Tag Archives: geology

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

Point Lobos Rock Patterns #2 – July 10, 2010

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Point Lobos Rock Patterns #2 - July 10, 2010
Point Lobos Rock Patterns #2 - July 10, 2010

Point Lobos Rock Patterns #2 – July 10, 2010. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Detail of patterns in eroded shoreline rocks, Point Lobos State Reserve.

Another photograph of eroded rock patterns near the water not far from Weston Cove at Point Lobos. Here the top layer of reddish rock has worn away in places, leaving a much lighter layer of what I guess is some kind of sandstone below. I’m no geologist, but this section of seashore has fascinating rock formations on the small and large scale where many strata have been exposed by the surf. In some places there a big gobs of conglomerate rock, composed of many smaller rocks “glued” together. In other places very thin layers lie one on top of the other and they have been partially uncovered and worn away by the surf, creating amazing patterns.

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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Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
ISO 100, f/16, 1/6 second

keywords: point, lobos, state, reserve, park, california, usa, north america, carmel, big, sur, monterey, peninsula, coast, shore, sea, ocean, pacific, scenic, travel, nature, geology, texture, form, shape, rock, erosion, sand, stone, sedimentary, landscape, detail

Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Volcanic Ridge, First Light

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Volcanic Ridge, First Light
Volcanic Ridge, First Light

Volcanic Ridge, First Light. Mono County, California. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Dawn light illuminates the Jeffrey pine covered ridge of a volcanic dome in the Mono Craters complex, California.

I have a favorite personal spot where I often stop on my way to photograph at South Tufa at Mono Lake. It is spot that you would likely pass right by since, save for a bit of a panoramic view, there is nothing immediately impressive about it, and because you would probably be on your way to someplace else, namely the formations at South Tufa.

On this late June morning I took a break from photographing in the Tuolumne/Tioga Pass area to shoot a bit around Mono Lake, where I had it in mind to shoot certain high desert subjects that I’ve worked on in the past. As I shot those other subjects I’ve often looked up at this particular ridge, been impressed by it, and wondered how to make a photograph of it. When I pulled up at this spot I first intended to shoot a scene that appears to the west, but it turned out to not be quite what I imagined it might be on this morning. Ah, well – that happens! So I turned my camera in a different direction and photographed a somewhat different subject as dawn approached with some very interesting clouds in the sky to the east. As I worked on this I kept glancing up at this volcanic ridge, thinking that the clouds behind it might silhouette the trees along the skyline… but still finding the light too flat and boring. I actually made a photo or two, but wasn’t enthusiastic about it. I turned back to the other subject. A few minutes later I looked back up at this ridge and saw that the first light of early morning sun was glancing across the ridge and lighting up the Jeffrey pines that grow on its slopes. I quickly pivoted around and made a few exposures of the scene in the “good light.”

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.

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM at 168mm
ISO 100, f/8, 1/15 second

keywords: jeffrey, pine, forest, mono, county, craters, northwest, coullee, upper, dome, ridge, skyline, dawn, light, morning, early, sky, clouds, cinder, pumice, rhyolite, scree, rock, volcanic, geology, landscape, scenic, travel, california, usa, north america, mountain, hill, stock

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

Erosion Patterns in Afternoon Light, Zabriskie Point

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Erosion Patterns in Afternoon Light, Zabriskie Point
Erosion Patterns in Afternoon Light, Zabriskie Point

Erosion Patterns in Afternoon Light, Zabriskie Point. Death Valley National Park, California. March 29, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Slightly overcast afternoon light on erosion patterns in the Gower Gulch area of Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.

After posting such a long string of close views of the hills at Zabriskie Point… it is starting to become difficult to say much original and new about the photographs in this series! This one was made rather late in the afternoon – about 4:00 p.m. – when the light is usually still too harsh and bright for most photography here. Fortunately, some high and thin clouds diffused the light a bit – but still didn’t take the light too far in the soft direction.

It perhaps goes without saying that this another in my series of long-lens studies of small elements of the large and iconic scene at this location. I’ve photographed this particular bit of folded geology before, and I’m still interested in the combination of soft, almost organic shapes and the crazy patterns of lines and shapes heading every which way. From lower left to upper right the lines shift almost completely.

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.

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 200mm
ISO 100, f/16, 1/60 second

keywords: gower, gulch, zabriskie, point, erosion, gully, ridge, hill, crack, dirt, curve, fold, geology, shadow, light, afternoon, overcast, diffuse, death valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, landscape, nature, scenic, travel, detail, stock

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

Erosion Patterns, Morning Light

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Erosion Patterns, Morning Light
Erosion Patterns, Morning Light

Erosion Patterns, Morning Light. Death Valley National Park, Californa. March 30, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Eroded and folded patterns of gullies and rounded hills in morning light – Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.

Part of the recent series of photographs of details of the amazing landforms around Zabriskie Point, this image includes a small section where the folds of the earth line up one behind the other almost like waves – albeit rather soft and rounded waves. This was shot during the “best light” period of early morning when the light from the rising sun angles across these shapes, here softened a bit by some high clouds that were present in this morning.

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.

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 210mm
ISO 200, f/14, 1/125 second

keywords: death, valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, spring, nature, zabriskie, point, morning, gower, wash, zabriskie, light, shadow, pattern, fold, earth, geology, abstract, landscape, nature, desert, rounded, gully, hill, stock