Tag Archives: haze

Mountain Haze, Kosovo

Mountain Haze, Kosovo
“Mountain Haze, Kosovo” — Kosovo mountains west of the city of Pec.

As far as I know (and I cannot claim to be an expert on Kosovo after visiting for a few days) this is not a particular iconic location — it was just a place where we pulled over while driving into the Accursed Mountains (yes, that is their name) west of the town of Pec. Looking up into the mountains on either side of the river valley we followed, I was impressed by the thick vegetation, the steep slopes, and the atmosphere’s luminous haze.

For me it is an odd experience to quickly pass through a new landscape, particularly one where I’m unfamiliar with the features, the culture, and the language… and to then quickly move on, perhaps with no opportunity to return in the future. I’m more used to getting to know such places through return visits that expand my knowledge. But what I came away with here are fragments of memory — a walk to the end of a gravel road, lunch at a mountain lodge, stopping to photograph a country mosque next to a mountain river, and pausing to look up at theses slopes.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Dawn Sky, Mono Basin

Dawn Sky, Mono Basin
“Dawn Sky, Mono Basin” — Tufa towers in Mono Lake waters reflecting the dawn sky.

It is difficult to resist a visit to immense Mono Lake when I visit the Eastern Sierra, even when it isn’t the main goal of my trip. OK, it is actually just about impossible to resist making at least a quick stop there. In early July I spent a few days around the Sierra crest along the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park, and one morning I decided to head down to Mono Lake before dawn and spend a few hours photographing in the early light.

I hade this photograph near dawn, when the pre-sunrise light was deeply coloring the sky, which was reflected in the waters of the lake. I love how the apricot-olored sky near the horizon fades to blue far above. The distant mountains are on the far side of this gigantic lake, many miles away, and this cluster of tufa towers stands a good distance out in the water.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains

Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains
“Tufa Tower, Lake, Blue Mountains” — Mono Lake, a solitary tufa tower, and distant blue mountains in morning haze.

It is always a pleasure to visit the Mono Basin and its namesake lake, especially in the early morning when it is often still and quiet. I was there last week, dropping down one morning from a camp high up near the Sierra Crest. When I arrived I saw only one other car, and ts occupant was nowhere to be seen — it was as if I had the entire basin to myself!

I arrived well before sunrise and continued photographing right into the blue light of early morning. It was calm and the water reflected the blue of sky and distant mountains. I used a long lens to focus on a small section of those mountains, aligning them with a single tufa tower far out in the water.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Kosovo Mountains

Kosovo Mountains
“Kosovo Mountains” — Mountains haze in Kosovo— the “Accursed Mountains.”

This photograph comes from a wonderful day in the “Accursed Mountains” of Kosovo west of Pec. It is full of great memories, though short on specific location details. We headed into the mountains from Pec, following a narrow and rugged river valley. Eventually we passed through a mountain town and continued to ascend. We took a narrow side road and eventually got out and walked… right to the Montenegro border. From there we somehow ended up at a remarkable “lodge” where we had a stupendous lunch on a grand outdoor covered deck.

I made the photograph at the lodge, looking back up towards the summit of these beautiful mountains and directly in to the haze- and sun-filled atmosphere. Side note: I read that there is some difference of opinion regarding how these beautiful mountains came to be known as the “Accursed Mountains.” From what I saw and from some subsequent reading, it would not surprise me if this area becomes a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)