Tag Archives: travel

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Street Scene, Florence

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Street Scene, Florence
“Street Scene, Florence” — People walk along a narrow street in Florence, Italy.

There’s a lot happening in this little street vignette, photographed in Florence, Italy in the summer of 2023. You may have to look closely to see. Beyond the woman at the far right is another woman who is rather extensively tattooed. Behind her we see a young man and a fellow in black and a wide-brimmed hat assisting him. What looks like a family is about to disappear around a corner. One of the things that street photography aspires to do is capture these brief, fleeting events that occur spontaneously.

If you have been following along here you know that this photo is a pretty big contrast to the Death Valley photographs that I have been sharing since late March. There are more of those yet to come, but there are still even more of these photographs from our 10-week European adventure in 2023… and it is time to start catching up.

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: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Piaggio Ape Art Car

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Piaggio Ape Art Car
“Piaggio Ape Art Car” — A highly decorated PIaggio Ape vehicle in Orvieto, Italy.

I have been looking forward to posting this photograph, the final in the Current series featuring these Piaggio Ape three-wheeled vehicles that I photographed in Italy. In the other cases the vehicles were also small “pickup trucks,” but they looked rather utilitarian. For all I know, this one may serve such a purpose, too. But it sure goes way beyond that with its visual appearance.

It was parked along a street in Orvieto when I photographed it. There was no one around who could give me a hint about what its purpose is or what it might mean. But it was quite a sight. The basic paint job is decidedly non standard, but the owners have gone well beyond that simple modification, as you can probably see.

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

Half Submerged

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Half Submerged
“Half Submerged” — The salt playa of Death Valley partially submerged under the shallow waters of Manly Lake.

Part of what I love about this subject is how hard it is initially to understand exactly what we are looking at. (I wonder what you thought it was at first?) My first impression, at least when looking at small versions, is of sky and clouds. It is only when I look more closely that I realize that it is not that at all — it is the playa of Death Valley, where salt flats are partially submerged beneath the water of Lake Manly.

We usually direct our eyes parallel to the ground or perhaps upwards when we view the landscape. But on those occasions when we can look down at it from a distance we see it in a very different light. Features that are barely, if at all, visible from down below become the major points of interest. (There’s a lot more to see in this scene than first meets the eye.) And all of this is enhanced by the subjective feelings that come with looking out from any very high vantage point.

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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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Wall And Barred Window

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Wall And Barred Window
“Wall And Barred Window” — A barred window and weahtered wall in Italian summer sun, Siena.

This photograph of a small section of an otherwise nondescript wall along a Siena, Italy street was triggered, I suppose, by my fascination with patterns, textures, and forms — and by how they come together. You might not know it from the photograph, but the sun was very bright a the time. When I looked at the result later on, I first realized that color played virtually no role in the photograph and that I had more control over that light with a monochrome rendition.

As is often typical of me, I did not even note what the building was. (I might be able to figure it out from some other photographs, but it may not be important.) Part of what I like about the subject is the the perfect symmetry and form of the lines on the wall and the square window is dissonant with the weathered and peeling wall surface and the slightly bent grate over the mysterious window.

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.

Scroll down to share comments or questions. (Click post title first if viewing on the home page.)

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