Tag Archives: rock

Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

First Light, South Tufa

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First Light, South Tufa

First Light, South Tufa. Mono Lake, California. June 7, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

First light of dawn illuminates tufa towers and distant mountain at Mono Lake, California.

This photograph was made at the usual spot – anyone who has photographed at Mono (and who hasn’t!? :-) knows that the most consistent spot to shoot sunrise light is at the South Tufa area, down the road from highway 395 a bit south of Lee Vining. On a good morning you’ll have at least some clouds, and the location of those clouds may dictate what your foreground subject is; do you want to shoot to the north and the low hills, to the east and towards the sunrise, or toward the Sierra Nevada crest? You arrive very early, usually well before dawn, and walk out to the edge of the water where the towers are. You find a composition and wait, with the only sounds the cries of seagulls (a sound I immediately associate with Mono) and possibly the voices of other photographers. The sky begins to lighten and then, almost before you know it, the warm glow of the first dawn light begins to light up the towers. (Am I the only one who marvels that this happens in almost complete silence?)

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: first, light, dawn, sun, rise, morning, illuminate, tufa, tower, south, mono, lake, water, reflection, cloud, sky, red, pink, rock, ripple, pattern, gull, bird, distant, california, usa, eastern, sierra, nevada, landscape, nature, scenic, travel, stock, bird, shore

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

Tarn and Forest, Tioga Pass Road

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Tarn and Forest, Tioga Pass Road

Tarn and Forest, Tioga Pass Road. Yosemite National Park, California. June 7, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Rocks and their reflections in the still water of an early season meltwater tarn in the high elevation forest along Tioga Pass Road, Yosemite National Park.

I’ve driven past this small seasonal pond alongside Tioga Pass Road many times, and I’ve stopped on occasion. It tends to be a tough subject for me. Either I’m there at the wrong time of day or later in the season when the pond completely dries up. However, the interesting rocks and boulders set in the tarn and the background forest keep drawing me back, and I always cast a glance at it as I drive this road.

It was midday when I passed by on this early June day. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a group of deer at the far side of the pond, feeding on new grasses against the background of the forest. It took me a moment to find a place to pull over and park, attach my longest lens, put the whole mess on the tripod, grab my pack, and walk back to the tarn. I managed to get everything set up and a nice composition including the deer set up… when they left. Ah, well! I decided to stick around a bit and see what else I could find even though it was midday and the light was somewhat tough.

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: tarn, pond, pool, melt, water, runoff, seasonal, spring, forest, tree, grass, plant, flora, rock, boulder, submerged, reflection, still, smooth, tioga, pass, road, tuolumne, meadows, yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra, nevada, range, mountains, landscape, travel, scenic, nature, stock

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

Tree Trunk and Boulder

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Tree Trunk and Boulder

Tree Trunk and Boulder. Yosemite National Park, California. July 8, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A tree trunk catches the light in front of a boulder in the Tuolumne Meadows campground, Yosemite National Park, California.

I did not have to go far to make this photograph – I spotted it from my picnic table in site G4 at the Tuolumne Meadows Campground! I saw this nearby boulder surrounded by young trees shortly after setting up camp, and over the next three days I photographed it several times in varying light.

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: tree, trunk, bark, lodgepole, pine, vertical, pattern, rock, boulder, lichen, black and white, light, sun, illuminate, nature, texture, flora, plant, nature, landscape, travel, scenic, tuolumne, meadows, campground, yosemite, national, park, california, usa, sierra nevada, mountains, range, site, g4, stock

Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Clearing Storm, Carson Peak and Grant Lake

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Clearning Storm, Carson Peak and Grant Lake

Clearing Storm, Carson Peak and Grant Lake. June Lakes Loop, California. June 7, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A late spring storm clears from the summit of Carson Peak above Grant Lake along the June Lakes Loop, California.

I’ll start by saying that I hope I have identified this peak correctly. I did not know its name when I made the photograph, and I think I’ve lined it up with the other geographic features on my map correctly – but if any one has a different ID on this peak please let me know.

I came to Grant Lake (which is actually, and obviously, a reservoir) from the back route, arriving by way of some dirt roads coming in from highway 395. I arrived at the dam and followed the road across, stopping in the middle to make some photographs when I saw this late light on the lake and shoreline with the peak gradually emerging from the remnants of this late-spring storm.

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: late, spring, storm, clears, clearing, carson, peak, grant, lake, june, lakes, loop, road, reservoir, rock, peninsula, low, water, surface, boulder, sun, light, evening, eastern, sierra, nevada, mountain, range, ridge, shadow, tree, forest, rock, valley, tower, cloud, blue, sky, landscape, travel, scenic, stock