Tag Archives: tree

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Solitary Tree, Morning

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Solitary Tree, Morning
A solitary tree stands in morning light against a background of rugged, rocky Sierra slopes.

Solitary Tree, Morning. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A solitary tree stands in morning light against a background of rugged, rocky Sierra slopes.

One of my favorite places to wander on our recent Sierra backcountry visit — with a group of photographer friends back in August — was an area of creeks and boulder-strewn meadows and small trees that led from near our camp toward the alpine country below barren ridges. Once the nearby creek’s flow diminished following some heavy rainfall, I spent a couple of mornings wandering through this terrain and photographing.

I timed my visits so that the sun would rise after I had gotten a little ways into this area, at about the time that the first sun would strike the trees. On this morning I paused in a meadow that was open to the east, and as the first sun arrived it produced lovely backlight on this tree, set against high and rugged country running up toward a much higher ridge.

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: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

San Francisco Tree

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San Francisco Tree
A few new leaves sprout from a nearly-bare tree on an San Francisco street.

San Francisco Tree. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A few new leaves sprout from a nearly-bare tree on an San Francisco street.

After the recent string of wilderness photographs I’m going to change things up and move — at least briefly — to some urban photography. The first few in this series will come from San Francisco… a different sort of wilderness at times!

These trees are found all over San Francisco, squeezed onto sidewalks between multi-story buildings and the busy streets. In most cases the lower limbs are bare, revealing the trees’ interesting, twisted shapes — shapes that contrast with the more regular and geometrical forms of the city’s architecture.

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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Baby Forest

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Baby Forest
Lodgepole pines growing at the edge of the meadow at Tioga Pass

Baby Forest. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Lodgepole pines growing at the edge of the meadow at Tioga Pass

While I often prefer to minimize the content of photographs when possible — some of my favorites qualify as minimalist images — I also have a weakness for trying to make photographs out of extremely dense subjects. (If you know a bit about “minimalism,” you may recognize that filling space with details can also be a characteristic.) Sometimes the pure density and complexity of the scene is enough, though at other times the challenge is in finding a viable composition among so much detail.

This little “baby forest” vignette is from high in the subalpine zone in the Yosemite Sierra, in the young forest near the edge of a meadow, a place where new trees can gain a foothold out of the literal shadows of the more established trees. Particularly in the early season — late spring and the start of summer — spots like this can be lush and full of new greenery and wildflowers.

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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Lake, Meadow, and Alpenglow

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Lake, Meadow, and Alpenglow
“Lake, Meadow, and Alpenglow” — An alpine lake and alpenglow on Yosemite backcountry peaks.

Over the years I have visited this lake many times. I feel like I know it pretty well now, but I still discover new things each time I go there. My first visit was on a very long day hike in the early fall, in golden light and cooler temperatures. After that I made it a backpacking destination quite a few times, and from here I explored other higher lakes nearby.

On the trip when I made this photograph I had gone earlier in the season to set up a photography base camp. From here I hiked daily to higher lakes, where I photographed more alpine country. A special feature of this location is that it lies on the west side of a ridge running somewhat north-south, with a completely open vista to the west. Late in the day this landscape fills with colorful sunset light.

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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. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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