Tag Archives: valley

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Kosovo, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Travel

Mountain Haze, Kosovo

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Mountain Haze, Kosovo
“Mountain Haze, Kosovo” — Forest-lined river gorge along the road to the Accursed Mountains, Kosovo.

This photograph came late on a day when we traveled far into mountains to the west of Peja, Kosovo. I have vivid memories of the day, of what I saw, of what we did – but it is now extremely difficult to identify specific locations and features. I know that we traveled west into a narrow river gorge, and eventually climbed out of it, that we ended up on a tiny road that dead-ended at the Montenegro border… which my Kosovo host warned me not to approach. After other adventures we returned down that same narrow canyon.

As we descended, the scenery was often spectacular. Here the river descended steeply over rocks between steep, tree-covered canyon walls. We paused briefly, and I hopped out of the car to stand at the edge of this lush canyon and make a few photographs… of a river whose name I do not know.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Corkscrew Peak, Evening

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Corkscrew Peak, Evening, Death Valley
“Corkscrew Peak, Evening” — Evening light on the giant alluvial plain leading up towards Corkscrew Peak.

This peak has long intrigued me — along with the entire ridge that it lies on. Perhaps the name first caught my attention when I was trying to identify landmarks in photographs I took from out in the Valley. Hint: it does not really look much like a corkscrew, though I can see how the tilted rock layers that seem to run around it inspired the name.

I photographed this on my first evening in Death Valley back in February. After a very long drive from the Bay Area I set up camp, rested a bit, and then it was time to go find something to photograph. Since it was late in the day I wanted to keep it somewhat simple, so I headed to this spot along a road leading out of the Valley, arriving just in time to photograph the day’s last light.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Photographs: Albania, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Travel

Afternoon Shower, Albanian Alps

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Afternoon Shower, Albanian Alps
“Afternoon Shower, Albanian Alps” — An afternoon shower in the Albanian Alps of the Valbona Valley.

My experience in Albania is extremely limited — a single day driving from Kosovo up into the Valbona Valley, to what I believe was the end of the road. We started in Kosovo lowlands, gradually ascended, and passed through small towns. Eventually the land became more rural, somewhere we crossed the border, and we saw signs of past military conflicts in the valley. At the end of the road there is a big lodge where we stopped to eat and admire the stunning panorama of alpine peaks looming above us.

The weather was the sort where it is sunny but there’s so much humidity that a shower could develop at any moment. That’s precisely what happened here as we headed back toward Kosovo – a cloud passed by and surprised is with some rain. (“Hey, it is raining! And the sun is out!”) This is some of my favorite light — dappled sunlight moving across the landscape of mountains and trees, with peaks looming overhead as mist swirls and gentle rain falls.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.

G Dan Mitchell: Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


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

Photographs: Albania, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Travel

Albanian Alps, Valbona Valley

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Albanian Alps, Valbona Valley
“Albanian Alps, Valbona Valley” — Rugged Albanian alps rise above the Valbone Valley.

We visited Kosovo and Croatia and briefly entered a few other Balkan countries back in the summer of 2023 during a very long trip to Europe. There’s a lot to say about this remarkable and complex part of Southern Europe — more than will fit in one post. We stayed in Kosovo, at the home of people with extended family connections. Our closest Kosovo family contact enthusiastically showed us many places we would not have seen had we traveled on our own. One day we headed briefly into the mountains of Albania.

I have to admit to almost complete ignorance about this part of the world. Like most Americans, my knowledge was limited to very outdated Cold War history and a vague recollection of the war there during the Clinton administration. I knew literally nothing of the people or the landscape. Imagine my surprise when our drive took us deep into the Albanian Alps, where the scenery competes with the most spectacular mountains of my California Sierra Nevada.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.

G Dan Mitchell: Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


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