Tag Archives: range

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Afternoon Light, Lake Manly

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Afternoon Light, Lake Manly
“Afternoon Light, Lake Manly” — Light beams above the snow-capped Panamint Mountains and Lake Manly.

These beams of light — sometimes known among photographers as “God light” — are a common afternoon feature in Death Valley. The valley runs roughly north-south, and there are tall mountain ranges on either side, with summits rising up to 11,000’+ at Telescope Peak on the west side. Consequently, direct sunrise and sunset are blocked from much of the valley floor, However, some time after sunrise and before sunset the light passes though canyons and gaps in the mountains, and this is the effect when it illuminates atmospheric haze.

If you visit Death Valley, it s good to keep this geography lesson in mind, since it can affect your experience and photography potential. If you want to photograph sunrise/sunset, you can see sunlit peaks on west side mountains in the morning and the east side mountains late in the day. If you want light down in the valley, you’ll have to find it a bit after sunrise and well before chronological sunset. What to do in the middle of the day when the sun is harsh? I like to head for canyons, the deeper and narrower the better!

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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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Winter Sunrise, Central Valley

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Winter Sunrise, Central Valley
“Winter Sunrise, Central Valley” — Winter sun rises beyond the Sierra Nevada as thin fog drifts among trees.

This photograph is one of the final remaining photographs from this past winter in California’s Central Valley. (Who am I kidding? There are probably more that I’ll uncover when I eventually revisit the archive.) I made it on my final visit of the season to photograph migratory birds. This photograph is the result of an unfortunate situation that ultimately turned out OK. I arrived before dawn to find that the gate was locked. As I listened to thousands of birds begin their fly-out beyond that gate, I decided that it made more sense to head off to find other opportunities, and I found this sunrise view a few miles away.

These Central Valley locations fascinate me for a variety of reasons — the migratory birds, the fog, the long views of the Sierra Nevada (as in this photo), the open vistas. Years ago I would never have imagined that such agricultural areas could provide so many photographic opportunities, but then I “discovered” the winter birds. I was hooked, and I’ve gone back every year since then.

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 | Post | Email

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

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

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Clouds, Lake, Desert Mountains

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Clouds, Lake, Desert Mountains
“Clouds, Lake, Desert Mountains” — Morning clouds above the Panamint Range, reflected in the smooth surface of Lake Manly.

This photograph may look a bit familiar if you follow my posts. I previously shared a landscape orientation (wide) version of a similar photograph, made just moments before I exposed this one. The Panamint Mountains are in the distance, under sunrise light, and the shadow of mountains to the east still falls on the lower slopes. This is reflected in the waters of Lake Manly.

I love finding interesting juxtapositions of color, light, and shape in the landscape. The reflective water of the temporary lake provided rare opportunities here. and I was able to find a composition that stacked up layers of clouds, sky, snow-capped peaks, sunrise light, and the shadow line in the middle.

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 | Post | Email

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

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Desert Mountains, Snow Squall

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Desert Mountains, Snow Squall
“Desert Mountains, Snow Squall” — A late-winter snow squall high in the Panamint Mountains.

On this mid-March morning I was heading for Furnace Creek in Death Valley. I had made a sunrise stop to photograph near the town of Trona before resuming my northward drive. The west side of the Panamint Mountains is visible along most of this route, and a snowstorm was winding down among the highest peaks, lending an alpine quality to the desert landscape.

The Panamint Mountains are tall, with the highest summer being Telescope Peak at 11,000 feet of elevation. (The summit is known for being a spot from which one can see both the lowest and highest points in the contiguous United States, respectively Badwater and Mt. Whitney.) It is pretty normal to see snow up there during the winter, though this time it seemed to descend a bit further down the slopes than usual.

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 | Post | 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.