Tag Archives: sidewalk

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

Curving Portico

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Curving Portico
“Curving Portico” — Light spills into a curving portico and walkway in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

I can’t quite put my finger on precisely what it is, but the town of Santiago de Compostela, Spain has a different feeling than many others of about the same size. There are tourists, of course — but many of the visitors are completing a long camino. You’ll see lots of people carrying backpacks, and not the usual traveler’s carry-on luggage packs. Aside from the Cathedral and its large square, the scale of the place fells a bit smaller and more intimate.

In a few areas there are portico-covered walkways. Most streets do not have them, but where they exist they provide welcome shade and escape from the weather. I photographed this example, with lovely soft light shining between the pillars, during a moment when it was completely deserted.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Republica dos Kagados

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Republica dos Kagados
“Republica dos Kagados” — The well-worn front of a building in Coimbra, Portugal.

During our travels this past May (and early June) we spent several weeks in Portugal. We returned to Lisbon and Porto, but we also visited some new (to us) places, one of which was the town of Coimbra. It isn’t the same kind of tourist center as the other two, larger cities — tourists (like us) do visit, but Coimbra perhaps has a few more rough edges. That’s part of its charm.

The popular part of the town, it seems to us, lies between the river and the University, which is perched on top of the tallest hill. (If you walk in Coimbra — and you should — be prepared to do some climbing!) I do not know exactly what this building represents, but its weathered appearance, numerous posters and bits of graffiti, and name caught my attention. (Update: I did find some information on Republica dos Kagados — it is apparently some sort of historic student housing.)

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: People, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman in Sunshine

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Womn in Sunshine
“Woman in Sunshine” — A woman looks upwards in the sunshine, Lisbon.

I made this photograph on our first foray in Lisbon during our visit this past May. If I recall correctly, after arriving late the previous night, we were up (and quite jet-lagged) and out the door to walk some of the surrounding streets. We joined the crowd and made our way down to the popular Praça do Comércio square.

I made this photograph quickly, since photographing such subjects happens in real time — there’s little opportunity to stop and carefully consider. There’s an element of serendipity in such photographs. The right person has to be in the right place and light at the right time, I have to be there, I have to look the right direction, and I have to react quickly.

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

Trogir Building

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Trogir Building
“Trogir Building” — Bicycles are parked in front of a Trogir building in morning light.

A friend and I arrived in Trogir very early in the morning. Our plan was to photograph the city before the daytime tourist crowds arrived. We had already been photographing for some time when I made this photograph in reflected morning light. Much of the city is connected by very narrow passageways, which means things are often in the shadows. But here the city was open enough to allow reflected light to illuminate this building.

This photograph is largely about the beautiful, warm, soft reflected light. But other things play into it as well. To my eye, there is a lot of interesting geometry here — from the triangular shapes of the roof structure to the big rectangles of the windows and doors, and then the finer patterns of the stones in the building and the sidewalk. Yet all of the geometry is broken up by other elements — the curving wire on the roof, the metal cylinder near the right door, and the bicycles.

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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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)