Tag Archives: landscape

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

Evening Sky and Haze, Death Valley

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Evening Sky and Haze, Death Valley
“Evening Sky and Haze, Death Valley” — Sunset sky, distant mountains, clouds and haze — Death Valley.

Death Valley National Park is a huge place — not just as measured by its total area but also by the immense spaces we view there. In many places we look across dozens of miles toward objects so far away that they are obscured by the atmosphere even on clear days. We might look at a “nearby” destination and think, “I’ll walk there.” If we try, hours later our intended destination will still be in the distance.

This photograph, made at sunset in the central part of the great valley, is an example. If I had gotten in my car and started driving, it would have taken me an hour and a half or longer to reach the base of those mountains in the distance. In this scene the valley has already fallen into the shadows of the Panamint range and a final bit of soft side-light glances across the large wash in the foreground.

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

Sunrise Clouds, Searles Valley

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Sunrise Clouds, Searles Valley
“Sunrise Clouds, Searles Valley” — Fascinating cloud shapes at sunrise, above Searles Valley and the distant Panamint Mountains.

This photograph was a bit of an accident, an example of switching gears to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. I had stayed in Ridgecrest, California the night before, with a plan to leave very early and photograph the Trona Pinnacles at sunrise. I’ve been there many times, but I have never quite gotten the light I was hoping for, and I thought this might be my chance. But I arrived to find clouds, lots of clouds! It was apparent that I wasn’t going to get the sunrise light on the pinnacles that I hoped for. However, interesting things were happening in the distance.

The highest peaks of the Panamint Range are visible to the north, including Telescope Peak. This mountain is the highest in the Death Valley area with a summit at over 11,000 feet. Lenticular clouds were forming above the ridge and soon colorful sunrise light began to reach them, producing a striking contrast with the dark mountains and more distant clouds.

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

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

Dawn Clouds, Lake Manly

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Dawn Clouds, Lake Manly
“Dawn Clouds, Lake Manly” — Dawn clouds and the distant Panamint Mountains reflected on the surface of Lake Manly, Death Valley.

I was not surprised to see quite a few people when I visited Death Vally earlier this month. Not only is this the peak season in any year, but the temporary reappearance of Lake Manly has been all over the media. In fact, that’s one of the big reasons I chose to go at this particular point. Over the years I have learned that it is often possible to escape the hordes just by going to a slightly different location than the most obvious ones. So I bypassed the “usual places” when I went out to photograph the lake on this morning — and I went very early, while most people were still sleeping!

There was not really enough light to photograph yet when I arrived here. My first intended target was the early light on the peaks of the Panamint Mountains along the opposite side of the valley. But before the light reached those summits it began to illuminate beautiful clouds forming above the terrain. I like that the absence of detail in the mountains and their reflection accentuates their abstract forms.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Morning Fog and Haze, Distant Mountains

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Morning Fog and Haze, Distant Moiuntains
“Morning Fog and Haze, Distant Mountains” — The Sierra Nevada seen through sunrise winter haze and fog in the Central Valley.

You may need to look closely at this photograph to understand what you are seeing. The foreground is perhaps obvious — a tule fog covered area of Central Valley winter landscape just before sunrise. Beyond that there is a slightly darker band of mountains. These are the Sierra foothills. But look above that. You are not seeing clouds. You are seeing a section of the distant Sierra Nevada crest.

It isn’t every day that the crest is visible from the Central Valley. In particular, foggy and stormy winter days often obscure the range from view. But at dawn — and on through the day when it is exceptionally clear — the range rises in striking fashion to the east and stretches as far as you can see from north to south.

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