Tag Archives: bridge

Photographs: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman in Central Park

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Woman in Central Park
A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

Woman in Central Park. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

As we walked through a busy section of Central Park on an October morning, I saw this woman walk through this square alone, pause as if taking stock of the surroundings, then eventually move on. Originally, the bright pink color of her outfit caught my attention, along with something about her demeanor, but I sacrificed that color for this monochrome rendering of the scene — since I like the way that a black and white image translates that color to almost white.

This is one of those photographs that asks more questions than it answers. I cannot tell you “what it means,” or even quite explain why it works for me. I think that there is something a bit noble about her, something about her standing apart from the rest of the crown in the park, but also something more than a bit uncomfortable about the image. and her place in it.

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: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Trees at Twilight, Lower Manhattan

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Trees at Twilight, Lower Manhattan
Winter trese in twilight at the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station, Lower Manhattan

Trees at Twilight, Lower Manhattan. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter trese in twilight at the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station, Lower Manhattan.

At about this time two years ago, near the end of the Before Times, we were in New York City for the holidays. It was a trip much like previous visits there — we mingled in gigantic crowds, walked almost everywhere, occasionally froze in very un-California weather, ate in packed restaurants, and did pretty much all of the things one does in a busy, crowded, and intense place like New York. Although we had no idea at the time — the first news of the oncoming pandemic had still not arrived — this would be the last big trip like this for years.

I mentioned above that we walk a lot in Manhattan. Those who don’t know the place are, it seems, often surprised to find that almost everyone there walks, residents and visitors alike. Certainly part of the reason is that it is not a friendly place to drivers. But it also really is a friendly place to walkers, despite what you might think. We always wander around on foot a lot when we visit, and even in winter we’ll sometimes walk long distances. This was one of those days. We started in more or less Midtown and then headed south all the way to Lower Manhattan below the City Hall area, where we met family members. Close to our destination we passed this scene at a subway entrance near City Hall as the day was ending and evening lights were appearing.

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

Fog, Surf, and Rocks Near Rocky Creek

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Fog, Surf, and Rocks Near Rocky Creek
Morning light on fog and mist over the Big Sur coast near Rocky Creek.

Fog, Surf, and Rocks Near Rocky Creek. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning light on fog and mist over the Big Sur coast near Rocky Creek.

This post begins with a confession. I have probably photographed this particular scene too many times. I first photographed it quite a few years ago, on a morning when I happened to stop along the Big Sur coastline and notice this particular juxtaposition of features. On that first visit I came up with images that I still regard as quite good, perhaps even among my best from this area. At that point I figured that I was more or less done with the subject, though I continued to pause there and look. Which of course meant that eventually a day came when something new and different appeared there… and I made different sort of photograph of the location that also seems pretty good.

At about this point I started to consider the dangers of going back and re-photographing the same familiar subject. (Among other things, it can distract a photographer from finding new subjects since re-shooting the familiar thing can be easier.) I continued to stop and occasionally make a casual photograph, but mostly did nothing with those images, preferring to work on new subjects in the area. But when I visited on this early November morning the scene seemed particularly spectacular, with a combination of high surf, thin fog, and intense backlight… and I could not resist. So, here it is… yet another take on this scene.

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 to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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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: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Travel

Bridge and Fog

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Bridge and Fog
A bridge emerges from thinning fog on a December morning along the Big Sur coast.

Bridge and Fog. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A bridge emerges from thinning fog on a December morning along the Big Sur coast.

Somewhat to my surprise, I have yet another photograph from this December visit to the Big Sur coast. Actually, I should not be surprised to “discover” photographs among files left behind when I originally considered them. For some reason, this is not an uncommon experience at all. (I believe it was Gary Winogrand who waited for a considerable time before even developing his film.) I have some theories. One is that in the days right after making the photograph I have some ideas of what I expect it to be, and the actual image does not always come up to the imagined standard. But given time and some aesthetic distance from the image, its inherent, intrinsic potential starts to emerge on its own.

The subject here is a particular spot that I’ve stopped to photograph many times on my visits to the Big Sur coast. (Hint: It is not the bridge you probably think it is.) I remember thinking on more than one occasion that there was no new way to photograph the scene, only to come upon it in some particular set of conditions that I had not seen before. There are a few different elements in this version. First, the fog was quite special — a combination of low, coast-hugging fog and spray from the surf, with clear sky above that let the light create a backlit glow. Due to the particularities of season and time of day, I was able to point back toward the land and get the bright reflections on the water. The little bit of fence at the left is another new element. Typically when I had photographed here in the past I went to some effort to keep that fence out of the frame — but this time I decided to embrace it as part of the scene.

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 | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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