Tag Archives: season

Late Season Dogwood Blossom, Rain

Late Season Dogwood Blossom, Rain

Late Season Dogwood Blossom, Rain. Yosemite National Park, California. June 6, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A late season dogwood blossom along highway 120 after morning rain – Yosemite National Park, California.

As I entered Yosemite via the northern road on the first weekend in June I was certainly not expecting to still see dogwood blossoms – at least not more than a few brown stragglers – so I was very surprised and pleased to discover that one of my favorite groves along highway 120 was still full of bright white flowers. Even better, when I arrived everything was still wet from earlier rain, making the colors more intense and leaving some raindrops on flowers and leaves, and the overcast from the returning rain storm diffused the light nicely. This flower was photographed in a deeply shaded section of the forest.

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.

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Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley

Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley

Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park, California. June 6, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The leaves and branches of a spring oak tree above the cliffs of Yosemite Valley, California.

I have photographed this oak tree before. It is one of several that sit near the edge of the drop off above the lower section of Yosemite Valley above the narrow section before the Merced begins its precipitous descent down the narrow canyon to El Portal; this is also the location of the first view of El Capitan and Half Dome as you arrive via the northern entrance to the park. I had stopped here to photograph those icons but decided to also photograph the new spring leaves on this tree with the cliffs across the canyon as the backdrop.

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: oak, tree, branch, leaf, bud, season, spring, twig, cliff, bokeh, yosemite, valley, national park, california, usa, travel, scenic, nature, landscape, sierra, nevada, mountains, range, foliage, stock

Middle Cathedral and El Capitan Meadow, Spring

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

Dogwood Blossoms and Branch

Dogwood Blossoms and Branch

Dogwood Blossoms and Branch. Yosemite Valley, California. May 10, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring dogwood tree blossoms and leaves in Yosemite Valley.

Yes, another dogwood… but, hey, it is spring and the dogwoods are (or were) blooming! These were photographed in Yosemite Valley in early May of this year on an intense one-day photography trip to The Valley. I shot this one during more or less the midday hours, rather than during the more typical early/late light. However, this has its advantages, too, if one can find good shade with open illumination. The color balance at this time of day seems to go more toward balanced white and the broken and filtered light on the ground makes an interesting background.

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.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

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