Tag Archives: morning

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

Morning Ride in the Badlands

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Morning Ride in the Badlands
A solo bicyclist on a morning ride along a curving gravel road past badlands.

Morning Ride in the Badlands. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A solo bicyclist on a morning ride along a curving gravel road past badlands.

Years ago I was a very (very!) enthusiastic cyclist. I don’t ride any more, but I still have three bicycles — one of the early StumpJumper mountain bikes, a touring/commuting bike with a handmade British frame, and road-racing bike (also with a hand-built frame). Although I have not ridden in Death Valley, I can surely identify with the experience of the person in this photograph.

I had arrived in this area early, and I had been making photographs since before sunrise. Although a gravel road passes through here and the spot is not far from some well-known locations, I had the place almost to myself. I saw almost no one else as I worked. It was windless and still and so quiet… and that passing of a single cyclist was enough to interrupt the mood! But not enough to keep me from photographing him as he passed through this section of s-curves, heading toward more distant hills in this lovely light.

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 and Amazon.

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

Badlands and Valley, Morning

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Badlands and Valley, Morning
Eroded formations and Death Valley in morning light.

Badlands and Valley, Morning. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Eroded formations and Death Valley in morning light.

This is a location that I often go to in Death Valley when I want to photograph in the early morning… and I’m feeling a bit lazy and trying to avoid a long drive. The area is, for many folks, more or less a “drive through” site, but I’ve been going back there for years, lingering and exploring on foot and with my camera.

For the most part in this place you’ll find close-up views of beautifully eroded formations of contrasting colors, with lots of opportunities to photograph the “intimate landscape” of close to medium distance subjects. But in a few spots you can obtain a wider view and see far beyond this hills. To make this photograph I climbed a bit so that I could look over the nearby hills and out into the vast expanse of Death Valley in the early morning light.

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 and Amazon.

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

Morning, Dune Shadows

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Morning, Dune Shadows
Sand dunes with blue-tinted shadows and scattered creosote plants in soft morning light.

Morning, Dune Shadows. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sand dunes with blue-tinted shadows and scattered creosote plants in soft morning light.

As I usually do when photographing here, I arrived very early and began my walk out to a less-busy area of the dunes well before sunrise. The dawn and sunset transitions between night and day move quickly and, of course, present some of the most interesting visual opportunities. I photograph right though these transitional periods, often working quickly to try to take advantage of as many of the transient opportunities as possible.

When I look at this photograph I recall many things from this morning and others like it. The air is still and only hinting at the intense heat that will arrive later. As the first sunlight hits the tops of the dunes there is a striking contrast between the warm colors in the light and the blues in the shadows, where the light comes from the overhead bowl of the blue sky. As sun rises higher the light intensifies and the color gradually becomes less intense, providing new photographic opportunities.

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 and Amazon.

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

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Flock In The Fog

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Flock In The Fog
A flock of Ross’s geese in tule fog.

Flock In The Fog. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A flock of Ross’s geese in tule fog.

By now, these Ross’s geese are long gone from California, going back to the northern shores of North America, where they return each spring to breed. The last time I saw them here was on March 13, the day of my last pre-shelter-in-place trip to the refuges where I ordinarily look for them. It was a strange visit, with a sense of foreboding in the air. I went there alone, self-contained to the point that I would not have to stop anywhere on my nearly 300-mile out-and-back journey. There were almost no remaining Ross’s or snow geese — they had apparently departed just days earlier. There were also almost no other people. I photographed for a few hours and then turned back home.

This photograph was not made on that trip — it was made back on New Year’s Day, in a more innocent time. A group of us met up, gathered for food and camaraderie, spent the day photographing. There was tule fog that morning, which is just what we want. I made the photograph at just about that magical moment on a foggy day, when the soft light of the sun just begins to break through, making the atmosphere luminous.

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 and Amazon.

Blog | About | 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.