Tag Archives: peak

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

Tuolumne Meadows, Evening

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Tuolumne Meadows, Evening

Tuolumne Meadows, Evening. Yosemite National Park, California. July 10, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An evening with developing lenticular clouds above Mounts Dana and Gibbs, Lembert Dome, and Tuolumne Meadows – Yosemite National Park, California.

A friend or two who know about my “musical life” may appreciate the use of the term crescendo to describe the sequence of five photographs that begins with this one. I don’t want to give the story away in advance here, so you’ll need to check back over the next few days to see where this leads.

This photograph was made along the bank of the Tuolumne River not far from where the John Muir Trail crosses a bridge to the old Parson’s Lodge. When I made this photograph the sun was just about to drop behind the low ridges behind me at the west end of the Meadows, so here the forest and river are picking up the very last direct sun of the day.

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: yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra nevada, summer, tuolumne, tioga, develop, lenticular, cloud, river, meadow, bar, gravel, water, ripple, flow, rock, boulder, plant, grass, tree, forest, evening, afternoon, light, lembert, dome, mount, dana, gibbs, kuna, crest, mammoth, peak, reflection, mountains, landscape, scenic, travel, nature, stock, summit

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

Twilight, Tuolumne River and Tuolumne Meadows, Sierra Crest

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Twilight, Tuolumne River and Tuolumne Meadows, Sierra Crest
“Twilight, Tuolumne River and Tuolumne Meadows, Sierra Crest” — Light from lenticular cloud-filled twilight sky illuminates Tuolumne Meadows and the Sierra Crest.

Yes, one more in the series – perhaps the final one, but we’ll see. I suppose it could be titled, “It ain’t over until it’s over.”

After the astonishing colors of the brightest moments of the sunset fade, one might think that the show is over – but often it isn’t quite done. I remember the time I first learned the value of sticking around until it is too dark to photograph any more. This “lesson” happened a bit further west in Tuolumne Meadows many years ago. I was photographing in the evening, shooting across a transitory early-season lake. Another nearby photographer was photographing the same beautiful evening, and he pointed out that some of his favorite photographs actually came after the intense light of sunset and during the time when the light almost begins to feel more like night than day.

Two wonderful things can happen at this hour. First, you may witness unexpected “color surprises” even after the show seems to be over. (I learned this a second time a few years later after packing up at the summit of Lembert Dome and heading down – only to be surprised by a wonderful and completely unexpected suffusion of beautiful light, and having to quickly unpack to squeeze off a couple of exposures.) Second, as astonishing as the earlier brilliant colors are, this is the time for some wonderfully deep and subtle colors that you just won’t see at any other time of day.

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.

G Dan Mitchell: Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


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

Middle Cathedral and El Capitan Meadow, Spring

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Lower Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan Meadow, Spring

Lower Cathedral Rocks and El Capitan Meadow, Spring. Yosemite Valley, California. May 10, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Early spring view of the trees and new grass of El Capitan with the lower face of Middle Cathedral and the Yosemite Valley rim beyond.

El Capitan Meadow is one of my favorite places to photograph in Yosemite – at just about any time of year, at any time of day, and in any conditions. This photograph was made on a beautiful early spring morning as the new spring growth was just beginning to show – the grasses are just coming up in the meadow and the trees are beginning to leaf out. Beyond the meadow is the smooth face of Middle Cathedral facing the morning light, and beyond that is a shaded portion of the south Valley rim.

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: national park, travel, yosemite, valley, national park, california, usa, season, spring, new, growth, grass, tree, meadow, el, cap, capitan, silhouette, ,middle, cathedral, rocks, cliff, mountain, face, rock, sun, rim, forest, peak, landscape, scenic, stock

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

Landscape of Brick and Glass

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Landscape of Brick and Glass

Landscape of Brick and Glass. San Francisco, California. May 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Urban landscape black and white photograph of brick buildings in downtown San Francisco, California.

Another photograph from AT&T Park, and again right around sunset. In this case I am shooting towards the downtown San Francisco skyline, which at this time of the day is intensely lit by the setting sun – hence the high key effect on the buildings in the distance and the sky gone all the way to white. With a bit of pondering it becomes apparent that this scene containing many different (mostly brick) walls and odd sized windows on buildings topped with skylights and ventolation systems is almost as complex a landscape as you can find. I like the glow inside the upper window of the closest building.

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: brick, building, wall, roof, vent, skylight, peak, window, gutter, door, light, air conditioner, interior, arch, old, dish, antenna, glow, skyscraper, tall, distant, high key, sky, white, bright, san francisco, california, usa, travel, scenic, urban, street, downtown, landscape, cityscape, skyline, stock