Tag Archives: central

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

Two Pelicans, Sunset Glow

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Two Pelicans, Sunset Glow

Two Pelicans, Sunset Glow. South of San Francisco, California. September 2, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two pelicans fly over the golden sunset light of the California Pacifica ocean coastline south of San Francisco.

On September 3, 2008 my son and I drove over the hill to Santa Cruz late in the day and headed north along the Pacific Coast on Highway 1. I had several possible subjects in mind, but when they didn’t quite pan out I decided to go for an old standby – park along the top of the bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean and wait for seabirds to fly past on the updraft from the ocean wind. We weren’t disappointed! Many birds were doing their commute up and down the coast, including lots of gulls and several impressive flocks of pelicans.

As the birds come by I begin by trying to get focus on one or more of them, and then I (attempt to) pan smoothly as they pass by. Because it was just before sunset on this evening the light varied tremendously as the birds came past, ranging from fairly flat blue light when shooting to the south to this amazingly saturated gold (or orange?) light when the sun and ocean and distant fog bank were right behind the birds. The color of this light is real – I shot in RAW mode and use the “as shot” setting during the conversion. Hard to believe, I know…

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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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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.

Spring view from the grass and flower covered hills of the Pacheco Pass area across the Central Valley to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. John Muir travelled across this pass to visit Yosemite in the 1800s and remarked on the amazing wildflower displays.

keywords: pacheco, state park, california, usa, pass, oaks, trees, grass, hills, mountains, flowers, spring, central, san joaquin, valley, shadows, green, sierra, nevada, snow, covered, peaks, distance, landscape, scenic, travel, pass, stock

Photographs: Central California

Oak Grove Trail in Winter Fog

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Oak Grove Trail in Winter Fog
Oak Grove Trail in Winter Fog. Central Californina. December 10, 2004. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

An older photograph shot on a wonderful foggy winter day along an unused trail that climbs a beautiful ridge covered with oak trees and grassland in a hillside park near San Jose, California.

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