Tag Archives: light

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Cliffs and Trees

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Red Cliffs and Trees
“Red Cliffs and Trees” — Kolob Canyon red sandstone walls in morning light and shadow, Zion National Park.

There are plenty of people whose knowledge of the red rock sandstone formations of the Southwest exceeds mine. But I have observed tremendous variations in these rocks as I photographed in Utah. The rock generally comes in layers that vary significantly in color and texture. Sometimes they are thick, uniform, and massive. In other locations they are filled with textured sub-layers and contain curves and cracks.

The example in this photograph is one of those massive, solid layers. This cliff is in Zion National Park’s slightly-more-remote Kolob Canyon. It is in a location where you can get quite close to this impressive layer. I made the photograph on a morning with a bit of haze. The position of the sun in front and to the right of the camera produced rim light on the cliff’s edges.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Forest and Dome, Sunset

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Forest and Dome, Sunset
“Forest and Dome, Sunset” — Evening light on lodgepole pines and a Yosemite high country dome.

This may (or may not!) be my final post of a summer 2025 photograph from the Yosemite high country. (As long time readers know, sometimes I do dig back into the archives and work up “left behind” photographs.) It is a modest little photograph, but it seems appropriate to conclude the coverage of the high country year with sunset light on forest and granite.

I made the photograph on an early July walk through parts of Tuolumne Meadows. I was up there, in part, to adapt to the elevation before an upcoming pack trip — but also, obviously and predictably — to do some photography. I was out wandering the meadows as the day came to an end, and I made the photograph as the last direct sunlight, soft and warm, illuminated the forest at the east end of the meadow and the line between light and shadow began to ascend the dome.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Rock Sunset

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Red Rock Sunset
“Red Rock Sunset” — Sunset light on red rock formations near Fruita, Capitol Reef National Park.

This spot is obviously full of spectacular scenery, though it was a bit tricky to photograph near sunset. One of the “problems” actually turned out to be a plus. There was some overcast that muted the light, but the light was still strong enough to be softly directional, especially on the more distant cliffs. A second issue is geological. The area is on an inclined formation that rises to the west, so the sun actually drops behind the uplifted western horizon a bit earlier than true sunset.

The color was astonishingly red in this sunset light, especially since the soft light reduced harsh shadows and highlights. I don’t often include roads in my landscape photographs, but in this case, a) it was unavoidable and b) it produced a useful leading line heading toward the groves of trees and the campground at Fruita.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Meadow and Sunset Trees

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Meadow and Sunset Trees
“Meadow and Sunset Trees” — Two trees standing in a subalpine Sierra Nevada meadow catch the last rays of the day’s sun.

Back on July first I wandered through parts of a nearly-deserted Tuolumne Meadows late in the day. Since the campground was still closed, I camped just outside the park. For that reason and due to summer restrictions on vehicle traffic, the meadow was nearly deserted by the end of the day. I photographed these two trees as the day’s last light hit them.

Chasing the last light of the day at sunset in Tuolumne Meadows is a bit of a challenge. Because the meadow is nearly wide open on an almost east/west axis. the low angle light can traverse most of its length late in the day. But that also means that the sunlight disappears suddenly if you are near the east end. If you want to photograph the colors of the last few minutes of warm light, you have to work quickly!

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.