Tag Archives: fog

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

Monolith, Storm Surf

November 25, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Winter surf breaks against a monolith on a Northern California Beach

On this day we gradually worked our way up the coast from Mendocino, through the town of Fort Bragg and on to where the coast highway, very narrow at this point, turns inland, leaving the coast behind as it travels up narrow, forested canyons. We had a particular spot in mind for photographs, a place where we have previously photographed pale, lichen-covered tree trunks in deep forest. The ideal light of this comes from overcast conditions and we certainly had that — but the lovely overcast soon turned into serious rain, and we decided to head back to the coast.

This was the sort of post-frontal rain that comes and goes. One moment there might be a bit of blue sky and some sunshine on the surface of the ocean; the next dark clouds would approach and we could see the approaching rain heading our direction. We stopped at this overlook as the rain let up a bit, giving us a more open view back up the dramatic coastline toward the mountains from which we had just retreated.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

River Bank, Fall Foliage

November 11, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fall foliage along the banks of the Merced River, Yosemite Valley

This is a favorite area along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Here the river rushes just a bit faster as it descends through an area where I believe the remnants of old glaciers may be seen in the presence of large rocks. Because the area is close to the south cliff walls, it is often in shade — but across the valley the other side is often in such, producing colorful reflections on the moving water.

I’ve photographed here fairly often and at many times of the year. For a few weeks in the fall the spot produces some wild color combinations as the plants along the river’s banks take on fall colors from red to yellow. On this morning there was still a slight remnant of earlier morning fog, drifting through and beyond the trees of the conifer forest.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Autumn Rain, Yosemite Valley

November 8, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Autumn rain mutes the colors and details of Yosemite Valley and Bridal Veil Fall

Look! An icon! Yes, I do photograph them from time to time. I made this photograph at a pretty well-known and popular location. (A friend was once asked the best way to photograph this spot. His answer was, “Don’t.”) If you are in Yosemite Valley, and especially if you are traveling between the Valley and other locations, as I was during this visit, you are pretty much guaranteed to pass by here. I virtually always take a look. Sometimes I don’t stop. Sometimes I stop and leave the camera in the car and just wander a bit. Sometimes I spot friends there and I stop to talk. Occasionally something special happens — a more frequent occurrence this time of year — and I stop and make some photographs!

Coming down the hill on Highway 41 I had stopped above the tunnel and another turnout with a great view up the Valley, and from there I had seen some interesting fog and clouds beginning to assemble. So I headed on down through the tunnel and decided to stop and look around. At first I almost wasn’t going to photograph, but I figured I was there so what the heck! As I assembled my gear it began to rain lightly and the beautiful veil of the rain began to make the atmosphere slightly opaque and soften the scene.

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

Maple, Forest, Fog

November 3, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Big leaf maple tree with autumn foliage in a foggy Yosemite National Park forest

This is a somewhat different photograph of a tree that appeared in another photograph I shared earlier this week. I had left Oakhurst very early in the morning, with the plan of arriving in Yosemite Valley at first light. Some plans don’t work out, and this was such a morning. As I drove along the highway through the park between the southern entrance and the valley, the road dropped into a valley that was fully fogged-in. I passed a spot that I had noted the day before, where several big leaf maple trees with fall foliage were growing in a small gully leading off into the foggy forest.

I quickly found a place to stop and turn around and head back. I grabbed my equipment, dropped into the gully, and went to work photographing before the fog lifted. The fog, along with the residual moisture from the previous day’s rain, intensified the colors and the soft light filled in the shadows, with the misty atmosphere leading back into the conifer forest.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: fog

Monolith, Storm Surf

River Bank, Fall Foliage

Autumn Rain, Yosemite Valley

Maple, Forest, Fog

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.