Tag Archives: moss

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Scotland, Photographs: Travel

Forest Above Loch Ness

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Forest Above Loch Ness
“Forest Above Loch Ness — “Forest with green moss along the Great Glen Way above Loch Ness, Scotland.

This photograph comes from the second-to-last day of our walk on Scotland’s Great Glen Way . Every day was different, but this one stood out in several ways. First of all, we hiked it “backwards.” On every other day we hiked toward our destination of Inverness. But this time we were dropped off north of Lewiston, where we were staying, and we walked back toward town. A few miles into the walk we encountered our most exposed highland terrain as we crossed a high, windy ridge and then descended to re-enter forest.

This spot along that descent was a lovely surprise. Much of the forest land we had walked through was dense with trees, blocking the light and cutting off distant views. But on this bench high above Loch Ness we found this open and softly lit section of forest carpeted with green moss. Through the trees and far below we could see Loch Ness.

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: Nature

Conifer Bark and Moss

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Conifer Bark and Moss
Most grows on the thick bark of a Yosemite Valley conifer.

Conifer Bark and Moss. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Most grows on the thick bark of a Yosemite Valley conifer.

Sometimes the texture of tree back can almost take on the appearance of a landscape, especially when it is the thick and textured bark on large, old trees. This example, from alongside a trail in Yosemite Valley, almost looks to me like a set of parallel valleys, with forest or meadows represented by the green most growing in the darker cracks. I’m also fascinated by the texture of the lighter sections, which seem to be build up in layers.

I suppose, to some extent, that this photograph may be yet another in the “record shot” category, at least if you don’t find the textures and shapes of the bark fascinating.

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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Moss-Covered Trees

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Moss-Covered Trees
Moss-covered trees in a Sierra Nevada forest in Yosemite National Park.

Moss-Covered Trees. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Moss-covered trees in a Sierra Nevada forest in Yosemite National Park.

Some of my photographs are the result of long hikes into inaccessible places, hours or days spent searching out the ideal location, visits to places I’ve never been before, and other similar efforts. This is not one of those. I made this photograph on a drive to the Sierra while passing though a portion of Yosemite where most of us don’t pay a lot of attention to our surroundings, the kind of place where we are usually thinking more about where we are going than about where we are.

I think it was the green moss on the trees that caught my attention, along with the soft and shaded light. I found a pull-out along this section of roadway, grabbed camera and tripod, and wandered off into this bit of forest, where the relatively clear undergrowth opened the view through the trees.

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: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Young Forest

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Young Forest
A dense forest of small trees, likely in an old logging tract, Northern California.

Young Forest. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A dense forest of small trees, likely in an old logging tract, Northern California.

As I described in a previous post, in early June we spent a day driving a somewhat less-travelled loop in far Northern California, a route the took us west from US 101 and out to the “Lost Coast” before heading south along a stretch of lonely beach and then turning inland. From there the route took us through coastal hills and valleys, though small hamlets, and past the ubiquitous marijuana farms before climbing a tall ridge and then dropping steeply into a dark and quiet redwood forest not far from our return route along US 101.

The first portion of this look was quite varied and different from what I expected. I only knew that it was a narrow, winding road with a somewhat dubious surface, and that it would eventually take us to the coast. But I had no idea of what terrain we’d cover or what sorts of vegetation we would see. Although the route starts near a coastal plain featuring farmland, it soon climbed into tree-covered hills, occasionally emerging into open meadows that sometimes afforded expansive views. At times the road was quite steep — it is not the sort of gentle route that tries to avoid steep grades. At one point we descended from a high open area and were surprised to find ourselves in this forest of small trees, moss, and ferns.

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 | 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.