Tag Archives: shrouded

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Wildlife

Tundra Swans, Mount Shasta

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Tundra Swans, Mount Shasta
Tundra swans fly in front of distant cloud-shrouded Mount Shasta

Tundra Swans, Mount Shasta. Klamath Basin, California. February 12, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Tundra swans fly in front of distant cloud-shrouded Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta is one of those special mountains that stands alone and above all around it. In land that rarely exceeds a few thousand feet in elevation, this peak soars to over 14,000′, only a bit shorter than Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the Lower 48 States. While Mount Whitney is nestled into a very high section of the Sierra Crest, along with other peaks and ridges of nearly the same height, nothing near Shasta is remotely near as tall. Its bulk soars above the rest of the landscape, especially when it is covered in winter snows — and the clouds that build over its summit can make it seem even larger. As we like to point out, the peak is so big that it makes its own weather.

The peak is clearly visible from this area of the Klamath Basin, and it is the first thing to catch the morning light. While out in this immense valley photographing tundra swans I noticed that some flocks along the far side of the valley were passing in front of the peak, and I started tracking them to see if any would cross the mountain at the right elevation. As I saw a flock far to my northwest, I would begin to track it along the horizon, hoping that it would pass in front of the peak and be high enough to clear the lower and darker mountains, yet not so high as to be far above the peak.

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 and Amazon.
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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Mouth of the Little Sur River

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Mouth of the Little Sur River
Mouth of the Little Sur River

Mouth of the Little Sur River. Big Sur Coast, California. May 26, 2014. © Copyright 2014 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The Little Sur river empties into the Pacific Ocean beneath the fog-shrouded mountains of the Big Sur coastline

It has been a very busy month or so, and since my early April trip to Death Valley, aside from a quick one-day visit to Tioga Pass on opening weekend, there has been less time for photography than I would like. I finally managed to find time to break away today, and I had enough desire to photograph that I was even willing to chance the Memorial Day traffic… along the Big Sur coast. I was up very early and on the road while most people were probably sleeping in, and as I passed Carmel and headed south it wasn’t all that crowded for such a day. However, after my first hour or two of photography, the crowds began to show up. I had decided that my plan would be to get the heck out of there before this happened, and as I turned back to the north I congratulated myself on not being in the traffic jam heading south on the coast highway. My joy was short-lived, however, and the rest of my return drive took at least twice as long as usual!

But, anything to get out for a morning along this coast! It was supposed to be warm along this section of the California coast today, and there wasn’t as much fog as usual. However, right in this area a stubborn bank of fog clung to the ridges of the Big Sur mountains, and as I drove along this section of the road the temperature dropped into the fifties and the wind blew like crazy. I almost didn’t stop at this overlook above the lagoon at the outlet of the Little Sur river, thinking that the wind might simply make it impossible to get a shot with the quality I wanted, but the beautiful curve in the green water of the lagoon, the fog bank, and the whitecaps on the deep blue Pacific convinced me to stop and give it a try.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Clearing Storm, Morning Light

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Clearing Storm, Morning Light - Clearing storm clouds and morning light on sandstone towers, Zion National Park
Clearing storm clouds and morning light on sandstone towers, Zion National Park

Clearing Storm, Morning Light. Zion National Park, Utah. October 13, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Clearing storm clouds and morning light on sandstone towers, Zion National Park

We had arrived in Zion the day before, driving through rain across lower Utah and upper Arizona, stopping to photograph here and there including the still-wet upper elevation areas of Zion. On this morning we got up relatively early so that we could be on one of the first shuttles up into the canyon, and the day began with sun coming through breaks in the remaining clouds from the previous day’s rain. In my view, clouds in Zion canyon are not usually all that conducive to photography, since I tend to rely on the diffused midday light coming from open sky to light up my subjects, which are often found in the shade. Clouds can produce too much shade and move the color balance away from the warm tones of daylight and toward the dark and blue tones.

On the other hand, I love sunlight broken and muted by clouds, especially if they are moving and are a bit transparent. I love shooting in Yosemite Valley when winter storms or fog are swirling around the Valley’s walls and spires, alternately revealing and hiding bits of the cliffs. As we rode the shuttle into Zion Canyon, with a vague plan of heading toward the middle or upper part of the canyon, I looked up to see that same sort of effect high on the cliffs along the west side of lower Zion Canyon – early morning sun was shining through breaks in clouds that swirled around the upper cliffs, alternately revealing and concealing their form. Plans change, and we quickly hopped off the shuttle. I put the long lens on the camera and spent a few minutes exploring this subject.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Cloud Shrouded Cliffs and Snow, Yosemite Valley

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Cloud Shrouded Cliffs and Snow, Yosemite Valley - Late season clouds shroud snow-covered cliffs high above Yosemite Valley, California.
Late season clouds shroud snow-covered cliffs high above Yosemite Valley, California.

Cloud Shrouded Cliffs and Snow, Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park, California. April 15, 2012. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Late season clouds shroud snow-covered cliffs high above Yosemite Valley, California.

Among my very favorite conditions in Yosemite Valley are those of winter or late-spring days when there is snow along the cliffs high above the Valley and clouds float along the cliff tops alternately revealing and hiding trees, cliffs, and granite spires. The story behind this photograph is, as is often the case, one of being distracted from the obvious thing by some other small thing that I could have overlooked if I hadn’t looked in the right direction at the right moment.

I was in the Yosemite Valley area for a day, primarily to shoot wildflowers in Merced Canyon below the park. Between my morning and evening shooting along the Merced, I headed up into the Valley to see what I could find. Frankly, although it is always beautiful to be in the Valley, I wasn’t seeing much of anything that inspired me to make photographs. I enjoyed my time there, but eventually decided to go to a slightly different area to see what I could find. On my way back to the Valley from that other place, I passed through Wawona Tunnel, had some extra time, and decided to at least pull out briefly at tunnel view and have a look around. The scene is always tremendous, with the astonishing Valley and all of its impossible features spread before you – but it isn’t always worth trying to turn this into a photograph. I’m spoiled enough that I don’t always even take the camera out when I stop there, and this was one of those days. I left my gear in the car and just walked to the overlook to, well, look for a minute before driving on. I have a habit of looking all around when I’m in such a place since sometimes a subject can be found that is not the primary iconic thing. So I looked around… and high above and way off to the side I saw the clouds gathering around a few of the granite spires, with an occasional beam of light shining through. Ignoring the Valley itself, I now quickly returned to my car, put a long lens on the camera, put the camera on the tripod… and from the back of my car and in the parking lot (sigh… ;-) I made a series of photographs of these fog-shrouded snowy cliffs.

I understand that this weekend a number of photographers, including quite a few that I know, will assemble in the Valley for a “photo walk.” I won’t be there, since I have another thing that I have to attend to elsewhere. So consider this photograph to be my “best wishes for a great shoot.” Oh, and it is also a personal photographic celebration of the fact that Tioga Pass will open on Monday, making the high country my home away from home for many days over the next few months.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email

Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.