Tag Archives: street

Rectangular

Color and Light Patterns
“Rectangular” — Patterns of color and light on an urban building, San Jose, California.

This photograph ties in with a couple of aspects of my photographic practice. I’ve always been fascinated by patterns, shapes, colors, and textures in the abstract. I think this is present even in photographs of mine that are not as clearly geometric as this one. In addition, I often photograph things that might seem mundane — every day places and objects.

Connected to that last point, I often carry a camera with me when I go out for non-photography purposes. I walk a lot — often miles every day. And I virtually never head out on a walk without a camera. Most often it stays in the bag and I don’t make any photographs. But every so often I see an interesting subject and, having the camera with me, I make photographs.


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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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Table and Chairs

Table and Chairs
“Table and Chairs” — A table and chairs under a portico in Santiago de Compostela.

One of the pleasures of (warm-weather) travel in many parts of Europe is sitting at an outdoor table to have a drink or a coffee and watch the world go by. The table and chairs were ideally situated beneath the arch of a portico, perfect for that kind of activity along a narrow street in Santiago de Compostela.

The table was empty, but my photo archive suggests that this was not the case for long. The next photographs in my collection are a series of images of espresso cups and spoons… strongly suggesting that we must have ordered coffee, taken seats at the table, and engaged in precisely that activity.


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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.

Curving Portico

Curving Portico
“Curving Portico” — Light spills into a curving portico and walkway in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

I can’t quite put my finger on precisely what it is, but the town of Santiago de Compostela, Spain has a different feeling than many others of about the same size. There are tourists, of course — but many of the visitors are completing a long camino. You’ll see lots of people carrying backpacks, and not the usual traveler’s carry-on luggage packs. Aside from the Cathedral and its large square, the scale of the place fells a bit smaller and more intimate.

In a few areas there are portico-covered walkways. Most streets do not have them, but where they exist they provide welcome shade and escape from the weather. I photographed this example, with lovely soft light shining between the pillars, during a moment when it was completely deserted.


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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.

Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela

Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela
“Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela” — Morning tourists near the “Fonte de Cabalos” (Fountain of the Horses) in Santiago de Compostela.

The “Fountain of the Horses” (“Fuente de los Caballos“) is a two-centuries-old monument in the Praza das Pratarías, a small square near various sacred buildings in the city. Its name comes from the four horses at the base of the statue. We passed though the square several times during our May visit.

While the fountain was on my mind when I made the photograph, it wasn’t the main thing that I was thinking about. (I mostly thought of it as a compositional element.) I was intrigued by the arrangement of buildings on the street at and around the square and by the morning light coming straight down a narrow street to the left… and also by the positions and colors of the people in the square.


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.