Tag Archives: travel

Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast, Photographs: Wildlife

Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs

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Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs
A line of pelicans flies toward bluffs along California’s Pacific coastline.

Pelicans and Coastal Bluffs. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A line of pelicans flies toward bluffs along California’s Pacific coastline.

Brown pelicans seem to have made a solid comeback along the California coast, though I understand that they are susceptible to the avian flu that has affected many wild bird species this season. They are usually easy to find along the California coast, where they can often be spotted gliding along next to bluffs or just above the surf. (Photography hint: Look for places along bluffs and peninsulas where they pass close to the land.)

They sometimes can surprise me. I’ve been out along the coast on a day when they didn’t seem plentiful, only to have a large group like this one suddenly appear and glide past. If I recall, when I saw these birds coming I had the wrong lens on the camera. I made the fastest lens change I could, raised the camera, and had just a barely enough time to photograph them above these coastal bluffs.

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

Dunes, Shadows, and Morning Light

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Dunes, Shadows, and Morning Light
Morning light on sand dunes and desert mountains, Death Valley National Park.

Dunes, Shadows, and Morning Light. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning light on sand dunes and desert mountains, Death Valley National Park.

It is impossible to resist photographing these dunes, though doing so can be a little more complicated than it might seem at first glance. It often initially seems like finding photographs here would be super easy… but it often turns out to be a little more complicated. It isn’t just about the difficulties of working in the sand. I also find that bits and pieces of this landscape are often intriguing but can be a challenge to fit into a successful composition.

This photograph comes from an early morning visit on a clear-sky day, just as the early light was slanting across the landscape. At this moment, direct light was hitting the sun-facing surfaces, but there were still a lot of shadows. In particular, the distant mountain range was just beginning to pick up a little light aloe the ridges but was otherwise still rather dark.

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

Desert Ranges

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Desert Ranges
A view from the Panamint Mountains across Death Valley toward mountains near Las Vegas.

Desert Ranges. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A view from the Panamint Mountains across Death Valley toward mountains near Las Vegas.

This is another in the “very long views” series. Like another recent photograph, it also comes from the crest of the Panamint Mountains, though this time looking generally east. As such, the view extends across Death Valley (over 6000 feet below), then over the Black Mountains, the Amargosa Range, and across the Amargosa Valley to a snow-capped ridge close to Las Vegas, Nevada. (in the full size version of this photograph remarkable details become visible — a parking lot near Artist Palette, utility poles along the road out of Death Valley.)

There is a bit of a story about the lighting in this scene. It is essentially front-lit, with the light coming from behind my camera position and shining directly on the subject. Typically, this would be about the worst kind of lighting for a landscape subject, especially when haze is present, since it produces almost no shadows and very little visibility of details. But here something compensates, namely the shadows of broken clouds which introduce some shadows into the scene and help us sense its depth.

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.

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

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

Coastal Forest and Fog

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Coastal Forest and Fog
Coastal forest and morning fog, Point Lobos State Reserve.

Coastal Forest and Fog. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Coastal forest and morning fog, Point Lobos State Reserve.

When people imagine visiting the California coast, I’m pretty sure that most of them envision a beach, blue water, surf, clear skies, and abundant sun. That happens, in some locations more than others, but coastal fog is about as likely as that fantasy weather. It can be cold and damp and gray, but this California weather also has its charms — the sound of surf coming up through the fog, the chill air, the muted colors.

This photograph comes from a visit to a location south of Monterey on a very foggy morning. Most often the fog clears out early, but this time it stuck around all morning. (Though a short distance inland the sun was out.) I pointed the camera into a forest of fall trees, and the fog created a sense of atmospheric recession.

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.