Tag Archives: usa

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Structures and Objects

Apartment Building, Reflections

February 8, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Against the backdrop of a black tower, an apartment building reflects the urban environment

Since I spent a day in San Francisco last week, you can expect a group of architecture and street and similar photographs over the next few day, possibly intermixed with landscapes and nature for a few weeks!. I was there to see a particular installation at SFMOMA, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. I always take my camera, partly to photograph people at the museum, partly to photograph the building itself, and partly to take advantage of photographing the surrounding neighborhoods, especially from elevated vantage points at the museum.

The recent expansion of the museum added a new wing at the rear, with seven floors of exhibits and other services. (And, as I realized on this visit, several more floors above that which appear to be inaccessible to the public, unfortunately.) Several outdoor terraces and balconies provide interesting overlooks above the surrounding urban scene, and during my visit the light was very interesting, too — ranging from cloudy and rainy to occasionally clear, but often with at least some clouds softening the light. I’m fascinated by the juxtapositions of form and color in the dense field of surrounding buildings, including the contrast between light tones and reflection of the building on the right versus the dark, slick, and vaguely ominous black of the further building.

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

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Sandstone and Singleleaf Ash

February 4, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A singleleaf ash tree stretches across red sandstone wall, Utah

I love the stunning sandstone landscapes of Southern Utah — a world of canyons intimate or huge, smooth red sandstone walls, the force of water, juniper trees, flatlands and mountains, and the thought-provoking presence of people who lived here before we came. When I return to my California landscapes from Utah they always seem a bit… gray. I made this photograph on a visit a bit more than four years ago, when I joined several photographer friends to explore places from Zion National Park to Capitol Reef National Park, spending time in some of the stunning national monument lands in between. I made this photograph in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a place that surely is deserving of national park status.

Back in 2012 during this visit, I thought about how my country had the foresight to protect such quintessential American landscapes and hold them in trust for all Americans today and long into the future. It did not even cross my mind that they might soon again be in danger. But they are, including this very place, now described by self-serving politicians intent on taking the land that we own and giving it away to private interests as being “places where no one goes” or places that are just empty desert. This is, of course, nonsense and only a liar or worse could make such a claim with a straight face. Once again, it appears that it will be time to have to try to re-save these places.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Into Dawn Sky

February 2, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A flock of Ross’s geese takes off into foggy Central Valley dawn sky

I was back in my favorite haunts in California’s Great Central Valley near the end of January, looking for migratory and other birds to photograph, along with the expansive landscapes of this region. After five years of awful drought, the Valley is now full of water again. Ponds are full and many fields have become ponds, and creeks and rivers are flowing once again. It is a beautiful thing to see! The birds are there in abundance — yet, somewhat ironically, the wet conditions have allowed them to find what they need across a larger, more friendly landscape, and sometimes they seem to not be where I expect to see them.

However, on this day there were plenty of birds — more than I’ve seen previously this year. The big flocks of (mostly) Ross’s geese are back and the sandhill cranes are active, too. My drive there was foggy, but it cleared up enough at dawn to give me some colorful sky. Bird action such as that in this photograph is pretty much a constant out here — but often not where I am with my camera! Photographing a lift off from the pond this closely, in such perfect dawn light, with subtle color in the sky depends on a lot of factors all coming together, and most of them are out of my control. The best I can do is to try to be in the right place when and where it might happen and to be ready to react quickly.

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetlands, Fog, Dawn Sky

January 31, 2017 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fog blankets Central Valley wetlands beneath the winter dawn sky

For Americans, the world has recently been a wild and unpredictable place, and most everyone is feeling a great deal of angst. (This is particularly true if you belong to any of many common and large groups of America — people whose ancestors were immigrants, people who care deeply about the Constitution and America’s place in the world, people who believe in a country that is open and welcoming, and those of us who value our great public lands.) While there is a lot to do and it is not acceptable for citizens of a representative democracy to turn away from the struggle, one still must take a break at times. This morning was my break.

As I usually do, I arose very early and was on the road way before dawn, completing most of a two-hour drive before the first faint light came to the eastern sky. Turning off the main highway onto narrow country roads I soon ran into winter tule fog. I love the fog, especially for photography, so I was mildly disappointed when it thinned as I reached my destination. However, there was compensation for that feeling when I realized that it revealed the beautiful pre-dawn sky above the gentle fog above these wetlands.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: usa

Apartment Building, Reflections

Sandstone and Singleleaf Ash

Into Dawn Sky

Wetlands, Fog, Dawn Sky

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.