Tag Archives: door

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Blue Door, Wall, and Sidewalk

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Blue Door, Wall, and Sidewalk
A quiet street scene with a blue door, Le Marais, Paris.

Blue Door, Wall, and Sidewalk. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A quiet street scene with a blue door, Le Marais, Paris.

As I worked on this photograph I had a bit of an odd experience. I rarely mention it here, but my academic training is in music and I was s a college music faculty member. But it is difficult to understand, much less explain, the relationships between my audio and visual lives. The entire subject is too big and complex to cover here. The odd experience? I was listening to music as I worked on this photograph and a few others from the same source. Perhaps surprisingly, I don’t usually do that.

Why do I mention this? I usually consider photographs almost exclusively from a visual perspective — the nature of the subject, the quality of light, the composition and relationships among elements, color, texture, and so on. But the particular music I was listening to as I worked on this photograph changed my perspective on it in a way that is difficult to describe. (The music included some work by the composer Max Richter, which often moves slowly and quietly.) The scene took on a quiet and a stillness that I had not thought about before, and I began to think about the age of this building and what might be behind that door and those windows. Music can do that to you.

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: Architecture, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Blue Door, Le Marais

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Blue Door, Le Marais
A blue entrance door on a narrow street in Le Marais, Paris

Blue Door, Le Marais. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A blue entrance door on a narrow street in Le Marais, Paris

This is another of the “found it while working on something else” photographs from Paris that I’ve unearthed this past week. I’m writing something about another photograph that I made on this day, and when I went back to look at the original of that photograph and others made around the same time… I was pleasantly distracted by going through a bunch of related photographs.

Like those other photographs, this one comes from Le Marais, a beautiful (and today quite popular) older section of Paris that retains very narrow streets and a time worn character, despite being somewhat gentrified now. There’s a lot to see here, and this is even more true when you carry a camera. Among other things, the beautiful soft light on this bit of old architecture attracted me.

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

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Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Urban/Street

Pink Wall, Midday

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Pink Wall, Midday
A pink wall in midday light, interrupted by shadows, San Jose.

Pink Wall, Midday. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A pink wall in midday light, interrupted by shadows, San Jose.

This is another of my photographs-while-walking, made on a recent midday walk not too far (perhaps a couple of miles) from my home. Fortunately, we live in an area with excellent walking potential. It includes residential areas, a few urban trails, some interesting light industry zones, some older neighborhoods, and more.

I always carry a small camera with me when I walk. Most of the time it stays in the bag, but every so often I see something that makes me glad I have it. I’ve long been intrigued by otherwise-forgettable bits of the urban environment — an unusual paint job, some odd object that the owners may have forgotten, a small evocative scene, and more. Here it was the juxtaposition of colors along with the long June midday shadows. (And with that, it is time to head out on today’s walk!)

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

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Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

When It Reigns I’m Poor

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When It Reigns I'm Poor
Graffiti covered, weathered door and brick walls, Manhattan.

When It Reigns I’m Poor. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Graffiti covered, weathered door and brick walls, Manhattan.

These are, or so it seems, the words of “Mario” according to the inscription on this urban doorway. I’m always intrigued by the odd bits of street wisdom found among the less sophisticated graffiti and simple visual vandalism found in places like this. These texts often have an ironic, streetwise quality, but also reflect a simple view of the world, where the words are perhaps taken to be more profound than they actually are. That being said, I kind of like this one.

While those who read my posts know that I just returned from a visit to pandemic-plagued Manhattan, this photograph comes from an earlier visit a few years ago. Back then it was easier to simply head out and walk wherever I felt like going, as we did on this day. Now you can go out on the street — and it is perhaps safer than going indoors — but you are likely wearing a mask and avoiding other people.

Update June 21, 2022: The actual “Mario” contacted me, and you can read what he wrote in the comments below on this page.

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.