Tag Archives: light

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Domes, Haze, Morning

September 6, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Morning light and haze, granite domes and peaks

This is a scene no doubt very familiar to visitors to the Yosemite National Park high country, though perhaps fewer would see it at this time of day — I know that when I am out photographing during the early morning like this I am often surprised by how few people manage to get up and see this beautiful time of day! The scene includes domes, mountains, and a bit of forest at the upper end of Tenaya Lake.

The difference here is that I used a very long lens to photograph the scene, thus eliminating the lake and the higher peaks that stand in the distance. The long lens also intensifies the effect of atmospheric haze by condensing it, here muting the details of the distant peak the stands in front of Mount Conness.

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

Desert Spring

August 30, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Pools of desert water reflect sunrise light on distant mountains, Death Valley National Park

Although it is dawn in this photograph, I had already been up and photographing for some time before I took a break to walk along an observation area and next to the highway at this popular location. The pools of water have their source underground at the base of the tall mountains standing behind my camera position.

Beyond the water are salt flats, some in the “classic” flat white style, and others in the inhospitable and rugged “Devil’s Golf Course” style. The foreground water reflects the morning blue sky, and further out it reflects the ridge of the Panamint Mountains on the far side of the Valley.

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

Photographs: Italy

Vineyards Below Radda

August 25, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Evening light and shadows on vineyards below Radda in Chianti

We have now visited this small town several times. The first time we passed through on our way to another place, barely giving it a glance. (I know, that is hard to believe.) Then on the return drive we came back through it and noticed the remarkable location atop a mountain ridge, with buildings alongside the narrow road and stretching off in either direction. Then we returned for dinner, arriving early enough to take a bit of time exploring the village, which turned out to be a bit larger than we had imagined.

On this dinner visit we came into town a little before 7:00 PM, and since dinner wasn’t scheduled until 7:30 we had some time to wander. After walking up and down some of the narrow streets — barely wide enough for a single small car in many places and few cars go there — I found a walk along the edge of the ridge overlooking the valley to the west and facing into the beautiful evening light. Far in the distance (and not seen in this photograph) were tree-covered hills stretching off toward very distant mountains. Below were vineyards and olive orchards, with the gentle gold-hour light passing from left to right and beginning to darken the shadows.

Photographs: Italy

Lamp, Cloud, Stone Walls

August 24, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Midday light along the narrow road through Castello di Ama, Italy

While visiting a vineyard/winery here I learned some things I would not have expected about this part of Italy. I’m used to California’s wine country, especially the areas in northern California where a lot of the vineyards seem to be either on hillsides of quite often in flat river valleys. Here, at least among the vineyards around the area where I made this photograph, the vineyards are on relatively steep hillsides and, as I discovered, on soil that is more rock than dirt. There was a place where the path was well below the level of the soil surface and a section of the rock wall had been removed to show the earth down perhaps 6-8 feet deep… and it was almost entirely rock.

Speaking of these paths, I made this photograph along an old, narrow, winding “road” between the buildings of a now-isolated village. It was midday, when the light becomes much brighter and sharper, though still with that bit of softness that seems to be the norm here. The high sun angle and bright light cast a strong shadow across the wall at the left and part of the part, while a few scattered clouds floated by overhead.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: light

Domes, Haze, Morning

Desert Spring

Vineyards Below Radda

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.