Tag Archives: dusted

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

Aspens, Peaks, and Evening Shadows #1

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Aspens, Peaks, and Evening Shadows I
Autumn aspen groves, lengthening early evening shadows, and snow-dusted peaks in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Aspens, Peaks, and Evening Shadows #1. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn aspen groves, lengthening early evening shadows, and snow-dusted peaks in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

This is probably a familiar scene to Eastern Sierra aspen color hunters who poke around in harder-to-reach areas. I had been traveling through this high terrain, where one crosses the boundary between aspen country and conifer forests. It was late in the day, and soon the long shadows cast by peaks near the Sierra crest began to fall across the landscape.

I looked back and saw these sunlit groves… and the rapidly expanding and approaching shadow. I quickly set up and made a few exposures as the shadows began to mute the colors of some of the brilliantly yellow groves. Yet the foreground trees remained in the sunlight, glowing in its warm 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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Owens Valley, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: White Mountains

Owens Valley and the White Mountains

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Owens Valley and the White Mountains
The morning view from the base of the Sierra Nevada, looking across Owens Valley to the White Mountains.

Owens Valley and the White Mountains. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The morning view from the base of the Sierra Nevada, looking across Owens Valley to the White Mountains.

Our recent road trip began in the Eastern Sierra Nevada. The reason for starting here was aspen color, and whether or not that ended up being the primary photographic focus the fall aspens are always worth a visit. Having photographed that subject for quite a few years, going to only the “usual places” is no longer quite enough, so I invariably end up heading out and exploring some places where aspen hunters typically don’t go. On this morning we headed up toward the base of the Sierra, passing through lots of aspen-free high desert terrain, and finally reaching a high enough point that we found some small, isolated groves.

In places like this, aspens can take a back seat to the larger and even monumental vistas along the eastern escarpment of the Sierra. With a bit of elevation, views open to the north, south, and (especially) to the high ridges of the White Mountains along the eastern side of Owens Valley. Although this range is in the rain shadow of the Sierra, and thus lacks the Sierra forests and deep snow, it is just as high and rugged. The photograph looks straight across Owens Valley toward the range, where White Mountain, the highest point, is just nudging Into the base of the morning clouds.

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

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature

Lonely Road, Winter Sunrise

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Lonely Road, Winter Sunrise
Colorful sunrise clouds spread across the winter sky above a road through desert mountains, Death Valley National Park

Lonely Road, Winter Sunrise. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Colorful sunrise clouds spread across the winter sky above a road through desert mountains, Death Valley National Park

It is possible to find solitude, even in national parks, though it may take a bit of effort. I was completely alone in this remarkable place to experience an utterly beautiful sunrise. All it took was getting up an hour and a half before sunrise, heading up into desert mountains in the predawn darkness when the temperature barely cleared twenty degrees, and driving to the end of a gravel road that crosses the crest of a desert mountain range.

I made the photograph on the same morning that I made several others that I have recently shared. The sky and the light were astonishing — broken lines of thin clouds spread across the sky before dawn, and they lit up in the first light, casting pink light across the landscape.

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 | 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.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Autumn Snow, Sierra Crest

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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 | Facebook | Email

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.