Tag Archives: season

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetland Trees

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Wetland Trees
“Wetland Trees” — Wetland trees and brush growing near a Central Valley pond.

I made this photograph on New Year’s Day, when we joined friends to photograph and celebrate the first day of 2024. Mostly we photographed birds, but the landscape was never far from our minds. This is a simple photograph of a non-epic scene, but I think that this image of wetland trees has a lot to say about this area and season.

Notice the autumnal colors? In California’s Central Valley, these colors continue right on into winter and even the beginning of the new year. I love the quality of light here, too. The atmosphere in the valley is often a combination of hazy and foggy, producing a soft glow. It also can warm the colors and soften the contrasts of these subjects, producing a kind of quiet beauty that you might not expect here.

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: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Winter Storm Surf

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Winter Storm Surf
“Winter Storm Surf” — Giant winter storm waves crash ashore along the Northern California coast.

At one point while photographing the late-December winter storm surf along California’s coastline, I momentarily hit the light jackpot. While the far horizon was still dark and stormy, a break in the shoreline clouds cast bright sunlight on the surf crashing onto this beach. On a typical day the largest waves here would be more like the one at the bottom of the frame. On this day the biggest waves were huge and loud and sent spray far inland.

Many of us head straight to the coast when conditions like these arise. It is a spectacular thing and not to be missed. At the same time, authorities issue lots of warnings about the dangers. The dangers are real and you certainly want to keep your distance from the sea when it behaves like this. But with a degree of caution you can — and should! — safely watch the show.

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: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Pacific Clouds and Sun

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Pacific Clouds and Sun
“Pacific Clouds and Sun” — The sun breaks through storm clouds above the California Pacific coast.

The most remarkable thing about ocean coasts might be the wildly varied effects of light and color. In some conditions there may be intense blue and green colors or the warm tones of early morning and evening. When light is affected by storms and fog, the colors may drain from the scene. This photograph is an example of the latter situation — believe it or not, this is a color photograph.

Like my other recent seascapes, I made this one during the end-of-year period of historically high tides and giant surf along the California coast. While this photograph doesn’t focus on gigantic, impressive waves breaking near the shore, if you look closely you can see that a large swell is distorting the undulating surface of the water.

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: Central California, Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Nature

Submerged Autumn Leaves

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Submerged Autumn Leaves
Submerged Autumn Leaves” — Autumn cottonwood leaves submerged in a wetland pond.

A confession: Although these are “submerged autumn leaves,” I photographed them on New Year’s Day. We spent the day in the Central Valley with friends, celebrating the new year and photographing birds and landscape. The location is primarily wetlands terrain, but there are cottonwood trees all around, and their colorful leaves were everywhere.

I stopped here after someone told me that they had spotted a single bird of an interesting and rare sort in an easily accessible spot. I spoke to a fellow who told me the bird had gracioiusly posed on a branch for him for ten minutes before flying away. Of course, it was gone when I got there! As I left I crossed a little bridge right where the bird wasn’t. I looked down into the water and spotted these interesting leaves.

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.