Tag Archives: state

Photographs: Coastal Redwoods, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Redwood National & State Parks

Redwood Forest Trail, Rhododendron Flowers

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Redwood Forest Trail, Rhododendron Flowers
Rhododendron flowers liine a trail through Northern California redwood forest.

Redwood Forest Trail, Rhododendron Flowers. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Rhododendron flowers liine a trail through Northern California redwood forest.

Late on this June day we went back to this trail that we had visited earlier. We knew that the rhododendrons were in bloom here, that it featured a dark and thick forest, and that there could be glowing light from the west at this time of day. We entered the forest as the light was diminishing — which happens here well before sunset — and hiked a short distance to scope out the possibilities.

As the light began to diminish we turned back toward the trailhead, which was not far away, and we walked back through lush growth and past a section of forest thick with those seasonal blooms. I stopped here to photograph, noticing the graceful branch arching above the trail and the flowers beyond — but also because it seemed like such a typical scene along the trails of these forests, with soft-light, plenty of quiet, and growth everywhere.

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

Sea Stacks, Pacific Coast

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Sea stacks along the upper Big Sur coastline

Sea Stacks, Pacific Coast. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sea stacks along the upper Big Sur coastline.

California’s Pacific coastline is a sort of “home base” for me. Despite being born in landlocked Minnesota, I’ve lived within less than an hour of the coast since I was four-years-old. My childhood memories include trips to Santa Cruz, Monterey, and points north and south. One of our favorites was visiting the Point Lobos tide pools.

Many visitors to the coast come hoping to see beautiful blue sky days with warm sun. Those are not my favorite conditions — I prefer a good winter storm or the right kind of fog. But this photograph was made on one of those days back in April of this year. Following a wet winter, this was one of those glorious early-spring days when even I welcome the sunshine along this coast!

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.

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Coastal Redwoods, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Redwood National & State Parks

Starflower and Redwood Sorrel

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Starflower and Redwood Sorrel
Redwood sorrel and starflower plants growing beneath coast redwood trees.

Starflower and Redwood Sorrel. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Redwood sorrel and starflower plants growing beneath coast redwood trees.

Let’s continue a bit longer with the redwood forest floor focus. We visited several of the components of the Redwood National And State Parks this past June on a weeklong foray coastal Northern California. (And beyond — we briefly made it some distance up the Oregon coast.) On this morning we passed a side road with an intriguing name and spontaneously decided to take it. Leaving behind a somewhat crowded area, the narrow road soon took us upwards and deeper into the forest where there were almost no other people. Finally we stopped, got out, and started walking into the forest. It was the best that these redwood forests have to offer: the giant trees, flowing water, cool air, thick greenery, and soft light.

Photographing in these places can pose some surprising challenges. I generally photograph there early or late in the day, mostly to avoid stray beams of light that can seem intently bright against the backdrop of much darker forest. In fact, the forest can be so dark that surprisingly long exposures are often required. For various reasons, this photograph required a four-second exposure! You may already be guessing that this poses yet another problem, namely that in all but the most incredibly still conditions plants move subtly if the air moves at all.

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.

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Coastal Redwoods, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Redwood National & State Parks

Redwood Forest Plants

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Redwood Forest Plants
New growth among the plants growing on the dark forest floor beneath redwood trees

Redwood Forest Plants. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

New growth among the plants growing on the dark forest floor beneath redwood trees.

The gigantic trees are, obviously, a primary attraction in Northern California’s remarkable redwood forests. Having been brought up around them, I sometimes forget how unusual and striking they are. Two things remind me. One is when I see someone entering these forests for the first time, not quite believing what they are seeing. Another is when I leave the redwood forest and again see “normal” trees… which now seem very small! One advantage that comes with many years in the redwoods is that it becomes more possible to look away from the huge trees (though they are always in your thoughts) and take in smaller and things, and elements that are more subtle… like these delicate new leaves growing in the shadow of these trees.

As I worked on this photograph I thought about the process of photographing in the landscape. It can be a difficult thing to describe: What am I looking for? What causes me to stop and make a photograph? What is my state of mind when I’m working? Do I work slowly or quickly? (The answer to the last question is, “yes.”) But one thing is certain — the process is more about looking than about photographing. Those who have been with me in such places sometimes report being mildly annoyed by my slow, stop-and-start progress though the landscape. I’m constantly on the lookout for some subject, some light, some juxtaposition of shapes and forms. Most of the time when I spot something and stop… it turns out not to be worthy of a photograph. So I keep looking until I find “it,” whatever “it” is.

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.

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.