Tag Archives: dusk

Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters

Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters
“Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters” — The last sunset light on clouds above Mono Craters.

This ridge is comprised of the Mono Craters, a string of volcanic cones running roughly south from Mono Lake east of the Sierra Nevada. We don’t typically think of the Sierra as a volcanic range, but there are quite a few examples of volcanism to be seen once you get to know the area. If you head over the Sierra to Lee Vining and then turn south you will see a lot of evidence of this. You begin with the islands in Mono Lake, then. see another cinder cone just south of the lake. The Mono Craters rise just south of highway 120 as it heads out into the lonely basin and range country. Continuing south you pass several impressive cones and lava flows on your way to Mammoth Lakes, where Mammoth Peak rises — yes, another volcanic feature. From there, if you hike south you can see the string continue.

I was here at the end of September on a sort of “getting reacquainted with the Sierra” trip after returning from ten weeks of overseas travel. That travel was wonderful, but it was great to be back ”home” in California’s mountains. On this evening I was photographing an absolutely wild sunset over Mono Lake, and as a sort of side-show I saw this lovely light over the craters as the last light illuminated clouds and remnants of falling rain.


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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Sunset Cloud, Desert Mountains

Sunset Cloud, Desert Mountains
“Sunset Cloud, Desert Mountains” — A solitary cloud floats above the Death Valley landscape and catches the last sunset light.

This cloud was a luminous benediction at the end of a long and varied day that began before dawn along the shoreline of Lake Manly. After a late-morning break for coffee and food, I headed up into the Panamint Mountains to investigate recent snowfall. I timed my departure from there to give me time to get to this spot, an elevated location in Death Valley, in time for sunset.

I have realized that many of the landscape subjects that appeal to me are ephemeral. Like many photographers I am usually out during the edge hours around sunrise and sunset, when the light is the most transitory. I also love interesting and sometimes wild weather conditions — wind, precipitation, fog, isolated clouds forming momentarily above the landscape. This scene had a cloud that was shrinking and changing shape, along with the last bits of colorful sunset light before dusk.


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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Cranes at Dusk

Cranes at Dusk
“Cranes at Dusk” — The evening fly-in of lesser sandhill cranes at dusk.

We spent New Year’s Day with friends, after getting up early to greet the literal dawn of the new year. OK, it was kind of cloudy and we didn’t see the sun until later. But still, it was a great day and a fine group to share it with. We photographed birds and landscape, and we shared food and drink that each of us had brought for the occasion. The day culminated with the evening fly-in of sandhill cranes.

The sandhill cranes stay in nearby ponds overnight, and around dawn many of them get up and fly away for the day. Typically they return at dusk, when there’s barely enough light left for photography, and their characteristic cries mark the end of the day. This small group was cooperative enough to pass through a patch of beautiful, colorful twilight sky just before landing.


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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Hazy Sunset, Florence and the Arno River

Hazy Sunset, Florence and the Arno River
Hazy sunset over Florence, Italy and the Arno River.

Hazy Sunset, Florence and the Arno River. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Hazy sunset over Florence, Italy and the Arno River.

A few weeks ago I shared a black and white photograph of this same subject, with almost the very same framing. We had gone to the famous PIazzale Michelangelo for sunset… and the giant party that seemed to happen spontaneously that evening as perhaps thousands of people gathered to watch the day come to an end above Florence, Italy.

While the previous photograph was made a bit earlier in the evening — I made this one just as the setting sun disappeared behind the distant hills, with the sunset sky light reflecting on the Arno River as it flows past the old center of Florence and under a series of famous bridges.


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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