Tag Archives: sun

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Redwood Forest and Ferns

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Redwood Forest and Ferns

Redwood Forest and Ferns. Muir Woods National Monument, California. February 29, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Ferns carpet the forest floor beneath redwood trees at Muir Woods National Monument, California.

I spent a lot of time shooting in this particular spot at along the trail at Muir Woods. I had been on the other side of the creek when I noticed some interesting light striking the trunks of the trees, light that was filtered through both the forest canopy and the developing overcast from an approaching Pacific weather system. I crossed the creek and found this scene, set up a shot, and waited. Most of the time the light was pretty flat, but occasionally the clouds would thin a bit and the light would light the trees a bit. While I was waiting I realized that there was a fire-hollowed tree nearby that is apparently one of those “photo opportunities” that everyone simply must stop for! Couples and small groups were virtually lined up to stand in the hollow of the tree and have their photograph taken. So I did as I often do when I’m waiting for light… I offered to shoot a few shots for these folks using their cameras: “Hey, would you both like to be in the shot?” Many seem a bit surprised that the “Guy With The Tripod” would do this, and I enjoy the pleased reactions – though I’m often slightly embarrassed by my inability to operate their point and shoot cameras! ;-)

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.

keywords: muir, woods, national, monument, park, marin, forest, nature, california, usa, redwood, forest, fern, grove, tree, trunk, moss, bush, sun, light, nature, landscape, foliage, travel, scenic, stock

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert

Panamint Range, Light Beams

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Panamint Range, Light Beams

Panamint Range, Light Beams. Death Valley National Park, California. April 2, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Light beams over the Panamint Range beyond the salt flats, Death Valley National Park, California.

Last April (2008) I was in DV for few days to photograph all around the area. One afternoon my brother and I drove to the south with a plan of photographing the salt formations near Badwater in the late afternoon and early evening light. As we got there we saw these tremendous light beams (a.k.a. “God Light”) coming through the clouds that had gathered over the ridge of the Panamint range to the west, and illuminating the arroyos along the east side of the range and occasionally the valley floor in the distance.

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.

keywords: salt, flats, death, valley, national park, playa, light, beams, god light, panamint, mountains, range, telescope, peak, ridge, atmospheric recession, clouds, sun, light, snow, arroyo, wash, sky, scenic, travel, landscape, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Winter Cattails and Grasses

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Winter Cattails and Grasses

Winter Cattails and Grasses. Calero Hills, California. February 1, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter cattails and grasses at Calero Hills, California.

At the start of today’s “photo hike” at Calero Park I walked to Castillero Pond. I had the 100-400 lens on my camera, anticipating that there might be some birds to photograph at the pond. When I arrived there weren’t really any interesting bird subjects, but I went ahead and used the long lens to shoot these plants alongside the pond, since the long focal length does a fine job of isolating a subject and throwing the background out of focus.

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.

keywords: cat, tail, cattail, grass, blade, stem, leaf, bokeh, blur, seed, fuzz, sun, light, morning, brown, golden, castillero, pond, calero, hills, county, park, santa clara, nature, foliage, landscape, winter, stock, california, usa, dry, drop, droplet

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

Flock of Pelicans in Flight

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Flock of Pelicans in Flight

Flock of Pelicans in Flight. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. January 25, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A flock of a half dozen pelicans in flight approachs with partly cloudy sky beyond, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

Getting this shot required preparation, the use of particular photographic equipment, quick reactions… and, as always when wildlife is concerned, a fair amount of dumb luck.

I am fascinated by the pelicans found along the Pacific coastline. For me they seem to stand apart from the other seabirds – they are bigger, their flight pattern is different, and they somehow look prehistoric when they coast by. I’m certainly no bird expert, but I’ve watched these birds enough to start to pick up on certain patterns that help me when I try to photograph them. One of the most important things I discovered is that successive groupings tend to fly almost identical paths near the coast. If you locate one of these spots and are patient and prepared, there is a very good chance that you’ll have a chance at photographing them.

On this occasion I was at Point Lobos and I had driven down to the south end of the park road and parked at the trailhead for Bird Island and China Beach. Originally I had planned to shoot seascapes, but the conditions were not quite what I had in mind, so I decided to pay more attention to the birds. Right by this parking lot there is a small cove, and along its left side as you face the sea there is a small and somewhat low peninsula of land extending seaward a bit. As I was unloading the car the first flock came by, seemingly only a few feet from the edge of the bluff. Because they were flying into a stiff wind they were not only close to the shore by they also coasted by very slowly. Needless to say, I quickly put on the long lens (100-400mm), grabbed my tripod, and took up a position opposite this peninsula and waited for the next group to come over. As luck would have it, not only did they come over – flying almost directly toward my camera position – but the clouds cleared enough to light them but stuck around enough to provide an interesting background! (Like I wrote earlier, luck…)

In this shot there is something about that bird at the upper left with wings aloft and slightly separated from the rest of the group (with their wings horizontal or lower) and, lucky for me, I managed to get the focus right on this bird. In the large version you can actually see the reflection in the eye of the bird.

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.

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