Tag Archives: water

Bicycles in Rain

Bicycles in Rain

Bicycles in Rain, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sausalito, California. February 16, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of bicycle wheels in heavy rain at the start of the Sausalito to Santa Cruz stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California professional bicycle stage race.

Reflections on the wet roadway, spray, and the wheels of the competitor’s bikes during the “parade lap” of the Sausalito to Santa Cruz stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Those who have done enough serious riding to have experienced the sensations of a long ride in cold wet weather will probably identify with this photograph. :-)

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bicycles, rain, water, wet, reflection, road, wheel, spoke, frame, feet, spray, pavement, asphalt, frame, bike, cyclist, bicyclist, rider, weather, amgen 2009, tour, of, california, professional, pro, road, stage, race, stock

Birds and Winter Surf

Birds and Winter Surf

Birds and Winter Surf. South of San Francisco, California. January 12, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Birds congregate along a stream with winter surf and bluffs above the Pacific Coastline in the distance – south of San Francisco, California.

I frequently stop along this section of the Pacific Coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, in a location where the road descends to almost the level of the beach. On this winter day the low clouds and fog were backlit by the sun as large winter surf rolled in. These birds appeared to be feeding in the creek near where it entered the surf and were just starting to take to the air as I exposed this photo.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: seascape, landscape, beach, bluff, surf, wave, pacific, ocean, coast, sand, water, reflection, bird, gull, flock, flight, creek, stream, hill, seaweed, two, people, highway, one, california, usa, fog, mist, cloud, travel, scenic, stock, black and white

Egret, China Cove

Egret, China Cove

Egret, China Cove. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. December 20, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

An egret in flight over China Cove – last evening of autumn 2008, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

On the last evening of fall 2008 I visited Point Lobos to photograph whatever I might see there. Late in the day I walked along the trail above China Beach and spotted a solitary egret in the kelp just beyond the beach. The cove was in deep shade and I had a long lens attached to the camera and was set to the lowest ISO when the bird took off – so I had no choice but to shoot with what I had. There was little time to think and no time to make changes to camera settings. I managed to get a few exposures as the bird rose into the air above the kelp beds, but they turned out to be quite underexposed as I was caught between the rock of low light and the hard place of needing short enough shutter speeds for a moving bird in a dark cove. In this one image the bird’s wings are extended and it is passing out of a dark section of the cove and over slightly brighter water.

To me, the nearly pure white bird, slightly diffused by the odd exposure and over the darker water, seems like a ghost or an apparition. Although it is not anything like a technically “correct” photograph, I still like it for what it is.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: big sur, california, carmel, Fall, monterey, nature, ocean, pacific ocean, point lobos, seashore, bird, in flight, egret, wing, china cove, kelp, water, state, reserve, park, usa, travel, scenic, landscape, black and white, monterey, peninsula, carmel, big sur, stock

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky. North of Santa Cruz, California. January 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pacific Ocean evening surf and sky at Panther Beach, north of Santa Cruz, California.

I’ve been working on a series of “minimalist seascape” photographs for a couple years now, and this is the latest in the series. This was shot quite a bit after sunset and the only light left was the soft, diffused light from the sky.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: beach, california, county, Dusk, evening, nature, pacific ocean, sand, Santa Cruz, seascape, seashore, sky, Sunset, travel, water, waves, winter, surf, sea, seascape, landscape, sky, pink, blue, reflection, pattern, color, bird, gull, usa, winter, rocks, stock