Tag Archives: stone

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

Narrow Street, Santiago de Compostela

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“Narrow Street, Santiago de Compostela” — A narrow, deserted street winds through Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Not all of Santiago de Compostela, Spain looks like this scene, but if you visit and wander around the historic old part of town you will find such places. The primary streets, although also narrow, can be quite busy at times. But off to the side are little streets and passageways that are far less crowded, especially at the right times of day.

This is an exceptionally narrow street. You are not going to drive a car here — a scooter perhaps. The buildings are old enough that they have acquired some off-kilter qualities, with walls leaning slightly.

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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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Boulders, Tuolumne Meadows

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“Boulders, Tuolumne Meadows” — Large granite boulders strewn across Tuolumne Meadows.

This is another of those locations that are best photographed very early or very late in the day, and preferably without the distraction s of large groups of photographers. It was evening, and I drove to Tuolumne Meadows from my camp to look for quiet light on meadows, boulders, and domes.

The Meadows are beautiful in the late-day light, which softens and can turn golden. Here a pile of large rocks, almost certainly glacial erratics, dominates the scene, and light from the setting sun comes from just outside the camera’s frame. In the distance we see peaks of the Cathedral Range.

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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

Window 15

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Window 15
“Window 15” — A window in a stone wall in the Alfama, Lisbon.

This is another photograph from our stroll through Lisbon’s Alfama district — the oldest part of the city, and a place of narrow, twisting walkways and steep hills. It is also an area with a history of poverty. Here a window is open to reveal plants growing in pots.

I have a theory about a difference between dwellings in places like this and in American suburbia. In the US, where people may have front yards, a few trees, and possibly a single-family dwelling, they use that front space to present themselves — decorating, maintaining, and designing it with appearance in mind. In places like Alfama, the opportunities to do this area far more limited — and my notion is that perhaps more attention is spent on the interior space and that front exterior is often left as 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” (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.)

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Stairs, Parque de la Alameda

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Stairs, Parque de la Alameda
“Stairs, Parque de la Alameda” — A person on stairs at th Parque de la Alameda, Santiago de Compostela

While visiting Santiago de Compostela this past spring we wandered a bit outside the confines of the central old town, including a visit to the Parque de la Alameda. The large park is easy to access and features everything from statues to groves of trees and (at least during our visit) a carnival. Its open spaces provided a pleasant break from the narrow and sometimes crowded streets of the old part of town.

Our walk began on a wide route passing beneath groves of large, old trees. Eventually we arrived at a sort of platform at the top of these old stairs, which lead to a lower terrace of gardens. While all of the forms in this scene would be quite “square” and angular if viewed from directly above, here the effects of a lower angle and looking downward distort that regularly in fascinating ways.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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.