Tag Archives: sky

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Surf, Rocks, Clearing Fog

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Surf, Rocks, Clearing Fog
Morning fog begins to clear over rocky islands along the Pacific coast.

Surf, Rocks, Clearing Fog. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning fog begins to clear over rocky islands along the Pacific coast.

One of my habits is, when possible, to head for the Pacific Coast sound of Monterey early in the morning, especially on days when I think that there will be coastal fog and it will likely clear at some point during the morning. The thickest fog can be dramatic, but it can also kill the light — but when it starts to clear and the light begins to come into the scene, the effects can be glorious. The fog may glow, colors on the water and hills can be enhanced, and views of the sky above the fog begin to emerge.

On this late-March morning I decided to make a stop at Point Lobos, where a big, early-spring surf was making things interesting. From a great distance I photographed this scene with a long lens as big breakers swept over the edges of the rocky islands and as the fog began to thin and reveal blue sky above.

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: Northern California, Photographs: San Francisco

Late Winter Morning , Richardson Bay

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Late Winter Morning , Richardson Bay
Clouds and fog about Richardson Bay and San Francisco Bay on a winter morning.

Late Winter Morning , Richardson Bayv. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Clouds and fog about Richardson Bay and San Francisco Bay on a winter morning.

This photograph comes from a late-winter visit to redwoods north of San Francisco — the time of year where the trillium flowers are in bloom and when the approach of spring is evident. I had crossed the Golden Gate Bridge heading north, then left US 101 and climbed into the hills between there and the coast. From a familiar section of roadway there is a clear view back toward the Bay, so I stopped and photographed in the morning light.

The atmosphere was striking on this morning — a combination of backlight glinting on the water’s surface, low fog over the east bay, and odd band of bright clouds floating over the scene, and high above some slightly colored high clouds. In the foreground is Richardson Bay, between Sausalito and Tiburon, and beyond it is possibly to make out portions of the old eastern span of the Bay Bridge.

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: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Geese, Dusk Sky

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Geese, Dusk Sky
A group of geese departs into winter dusk sky above California’s Central Valley.

Geese, Dusk Sky. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A group of geese departs into winter dusk sky above California’s Central Valley.

The endings of these winter days out in the wetlands photographing birds and Central Valley landscapes can be as magical as their beginnings. The ideal morning begins with thick fog that gradually thins as the sun rises, and there is an excitement about the possibilities of the day ahead. The ideal evening extends until it is almost too dark to see, and hopefully features beautiful twilight color and, with luck, a few last opportunities to photograph birds. It is a time of winding down, of quiet, and perhaps some contemplation or a few final moments with friends before heading home.

On this evening we had very intense sky color to the west, most likely on a day when the air never did completely clear. We kept photographing as the sun set, and as it got darker I continued to make a few final photographs. A small group of geese lifted off from a nearby pond in the cold evening air, flying away against a backdrop of trees, hills, and twilight sky.

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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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.

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Taking to the Air

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Taking to the Air
A flock of migratory geese takes flight on a foggy winter morning.

Taking to the Air. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A flock of migratory geese takes flight on a foggy winter morning.

This photograph comes from quite a few years back, so I may be manufacturing what seems like a reasonably clear memory of this morning. Perhaps I’ve experienced so many that they merge into a type rather than a specific day. But I recall it as one of those times when I arrived to find a large group of geese still settled in on a pond. Before long, they began departing in small groups — not a gigantic unified lift-off.

Judging from the camera information on photograph it was a very foggy morning. Although it was a couple hours after my pre-dawn arrival, the sky is still foggy, which suggests that the tule fog had been dense when I arrived. Such winter days, which begin in opaque atmosphere that lingers for hours, are my favorites in places like this.

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.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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.