Tag Archives: cliff

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

The Headlands, Evening

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The Headlands, Evening
Pacific Coast headlands at sunset on a hazy evening.

The Headlands, Evening. © Copyright 2013 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pacific Coast headlands at sunset on a hazy evening.

As I post this photograph it is the middle of winter, and here in California we just experienced an atmospheric river storm, the sort that can bring tons of rain in a short period of time. This is my favorite time of the year along the Pacific coast, when these big storms can produce huge surf, when the cloud-filled skies alternate with clear days, and when the landscape is much more dynamic. This photograph does not come from such a time…

It comes from the polar opposite time of year and a very different set of conditions. I made the photograph some years ago on a gentle mid-June evening, a few days before the start of summer. It was just after sunset and the sort of day on which I could stand above the ocean on coastal bluffs and contemplate the quiet and peaceful sunset, looking across the gentle surf toward a distant peninsula muted by hazy atmosphere hinting at fog.

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: Fall, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Sur Point, Cliff, Autumn

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Sur Point, Cliff, Autumn
“Sur Point, Cliff, Autumn” — Looking south into brilliant autumn light over Big Sur cliffs and Sur Point.

This photograph was made from the same location as the one I shared yesterday and, obviously, it includes the same primary subject. That is Sur Point, just north of the town of Big Sur and the location of the historic Sur Point Lighthouse. I was in that area recently, spending a welcome day in the presence of big vistas, big surf, and the autumn coastal light.

The other photograph focused more on the sky above the Pacific Ocean, placing the Point and a bit of surf close to the bottom of the frame in order include more of that gigantic sky. As an alternative interpretation I also aimed the camera lower to produce a composition that included the dark foreground cliffs just below my position. The curve of the dark foreground seemed to lead toward the peninsula holding Point Sur and to contrast with the brilliant light in the misty, back-lit atmosphere above the water.

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

Autumn Haze, Big Sur Coast

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Autumn Haze, Big Sur Coast
Autumn haze hugs the rugged Big Sur coastline.

Autumn Haze, Big Sur Coast. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Autumn haze hugs the rugged Big Sur coastline.

One of the things that I’ve missed during the past few months is the opportunity to experience landscape on the grand scale. Given the impediments to long-distance travel during the pandemic, a lot of my photography has been done very locally — on daily walks, on hikes in nearby natural areas, and so forth. For this reason — in addition to all of the other usual reasons — a recent day trip down the Big Sur coast was a special joy.

I think of this as a fairly “quiet” image. Yes, this is a stupendously rugged coastline and, yes, that is the Pacific Ocean. But it was a mostly quiet and calm day, without the crowds that are often found along this section of the California coast, and here the coastal haze muted the colors and the outlines of the headlands and buttresses along this section of the Pacific Coast Highway.

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: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Fractured Canyon Wall

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Fractured Canyon Wall
Fractured canyon wall detail.

Fractured Canyon Wall. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Fractured canyon wall detail.

With this photograph I believe I’ll conclude my nostalgic return to photographs from my 2012 autumn visits to Utah. It was a special autumn for my in Utah, as I was able to visit twice for a period adding up to almost a full month. On the second visit I was able to travel into some out-of-the-way locations, a few of which were shared with me by people who live and photograph there. That was quite a privilege. It has been too long since I’ve photographed there. Perhaps I can return next year?

This is simply a bit of canyon wall, and the specific location is hardly relevant at all — you can find rock like this all over Utah. Part of what attracted me to this little vignette was the boundary between darker old rock and the lighter rock below where some of the older material has obviously broken away. The surface of the upper, darker area is fascinating to me, and a close look reveals remarkable colors, textures, and shapes on its surface.

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 and Amazon.

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.