Tag Archives: sunset

Photographs: Mono Lake Basin

Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters

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Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters
“Sunset Clouds, Mono Craters” — The last sunset light on clouds above Mono Craters.

This ridge is comprised of the Mono Craters, a string of volcanic cones running roughly south from Mono Lake east of the Sierra Nevada. We don’t typically think of the Sierra as a volcanic range, but there are quite a few examples of volcanism to be seen once you get to know the area. If you head over the Sierra to Lee Vining and then turn south you will see a lot of evidence of this. You begin with the islands in Mono Lake, then. see another cinder cone just south of the lake. The Mono Craters rise just south of highway 120 as it heads out into the lonely basin and range country. Continuing south you pass several impressive cones and lava flows on your way to Mammoth Lakes, where Mammoth Peak rises — yes, another volcanic feature. From there, if you hike south you can see the string continue.

I was here at the end of September on a sort of “getting reacquainted with the Sierra” trip after returning from ten weeks of overseas travel. That travel was wonderful, but it was great to be back ”home” in California’s mountains. On this evening I was photographing an absolutely wild sunset over Mono Lake, and as a sort of side-show I saw this lovely light over the craters as the last light illuminated clouds and remnants of falling rain.

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: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Mountains and Dunes, Sunset

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Mountains and Dunes, Sunset
“Mountains and Dunes, Sunset” — Evening light on desert mountains with sand dunes in shadow, Death Valley.

Until you spend time there, it is possible to imagine that the terrain of Death Valley corresponds to traditional notions of “desert” — vast open and flat areas largely filled with sand. There are sand dunes, of course, but they cover a very tiny fraction of the entire park. There are open, flat areas that are not dunes, but they also are arguably not the area’s main feature. But everywhere there are mountains, and the arid landscape lays bare their forms.

I was in what are perhaps the best-known Death Valley dunes on this evening. I arrived in the late afternoon when the light was still strong, planning to be in an interesting location when the shadows of the Cottonwood Range would sweep across the flatlands before sunset. I made this photograph just after that happened, and while the dunes are in shadow there is strong and warmly-colored side light on the more distant mountains.

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: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Evening Clouds, Desert Mountains

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Evening Clouds, Desert Mountains
“Evening Clouds, Desert Mountains” — Three clouds in evening light above desert mountains, Death Valley.

On most of my visits to Death Valley there are many days of perfectly clear skies. That might sound great, especially if you are in a rainy or cloudy place. But for most photographers it is far preferable to have something interesting going on in the sky. Give me some thin overcast, cloud streaks before a storm , a snow squall among mountain peaks, or a dramatic thunderhead any time. On this trip I was lucky, getting most of the things in that list, including this sunset cloud formation.

When photographing in Death Valley I often make location decision as much by looking at the weather conditions as by considering subjects. If I have a choice between two subjects and one will likely be in good light, the decision is easy. And sometimes the light itself becomes the subject. That is almost the case here, as the end-of-day light is very muted on the desert mountains, yet just bright and colorful enough to enhance the 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 | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Dunes Detail, Sunset

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Dunes Detail, Sunset
“Dunes Detail, Sunset” — Sunset light on sand dunes, Death Valley.

Sand dunes are a source of endless fascination to photographers. They provide a sort of workshop in light, texture, composition, and associations. They can be purely abstract, but their forms can also suggest many other things — human figures, water, mountains, and so much more. When photographing dunes you can play with the relationship between the abstractions and the real, perhaps choosing to incorporate bits of elements — plants, tracks, etc. — blur the line between the abstractions and the real.

Dunes change appearance greatly depending on the time of day and the atmospheric conditions. In some sense, they are a sort of canvas on which light paints. At times the shadows can be deep and even stark, but in soft light they can be almost as light as the highlights. It is hard to say with certainty what color dunes are. In the middle of the day they may seem almost colorless, but when they pick up the colors of sky and golden hour light they may become subtly colorful.

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 | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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