Tag Archives: trunk

Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Spring Forest

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Spring Forest
Dogwood trees begin to leaf out in a dense Yosemite Valley forest

Spring Forest. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Dogwood trees begin to leaf out in a dense Yosemite Valley forest

Following a string of wintry photographs from Yosemite, today’s photograph reflects the early signs of spring. I made the photograph on one if this year’s visits, and the visit that most clearly demonstrated the wild variations in conditions that can occur during this transitional season. A day before I had photographed new snow, including an actual snow storm on the first day of my visit. Now, only a short time later, I found myself making photographs that included no obvious signs of winter and quite a few signs of spring!

The very dense section of forest is not the most typical sight in much of the Sierra, where forests are often more dry and open — especially so where natural effects of fire have periodically cleared out the undergrowth. Here a mostly-conifer forest is interrupted by lots of dogwood trees, and on the day I was there the dogwoods were just barely starting to show their first spring buds, with a few of them starting to open into leaves. It was a bit later in the morning, so gently backlight was filtering down through the trees.

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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” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Forest Scene

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Forest Scene
The trunks of tall conifers trees in afternoon light

Forest Scene. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The trunks of tall conifers trees in afternoon light

I had initially stopped near these trees to photograph an entirely different subject in the opposite direction, behind my position as I made this photograph. I spent a good deal of time on that other subject, but in the end it didn’t (at least not as of this date) end up seeming to “work” quite the way I envisioned. As I finished I saw this row of strong, side-lit tree trunks and thought it might make a photograph. Ironically, I almost didn’t both — at first the light wasn’t remarkable, and I knew that I had photographed similar subjects in the past with success. I wasn’t sure that this version was going to work.

But, this being a cloudy day in the Valley, the variable light began to play on the trees, alternately lighting them and putting them in shade. At the same time, the variability extended to the complex pattern of more distant forest. I’m always intrigued by the challenge of making a workable composition out of very complex and “busy” subjects, and here the momentary light makes all the difference. (And, yes, I do seem to be in a bit of a “black and white mood” with some recent photographs. Maybe this is to balance out some of the other highly colorful images.)

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 and Amazon.
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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

Trees, Sunlight, Waterfall Spray

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Trees, Sunlight, Waterfall Spray
Forms of bare trees silhouetted against the sunlit spray of a Yosemite waterfall.

Trees, Sunlight, Waterfall Spray. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Bare trees silhouetted against the sunlit spray of a Yosemite waterfall.

For decades I have had an informal tradition of stopping at a waterfall during my first spring visit to Yosemite Valley, and getting as close — and as wet! — as possible as my way of saying goodbye to the cold winter season and hello to the upcoming warmer times of the year. Most often the location has been Bridal Veil Fall, one of the most accessible in The Valley and one that reliably produces clothing-soaking mist early in the season. Although I have photographed this “event,” the point of the visit has rarely been photographic — it is more about a reconnection with a favorite time of year in the Sierra and a personal celebration of the wild flow of melting snow at this time of the year.

But, of course, I can’t entirely avoid photographing the thing. That said, photographing the drenching torrent up close presents some problems. Cameras don’t like mist-filled air, especially when the mist is sometimes thick enough to act more like rain. Even if your camera is protected against water, you lens is going to get soaked quickly, and water-covered lenses and most landscape photography don’t mix. So my approach is to work quickly with a handheld camera. I know these lovely trees from previous visits, and I was hoping I could get close enough to photograph them against the clouds of spray coming from the waterfall, silhouetted against the brilliant backlit mist. I pre-selected a lens, stuck the camera in a waterproof bag, and headed up the short trail, quickly getting to the location of these trees. Standing behind a larger tree, I unzipped the bag and took out the camera. I stepped out of the shelter of the tree, pointed the camera up towards these slender trees, composed the image I had in mind, and made perhaps a half-dozen exposures before things got to wet and I had to retreat.

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 and Amazon.
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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

Oak Tree, Falling Snow

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Oak Tree, Falling Snow
Snow falls around a black oak and a grove of trees with autumn leaves, Yosemite Valley

Oak Tree, Falling Snow. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Snow falls around a black oak and a grove of trees with autumn leaves, Yosemite Valley

It was a cold week in Yosemite Valley, which was actually positive news following a string of too warm days on which not enough precipitation fell in January and February. But during this week near the end of the month, someone flipped the on switch for winter. It turned cold — highs in the low twenty degree range — and there was intermittent snow. On this afternoon a small weather front arrived, and quickly scattered snow showers began around the Valley.

Photographing in falling snow can be a beautiful experience, but it is also presents some challenges. Not only is it cold, but the snow collects on lenses and other gear, and it can be hard to operate the equipment. And, unlike rain, the white flakes and pellets of snow can obstruct the view of the subject. Later in the day I found myself along a Yosemite Valley meadow as a heavy snow shower passed by. I made this photograph as the snow came down harder, muting the colors and details of the scene A single old oak tree stood against the storm, collecting new fallen snow on its trunk and branches.

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 and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

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