Tag Archives: cliff

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Dark Headland, Big Sur Coast

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A dark headland cliff rises directly above the Pacific along the Big Sur coast as fog clears from distant mountains.

Dark Headland, Big Sur Coast. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A dark headland cliff rises directly above the Pacific along the Big Sur coast as fog clears from distant mountains.

Recently we spent some time photographing along the far Northern California coast. One thing leads to another, and before long I found myself looking back through raw file archives from previous coastal photography, including subjects from up and down the entire coast of the state. One set of older files came from a one-day jaunt about halfway down the Big Sur coast on a day when the weather was shifting from clear and sunny to windier and (potentially) wetter as a large Pacific front was working its way down the coast.

The light was quite amazing on this day. Although clouds were approaching from the north (behind my camera position in this photograph), to the south it was still quite sunny — so bright, in fact, that it was hard to look directly at the surface of the ocean here. At the same time the morning coastal fog was thinning and drifting away from the mountains as they curved to the south and southeast. I made several photographs from this spot, all of them featuring the tall and steep dark headland in the foreground. In this one I opened up the scene a bit wider to include the curving sweep on the coastline as it continued to the south.

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, Photographs: Travel

Approaching Storm, Big Sur Coast

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Approaching Storm, Big Sur Coast
Haze and fog along the mountain tops as a storm approaches along the rugged Big Sur coast of California.

Approaching Storm, Big Sur Coast. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Haze and fog along the mountain tops as a storm approaches along the rugged Big Sur coast of California.

This photograph actually from a couple of years ago. (More on that subject in a moment.) I made it on one of my Big Sur day trips, on which I leave home early, photograph before the crowds arrive, and then head home by early afternoon. Yes, I’m fortunate to live close enough to do that. If I recall correctly, on this day I was hoping to beat a weather front to the coast, expecting to photograph the sunny boundary just ahead of the clouds. Conditions were different from what I expected — by the time I arrived at this point the front’s cloud shield was moving over the coastline, becoming more dramatic by the moment. Fog along the coastal hills was dissipating and there was still some haze.

Not only is this photograph from two years ago, but it is a fresh rendition of a scene that I shared at that time, based either on the very same exposure or one made at almost the same time. I went with an (unusual for me) square crop in order to contrast the dark mass of the steep cliffs rising from the sea and the more distant and lighter water, mountains, and sky. For those of you who may occasionally have dreams about where you would like to live, if you look very closely at the dark foreground ridge you might spot a place that could make you very jealous.

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: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspen Leaves and Stone

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Aspen Leaves and Stone
Branches of an aspen tree with autumn leaves against the stone of an Eastern Sierra cliff.

Aspen Leaves and Stone. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Branches of an aspen tree with autumn leaves against the stone of an Eastern Sierra cliff.

Since summer is about to start… it seems like time to start thinking about autumn. I have written before that my mind is usually as much on the season that it isn’t as on the season that it is, perhaps because I’m always conscious of the cyclical and transitional nature of things. A few weeks ago I had a brief discussion with a friend about fall photography plans, and since then I’ve been considering where I may want to go this September and October. And as those subjects come to mind I cannot hep but be aware of the likely effects that the West’s current extreme drought and heat are likely to have on conditions.

But enough of that musing for the moment. This photographic vignette of a few aspen branches extending across cracked and lichen-covered granite focuses on one of the many little personal spots in the Sierra that I return to every year. There’s a good chance that you would pass this spot and not even see it, but that may be part of what draws me to it. While all of us own the iconic parts of the Sierra, each of us can have his or her own personal Sierra consisting an accumulated set of personal subjects and experiences.

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

Morning Fog, Rugged Shoreline

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Morning Fog, Rugged Shoreline
Morning fog clears from coastal mountains above the rugged Big Sur shoreline.

Morning Fog, Rugged Shoreline. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning fog clears from coastal mountains above the rugged Big Sur shoreline.

This photograph (and a few others from this trip) illustrate how sometimes a combination of planning and luck come together… and even overcome a bad decision or two. I had checked the forecast the previous evening and it looked like there would be fog along the coast, making a quick visit potentially rewarding. I decided that I’d get up early and head that way. But in the morning one thing led to another, and I was quite late (by photographer standards) getting out the door and on the road. I wondered if perhaps I had missed the timing, and I even considered heading somewhere else.

As I approached the coast I saw that the fog was obstinately sticking around, and it was foggier than I had expected! I headed south, looking for places where the fog was beginning to thin, and this was my first serious stop. Here the rugged coast was already clear, but the fog was just offshore and still covering the taller hills, including the far peak above the distant peninsula. I made a few photographs here and then headed on to a few more spots before returning when the light became too harsh. (As I turned around and headed home I noticed that the influx of tourists was just starting… and that the best light and conditions had passed while they were enjoying breakfast!)

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.