Tag Archives: north america

Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

Garage Doors, Virgil Street

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Garage Doors, Virgil Street
Garage Doors, Virgil Street

Garage Doors, Virgil Street. San Francisco, California. February 20, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Old and dilapidated garage doors and “no parking” sign in afternoon light on Virgil Street, San Francisco, California.

This seems like a photograph that most people would not identify with San Francisco. If anything, it first appears to be some sort of rural image, perhaps a rustic old barn on a ranch or similar. However, this shot was made along a narrow alley in the Mission District of San Francisco. (Again, as in the “yellow building” photo I posted recently, I suppose I could be accused of attempting to make the Mission not look like the Mission!)

The light was changeable and from time to time beautiful on this afternoon. While it was a cloudy day and mostly somewhat gray, the clouds were thin and broken enough that occasionally soft and diffused light would break through. Here that light brings a bit of relief to the complex and rich textures of this very old and very run-down garage wall and door – and that little bit of green at the lower left softens the whole thing just a bit.

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

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Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
ISO 200, f/8, 1/60 second

keywords: virgil, street, alley, mission, san francisco, california, usa, north america, no parking, day, night, driveway, opposite, garage, sign, urban, street, wood, wall, door, window, hinge, rust, distressed, green, plant, afternoon, light, winter, structure, downtown, latch, lock, sidewalk, peeling, paint, panel, stock

Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

24th and Folsom, The Mission

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24th and Folsom, The Mission
24th and Folsom, The Mission

24th and Folsom, The Mission. San Francisco, California. February 20, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The corner of 24th and Folsom Streets in the Mission District, San Francisco, California.

This was an afternoon of really interesting light in the Mission District of San Francisco. Although it was mostly cloudy and often gray, at times the clouds thinned and warm, diffused light appeared for a moment or two. One such moment came as I arrived at the corner of 24th and Folsom where this garishly yellow building sat on the corner opposite me and picked up light coming between the buildings.

Anyone who goes to the Mission probably immediately notices that something is “wrong” with this photograph. Where are all of the people and all of the cars!? I saw this composition and set it up – but at first the street was filled with people and cars speeding through the intersection. In fact, during the instant before and after I grabbed this frame there were fast-moving cars in the intersection. (For those who haven’t visited the Mission and who think that this peaceful scene is typical of the area, uh, no. The Mission is a very busy and active place that is usually filled with people.)

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

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
ISO 200, f/8, 1/320 second

keywords: the, mission, san francisco, california, usa, north america, street, urban, city, 24th, folsom, street, intersection, asphalt, crosswalk, yellow, building, home, sidewalk, tree, light, sky, woman, walking, cross, check, cashing, grand, opening, purple haze, smokeshop, pedestrian, window, urban, downtown, travel, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Kelp, Weston Beach

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Kelp, Weston Beach
Kelp, Weston Beach

Kelp, Weston Beach. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. January 16, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of kelp tossed up by winter storm surf at Weston Beach, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

I have already worked up a couple of color photographs from this day shooting the kelp washed up on the rocks of Weston Beach by big Pacific winter storms – but earlier this week I was in a black and white frame of mind (it was Ansel Adams’ birthday on February 20!) and thought I’d see where this one might go as a monochrome print. There are several things that I like about this image – though I’ll admit that it may not be one that initially grabs a viewer!. First, although it starts out looking like a pretty amorphous mass of seaweed, kelp, and other detritus, eventually I think that an overall form starts to appear – there are some rough patters formed by sequences of lighter material, by some of the stringy “branches” of the kelp, and by way of some lighter ribbon-like material looping through the image. Second, the print ends up with a wide range of tonalities, ranging from pure black to pure paper-white.

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

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM at 105mm
ISO 200, f/16, 1/15 second

keywords: weston, beach, point, lobos, state, reserve, park, california, usa, north america, wrack, leaf, float, stem, branch, rock, texture, plant, foliage, sea, ocean, pacific, shore, storm, tossed, nature, black and white, monochrome, coast, monterey, carmel, twist, scenic, travel, stock

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

North Dome and Merced River Trees, Winter

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North Dome and Merced River Trees, Winter
North Dome and Merced River Trees, Winter

North Dome and Merced River Trees, Winter. Yosemite Valley, California. February 15, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of North Dome and bare winter trees reflected in the Merced River near the swinging bridge, Yosemite Valley, California.

After first getting distracted by dawn light on Yosemite Falls – and joining a small throng of other photographers shooting this exact same subject (he writes, somewhat embarrassed… ;-) – I pulled myself together and wandered off along the Merced on this frosty morning looking for scenes that were a bit less obvious. I’m not going to claim that this one is completely non-iconic – I can’t since North Dome, in the upper center of the frame, is a fairly well known feature of the Valley. However, the thing that mostly caught my attention here was the skeletal shapes of the dormant trees along the Merced River and the way they lined up across the scene creating some interesting symmetries and forms against the background of the upper end of The Valley.

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

G Dan Mitchell Photography | Twitter | Friendfeed | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Email

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 35mm f/2
two blended images: ISO 100, f/11, 1/40 second and ISO 10, f/11, 1/10 second

keywords: yosemite, valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, meadow, swinging, bridge, cottonwood, silhouette, grass, sky, north, dome, royal, arches, snow, reflection, ripple, morning, light, black and white, monochrome, sierra, nevada, mountain, range, clouds rest, landscape, scenic, travel, nature, bare, forest, grove, stock