Tag Archives: mist

Trees and Fog, After the Storm

Trees and Fog, After the Storm
Drifting fog obscures trees in rocky alpine terrain as a Sierra summer storm clears.

Trees and Fog, After the Storm. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Drifting fog obscures trees in rocky alpine terrain as a Sierra summer storm clears.

Later this evening the sky would explode into spectacular color as our storm began to break up and clear. But earlier, when I made this photograph, there were still plenty of clouds around, and much of the surrounding landscape was obscured as they drifted across peaks and ridges, and passed between trees in the forest. I went to a high place with a 360-degree view, set up my camera, and enjoyed the show.

I spent a lot of time focusing on this section of the panorama, a spot where sparse trees were growing on rocky ledges, apparently gaining just enough purchase to put down roots in cracks in the granite. At times the fog would drift back and forth, momentarily revealing details of the trees and even the higher ridges beyond. But when I made this photograph the scene was nearly obscured, and even the frontmost trees were half-hidden by the drifting 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.

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Mist in the Trees

Mist in the Trees
Mist drifts among Eastern Sierra trees as a summer storm clears.

Mist in the Trees. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Mist drifts among Eastern Sierra trees as a summer storm clears.

One this evening the storm finally cleared. Over the course of an hour or two the higher clouds thinned, and some promising light began to glow high above. I watched from an elevated rocky position as peaks began to appear intermittently and clouds of fog flowed back and forth across the landscape.

The fog seemed to be the result of the abundant atmospheric moisture from the rains of the past two days. At times it almost obscured all of the landscape that was above my position, but soon a breeze would push it this way and that, and trees and rocks and ridges were revealed. I was especially interested in mist drifting among trees just above me, and I photographed this bit of forest as the fog begin to thin again.


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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Trees, Ridges, and Clearing Storm

Trees, Ridges, and Clearing Storm
Mist floats among ridges as a Sierra summer storm clears.

Trees, Ridges, and Clearing Storm. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Mist floats among ridges as a Sierra summer storm clears.

This is (yet another) photograph from the evening when our two days of rainy weather finally broke. The rain stopped, the clouds thinned, openings appeared, and fog drifted back and forth among the peaks and ridges as sunset approached. I found a high, exposed place with a clear view of the surrounding terrain and settled in to photograph the show.

To our south the terrain rose toward higher lakes and then to a long and jagged high ridge. At first the view in this direction was obscured by fog and clouds, but as the evening wore on gaps appeared. At times the sky was briefly visible and the more distant peaks began to appear a bit more clearly.


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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Ridge, Fog, Sunset

Ridge, Fog, Sunset
Post-storm fog drifts among trees and domes at sunset, Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Ridge, Fog, Sunset. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Post-storm fog drifts among trees and domes at sunset, Ansel Adams Wilderness.

The clouds finally began to break up “for real” late on the second day of our recent Sierra Nevada backcountry stay. First the rain stopped, then we began to see a few thin spots in the clouds, and eventually faint areas of blue sky appeared above the peaks through a veil of mist. After more than twenty-four hours of rain, we were ready to head out and make some photographs!

I did not know what the evening would bring so I decided to walk to a high spot with a 360-degree view, from which I might photograph a range of subjects. As the clearing continued, clouds of fog rolled back and forth among the nearby ridges and through the forest. One moment I’d photograph mist in trees, and the next I would turn and photograph light breaking through among the peaks. This scene unfolded to my east as sunset light began to color the fog and clouds over lower ridges.


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 | Twitter | Flickr | FacebookEmail

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)


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