Tag Archives: blue

Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains

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Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains
“Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains” — Mono Lake, a solitary tufa tower, and distant blue mountains in morning haze.

It is always a pleasure to visit the Mono Basin and its namesake lake, especially in the early morning when it is often still and quiet. I was there last week, dropping down one morning from a camp high up near the Sierra Crest. When I arrived I saw only one other car, and ts occupant was nowhere to be seen — it was as if I had the entire basin to myself!

I arrived well before sunrise and continued photographing right into the blue light of early morning. It was calm and the water reflected the blue of sky and distant mountains. I used a long lens to focus on a small section of those mountains, aligning them with a single tufa tower far out in the water.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Croatia, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Travel

Red and White Boat, Adriatic Sea

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Red and White Boat, Adriatic Sea
“Red and White Boat, Adriatic Sea” — A red and white boat sails on the quiet Adriatic Sea past Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Looking at this scene, you would probably never guess where I was when I photographed it. It seems like a quiet, isolated place along the ocean shore. Truth be told, I was walking along the top of the wall around the historic city of Dubrovnik, Croatia very close to sunset. While it was fairly quiet there, it most certainly was not isolated!

I’m a fan of long views of the empty or nearly-empty ocean. I’m not quite certain why that is, though the ocean represents a sort of infinite unknown frontier for most of us. There’s something “out there” that we are unlikely to experience, a place of mystery. Here it is enhanced by the soft light and haze of the summer Adriatic as this boat passes by.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

Oh See O.C.

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Oh See O.C.
“Oh See O.C.” — The O.C. McDonald sign in San Jose, California

This is not the first time I have photographed this sign. I walk a lot, and one of my routes takes me past this place, the site of a venerable light industrial business in San Jose. The accidental abstraction of the shadows from the neon light always gets my attention, and I can barely see the actual sign now that this comes to the foreground of my attention.

This place is located in an area that is rapidly changing. Years ago it was filled with small businesses and light industrial sites, the latter likely because of its proximity to a rail hub. Over time, like so many similar areas, it began to decay — there are now many abandoned buildings and closed businesses. However, this area that was formerly considered to be far enough from the city center to house less attractive businesses now feels like it is in the center of town. It is rapidly become a development site with new apartments and businesses. It won’t be long before places like “O.C. McDonald” are lost to memory.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sky, Photographs: Southern California

Just a Cloud

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Just a Cloud
“Just a Cloud” — Sunset clouds over Death Valley, February 2025.

I spotted this cloud at the end of a very long day that began in the San Francisco Bay Area. I was on the road before sunrise, heading for Death Valley National Park. I crossed the Diablo Range, continued south on Interstate 5, then crossed the Great Central Valley through Bakersfield to climb Tehachapi Pass. From there I dropped into high desert, took route 14 north along the “baby Sierra,” then followed backroads up past Trona, eventually entering the park and crossing Towne Pass. It was after 3:00 when I finally got a campsite and started setting up.

Once I had established my camp, it was time for photography. On one hand I was excited to get started. On the other hand, after that long day it would have been easier to just enjoy a quiet evening in camp. But off I went, to an elevated position from which I could photograph sunset light on desert mountains. After the light left those peaks, it still produced some color on a few dissipating lenticular clouds high above the Panamint Mountains.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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