Tag Archives: flora

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Dunes, Plants, Sand Storm

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Dunes, Plants, Sand Storm
Desert plants in late-day sun. backed by dunes receding into sand storm haze.

Dunes, Plants, Sand Storm. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Desert plants in late-day sun. backed by dunes receding into sand storm haze.

This photograph is a different “take” on the late-March evening sand storm I photographed earlier this year in Death Valley. The forecast was for afternoon wind, so we were not surprised when the dust started to rise a few miles away from san dunes. I’m often a bit torn in situations like this — operating in the strong winds and blowing sand is not pleasant, but some very interesting photographic opportunities tend to crop up in these conditions. So I went out and got to work.

Fortunately, as I faced the dunes the wind was at my back. Even though the wind was strong enough to make photography challenging, the sand was being picked up from the dunes and blown away from me. The blowing sand, combined with the early evening light, made for some spectacular conditions. The focus in this photograph is on the plants growing on the close dunes. I had visited them a couple of months earlier, and they were mostly quite dried out. But a couple of months later and this years wet and cool spring had brought them back to life.

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: Northern California

Spring Fairy Lantern Plant

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Spring Fairy Lantern Plant
A fairly lantern plant with buds forming.

Spring Fairy Lantern Plant. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A fairly lantern plant with buds forming.

The fairy lantern flowers are among my favorite in my part of California. For decades I did not know of them, but one year I hiked down a particular little canyon not far from where I live and discovered them, their ball-like shapes hanging beneath the pointed leaves of these plants. Every year I head back to that spot to photograph them again, and this year was no exceptions. However…

… it seems that I arrived too soon this year! Or perhaps, I was on time but the spring transition came a bit later following our very wet and colder-than-normal winter. In any case, it seemed like all of the wildflowers were blooming late and my fairy lanterns were only at the early bud stage.

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 | Twitter | 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

Sunflower

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Sunflower
A wild sunflower in the California hills.

Sunflower. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A wild sunflower in the California hills.

These impressively large flowers pop up in the spring at a local park where I’ve hiked for decades. It doesn’t seem much like the traditional sunflower, but that’s what my searching tells me it is. The plants grow close to the ground, and the flowers are large — perhaps four inches across or more. In my experience there is only a short window to photograph them while they look good.

I think everyone should have a few local outdoor places that they travel too, going back to them over years and even decades. It is exciting to visit far off places, and I’ve been to my share of them. But there is something special about a nearby place that you know like an old friend. At this spot I know exactly where and when to look for very specific types of flowers… and I go back every year to revisit them.

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 | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Two Trees, Grassland

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Two Trees, Grassland
Two spring trees on Northern California grasslands on a cloudy day.

Two Trees, Grassland. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Two spring trees on Northern California grasslands on a cloudy day.

These trees are old friends of mine. For decades I have gone to this place when I needed to get out for a local hike — it is one of the places that is close enough that I can get out for a couple hours of hiking in the morning and be home for lunch. It might seem odd, but some places like this mean about as much to me as the most spectacular national park.

I had gone out this time hoping to photograph wildflowers, but the conditions did not cooperate. Not only are the flowers just a bit later this year, but the weather was cloudy and windy — not quite ideal for that subject! Odds are that I’ll head back in a week or so when more flowers blossom, and I’ll pick a quiet morning without all of the wind.

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 | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

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