Tag Archives: towers

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir

Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis Reservoir
“Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir” — The Manhattan skyline below Central Park from the Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis Reservoir.

Last fall we were in New York for family visits and to see a performance at the Metropolitan Opera. It was a lovely autumn day in Manhattan so we went for a long walk. We typically stay at a place a bit to the west of the Park, and our mornings often include walks there in one form or another. This time we headed further north from our usual routes and ended up walking around this manmade lake.

When I think of Central Park, this reservoir isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. To me it is more about lawns and trees and curving pathways, people enjoying what counts as the “natural world” in this city, and a steady stream of walkers, cyclists, runners, and more. But it seems to get less crowded up here by the lake, and views open up, unobstructed by trees.


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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River Thames at Blackfriars Bridge

River Thames at Blackfriars Bridge
“River Thames at Blackfriars Bridge” — A boat on the River Thames cruises toward Blackfriars Bridge near central London.

You couldn’t ask for a lovelier London day in June, with blue skies dotted with fluffy clouds and pleasant temperatures. (The first time we visited London we were surprised by downright uncomfortably hot weather.) This photograph looks across the River Thames near Blackfriars Bridge toward a section of downtown London featuring large, modern towers. If you look closely, you might spot a few people wandering along the banks of the river at lower right.

London wasn’t our primary destination on this visit, though we were happy to be there again. The first part of this trip featured three weeks in Scotland. We started with a few jet lag adjustment days in Oban and Fort William before spending the next week walking from Fort William to Inverness on the Great Glen Way. From there we returned to civilization, with stays in Inverness, Stirling, Glasgow, and Edinburgh before taking the train south to York and London.


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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River Thames, London

River Thames, London
“River Thames, London” — Barges pass on the River Thames near Blackfriars Bridge, London.

The photograph shows a fairly familiar view of the Thames and central London. There is a little story behind it though. We travel a fair amount — not extreme, perhaps, but we do get around. But when I get to a new city I often “set” my mental compass incorrectly, and it is very hard to break this “setting.” (After decades of visiting Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows, I’m STILL ninety degrees off!) The first time we visited London I more or less reversed north and south, believe it or not — and consequently I still have to perform mental gymnastics to account for this. And, yes, this is all leading to how I came to make this photograph.

On our first day in London this June we decided that we would walk from our lodgings to Borough Market, which was roughly a half mile away. Without really paying attention to maps we headed out and started walking confidently… and apparently in the wrong direction. (Patty will tell you that she knew, but she went along.) Anyway, some time later we were surprised to come upon “The Eye,” which anyone who has been to London knows is no where near Borough Market. Actually, it is in the opposite direction from where we stayed near Blackfriars Bridge. We reset and walked back along the River Thames toward where we had started… and I made this photograph along the way.


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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Trona Pinnacles

Trona Pinnacles
“Trona Pinnacles” — Trona Pinnacles in early morning light.

Every time I visit Death Valley I pass close enough to these formations to see them standing in the distance, a striking sight in this otherwise flat valley where there was once a large lake. (They are tufa towers, formed when the area was submerged.) From time to time I detour to photograph them, but they have been a tough subject. I made this photograph on another of those detours, stopping between Ridgecrest and Death Valley before sunrise. The light proved to be challenging, but I had a few moments of lovely side-light shortly after sunrise.

The photograph is a liberal interpretation of the scene. Obviously, the subject is not really monochromatic, but I chose that route because it seems more dramatic. By the use of filters (here in software, but the effect is the same as we got in the old days with glass filters) I have accentuated the contrast in the sky to produce the effect that I had in mind when I photographed here.


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 | PostEmail

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.