Tag Archives: valley

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

Geese, Sunset Sky

December 4, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Geese settle in for the evening as dusk sky comes to the San Joaquin Valley

The approach of winter in California’s Great Central Valley reminds me of a number of great seasonal cycles — the days shorten, temperatures drop, mornings are again often foggy, and the monumental migration of birds brings geese and cranes and more back to the state. This area, which can be less than compelling in the visual sense during the summer (though it has its attractions then, too) becomes one of the most special places in California if you know when and where to look. Yesterday I made this season’s first trip back to this landscape.

We can make some predictions about things like the birds and the weather in this place, but there will still be many surprises. Yesterday’s visit brought two such wonderful surprises. I had been watching weather forecast, hoping for tule fog, but had been consistently disappointed to see nothing but predictions of clear weather. But as I left the last small town before my destination the fog appeared, and by the time I arrived it was so thick that driving was a challenge and the rising sun was invisible. Then, late in the day, I felt that my photographic opportunities were ending, and I stopped at an out-of-the-way corner to just watch the sky after sunset. Suddenly a huge flock of geese rose noisily into the air far across the ponds, circled for a moment… and then suddenly landed directly in front of me in the fading light!

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

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Early Fall Color, Rocky Basin

November 19, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Early fall season color comes to a rocky basin on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada

This photograph has sat on my computer’s “desktop” for weeks — perhaps even months now — since I completed most of my autumn Eastern Sierra photographs for the year and moved on to other things.

It wasn’t first to be posted because it isn’t either an impressively colorful photograph nor one that is of an unusual subject. In fact, the spot is one that I know well — I photographed from a high place that I visit every year. This time I was there early, more mid-September than my usual early October. I was surprised to find this much color in this area so soon.

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

Tree Trunks, Autumn Leaves

November 12, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Against a background of Yosemite Valley granite cliffs, tall tree trunks tower above autumn color

It isn’t unusual for me to try both a portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) version of a photograph when both are possible. If for no other reason, sometimes a client may wish to license an image in a specific orientation, and I hate to say, “Uh, no” when asked if the other one is available! But in other cases, the subject really works both ways, and I feel like this is one such subject. A few days ago I shared a landscape orientation photograph of this subject. In some ways that wider-than-tall approach to trees can do a better job of suggesting the height of something by perhaps creating a subliminal impression that the subject is so tall that it doesn’t fit the frame — and the viewer gets to imagine what is “up there.” On the other hand, the portrait orientation can actually present the strong verticals with fewer distractions.

This photograph, and others in the series, were made near a popular and iconic Yosemite Valley location where I had stopped for a moment. Nearby, and in the opposition direction from that icon, there is a lovely bit of dry grass meadow dotted with small oak trees, and my object was to go photograph there. One thing led to the next and I soon found myself in a small clearing next to these tall trucks that had recently been burned a bit in a management fire.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

River Bank, Fall Foliage

November 11, 2016 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Fall foliage along the banks of the Merced River, Yosemite Valley

This is a favorite area along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. Here the river rushes just a bit faster as it descends through an area where I believe the remnants of old glaciers may be seen in the presence of large rocks. Because the area is close to the south cliff walls, it is often in shade — but across the valley the other side is often in such, producing colorful reflections on the moving water.

I’ve photographed here fairly often and at many times of the year. For a few weeks in the fall the spot produces some wild color combinations as the plants along the river’s banks take on fall colors from red to yellow. On this morning there was still a slight remnant of earlier morning fog, drifting through and beyond the trees of the conifer forest.

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: valley

Geese, Sunset Sky

Early Fall Color, Rocky Basin

Tree Trunks, Autumn Leaves

River Bank, Fall Foliage

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