Tag Archives: fog

Oaks and Hills, Winter Fog

Oaks and Hills, Winter Fog
Oaks and Hills, Winter Fog

Oaks and Hills, Winter Fog. Calero Hills, California. January 9, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter morning fog clears over northern California hills and oak forest.

When it comes to photography, there is a long list of subjects that I cannot resist. Included on this list are: morning sunshine across the shoulder of a grassy hill, oak trees, clearing, high clouds from an approaching weather front, hills receding into the haze-shrouded distance, stacked diagonal forms, a bit of a trail. This is, of course, a list that corresponds pretty much to what is found in this scene.

I was out hiking in my “photographic backyard” in the Calero hills on this early-January morning. I initially went out looking for fog, and I found that in abundance earlier in the morning when I photographed a solitary oak tree in a fog covered valley. Soon, however, the fog began to hold light that suggested clearing above, so I headed up a trail to a nearby ridge that commands a good view of surrounding oak-filled valleys and ridges. When I arrived there the fog was still quite thick, but I felt it would soon start to clear so I went ahead and unpacked my gear and set up my tripod… and waited. Soon I was rewarded with this scene to my south, mostly backlit by the morning sun as the fog washed in and out of the valleys and finally the sun became bright enough to light this foreground ridge and cast shadows from the oak trees.

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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keywords: california, usa, landscape, winter, stock, calero, county, park, santa clara, tree, oak, fog, mist, cloud, grass, nature, oak, forest, grove, meadow, trail, grass, silhouette, ridge, mountain, haze, atmosphere, recession, light, clearing, bush, valley, hike

Winter Fog and Oak Covered Hills

Winter Fog and Oak Covered Hills
Winter Fog and Oak Covered Hills

Winter Fog and Oak Covered Hills. Calero Hills, California. January 9, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter morning fog settles over the oak covered Calero Hills landscape of central California.

On this early-January winter morning I headed to my “photographic backyard” in the Calero Hills area, knowing that I’d get to shoot my favorite hills, oak trees, and grasslands in fog, clearing fog, and perhaps even sunlight. Things didn’t pan out exactly as I expected, but it was a good morning of photography anyway.

After starting out by photographing a tree in the “lowlands” of the park, I could tell that the tule fog was starting to clear a bit along the ridges – the brighter light from above was one hint, and the occasional faint sight of blue sky and clouds through the low fog was another. So I decided to finish up my work on that tree and follow a trail that ascends to one of the many minor ridges running through the park.

Arriving at a familiar point on the ridge along a valley that drops away to the south, the fog began to clear from my location. I soon discovered that it wasn’t going to be a day for sunlit photographs – a weak weather system was approaching and high clouds muted the sunlight. In addition the fog didn’t exactly clear – it was more a case of the fog sort of washing back and forth. One moment my position and nearby ridges would clear and I’d see the overcast sky above (as in this photograph), but a few minutes later another wave of fog would expand out of the valleys and I’d be socked in again. So I set up and waited and watched and ended up with several photographs that I like.

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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keywords: calero, county, park, santa clara, california, usa, hills, oak, tree, grove, grass, brown, golden, valley, fog, mist, clouds, silhouette, nature, ridge, mountain, sky, winter, season, central, grassland, emerge, clear, settle, landscape, soft, light, rock, plant, stock

Three People and Windows – The Getty Museum

Three People and Windows - The Getty Museum
Three People and Windows - The Getty Museum

Three People and Windows – The Getty Museum. Los Angeles, California. December 30, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of three people and a large window with cloudy and rainy weather beyond at the the Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

Another photograph created more or less by finding a place with an interesting architectural composition and then waiting for the right people to wander into the frame and assemble themselves into interesting positions…

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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keywords: black and white, monochrome, architecture, form, getty, museum, los angeles, california, usa, urban, window, column, walkway, sidewalk, doors, railing, roof, ceiling, rock, stone, wall, trees, garden, grove, travel, southern, weather, fog, mist, rain, cloud, exit, doors, perspective, stock

Two Women, Sculpture, and Trees

Two Women, Sculpture, and Trees
Two Women, Sculpture, and Trees

Two Women, Sculpture, and Trees. The Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California. December 30, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two women pause near statues and trees with autumn leaves on a rainy day at the Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California.

I like to photograph from near the top of the steps next to the building at the Getty that houses the photography section. From here the view opens to the large gardens below, with buildings beyond and to the right. If you watch long enough you can find interesting compositions as people accidentally assemble themselves as they walk across this space.

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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keywords: getty, museum, center, building, column, stone, sidewalk, walk, sculpture, statue, women, two, rail, steps, stairway, garden, trees, fall, autumn, color, winter, rain, fog, wet, clouds, mist, reflection, lawn, railing, people, umbrella, curve, stock, travel, los angeles, california, usa