Tag Archives: sky

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetlands, Winter Clouds and Fog

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Wetlands, Winter Clouds and Fog
“Wetlands, Winter Clouds and Fog” — Winter clouds and fog mute the colors and details of a wetland landscape.

Who can resist the symmetry of clouds and their reflections in still water? I know I cannot. I have photographed such things many times, but more typically the photographs feature some kind of overpowering sky — thunderstorms or a brilliantly colorful sunrise or sunset. (In fact, I’ve made a few of the latter at this very location.) But here I wanted to focus on something different, a subject that suggests the quiet and stillness of this wetlands landscape.

It was a foggy winter morning. As the fog began to thin the high clouds and their reflections became visible, although the horizon just beyond the rushes was still obscured by tule fog. Aside from the sounds of birds, it was quiet. The air was nearly still, and the scene was almost static — though to be accurate, it was simply changing very slowly.

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: Scotland, Photographs: Travel

Shoreline Trees, Loch Lochy

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Shoreline Trees, Loch Lochy
“Shoreline Trees, Loch Lochy” Tall shoreline trees at Loch Lochy, Scotland.

To this Californian, familiar with rugged Sierra Nevada landscapes and the dry and golden terrain of Western summer, Scotland was a surprising contrast. With the exception of the high, open terrain, much of the country we visited was lush and green and downright bucolic. The closest American analog that comes to mind for me is some of the coastal sections of Washington state or even some areas of southern Alaska.

The Great Glen Way follows a historic system connecting long lakes (or “lochs’) with sections of the Caledonian Canal. This provides a water route between Inverness and Fort William. In this photograph we see Loch Lochy, the first of the three lochs along our northward walk. (The other two are the much smaller Loch Oich and the gigantic Loch Ness.)

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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

Ponderosa Pines, Mono Basin

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Ponderosa Pines, Mono Basin
“Ponderosa Pines, Mono Basin” — A group of ponderosa pines on slopes leading toward Mono Lake in distant haze.

Mono Lake is a remarkable place. Lying in a relatively high, desert basin, it covers a huge area. It is so big that it is just about impossible to get a solid impression of its vast size. While you can drive past its west side and access a few spots along the north and south shores, much of it is essentially inaccessible, at least without a lot of very difficult travel. Because its level has fluctuated over time, much of the surrounding area has been submerged in the past, and the evidence of this is everywhere.

The lake itself is set in an even larger basin surrounded by mountains — the Sierra to the west and various desert ranges to the north, east, and south. I made this photograph near the base of one of those, the Mono Craters. Here an extensive ponderosa pine forest spills down from the heights and spreads across the shallower slopes of the basin, eventually fading out within sight of the lake. These trees are some of the furthest vanguards of that forest. Beyond you see the final descent the lake, the lake itself, and in the far distance the faint outlines of distant desert mountains.

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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Cloudscape

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Winter Cloudscape
“Winter Cloudscape” — Clouds and their reflections produce a minimalist landscape on a foggy winter morning in Central California.

Recently I went back and reviewed photographs from the winter migratory bird season, a time when I head to California’s Central Valley as frequently as possible. The birds are the trigger for this annual focus, but my interests go well beyond the wildlife. I’m fascinated by the flat, wide-open landscape, the immense sky, the long views, and the fantastic tule fogs. “Normal” people steer clear on foggy days out there, but that’s my cue to head to the Valley!

This morning began with fairly thick fog. But as is common, it began to clear shortly after sunrise. This is a slow process. The fog may thin in one area but remain impenetrable nearby, or after clearing it may drift back again. Because tule fog isn’t very deep, the sky above is often visible before the surrounding land. That’s the case here, as the soft overhead winter clouds are visible against a blue sky, even as the horizon is obscured by fog. One thing that seems magical about these scenes is that almost nothing is solid and tangible — it is a vague landscape of mist, clouds, and reflections.

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.