Tag Archives: park

Point Reyes

Point Reyes
Black and white photograph of Point Reyes and the Pacific Ocean with afternoon reflections.

Point Reyes. Point Reyes National Seashore, California. June 1, 2008. © Copyright 2008 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Brilliant afternoon light on the Pacific Ocean near Point Reyes.

Black and white photograph of Point Reyes and the Pacific Ocean with afternoon reflections. This photograph was made in extraordinarily windy conditions from a high point a bit further along the bluffs of the point with late afternoon sunlit brightly illuminating the ocean surface. (There is also a color version of this photograph in the queue, and it should show up here soon.)

There are several things that I like about this photograph. First, the memory of the circumstances of the photograph is a powerful one. Point Reyes is a wild and windy place, well out in the Pacific and facing out to see – usually with strong winds blowing. On this day the winds were incredible; so strong that it was all I could do to get a steady shot even while holding tightly to the tripod, which was lowered down to near the ground. And the reflection off of the ocean surface was astonishingly bright – impressive in its own right and a real photographic challenge. Finally, I like the way that the land of Point Reyes seems to extend only tentatively into what is primarily an ocean photograph.


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

July Sky and Fence

July Sky and Fence
July Sky and Fence. Central California. July 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A cloudy July sky over a hilltop fence line in Central California. While it might make a better story if I had made this photograph is some exotic place, I’m afraid that I saw this scene on an afternoon at a nearby place where I frequently hike. This is why I always carry my camera when I hike…

keywords: california, usa, santa clara county, grassland, grass, meadow, sky, cloud, hill, pasture, fence, skyline, ridge, range, landscape, scenic, stock, nature, west, quicksilver, park

Log and Blowing Sand, Drakes Beach

Log and Blowing Sand, Drakes Beach
Log and Blowing Sand, Drakes Beach. Point Reyes National Seashore. June 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A log embedded in blowing sand at Drakes Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore.

It was tremendously windy on this visit to Point Reyes, and here the sand was streaming across the surface of the beach and straight out into the Bay.

keywords: california, national park, pacific ocean, spring, log, wood, stump, sand, blowing, drakes, bay, point reyes, national seashore, park, usa, blue, sky, wave, surf, wind, stock, landscape, scenic, travel

Point Reyes Life-saving Station

Point Reyes Life-saving Station

Point Reyes Life-saving Station. Point Reyes National Seashore, California. June 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of the historic Point Reyes Life-saving Station and dock with Drakes Bay and Point Reyes cliffs beyond. Point Reyes National Seashore, California.

This old building sits right on the shoreline of Drakes Bay, on the sheltered side of the Point Reyes Headlands. It was used until a half century ago as the staging area of rescues at sea, and it includes an unusual rail system for launching rescue boats. (It somehow seems right to show this historic building in black and white, and compositionally I like the effect a bit better as well.)

keywords: point reyes; national seashore; park; lifesaving; life-saving; station; building; dock; pier; drakes bay; historic; beach; shoreline; waterfront; windows; black and white; white; whitecaps; landscape; scenic; travel; california; usa; pilings; stock