Tag Archives: shadow

Trees, Morning Shadows

Trees, Morning Shadows
A line of trees ascends a rocky slope in monring shadows, Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Trees, Morning Shadows. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A line of trees ascends a rocky slope in monring shadows, Ansel Adams Wilderness.

While taking a morning walk along the creek below our camp I followed the water as it curved around a large flat area, tracing a route along the base of a rocky hill rising toward a much higher ridge. The ridge kept the area in shadow well into the morning, so I decided to photograph in the soft, shaded light just before the first direct sunlight arrived.

So much of what grows in these places is determined by the shape of the landscape. Here the slope was full of old moraine rocks and with boulders that appear to have fallen down from the higher ridge. But where there was a gap in the rocks the trees managed to establish themselves, creating ribbons of green ascending the hillside.


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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Forest and Meadow, Morning Light

Forest and Meadow, Morning Light
The first morning light on a subalpine forest and meadow below rugged High Sierra peaks.

Forest and Meadow, Morning Light. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

The first morning light on a subalpine forest and meadow below rugged High Sierra peaks.

Earlier this week we returned from an extended backcountry visit with friends and fellow photographers. Our goal was to explore and photograph the area around our basecamp… and to spend quality time hanging out during the times of day when the light was less compelling. (Our goal was not to experience the worst Sierra thunderstorm I’ve ever seen, but I digress…) We stayed near a subalpine lake, and from there we wandered off to higher places every day, in search of scenery and light.

Not far above our camp the terrain opened up into glacial bowls that gradually rose above timberline — my favorite sort of Sierra country! On several mornings I followed one of these up a succession of meadows and forested knolls toward the high peaks beyond. I made this photograph just as the first morning light glanced across a rise with larger trees while the more distant slopes remained in shadow.


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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Rock Garden

Rock Garden
Hardy plants grow in a crack at the base of a rocky Sierra Nevada face.

Rock Garden. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Hardy plants grow in a crack at the base of a rocky Sierra Nevada face.

A group of us recently spent a week base-camped at a Sierra Nevada backcountry location, photographing extensively all around our location. It was quite a week — great time with friends, hikes up into beautiful alpine terrain, wild weather, brilliant sunsets, and lots of beautiful subjects to photograph. The spectacular nature of the surrounding terrain, with broad valleys and high rocky peaks, suggested photographs of the monumental landscape. However, there were plenty of more intimate subjects, too.

At some point on almost any excursion like this one I spend time photographing small things, and near the beginning of this trip I spotted some fascinating rocks nearby and made a mental note to devote at least an evening to photographing them. These rocks were quite colorful, with combinations of warm and cool tones. Opportunistic plants grew along the base of the rocks and extended up fractures in the rock.


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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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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Carson Peak, Grant Lake

Carson Peak, Grant Lake
Misty Carson Peak catches the light in the distance beyond the low water of Grant Lake.

Carson Peak, Grant Lake. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Misty Carson Peak catches the light in the distance beyond the low water of Grant Lake.

This photograph comes from an early June visit to the east side of the Sierra Nevada a few years ago. The trip began with a quick pass through Yosemite Valley, where I photographed late dogwood blossoms and other flowers before heading over the crest on Tioga Pass Road for a few days of photography on the other side of the range. On an early trip like this I tend to hit some of the favorites first and then branch out to new locations. This spot is one of those familiar favorites.

As you have probably noticed, the low water in the foreground is a big hint that Grant Lake is there for water management, and that it is not a natural lake. A dark ridge looms beyond the upper end of the lake, framing the familiar view of Carson Peak. It was an afternoon and evening of clouds and some precipitation near the crest, and as the late light hits this peak some remnants of the moisture soften its contours.


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 | Twitter | Flickr | FacebookEmail

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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