Tag Archives: nature

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

El Capitan, Morning Light and Clouds

May 1, 2018 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Clouds and mist shroud El Capitan shortly after sunrise

This morning was (yet another) lesson about not making assumptions too quickly, and about being ready to react quickly to changing conditions. I was up well before dawn and after coffee I quickly packed and headed out the door to my vehicle, ready to start the drive from Wawona to The Valley. There was enough light to get some idea of the conditions, and they did not warrant much optimism — the sky was completely covered by clouds, and as I drove they seemed to be getting thicker to the west, suggesting that they were increasing rather than thinning. As I continued to drive, crossing the road’s high point before descending toward Yosemite Valley, the light began to suggest the possibility of breaks in the clouds to the east. Sure enough, as I got my first long view of The Valley, there was open sky in that direction. What had promised to be dull and gray was starting to look more like their could be potential for special atmospheric conditions.

I made a few quick photographs at this first viewpoint and quickly moved on, driving through Wawona Tunnel and existing to the famous view of the Valley. Typically there are very few photographers here in the early morning — the opposite of the typical evening crowd — but the unfolding light show caused some of us to pull up short here and make some photographs. At this point I rarely do “the shot” of the full Valley scene in anything short of astounding conditions, preferring instead to focus on smaller components of the grand scene. As I photographed with a long lens, light appeared and disappeared, clouds drifted, beams struck isolated elements of the landscape, and there were bits of visual drama everywhere.

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

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

Waterfall and Trees, Spring Evening

April 29, 2018 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

Evening light on Yosemite Falls and meadow trees

I have had my eyes on this composition for some time. The photograph is, in many ways, a pretty straightforward thing, and it certainly doesn’t require any logistical difficulty or long hikes. However, there are a few variables in play that are not entirely under the photographer’s control, and timing is critical — as to the season, the time of day, and the momentary conditions. The green of that group of trees is briefly at its most intense for a period in the spring. As in so many photographs, the momentary effect of light is critical and ephemeral. Two days earlier I had photographed this same scene, with results I liked but not as much as what happened here.

Speaking of that earlier photograph of the same subject, I had not made a firm decision to re-photograph the scene on the evening when I made this version. I was thinking about several potential subjects on this final evening in the Valley for this trip, but it was the infamous Yosemite Valley traffic that put me here at the right moment. I had parked in a day use lot while I went on an afternoon hike, returning to my vehicle in time to finalize my evening plans. The traffic was completely stopped due to the combination of large numbers of spring visitor and construction work to the west. So I headed across the Valley and back to the east, looping around towards this spot. Some distance away the traffic stopped completely once again, so I simply pulled to the side, loaded my equipment on my back abandoned (temporarily!) my vehicle, and started walking. I could see good light ahead through the trees, but as I arrived some clouds blocked it. But since I wasn’t going to have much luck trying to drive elsewhere I simply decided to stick around and watch. Eventually there was a short break in the clouds, and a brief moment of lovely light illuminated these trees. And then the show was over.

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

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

Detail, Granite Face

April 27, 2018 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Detail view of a section of a Yosemite Valley granite cliff face

Yosemite, and especially Yosemite Valley, is famous for its “granite” (quotation marks for any geologists reading this post…) cliffs, towers, domes, slabs, and other formations. While we tend to think of this rock as being “gray,” the coloration varies quite a bit depending on the nature of the rock itself, the presence of lichens or plants, and on the light. Almost everywhere the expanses of granite are cut through by intrusions of different colored rocks. I don’t usually think of this particular face as being all that colorful, but on this morning the light somehow brought out the rust-colored tones on many sections of the rock.

I did just enough rock climbing many years ago to have developed memories of the sensations of such rock, from the cold and smooth slabs, to sharp edges of cracks, and rough surfaces (you hope!) on some friction routes. A close look at this section of cliff reveals an amazing variety of surfaces and irregularities. Perhaps most obvious is the large, curving vertical crack towards the left. The dark water stains are also striking, as is that rust colored rock. A closer look reveals other patterns, including a diagonal rising from left to right.

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

Black Oaks, Spring Snow

April 26, 2018 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Spring snow falls on a black oak grove, Yosemite Valley

It is hard to pick a favorite season in Yosemite Valley. Fall brings much cooler temperatures, diminishing crowds, and autumn colors. Winter brings snow and clouds drifting among peaks and across meadows. In spring the waterfalls flow strongly again as rivers rise, and the Valley’s vegetation comes back to life. Perhaps the ideal time is the transition between winter and spring, when on the ideal day you can experience a bit of both seasons. (Identifying the least favorite is easy. That would be summer, on account of the sometimes extreme heat and the frequent crowds of tourists. I generally stay away between June and mid-September.)

This was one of those spring days that briefly felt more like winter. A quick snow storm came through, dropping temperatures and leaving a few inches of snow on trees and on the ground. (It was almost all gone before noon the next day, when spring returned.) These black oak trees, with their graceful trunks and branches, are always lovely, but when snow falls they are special. There was just enough snow to coat the upper branches of these trees, and snow and mist swirled beyond among the cliffs surrounding the Valley.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: nature

El Capitan, Morning Light and Clouds

Waterfall and Trees, Spring Evening

Detail, Granite Face

Black Oaks, Spring Snow

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