group, peloton, rider, racer, competitor, participant, cyclist, biker, helmet, red, blue, orange, white, blur, motion, speed, santa clara, county, night, stock