Tag Archives: geology

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

Amargosa Range and Transverse Dunes, Sunset

April 5, 2010 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Sunset light on lower reaches of the Amargosa Range and the Kit Fox Hills above the Transverse Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California.

The Amargosa Range lies east of Death Valley and the Death Valley Dunes, and its foothills (called the “Kit Fox Hills,” if I’m not mistaken) here from a backdrop for the “transverse dunes,” the lower eastern portion of the Death Valley Dunes near Stovepipe Wells. The dunes turn all sorts of interesting colors at and just after sunset on evenings when the light is just right, and the evening light brings out colors in the further hills and gullies that are generally washed out in the harsh midday light.

To get an idea of the scale of the scene consider that the photograph was made with a rather long focal length of nearly 400mm and that the very subtle line along the base of the hills is the roadway running north towards Scotty’s Castle. Walking out to the dunes along the lower edge of the photograph might take a half hour or so.

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.

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 370mm
ISO 200, f/8, 1/50 second

keywords: kit fox, hills, mountains, amargosa, range, alluvial, fan, desert, transverse, dunes, mesquite, gully, geology, grapevine, foothills, shadow, sunset, dusk, wash, evening, death valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, travel, scenic, wilderness, landscape, nature, barren, light, stock

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Textures

Rock Patterns, Mosaic Canyon

April 3, 2010 G Dan Mitchell 6 Comments

Folded and twisted rock forms in Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park, California.

Although this formation is found very near the entrance to the canyon, on this visit I also managed to wander further up the canyon than I have in the past, discovering very different and far more open terrain that what I had seen before. Mosaic Canyon, a short drive up the hill from Stovepipe Wells, is known for its very narrow and twisty lower section, its access to higher regions of the Mount Tucki area, and the striking and unusual rock formations laid bare by erosion from water traveling down the canyon in past floods.

In the lower canyon there is a section where this beautifully banded rock runs alongside the trail. Sometimes that patterns are a bit hard to see, but this time it appeared that recent rains and the soft afternoon shaded light brought them out a bit more. This section featured ribbon-like folds in the surface of the rock that must have been created by water erosion.

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.

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM at 105mm
ISO 100, f/11, 1/8 second

keywords: death valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, scenic, travel, nature, desert, mosaic, canyon, trail, rock, pattern, fold, twist, geology, groove, curve, crack, pink, abstract, texture, nature, erosion, travel, scenic, stock

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Glacier Point Geology Hut, Early Morning Light

November 22, 2009 G Dan Mitchell 1 Comment

Early morning light on the Glacier Point Geology Hut, Yosemite National Park, California.

I love photographing at Glacier Point just before and right around sunrise. Despite the challenge of shooting into the bright sky and rising sun to the east, several subjects here can be compelling in the early morning: the first light striking Mt. Hoffman, light beams coming over the Sierra crest, and especially the very first direct light to strike the trees along the ridge at Glacier Point and open to the light from the east. Not only that, but if you go at the right time you have have the whole place nearly or entirely to yourself. I often go there when I visit in autumn and a quiet November morning there is very special.

I had more or less “worked the scene” of the first light hitting Hoffman, North Dome and surrounding peaks before I made this photograph. I basically turned my camera around to point the opposite direction and repositioned the tripod a bit to frame this stone building and include the light on its eastern face.

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.

keywords: yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra, nevada, mountain, range, ridge, valley, forest, rock, granite, stone, geology, hut, building, fence, railing, roof, wall, morning, light, dawn, early, glacier, point, scenic, travel, nature, landscape, shadow, door, window, arch, tree, bush, black and white, monochrome, stock, sky

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Granite Cliff and Ledge – Upper Cathedral Lake

October 19, 2009 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fractured cliff face and bench with colorful lichens and trees near Upper Cathedral Lake, Yosemite National Park, California.

During the last week of September I managed to squeeze in a very shot pack trip to Upper Cathedral Lakes, just out of Tuolumne Meadows in the Yosemite National Park high country, where I met five outstanding Yosemite photographers who were there for a week of shooting. Although I was only at the lake for perhaps 24 hours, I tried to make the best of it and I shot early and late all around the upper lake.

On the first evening I decided to explore some rocky gullies ascending above the lake on the side opposite from Cathedral Peak. The first gully I followed was very narrow and quite deep – I had to climb a good distance to finally find a spot where I could climb out of it onto the glacier-smoother dome-like formations above the lake. This photograph shows a tremendously fractured section of the wall of this gully, with the bases of a few trees included for scale.

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

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