Tag Archives: tree

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany, Photographs: Travel

Pfarrkirche St. Anna

Image April 9, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

We would never have come across this fascinating church if we hadn’t gone out for a walk with Patty’s virtual-German brother and his wife during our December visit to Munich. (they are Americans who have lived and worked in Germany for decades.) They took us on a long, looping walk through some neighborhoods that aren’t exactly tourist hotspots. I liked the juxtaposition of the winter-bare tree and the architecture of the church.

I’m all for visiting the important, popular spots in cities like this when traveling. But we also really like to just get out and walk and discover things on our own. That might not be the best approach if your time is extremely limited, but if you have a bit more flexibility it pays dividends. (By the way, as near as I can tell, the term pfarrkirche more or less means a “parish church” in this context.)

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Old Tree at Dawn

Image February 20, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

And old wetlands tree at dawn — “Old Tree at Dawn” — An old wetlands tree silhouetted against winter dawn sky and dissipating fog.

This may be the last in the string of photographs from my three days in the Central Valley landscape around New Year’s Day. But no promises — there could be more if I dig back into the raw file archives from that trip. Funny story: When I return from shoots like that I often fear that I didn’t come back with much interesting work. But then, after I start digging into the material, I inevitably find quite a bit of work that I like. I have some theories about why this happens, and at some point I’ll expand on them.

This was a really beautiful morning. Pre-dawn tule fog was not too thick – just present enough to soften the atmosphere. High clouds picked up the colors of the coming sunrise. This old tree sits on the edge of a wetlands pond, and I’ve grown to like it as I’ve photographed it over the years. This time I used a wide angle lens so that I could place it more clearly in the context of the larger landscape and skyscape.

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” from Heyday Books, is available directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Old Tree, Central Park

Image February 14, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

We were in New York City during the holidays this past December. We had just the right amount of snowfall, an inch or so to create a mood but not enough to bring things to a standstill. We stayed not far from Central Park — perhaps a ten minute walk from the west past the natural history museum — and we visited on several mornings. I’ve come to understand how Manhattanites value the place as their portal to nature.

Much of the snow had melted by the time of this visit, but if you look closely you may notice a bit left on the grassy area under the tree. The park is full of remarkable groves and individual trees, but this specimen especially caught my attention. It is a very big tree and its branches spread widely over this area of meadow.

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.

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

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

Urban Tree, Night

Image February 13, 2025 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

You may have to look closely to realize it, but this photograph was made at night. (t is often surprising just how much light is found in the nighttime urban environment.) The location is Madrid, not far from the Plaza Mayor, during December, when the streets here are filled with people celebrating the holidays. But this little side street was quiet and nearly deserted.

Night transforms the urban environment. Things that might look mundane during the day can take on a different appearance under the glow of artificial lights. Here several light sources illuminate the brick wall and the sidewalk, and side light highlights the trunk of the urban tree.