Tag Archives: trees

Photographs: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Blackbirds in Trees, Sunrise

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Blackbirds in Trees, Sunrise
A flock of red-winged blackbirds perches in a bare winter tree at sunrise.

Blackbirds in Trees, Sunrise. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A flock of red-winged blackbirds perches in a bare winter tree at sunrise.

This photograph fits squarely into that hybrid genre that I refer to as “birdscapes.” A lot of bird photography focuses on somewhat tightly framed photograph of individuals or small groups. I make those photographs, too, but often I include more of the landscape than the birds. In other words, I tend to be interested in the place of the birds in their landscapes. As such, I often treat them as part of the larger place and less as individual specimens.

When I arrived here before dawn, my general plan — which often works pretty well — was to look around for an interesting flock of birds, probably cranes or geese. Then I would look for a camera position that put them in the best sunrise light, which might be some kind of sidelight with an interesting background or perhaps backlight if there is some haze or fog. Unfortunately, there were hardly any such flocks, and those I found took off before sunrise! So I looked for an alternative sunrise subject, and soon remembered this group of three trees.

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: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Geese, Winter Trees

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Migratory geese fly into evening sky above winter trees, California Central Valley.

Geese, Winter Trees. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Migratory geese fly into evening sky above winter trees, California Central Valley.

As geese (and not an insignificant number of cranes) flocked in the evening sky nearby, I had watched this grove of winter-bare trees, hoping that the birds my fly over them at some point. More than once they came close before turning back to the left, but finally a group of them coming into this composition. They were silhouetted against the bright evening sky as they turned, with a few clouds lower in the sky.

This copse of bare trees and other like it in the Central Valley fascinate me during the cold months. Late in the fall their leaves start to turn a beautiful golden color, especially when the light catches them just right. This last of this color doesn’t fall until early January, at it is usually the last “fall color” I see each season. Then the trees remain bare until spring — though they always a good place to look for birds of all sorts.

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

Grove Above the Surf

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Grove Above the Surf
A small grove of old trees above the surf and silhouetted against the fog-muted shapes of coastal hills, Big Sur Coast.

Grove Above the Surf. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A small grove of old trees above the surf and silhouetted against the fog-muted shapes of coastal hills, Big Sur Coast.

This grove of trees sits on the edge of a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean along a popular section of the Big Sur Coast. In most cases, I have usually regarded it as a bit of an obstacle, as I have to sort of work around it to photograph certain features in the area. (In fact, I also sometimes have to “work around” a small herd of cattle that sometimes grazes in the foreground meadow!) On this visit I decided to turn the tables and make the trees the subject.

This was an interesting day, and photography was at times a bit challenging. I visited during a one-day break in the string of atmospheric river storms that hit California between late December and January, and I managed to squeeze in a single morning of photography here. Damage from the storms was easy to find, with landslides and road repairs along the way. But on this morning occasional sun broke through the high overcast and made the thin fog luminous.

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: Birds, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Marshland, Winter Sky

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Marshland, Winter Sky
Hazy winter sky over Central Valley marshlands.

Marshland, Winter Sky. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Hazy winter sky over Central Valley marshlands.

This is what I think of as a “quiet photograph.” It is more about the whole of the scene than any particular element or subject, and the relatively centered composition would not be described as “dynamic.” However, that is more or less the essence of the experience in this place at times like this. Things change slowly or not at all. It is quiet. Scenes are often devoid of obvious icons. I would argue that, at least in part, this is what defines the experience of such places.

When I started doing to such places to photograph birds a couple of decades ago, my first visits were full of Big Moments and surprises — seeing some kind of bird for the first time, learning their calls, experiencing the thick winter tule fog. But over time elements that didn’t register initially became primary features of these visits. These included quiet stillness, long waits between remarkable moments, and the quality of light and atmosphere.

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.