Tag Archives: fog

Commentary, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetlands, Dawn Light and Fog

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Wetlands, Dawn Light and Fog
Shallow fog diffuses the morning light in Central Valley wetlands.

Happy New Year’s Day 2024! When this post appears on January 1, I’ll be in the field to greet the literal dawn of the new year with friends, fellow photographers, and few thousand migratory birds. With luck, it may be a morning like the one in the photograph, with beautiful soft light, a bit of fog, sunrise colors, and lots of wildlife all around. I hope that your new year begins as well!

This photograph comes from dawn on a December morning when I visited wetlands. My main goal was to photograph birds, but somehow I almost always end up photographing landscapes in such places. I arrived to some of my favorite conditions: the glow of pre-dawn light, thick fog, chilly air, and the sound of thousands of birds all around me.

Note: I’m starting the new year with a few changes at my website, including the new, simplified format for posted photographs and streamlined text. Since this is something of an experiment, don’t be surprised if I continue to make changes for a while.

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: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Domes, Evening

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Domes, Evening
Early evening light on Lembert Done, Yosemite National Park.

Domes, Evening. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Early evening light on Lembert Done, Yosemite National Park.

During the last week of summer I finally managed to get up into the Sierra Nevada high country for the first time this season. (As you may know, we were traveling outside the US for most of the summer.) It was great to be back “home” in the Sierra — though the weather conditions were a bit… “interesting.” I encountered thunder and lightning, wind, rain, and even snow! Despite (or perhaps because of?) that weather, I managed to make this photograph of late light on some familiar Tuolumne Meadows during a brief clearing before sunset.

Folks who know Tuolumne Meadows will probably recognize at least a few things in this photograph. A bit of the meadow is, of course, visible in the foreground, just below the trees in the sunlight. The main geologic feature is Lembert Dome, which dominates the local view here, and to its left is its partner, Dog Dome. In the distance over the right shoulder of Lembert Dome is Mount Dana, the second-tallest peak in Yosemite, with its summit covered by 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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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Rainy Day, Central Park

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Rainy Day, Central Park
A Manhattan schist outcropping, spring trees, and cloud-shrouded buildings on a rainy day in Central Park.

Rainy Day, Central Park. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A Manhattan schist outcropping, spring trees, and cloud-shrouded buildings on a rainy day in Central Park.

In the past I have tried to explain how and why a “landscape photographer” (a designation that can be problematic…) might find urban photography interesting. Often I point out the appeal of the differences between the two types, but I’ve also noted similarities. I think this photograph gets at the latter. Rather than explaining, I’ll just ask you to imagine replacing those buildings with appropriate mountains or cliff faces.

The photograph comes from my recent “spring” weekend in Manhattan,… during which I experienced three days of pretty continuous rain. I went out on this morning specifically to photograph the low clouds that were enveloping the upper stories of the tallest buildings. I ended up at the lower end of Central Park, where it was possible to juxtapose a natural scene (spring trees and exposed schist outcroppings) with the characteristic Manhattan buildings.

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: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Wildlife

Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs

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Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs
A line of pelicans flies toward bluffs along California’s Pacific coastline.

Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A line of pelicans flies toward bluffs along California’s Pacific coastline.

Brown pelicans seem to have made a solid comeback along the California coast, though I understand that they are susceptible to the avian flu that has affected many wild bird species this season. They are usually easy to find along the California coast, where they can often be spotted gliding along next to bluffs or just above the surf. (Photography hint: Look for places along bluffs and peninsulas where they pass close to the land.)

They sometimes can surprise me. I’ve been out along the coast on a day when they didn’t seem plentiful, only to have a large group like this one suddenly appear and glide past. If I recall, when I saw these birds coming I had the wrong lens on the camera. I made the fastest lens change I could, raised the camera, and had just a barely enough time to photograph them above these coastal bluffs.

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.