Tag Archives: clouds

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Winter Wetlands and Sky

January 6, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Ross’s geese flock on California Central Valley winter wetlands

To simplify, there are two common conditions in California’s Central Valley in winter: dense tule fog that reduces the visibility to mere feet, and immense open skies above the flatlands that reveal the distant snow-covered mountains. Sometimes both condiments — and, to be fair, some other possibilities — reveal themselves on the same day, as happened on this New Year’s Day visit.

We headed out to the Great Valley before dawn, arriving to a combination of scattered tule fog that continued to fill in as the morning went on, eventually turning the day rather gray. We spent the morning photographing this landscape and the tens of thousands of migratory birds that occupy it this time of year. By mid afternoon the sky began to clear as winds blew away most of the fog to reveal a clouded-studded blue sky above the expansive wetlands. Here that sky is reflected in a wetland pond — and a bit further out from the camera position you may be able to make out the flock of many thousands of Ross’s and snow geese on the water.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

The Valley, Autumn Fog, Evening

January 5, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fog fills Yosemite Valley at dusk following an autumn storm

OK, I confess that sometimes I still stop at Tunnel View, and sometimes I do take my camera out, and I may even make a photograph. ;-) On this late-autumn evening I had been in the Valley for just an afternoon, on a day that had begun with quite heavy rainfall as I drove to Oakhurst for a meeting. The rain turned to showers with some breaks of sunlight as I drove to the Valley in the afternoon for a few hours of photography.

I photographed well east in the Valley, working wit clouds that were brushing past pinnacles and faces high on the granite walls. As the sunlight left that subject I packed up and started to head out of the Valley and back toward Oakhurst. I passed Tunnel View, and as I always do, I did a quick visual check to see what was going on. I got out of the car and walked to the overlook — there were almost no photographers left by this point, as it was well into the dusk blue hour light. It was quite dark, actually, though there was still residual light on the furthest peaks and on higher portions of the clouds, Drifting low clouds and fog almost filled the Valley itself. The fog was intriguing, so I dashed back to my vehicle, grabbed the camera and a lens and tripod, rushed back, and set up to make a few exposures in the failing light.

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

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

Oak Tree, Clearing Storm

January 3, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A Yosemite valley oak tree with autumn storm clouds swirling around granite cliffs

This may be an almost quintessential Yosemite Valley autumn scene — a bit of golden brown meadow, back-lit black oak tree fall color, granite cliffs, and the clouds of a dissipating early season storm.

This is perhaps my favorite time in the Valley, with a snowy winter day providing the only real competition for that designation. There is an end-of-summer feeling still, especially since the days are often sunny and pleasantly warm. The place is more colorful than at any other time of year — spring wildflowers may be more diverse, but the masses of leaves are larger. With an early rain storm, the near-dormant waterfalls spring back to life and the Merced River rises. And behind all of the knowledge that winter’s arrival is only weeks away.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Clearing Autumn Storm Clouds, Sunset

December 28, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Swirling clouds from an autumn storm clear from Yosemite Valley cliffs at sunset

This is perhaps a bit of a complex photograph, where the subject is not immediately clear, to at least it seems to me. We are looking at some buttresses and terraces high up on the granite walls of Yosemite Valley, as partially revealed by drifting clouds in the wake of an autumn storm. Sunset light colors the clouds just a bit.

I was at the end of a quick two-day visit to the Yosemite area, with business in Oakhurst and then photographing in the Valley. At the end of the day I watched the remnants of a storm begin to clear from the Valley, and I’m always fascinated by what the clouds do in these conditions, drifting and unexpectedly parting to momentarily reveal small bits of the landscape high above the Valley floor.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: clouds

Winter Wetlands and Sky

The Valley, Autumn Fog, Evening

Oak Tree, Clearing Storm

Clearing Autumn Storm Clouds, Sunset

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.