Tag Archives: trees

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

Panamint Range Snow, Evening Light

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Panamint Range Snow, Evening Light
Late-day light illuminates snow covered ridges and thin forest along the summit of the Panamint Range, Death Valley National Park.

Panamint Range Snow, Evening Light. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Late-day light illuminates snow covered ridges and thin forest along the summit of the Panamint Range, Death Valley National Park.

The reputation of Death Valley National Park is mostly tied to heat — the desert, the dunes, the rare rainfall. I once asked German relatives why they choose to visit in the middle of summer when few of us would choose to go there. The answer, more or less, was that Death Valley is famous for being the hottest place on earth, and that is what they wanted to experience. People who “know” the park from that perspective are often shocked to find that snow is common here in the mountains.

When we visited the Panamint Mountains at the beginning spring the snow was plentiful, and we actually experienced a moderate snow squall. (One of the oddest experiences I’ve had in this park was some years back when we photographed spring wildflowers during a snow storm in Death Valley. Let that one sink in for a moment.) Late on this day we went to a high overlook to wait for sunset, and the warm light illuminated this nearby ridge in the very late afternoon.

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

Monterey Cypress, Clearing Fog

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Monterey Cypress, Clearing Fog
Morning fog clears around a stand of Monterey cypress trees along rocky cliffs, Point Lobos.

Monterey Cypress, Clearing Fog. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning fog clears around a stand of Monterey cypress trees along rocky cliffs, Point Lobos.

Shortly after my parents moved the family to California, so many decades ago, we started visiting Point Lobos. The biggest adventure in those days was exploring the tide pools. Only later did I branch out and begin to explore the rest of the park, though I was making photographs at the place before I was in high school. Let’s just say that this park and I have a very long history.

I made this photograph on what might be the perfect sort of Point Lobos day. It started with low, thick morning fog that covered everything. Instead of suddenly “burning off,” as is often the case, the fog hung around and only dispersed slowly. As I hiked past this section along the upper edges of north shore cliffs, a hint of blue was beginning to appear and the light was starting to become a bit directional, but there was enough fog to obscure anything very far away.

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: Northern California

Spring Trees

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Spring Trees
Lush spring growth on trees and undergrowth in Northern California hills.

Spring Trees. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Lush spring growth on trees and undergrowth in Northern California hills.

In much of California, early spring is the “impossibly green” season. New visitors to the state during most of the year are surprised by how dry it can be — there’s a lot of desert and the expansive grasslands go brown before summer begins. But visit in March and April to see a very different California, one that looks green and at times lush.

When I think of this green season, the grasslands usually come to mind first — hills with carpets of intense green, broken by a few trees and some wildflowers. But elsewhere the same transition happens. I made this photograph along an old favorite trail through a little forested vale in a local park where I go to photograph 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: Northern California

Two Trees, Grassland

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Two Trees, Grassland
Two spring trees on Northern California grasslands on a cloudy day.

Two Trees, Grassland. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Two spring trees on Northern California grasslands on a cloudy day.

These trees are old friends of mine. For decades I have gone to this place when I needed to get out for a local hike — it is one of the places that is close enough that I can get out for a couple hours of hiking in the morning and be home for lunch. It might seem odd, but some places like this mean about as much to me as the most spectacular national park.

I had gone out this time hoping to photograph wildflowers, but the conditions did not cooperate. Not only are the flowers just a bit later this year, but the weather was cloudy and windy — not quite ideal for that subject! Odds are that I’ll head back in a week or so when more flowers blossom, and I’ll pick a quiet morning without all of the wind.

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.