Tag Archives: photography

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Holiday Lights, Mercado de San Miguel

Image Leave a comment
Holiday Lights, Mercado de San Miguel
“Holiday Lights, Mercado de San Miguel” — Night photograph of Madrid’s Mercado de San Miguel with holiday lights.

Yes, the Mercado de San Miguel is a tourist hub, and yes it is right next door to another hub, the Plaza Mayor. While you probably don’t want to spend your entire time in Madrid at such places, this mercado is kind of fun and has a lot to offer. Our favorite vendor sells vermut and skewered treats built around fascinating variations on the traditional gilda. If you go, embrace the crowdedness and enjoy the food.

On this evening we passed by a bit later — we were not there to eat, but instead were on a walk to some other locations. Surprisingly the crowds had diminished a bit, and we were able to enjoy the holiday decorations on the building as we walked along.

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” from Heyday Books, is available directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
Articles | Sales | Sierra Nevada Fall Color | Contact Info

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

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Urban Tree, Night

Image Leave a comment
“Urban Tree, Night” — A tree and a brick wall with posters at night, Madrid.

You may have to look closely to realize it, but this photograph was made at night. (t is often surprising just how much light is found in the nighttime urban environment.) The location is Madrid, not far from the Plaza Mayor, during December, when the streets here are filled with people celebrating the holidays. But this little side street was quiet and nearly deserted.

Night transforms the urban environment. Things that might look mundane during the day can take on a different appearance under the glow of artificial lights. Here several light sources illuminate the brick wall and the sidewalk, and side light highlights the trunk of the urban tree.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

El Madroño, Madrid

Image Leave a comment
El Madroño, Madrid
“El Madroño, Madrid” — El Madroño, Madrid

Madrid was filled with people celebrating the holiday season when we visited in December. Every evening thousands of people filled the streets in the area where we were staying, and holiday lights were everywhere. There was a big Christmas market at the Plaza Mayor and smaller ones elsewhere. We did not go to Madrid specifically for the holiday events, but we got into the spirit once we saw what was going on.

But none of that is visible in this photograph, made at night not far from where the big crowds were. We were exploring the area, wandering this way and that and turning up interesting lanes. I spotted this building across the street — nothing all that special about the place, but I love photographing night scenes with varied lighting sources, especially when a bit of moisture makes the streets and sidewalks glow and reflect the light.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Checking The Phone

Image Leave a comment
“Checking The Phone” — A woman sits on a stone bench and checks her phone at night, Madrid.

We were in Madrid this past December. Our previous visit was during the torrid month of August — and we vowed not to do that again! We alost expected that things would be calmer without crowds of summer tourists. But we discovered that Madrid goes crazy right before Christmas. Thousands of people crowd the streets, though this crowd has far fewer foreign tourists. And yet, I made this quiet photograph of a solitary person in a place that was directly adjacent to the hubbub.

We had been out on a walk and a visit to some interesting places to eat and drink earlier in the evening. If I recall correctly, we were now starting to loop back toward our hotel when we walked up this side street and I found this fascinating brick wall covered with posters and a tangle of wires. Perhaps the woman in the photograph had also sought refuge from the crowds on this quiet side street?

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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