Tag Archives: usa

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Wildlife

Bald Eagle Takes Flight

July 14, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A bald eagle leaves its treetop perch and takes to the air

I had not photographed bald eagles before this past winter season, believe it or not — my attention has been mostly focused elsewhere when I’ve been around bird photography opportunities. From my very limited experience it seems like there are perhaps three phases to photographing these beautiful birds. First, find one (or more) of them — something I’m getting better at now that I understand a bit more where and when to look. Second, find a photographing position and wait — perhaps making photographs while waiting if a clear view of the bird is possible and especially if it is doing something visually interesting. Meanwhile, be ready for the next step… Third, when the bird suddenly and almost without warning takes to the air, be prepared to try to track it while photographing it burst mode during the likely brief interval when it is visible.

That was pretty much the story with this eagle. I found it in nearby trees as I came around a perimeter road at a wildlife refuge, pretty much were you would expect to find such a bird. I pulled over and opened the skylight on my vehicle so that I could have a fairly clear line of sight lookup up toward the tree. I made a few photographs, sat, waited, and then… with virtually no warning the eagle launched itself from the perch, first falling and then quickly catching the air with its large wings before departing through trees for some more distant location.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Wetlands, Morning Fog

July 13, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Morning fog clears from Sacramento Valley wetlands on a winter morning

I love these winter mornings out in California’s Great Central Valley — cold, damp, perhaps foggy or perhaps clear, with the sights and sounds of migratory birds all around. This was my first visit to this wildlife refuge up in the Sacramento Valley, and I was in exploration mode on this visit, trying to get my bearings and begin to understand the rhythms of the place. It was a mostly clear morning, with high clouds from Pacific Ocean weather above and pockets of tule fog below.

It is easy to imagine that the wildlife refuges are wild places, someone along the lines of small wilderness areas. But the truth is more complex, at least at the refuges I’m familiar with. They are actually managed landscapes, with water levels carefully controlled to support various kinds of wildlife and even the growth of plants managed for their benefit. Those beautiful foreground curves of stubble in the water are the result of management — over the course of the season such grassy areas are cut down to ensure an optimum balance of open water and tall grasses. Beyond the water lies another peninsula lined with trees, with fog beyond and that winter sky high above it all.

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Wetland Dawn, Trees

July 11, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Trees and dawn sky reflected in the surface of a wetlands pond, Sacramento Valley

Some people speak and write a lot about the role of careful planning followed by slow and methodical work in landscape photography. Sometimes that certainly does pay off, but I find that far more often it is about acting on hunches, making good guesses about conditions and locations, and being ready and prepared to take advantage of pure, dumb luck when it comes to you. This photograph is a case in point.

There is no way that I could actually plan such a photograph — the best I could do (and I certainly do this) is to carry around some ideas about clouds reflecting in water and about silhouettes of trees, and then be ready to recognize the opportunity and act when something similar actually appears. But to take credit for dawn clouds whose curve mirrors that of a grove of trees, reflected in a seasonal pond on a morning that just happened to produce a bit of ground fog and beautiful colors would be both egotistical and a lie!

Photographs: San Francisco, Photographs: Urban/Street

Pedestrian, Bus Stop, Street

July 8, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A pedestrian walks past a bus stop along a San Francisco street

Living a short train ride away, I get to photograph in the streets of San Francisco on a fairly regular basis. The street is always a laboratory for exploring color and shape, light, people, architecture, urban landscape, and more. One of the benefits, in my view, of this kind of photography is that it almost forces one to think and respond quickly and intuitively, sharpening the instincts of seeing in ways that are useful for any kind of photography.

Despite the appearance, I made this photograph along a very busy street — Market Street — in downtown San Francisco. In fact, it took a great deal of good fortune to be able to place the walker in this exact spot at the instant when no cars, trucks, buses, rail cars, or other people were in the frame! The person is one subject, but the light is another – dappled light coming from behind, reflected by buildings and passing through sidewalk trees. Color is a bit significant, too, but you probably already figured that out…

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: usa

Bald Eagle Takes Flight

Wetlands, Morning Fog

Wetland Dawn, Trees

Pedestrian, Bus Stop, Street

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