Tag Archives: cliffs

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Desert Wash and Mesa

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Desert Wash and Mesa
Desert Wash and Mesa

Desert Wash and Mesa. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. October 8, 2012. © Copyright 2013 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sandstone formations and mesa tower beyond a desert wash, Capitol Reef National Park

It has been a while since I’ve posted more of the late 2012 Utah photographs I made during fall visits, but there are more. Actually, there are quite a few more! The time I spent in that state in 2012 was photographically very productive, and I look forward to returning before too long.

I think I might categorize this as one of those “you can find a photograph almost anywhere if you keep your eyes open” photographs, since it was made it a location that is probably not regarded as being as special as some others nearby. Driving from Torrey, Utah toward Capitol Reef National Park, there is quite a bit to see. Off to the right in places there are deep and rugged canyons with lots of trees among the red rocks. To the left runs a large series of red rock cliffs that lead up toward the park. As we drove on this afternoon, the light was softened a bit by clouds and there was a kind of glow on the red rock terrain. So we simply pulled off to the side of the road as we crossed this wash and I composed a photo looking back past the foreground plants and across the wash toward the rising cliffs beyond.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Rock at Dusk

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Red Rock at Dusk
Red Rock at Dusk

Red Rock at Dusk. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. October 8, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Red rock sandstone cliffs at dusk in the Fruita area of Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.

The farther mesa or tableland is a prominent feature of the Fruita District area of Capitol Reef National Park as seen when approaching from the west – though here it is photographed from a slightly different point of view that is more to the south. There is a prominent feature – not seen in this photograph – along the upper rim of these cliffs that is known as “The Organ,” and which is pointed out in guides and maps to the area. However, I’m surprise that the spectacular cliff and mesa itself seems to either not have a name or else have a name that is not widely known. I asked about this when I was there, and several people who should know did not know of a name for it, and one suggested a name that comes from another feature that is more general.

Nonetheless, these cliffs certainly impress me, named or not! The photograph was made rather late in the day, as the sun was just about to drop above the edge of the higher country to the left/west of here. Thin clouds somewhat diffused and softened the evening light, but not so much as to remove the warm coloration of the light. Among the strata visible here is one along the low ridge at front right that contains starkly differentiated layers of lighter and darker rock. Near the far lower left corner is a small area of trees that is not far from the campgrounds of the Fruita area.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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

Coastal Bluffs, Clouds, Dusk

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Coastal Bluffs, Clouds, Dusk
Coastal Bluffs, Clouds, Dusk

Coastal Bluffs, Clouds, Dusk. Near Davenport, California. December 8, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Coastal bluffs along the Pacific coast near Davenport, California in dusk light

I made this photograph on a day when I had gone to the coast to try to meet up with a “photo walk” group that was photographing (and socializing) in various areas in and around Santa Cruz, California. I never did quite manage to connect up with them – it is a long story – but I did get to shoot along the coastal bluffs near Davenport in the afternoon and as the day came to an end.

In late afternoon the light was mostly gray, with high clouds from a passing weak weather front blocking the western sky. However, just minutes before sunset the sunlight managed to sneak through a gap along the horizon and momentarily suffuse the coast with beautiful and soft light. I made some photographs during that moment, but I was not done yet when that light faded. Some of the most interesting light can come after sunset, when there may still be a glow from the sky but when this light is more diffused and softer. As the evening came on, I continued shooting until it was almost too dark to find my way back to my car, making exposures that gradually lengthened until I was using a 30 second exposure! This is one of the long exposures, allowing the clouds to move a bit and the waves and surf to blend together into a sort of hazy mist.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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

Davenport Bluffs, Sunset

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Davenport Bluffs, Sunset
Davenport Bluffs, Sunset

Davenport Bluffs, Sunset. Near Davenport, California. December 8, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The last light shines on coastal bluffs and Davenport, California

On this early December day I had gone off to try to join a G+ “photowalk” that was purportedly taking place that day. I was looking forward to going to a few favorite local photography locations and to meeting some people who I’ve only known online. But it was not to be! I ended up being delayed at home and couldn’t leave in time to meet the group at their first location, Henry Cowell Park. I went with Plan B and figured I would try to join up with them at lunch in Davenport. I got there and didn’t see anyone, so I figured that I was early and I drove up the coast a bit. I came back to Davenport and thought they might be in one of the two restaurants, so I picked one and went in for lunch… by myself. (I found out later that, yes, they were in the other restaurant a hundred yards south.) After lunch I went across the road to the parking area when I thought folks might meet up, but still no luck – though I did see a few photographers out on the nearby bluff. I headed out there and finally ran into a couple of people from the group… which had gone down to a nearby beach area to shoot.

Finding interesting stuff up here on the bluff, I decide to work the location I found myself in rather than heading off and looking for something else. While the location was interesting, the light was initially unpromising. However, I thought there was a chance that things might improve later so I walked around and began doing some shooting. At one point, I talked to some other photographers about the somewhat bland lighting conditions and pointed out that it seemed to me that there was at least a chance that we might get a bit of interesting light as the sun dropped to the horizon, when the light can sometimes shine in below the clouds and produce some brief but beautiful conditions. This prediction turned out to be right, and I made this photograph just as the show was beginning, and warm-tone light was starting to hit the bluffs, beaches, and water.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.