Tag Archives: morning

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

Butte, Morning Haze

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Butte, Morning Haze
A desert butte and mountins stretch into the distance in morning haze, Death Valley National Park.

Butte, Morning Haze. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A desert butte and mountains stretching into the distance in morning haze, Death Valley National Park.

With all that haze, this may not be your typical Death Valley photograph, but it is my favorite kind of light. I love haze, backlight, and scenes full of interesting shapes, curves, and lines. I’m also fond of including elements that are barely visible, as is the case with the furthest hills beyond the rounded butte.

The photograph is an example of the “don’t forget to look behind you” school of photography. We naturally focus on the main subject in front of us, the one that brought us to a place. But frequently something else is lurking nearby, often to one side or behind us. That was the case here, as this scene was almost 180 degrees opposite the very different subject that I had been photographing before I turned around to see this view.

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: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Orchard, Morning Fog

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Orchard, Morning Fog
Morning fog begins to form about a Central Valley orchard.

Orchard, Morning Fog. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning fog begins to form about a Central Valley orchard.

While I think this may be just about the last photograph to emerge from this season’s trips to photograph migratory birds, there’s always a chance that I’ll return to the file archive and find another. During this early March trip to California’s Central Valley the birds were more widely dispersed than usual, and I found myself looking for other subjects late in the morning. That took me to nearby agricultural country and the Valley’s immense orchards.

I saw this orchard in the distance as I drove down a (sort of) main road, so I found a turn-off onto a beaten-up old side road that took me that direction. A fog bank was developing as I approached, and it dramatically darkened the sky beyond the trees full of white blossoms.

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.

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

Distant Mountains

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Distant Mountains
The east escarpment of the Panamint Range rises above Death Valley Hills in morning light.

Distant Mountains. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

The east escarpment of the Panamint Range rises above Death Valley Hills in morning light.

As I keep saying when I post Death Valley photographs (yeah, broken record…) the distances there are immense. As a result, atmospheric haze often has a distinct effect on photographs of the larger landscape. This can be challenging — the effect on colors is not always attractive. But it also can enhance the sense of depth in the image. A friend of mine refers to the effect as “atmospheric recession,” though I understand that the better known term may be “atmospheric perspective.” The colors shift, contrast decreases, and fine details can be diminished.

This photograph clearly makes use of the effect. I was photographing across Death Valley from an elevate position with a very long focal length. The low foreground hills are a good distance away, but not so far that they are strongly affected by haze — thus the greater contrast and especially the dark shadows. But the lower slopes of the Panamint are many miles away, and the haze has a big effect of their appearance.

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 | Facebook | Email

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.

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

Mountains and Fan, Morning

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Mountains and Fan, Morning
Morning light on desert mountains and an immense alluvial fan, Death Valley National Park.

Mountains and Fan, Morning. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning light on desert mountains and an immense alluvial fan, Death Valley National Park.

The scale of the landscape in Death Valley is difficult to comprehend. Vistas often encompass huge distances — it isn’t uncommon to be looking at mountains that are tens of miles away, sometimes many tens of miles. Entering this landscape on foot often reveals this truth: An alluvial fan that looks relatively manageable from a distance might take a hour or several to cross.

I made this photograph just after dawn. It looks across Death Valley toward the base of the Panamint Range, rugged and tall mountains topped by Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park. I used a long lens, which drastically compresses the distance. If you were to set out to walk to that wash on the distant alluvial fan at the base of the mountains it would take you at least a day to get there.

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 | Facebook | Email

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.