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Tioga Pass and Alternatives as Winter Approaches

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Lots of us northern and central California photographers make trips to the eastern Sierra in the summer and fall – I know that many of you have been there in the past month to photograph aspens and other fall color. For many of us the standard route to the “east side” is through Yosemite National Park and over Tioga Pass on State Highway 120 to Lee Vining and the area near Mono Lake. From here it is a short drive south to Mammoth (about a half hour) and Bishop (an hour) and points south, including Big Pine, Independence, and Lone Pine.

As the fall season arrives and winter weather approaches, Tioga Pass becomes a less reliable route and eventually closes for the season. The seasonal closure typically occurs sometime in late October or in November, though the historical records show that it has happened as late as January 1!

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove

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Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove

Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. August 21, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Beneath the canopy on a foggy afternoon in the Monterey Cypress forest at Allan Memorial Grove, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

(Since this is simply the black and white version of the photograph I just posted earlier, I’m including largely the same text here that I included with the color rendition.)

I am always intrigued by the patterns of the trunks and lower branches of the Monterey cypress trees when I walk through the Allen Memorial Grove at Point Lobos. I’m also intrigued – and challenged – by the nearly monochromatic nature of the scene, especially when fog mutes the light as it did on this afternoon. On the other hand, the fog also softens and diffuses the light and decreases the contrast between the light parts of the trees and the shadows.

It was in such conditions that I made this photograph in August on a very foggy – and getting foggier! – late afternoon. When I made the exposure I was pretty sure I would make a black and white print from this scene but I also kept open the option of a color version. When I worked up the two versions later I was surprised that to find that I liked the color version more than expected, so I made prints of both the color and black and white versions and lived with them a bit.

In the end I decided that this black and white version works best as a print… I think. (I also have to point out that this photograph relies a lot of the inclusion of a ton of fine detail that just plain isn’t going to be visible in the small jpg version I can post online. Ah, well!)

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Web: G Dan Mitchell Photography
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keywords: monterey, cypress, tree, forest, grove, trunk, group, branch, afternoon, fog, pattern, point, lobos, state, reserve, california, usa, peninsula, big sur, carmel, pacific, coast, ocean, nature, flora, park, allen, memorial, trail, hike, walk, landscape, travel, scenic, stick, twig, stock, black and white

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove

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Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove

Monterey Cypress, Allan Memorial Grove. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. August 21, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Beneath the canopy on a foggy afternoon in the Monterey Cypress forest at Allan Memorial Grove, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

I am always intrigued by the patterns of the trunks and lower branches of the Monterey cypress trees when I walk through the Allen Memorial Grove at Point Lobos. I’m also intrigued – and challenged – by the nearly monochromatic nature of the scene, especially when fog mutes the light as it did on this afternoon. On the other hand, the fog also softens and diffuses the light and decreases the contrast between the light parts of the trees and the shadows.

It was in such conditions that I made this photograph in August on a very foggy – and getting foggier! – late afternoon. When I made the exposure I was pretty sure I would make a black and white print from this scene but I also kept open the option of a color version. When I worked up the two versions later I was surprised that to find that I liked this color version more than expected, so I made prints of both the color and black and white versions and lived with them a bit.

In the end I decided that the black and white version works best… I think. I’ll post it next. (I also have to point out that this photograph relies a lot of the inclusion of a ton of fine detail that just plain isn’t going to be visible in the small jpg version I can post online. Ah, well!)

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Web: G Dan Mitchell Photography
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gdanmitchell
Friendfeed: http://friendfeed.com/gdanmitchell
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gdanmitchell

keywords: monterey, cypress, tree, forest, grove, trunk, group, branch, afternoon, fog, pattern, point, lobos, state, reserve, california, usa, peninsula, big sur, carmel, pacific, coast, ocean, nature, flora, park, allen, memorial, trail, hike, walk, landscape, travel, scenic, stick, twig, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Cypress Trees in Fog #2

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Cypress Trees in Fog #2

Cypress Trees in Fog #2. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. August 21, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Cypress trees and rocks in fog, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

Once I finally admitted that the sun was not going to come out before sunset – which would have been obvious to anyone who did not arrive at Point Lobos with my incorrect preconceptions about the day’s weather – I set about making photographs of subjects that were made more interesting by the fog.

This tree is one that I’ve walked past many times while shooting along the northwest portion of the park just to the “right” of the Punta de los Lobos Marinos and in an area of trails along the bluffs and through Monterey Pine groves. Usually the scene right here is pretty complicated, with many trees, lots of rocks and so forth – but on this evening the fog simplified things, fading all parts of the scene except for this one closer tree growing on top of the rocks.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Web: G Dan Mitchell Photography
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gdanmitchell
Friendfeed: http://friendfeed.com/gdanmitchell
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gdanmitchell

keywords: monterey, cypress, tree, fog, mist, cloud, pinnacle, point, hill, cliff, rock, bluff, shore, seascape, pacific, ocean, peninsula, california, usa, carmel, sea, rugged, point, lobos, state, reserve, park, landscape, nature, travel, scenic, stock, stump, snag, water, foam