Tag Archives: sidewalk

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Bike Rack and Wall

Image September 16, 2023 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

This photograph comes from a less-traveled (at least by tourists) back street in Bologna, Italy, in a neighborhood of narrow streets and walkways that seems like it might be where some of the locals actually live. There was, indeed, more street art and graffiti in this neighborhood, though this is perhaps an extreme example.

Several things drew me to this scene. Oddly, one of them was the connection between the light here and light that I have photographed in the narrow sandstone canyons of the American Southwest, where light bounces back and forth between reddish walls and acquires a warm softness. But the rest of the scene is, obviously, nothing like those natural landscape. a phalanx of bicycles crowds a wide rack, and the wall behind and above is plastered with a wild array of posters and graffiti.

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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Venice Restaurant, Evening

Image September 12, 2023 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

When we visited Venice in August we stayed perhaps no more than a five-minute walk from this scene. Our little hotel was in a quiet spot without the tourist hubbub that characterizes the popular areas of this city, but we were only a few minutes away from busier areas. We often passed through the square where this restaurant is located as we headed to a bridge across a canal. It was an interesting place, but until this evening I never quite saw how I wanted to photograph it.

We had been out late — I don’t recall the details now, but it probably involved looking for a place to eat late dinner. For some reason I was “in the zone” for night photography on this evening, and I carried my small camera as we walked, making spontaneous photographs along the way. We were headed back toward our hotel, and after we crossed that familiar bridge I spotted the table set up outside this restaurant, mostly illuminated by light spilling out from the indoor seating area, and I made a couple of quick exposures as we passed by.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Accept Or Join The Fight

Image September 5, 2023 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A wall with graffiti and politcal slogans at night in San Sebastian, Spain

This photograph is from Donostia San Sebastián, Spain — made during a nighttime walk through a lively district of popular bars, pintxos places, and more. (We are now great fans of the pintxos scene.) Having said that, this particular spot obviously wasn’t the most lively, being in a small square mostly lacking such businesses, but having plenty of interesting forms, lighting, colors and textures.

Back home I often avoid including graffiti in my urban photographs, but here it was hard to avoid and it seemed like an aspect of the place. I think that it was the light, colors, and forms that initially caught my attention, and it wasn’t until we got home and I began to work on these photographs that I looked up a translation of the Basque language slogan on the left door: “Accept what is there or join the fight.”

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: Italy, Photographs: Travel

Trattorria Pennello

Image September 3, 2023 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

Tuscan sun on the front of Trattoria Pennello, Florence, Italy.

As a dedicated fan of weathered surfaces, angular shapes, textures, and interesting color combinations… there is no shortage of photographic targets in Italy. Although this photograph comes from busy Florence/Firenze, with a bit of patience and good luck I was able to photograph this little scene without people.

The light is also special here. At times it can be soft-edged, especially if the humidity is high and/or there are some clouds. But in the middle of the day there can also be an appealing sharp-edged quality, too, that accentuates the textures and shadows.