Tag Archives: mountains

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Shoreline, Upper Young Lake, Sunset

August 12, 2009 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

Sunset light on shoreline trees and rocks below rocky hillside above Upper Young Lake, Yosemite National Park.

This is another in the series of photographs I made on this late-July evening at Upper Young Lake, my favorite of the three in this string of Young Lakes in the Sierra Nevada back-country out of Tuolumne Meadows. This photograph was shot in the last moments before the sun, shining through a bit of smoke from a wildfire in the park, dropped below the rim of the high meadow holding the lake.

I probably could have stayed at this lake and photographed post-sunset light for another half hour beyond sunset. However, the thought of hiking in the dark down a mile-long trail that in places is more cross country than actual trail convinced me to pack up and leave shortly after this.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

South Tufa, Morning

August 6, 2009 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Black and white photograph of early morning at South Tufa, Mono Lake, California.

This black and white panorama was photographed on my early June, 2009 visit to the South Tufa area of Mono Lake. Earlier that morning I had photographed the more typical early morning golden light of dawn on the tufa towers from a closer position. This photograph was more or less a last-minute afterthought, as I had completed the photography I had in mind on this morning and had pack up. I was actually leaving the shoreline when I happened to look back at this view that includes many tufa towers and I noticed the two small clouds (remnants of more extensive dawn clouds) centered over the towers.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

keywords: south, tufa, towers, mono, lake, water, reflection, black and white, beach, rock, geology, formation, ripple, dawn, day, break, morning, light, cloud, mountains, distant, atmosphere, silhouette, shore, waterline, foam, nature, landscape, scenic, travel, stock, sand, stark, panorama, pano

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

Tarn and Forest, Tioga Pass Road

August 2, 2009 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Rocks and their reflections in the still water of an early season meltwater tarn in the high elevation forest along Tioga Pass Road, Yosemite National Park.

I’ve driven past this small seasonal pond alongside Tioga Pass Road many times, and I’ve stopped on occasion. It tends to be a tough subject for me. Either I’m there at the wrong time of day or later in the season when the pond completely dries up. However, the interesting rocks and boulders set in the tarn and the background forest keep drawing me back, and I always cast a glance at it as I drive this road.

It was midday when I passed by on this early June day. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a group of deer at the far side of the pond, feeding on new grasses against the background of the forest. It took me a moment to find a place to pull over and park, attach my longest lens, put the whole mess on the tripod, grab my pack, and walk back to the tarn. I managed to get everything set up and a nice composition including the deer set up… when they left. Ah, well! I decided to stick around a bit and see what else I could find even though it was midday and the light was somewhat tough.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: tarn, pond, pool, melt, water, runoff, seasonal, spring, forest, tree, grass, plant, flora, rock, boulder, submerged, reflection, still, smooth, tioga, pass, road, tuolumne, meadows, yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra, nevada, range, mountains, landscape, travel, scenic, nature, stock

California Fall Color

Quick note regarding Sierra Nevada fall color

August 1, 2009 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fall color? In July? Apparently I’m not the only one who starts thinking about this well before the colors appear – there were a number of search engine hits here today for the subject. I’ll likely write more about this subject when we get closer to fall, but I thought I’d post just a bit of basic information today.

When – The exact time for peak aspen (and other) fall color in the Sierra can vary a bit depending upon a variety of factors, but right around the first week of October is a good bet. Truly crazed Sierra aspen photographers are on alert from the last week of September through the middle of October.

Where – All over the eastern Sierra. (There are aspens west of the Sierra crest – such as near the tops of Monitor and Carson passes – but most of the color is on the “east side.”) You can find them up almost any eastern Sierra roadway that head up into the range. One of the best areas is around North Lake, South Lake, and Lake Sabrina above Bishop, California.

There is a lot more to say about this… later.

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.

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.