Tag Archives: dawn

Panamint Sky

Panamint Sky
Sunrise sky above the Panamint Mountains.

Panamint Sky. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sunrise sky above the Panamint Mountains.

This morning, about eight years ago, was one of those that reminds me why it is worth getting up in the darkened driving long distances to arrive at a location before the sun rises. I arrived along the summit of the Panamint Mountains very early, and shortly it became clear that the sky might do something very special. A layer of broken clouds was spread across the sky, perfectly positioned to be illuminated by the first sunlight, and to my north the lines of clouds converged above the horizon.

Several years ago I shared another photograph from this morning — if I recall correctly it was a panoramic format image of the same clouds, separated from this on in time by perhaps a minute. That is, of course, enough to change things considerably in this evolving light.


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.

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Dawn Fog, California Hills

Dawn Fog, California Hills
Sunrise fog drifts across springtime California hills under overcast skies.

Dawn Fog, California Hills. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sunrise fog drifts across springtime California hills under overcast skies.

The fact that I’m unable to be in the field making new photographs right now is a good reminder that photography is more than taking a camera into the field to find and capture subjects. There is a lot that happens before the exposure — perhaps years of accumulated experience with subjects and how they might be photographs. And there is a lot that happens after the exposure — review, selection, experimentation, carrying out the plan for images that I had in mind when I made the exposures, and more. For now I’m living photographically mostly in that post-exposure world.

I photographed this scene on a memorable morning last spring in a remote area of California hills. I was there to photograph flowers, but this lovely morning of fog and soft dawn light distracted me. It was one of those wonderful unexpected moments in photography that reminded me of how much serendipity is involved in this endeavor.


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.

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

Sunrise, Fog, Spring HIlls

Sunrise, Fog, Spring HIlls
Soft dawn light and drifting fog above springtime California hills.

Sunrise, Fog, Spring HIlls. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Soft dawn light and drifting fog above springtime California hills.

This morning completely surprised me. I was in the inland hills of California, between the coastal valleys and the Central Valley, primarily to photograph the spring wildflowers. I had arrived late the night before, setting up my tent in a campground up in the hills before doing some late-day photography. I returned to my camp, made dinner, set my alarm for way before dawn, and went to sleep with a plan of driving down into the large valley nearby to photograph vast fields of flowers.

I got up well before dawn and tried to sneak quietly out of camp without disturbing the normal people who sleep in, fix coffee, have a nice breakfast, and only then head out. As I drove down the gravel road toward that valley I could see that it was completely covered by tule fog, much to my surprise given the arid nature of the place. However, off in the distance, in the direction of the rising sun, haze and drifting fog and soft dawn light produced an entirely different landscape than the one I had been looking for.


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.

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

Autumn Snow, Sierra Crest

Autumn Snow, Sierra Crest
Dawn light on the snow-dusted Sierra Nevada crest along the northeastern boundary of Yosemite National Park

Autumn Snow, Sierra Crest. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Dawn light on the snow-dusted Sierra Nevada crest along the northeastern boundary of Yosemite National Park.

After my first night camping on the East Side during this year’s autumn aspen color season, I got up before dawn, broke camp and loaded my vehicle, and was on the road before sunrise. My plan was to head down US 395 to a more southerly location where I was sure I would be able to access high elevation trees that often are the first to turn colors. The drive began with a short road taking me back to the main highway, and as I passed thought cattle country here I realized that it was only 19 degrees outside. That was a bit of a shock to a person who had only recently experienced 90 degree weather back home!

The actual realization of the cold arrived after I stopped to make this photograph. The light waits for no one, so when I saw that it was about to strike these high peaks along the northeast Yosemite National Park boundary I pulled over and got ready to photograph. And, boy was it cold — a good reminder to keep jacket, gloves, and other warm gear handy for the rest of this visit.


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 | FacebookEmail

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.


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