Tag Archives: storm

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

The Storm Clears

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The Storm Clears
A Sierra Nevada summer storm clears at sunset.

The Storm Clears. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A Sierra Nevada summer storm clears at sunset.

Before I get too far into the background of this photograph, has anyone else noticed that the ways to title a photograph of (yet another) clearing storm are… limited? That aside, this was one of the most spectacular Sierra backcountry evenings I have experienced. After essentially two days of rain, some of it extremely heavy, the storm finally began to break up in the late afternoon, and we were able to venture out. I began by photographing post-storm fog drifting around the valley, but before long the thinning clouds to the east began to put on a wildly colorful show. As that finished I turned my attention back toward the ridge to our west. The fog and clouds there were breaking up, too, and the very last sunlight of the day back-lit clouds above the crest.

This was not an easy photograph, both to “capture” at that moment and to work with in post. As you may be able to imagine, technical challenges included a very wide dynamic range, great contrasts in coloration, the position of the drifting fog, and more. Among other compensations, now when I look at this photograph I am transported back to the sights and sensations of that wonderful evening.

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: Sierra Nevada

Clearing Storm Clouds

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Clearing Storm Clouds
Blue sky appears as storm clouds dissipate above the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Clearing Storm Clouds. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Blue sky appears as storm clouds dissipate above the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Perhaps the most interesting skies are associated with transitions from one kind of weather to another. This includes not only the arrival of storms but also their departure. If the storm has been large and long, the first hints of its passage bring a feeling of home and light. Thinner areas appear in the cloud cover, in some places the sky becomes more blue than gray, perhaps a bit of sunlight shines through. The storm usually doesn’t depart all at once — more likely in fits and starts as lingering clouds move in and out.

After more than 24 hours of mostly rain, some of it heavy, the clearing finally began in the very late afternoon of the second day of our Sierra backcountry visit. At first we mostly just noticed that the rain had stopped, even though the clouds were thick and gray. We left our tents and wandered out to overlooks, hoping to make some photographs. Gradually the clouds rose higher, and gaps began to appear. Soon a bit of light came over the ridge to our west and the clouds over the lowlands to the east began to break up, revealing blue 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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Trees and Fog, After the Storm

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Trees and Fog, After the Storm
Drifting fog obscures trees in rocky alpine terrain as a Sierra summer storm clears.

Trees and Fog, After the Storm. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Drifting fog obscures trees in rocky alpine terrain as a Sierra summer storm clears.

Later this evening the sky would explode into spectacular color as our storm began to break up and clear. But earlier, when I made this photograph, there were still plenty of clouds around, and much of the surrounding landscape was obscured as they drifted across peaks and ridges, and passed between trees in the forest. I went to a high place with a 360-degree view, set up my camera, and enjoyed the show.

I spent a lot of time focusing on this section of the panorama, a spot where sparse trees were growing on rocky ledges, apparently gaining just enough purchase to put down roots in cracks in the granite. At times the fog would drift back and forth, momentarily revealing details of the trees and even the higher ridges beyond. But when I made this photograph the scene was nearly obscured, and even the frontmost trees were half-hidden by the drifting clouds.

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 | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

After the Storm

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After the Storm
“After the Storm” — Brilliantly colorful clouds above the Eastern Sierra as a summer storm clears at sunset.

Every so often, if you are out in the field enough, nature serves up light and color that can seem almost unreal. These exceptional moments are rare, but they are memorable when they happen. Sometimes they are predictable, but more often they seem to emerge from conditions that don’t seem likely to lead to extraordinary light — the cloudy aftermath of clearing storms, thin clouds that dissipate at sunset to reveal the sky beyond, beams of light that sneak in under a cloud deck. This was one of those times.

After more than twenty-four hours of mostly rainy conditions, the precipitation stopped and the clouds thinned a bit… and we photographers headed out to see what we could find. At first, the conditions were not promising. Low clouds obscured peaks and the light was a bit flat. But before long the clouds began to thin behind peaks to our west, and there was hope that some light might come through. And then, just at sunset — as the sun dropped below the edge of the cloud deck far to the west — the clouds began to glow in shades of red and orange, against a background of darker clouds. and deepening blue sky. I made several photographs of the landscape that included the clouds, but in this one I decided to just let the clouds be the full show.

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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


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