Tag Archives: urban

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman and Doorways, Le Marais

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Woman and Doorways, Le Marais
A women walks past the weatehred front of an old building with two doors, Le Marais.

Woman and Doorways, Le Marais. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A women walks past the weathered front of an old building with two doors, Le Marais.

During the past two years, as the pandemic ebbed and flowed, travel has been more difficult than it was a few years earlier. Even when it has been possible — and we travelled during this period — our activities have been affected and limited by the need to take precautions. One outlet for me has been “virtual travel” via the process of revisiting photographs from trips we made in the “before times.” This photograph comes from an archive of photographs from a visit to Europe back in 2016.

The location is in Le Marais, Paris, an older and historic area of narrow streets and interesting weathering and decay… and a wonderful place to make photographs. I made this photograph on a very productive day when we spent a few hours wandering here. The photograph employs one of my “tricks of the trade” for street, namely finding an interesting urban landscape and then waiting for someone to populate the space. I appreciated the color relationships between the woman’s attire and other elements of the scene, among other things.

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: Agriculture, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Urban/Street

Pink Wall, Midday

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Pink Wall, Midday
A pink wall in midday light, interrupted by shadows, San Jose.

Pink Wall, Midday. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A pink wall in midday light, interrupted by shadows, San Jose.

This is another of my photographs-while-walking, made on a recent midday walk not too far (perhaps a couple of miles) from my home. Fortunately, we live in an area with excellent walking potential. It includes residential areas, a few urban trails, some interesting light industry zones, some older neighborhoods, and more.

I always carry a small camera with me when I walk. Most of the time it stays in the bag, but every so often I see something that makes me glad I have it. I’ve long been intrigued by otherwise-forgettable bits of the urban environment — an unusual paint job, some odd object that the owners may have forgotten, a small evocative scene, and more. Here it was the juxtaposition of colors along with the long June midday shadows. (And with that, it is time to head out on today’s walk!)

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: Northern California, Photographs: Urban/Street

Blue House, Flag, Holiday Lights

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Blue House, Flag, Holiday Lights
A house with weathered blue paint, an American flag, and holiday lights.

Blue House, Flag, Holiday Lights. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A house with weathered blue paint, an American flag, and holiday lights.

I have frequently written that I often walk out the front door carrying a camera, and during the last two years I’ve been doing a lot of walking in a several mile radius of my home. This takes me through remarkably varied areas — some very old (one might say run-down) homes, apartment complexes, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the area, light industrial areas, new office buildings, urban trails, a small downtown, areas occupied by the unhoused, and more. Needless to say, there is a lot to see — which is fortunate, given the amount of time I’ve spent wandering around here.

It has been noted that photographs often ask questions as much as they make statements, and as I walk around and look at these surroundings quite a few questions arise for me. Take this home for example — a small, older home on the edge of a newer and much wealthier neighborhood. It looks a bit ragged around the edges, but I wonder why? Is the occupant perhaps old and unable to take care of the place? Or perhaps one of the “house rich, cash poor” who bought the place years ago and can no longer afford the upkeep? Is the flag a habit, about simple patriotic feelings, or a statement to the neighbors? What, if anything, are we to make of the holiday lights that are falling off the edge of the roof? What about the small, lonely plant next to the concrete?

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: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

Masked Man With Dog

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Masked Man With Dog
A man in a protective mask with his dog outside Zabar’s Market, Mahnattan.

Masked Man With Dog. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A man in a protective mask with his dog outside Zabar’s Market, Mahnattan.

New Yorkers may laugh at me for pointing this out (one already did!) but apparently “Zabars” is kind of a “thing” here. The market was located a few blocks north of where we were staying during roughly the last week of 2021, and our walks on the largely deserted streets in the area frequently took us past it. From the outside, at least to a non-New Yorker who doesn’t know what it is, the market doesn’t look like anything special — but since my visit I have heard, from more than one source, that it is “something special.”

We never went inside. Hey, there’s a pandemic. We avoided going inside much of anything besides our hotel and the places where our “kids” live plus a few outside dining spots. (For my California friends — eating al fresco in Manhattan during December is a, uh, “special” experience!) Several things about this photograph seemed to suggest the times we are in, including the masked fellow with his dog. If you had come across him in this spot two years ago, you might have and questions. Now? Just another guy on the sidewalk! The emergency orange pylons seemed appropriate here, too.

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 | 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.