Tag Archives: geology

Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

Negit Island, Mono Lake

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Negit Island, Mono Lake
“Negit Island, Mono Lake” — Tufa formations along the shoreline of Mono Lake with Negit Island in the distance.

In a recent Mono Lake post I mused about finding and photographing less familiar views of this magnificent place. But I also mentioned that sometimes I do stop and photograph the well-known locations when the opportunity arises. With that in mind, I acknowledge that this photograph was made at one of the familiar places along the western shore of the lake. Heck, there’s even a place there to pull in, pay a fee, have a picnic, and take a hike!

The photograph encompasses a whole lot of “Mono Basin stuff.” Let’s start in the foreground with the dry shoreline vegetation adapted to tolerate the salty soil, and the small tufa structures in the water just offshore. The dark form in the distance is Negit Island, one of two volcanic islands in the lake. And in the far distant haze (the haze is also a feature of the place) we see desert mountains rising as the basins and range country of Nevada takes over.

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

Coastal Layers

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Coastal Layers
“Coastal Layers” — Stratified and eroded rock formations along the California coast at Point Lobos.

All of the other photograph s that I made in this location at Point Lobos turned out to be color images, but I decided that I wanted to use monochrome for this one. There were several reasons. There’s an old “rule” about using monochrome when subject’s colors aren’t its main feature, and that was the case here, at least in this light. In addition, I felt that black and white might better abstract the forms of these eroded coastal rocks.

It is a fascinating formation, partly for what it is and partly for how it has evolved. This layered rock apparently underlies the low headlands here, and the end of the formation has been exposed by ocean erosion. (Below this spot is a cove, while above it is a grassy headland.) As the erosion continues it exposes remarkable patterns in the underlying rock. much of it is a sort of familiar sandstone that has colors similar to those in the American Southwest, but interspersed are layers of pebble-filled conglomerate and, here and there, some surprising bits of color.

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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

Stones and Pebbles

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Stones and Pebbles
“Stones and Pebbles” — Colorful stones and pebbles washed up against coastal formations, Point Lobos.

The rocks in the center of this photograph are large enough that it is hard to believe that they were washed into this position by heavy winter surf along this section of the Pacific coastline. But that’s the fact of the matter. That surf erodes the underlying rocks, moves large rocks and even boulders around like toys, and deposits layers of multi-colored pebbles like those caught between these rocks and the underlying stratified formations.

Photographing at this cove at Point Lobos is always an invitation to slow down and just look. There are potential subjects everywhere, many of them rather small, but they are easily overlooked if you don’t adopt a very contemplative and quiet perspective. And because the area is right at the surf line and often overrun by high waves, I find something new and interesting every time I 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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

Meandering Channels

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Meandering Channels
“Meandering Channels” — Water flows across the salt playa through meandering channels in Death Valley.

Viewed up close from the valley floor, Death Valley is a mostly flat place blanked by tall mountains. But the details of its huge playa are largely invisible unless you travel off the paved roads and out into it. But even there, the flat terrain makes it difficult to fully understand the landforms. To do that you are better off heading to some place high above the valley and looking down into it from above.

I went one such place very early in the morning, and from there I watched the first rays of sunrise light strike the peaks of mountains across the valley, then work their way down to the valley itself. Eventually the shadows contracted and the full valley was in sun, revealing remarkable patterns of land, salt deposits, and meandering seasonal streams.

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 | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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