Tag Archives: portrait

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

Street Vendor, Madrid

Image January 30, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Near the end of our December visit to Madrid we went on a long walk that took us to the famous El Rastro Sunday street/flea market in the Barrios de Embajadores area. From what I gather, this market has been going on for centuries. There is a small market square, but the main action takes place up and down nearby streets where scores of vendors are set up and thousands of shoppers completely fill the narrow streets.

If you like observing and photographing people and don’t mind working in close quarters, this event presents a plethora of visual opportunities. The market stalls are fascinating, as are the wildly diverse shoppers checking out them out. You can find almost anything here: clothes, toys, hats, cameras, phones, cookware, food, you name it. I photographed this vendor, sitting on a stool in an uncharacteristically minimalist “booth.”

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.

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

Photographs: People, Photographs: Photographers

Photographer Charles Cramer

Image November 27, 2019 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Photographer Charles Cramer setting up a display for a reception to follow an August 16, 2015 concert.

This photograph of Charles Cramer is perhaps a bit unusual in several ways. I made it while Charlie was setting up (or taking down?) a display of a number of his photographs at a concert he gave in the South Bay Area. (Many of you reading this are likely to be aware of his photography, but perhaps not everyone knows that he is also an accomplished pianist and organist… and even a choir director!) The pose is perhaps not typical for a photograph of a “landscape photographer,” either as he is a) indoors and b) setting up a light stand! (The purpose of the stand is to illuminate prints for display in this case.)

We count ourselves lucky to know Charlie and to have known him for some time. (He played at our wedding, believe it or not.) He has also graciously shared his photographic knowledge with us in a number of ways. I often tell the story of how I finally got up to speed on my conversion to digital photography. I had been using digital cameras for a while, and I had purchased an early digital printer, but the results were just not what I hoped for and I was getting frustrated. I contacted Charlie to ask for some advice — should I take a class? sign up for a workshop? read a book? something else? He replied and basically said, “Come over and bring a few files.” I did, and in the several hours he spent with me on these files I learned (as I often say) “90% of what I needed to know about digital post-processing and printing” — and for that I am forever grateful!

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Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: People, Photographs: Sports

Mark Cavendish, Stage One, 2010 Tour of California

May 19, 2010 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Pre-race photograph of Mark Cavendish at Stage One, 2010 Amgen Tour of California

Mark Cavendish is arguably today’s pre-eminent professional cycling sprinter. This photograph was made in Nevada City, California as he emerged from the Columbia HTC team vehicle to sign autographs before getting on his bike and heading to the starting line for stage one of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California. He ultimately one the sprint in Sacramento over 100 miles and several hours later.

I posted yesterday about my photography in the team area prior to these races and the great opportunities this provides for getting close shots of riders, along with cycling equipment, spectators, and the general excitement before the start of a major professional race. My tactic here is usually to put a long lens on the camera, explore, and be ready to react quickly – often a rider may appear for a few moments outside a team vehicle or quickly ride by on the way to the starting line and you have to pick off a shot quickly or not get it at all. In this case I spotted a nearby stairway that would give an unobstructed view of anyone coming out of this team vehicle and gave me a clear shot at the path that riders were taking to the finish line. I decided to spend a few minutes here to see what would happen, and I got lucky when Cavendish emerged and spent a few minutes with fans.

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.

Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 400mm
ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/400 second

keywords: amgen, tour, of, california, stage, one, 2010, bicycle, road, race, pro, professional, usa, north america, sports, nevada, city, pre, race, mark, cavandish, winner, first place, sprinter, high road, columbia, htc, team, sunglasses, portrait, close-up, stock

Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: People, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Java Hut Employee

July 11, 2009 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Man standing in the doorway of the Java Hut, San Francisco, California.

As I was walking along the San Francisco waterfront very early in the morning on July 1, I was shooting the South Beach Harbor when I noticed this fellow standing in the doorway of the Java Hut and motioning to me to take his photograph – I couldn’t refuse. I managed to get two photographs of him in his red apron against the red and white exterior of the coffee shop. (I only realized today that this should have been my July 4 photo!) I didn’t get his name, but I know this place well so I’ll try to take him a print the next time I get up there.

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: san francisco, california, usa, summer, city, urban, travel, man, person, street, urban, worker, employee, waiter, java hut, restaurant, coffee, shop, stand, door, window, blue, red, apron, moustache, plaid, embarcadero, portrait, south beach, harbor, shoreline, stock, travel, character

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