Tag Archives: water

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Islands, Clearing Fog

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“Islands, Clearing Fog” — Morning sun on reed-covered islands and wetland pond.

Sometimes landscape photography is slow and contemplative — the landscape stands almost still and there is time to pause and consider. But sometimes the landscape changes as quickly as any other subject, and transient conditions only last a moment. This was one of the latter moments. Thick tule fog had blanketed my position, but it quickly cleared above this pond, and brilliant light struck the little grass-covered islands.

Fog can fundamentally alter a landscape. Sometimes it simply mutes more distant subjects and allows foreground elements to stand out. It can also lend a sense of quiet mystery to otherwise mundane scenes. It may just sit there, changing little for long periods of time. And then, suddenly, the sunlight begins to break through and all kinds of beautiful effects of light may appear.

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” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Wetlands Pond, Morning Light

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“Wetlands Pond, Morning Light” — Morning sun on a wetlands pond as winter tule fog clears.

The experience of photographing these Central Valley winter landscapes is full of magical instants — combinations of scene, atmosphere, and light that appear and disappear so quickly that they are easily missed. In one direction thick fog might obliterate the view, while in another direction the sunlight may be emerging and bathing the scene in warm light. This was one of those moments — a distant fog bank almost obscures trees, while the reed-covered islands are bathed in direct morning sunlight.

From what I hear, the residents of California’s Great Central Valley are not exactly thrilled by tule fog. When the conditions are right it can last for days or even weeks, holding temperatures to the 30s and 40s and remaining gray and damp. But I love those conditions for photography, and a forecast of fog is often enough to persuade me to drive four hours round-trip to be there.

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” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Calle El Temple, Zaragoza

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“Calle El Temple, Zaragoza” — Water from the morning street cleaning reflects light on narrow Calle El Temple, Zaragoza, Spain.

During our recent visit to Zaragoza, Spain our hotel was a few steps away from this street and from the church that I believe gives it its name. The street was a bit of mystery that we never solved. It looks like the ground floor spaces are filled with clubs and restaurants and other businesses. They are closed in the daytime with their roll-up doors shut… and covered with fascinating painted images and graffiti. The confusing thing is that nothing on the street ever appeared to open for business, even late at night even though we saw deliveries being made.

We stayed close to what I think is the boundary between the San Pablo and La Magdalena districts, very close to the Mercado Central. This is an old part of the city, and it is criss-crossed by many narrow streets, some narrow enough to almost compete with the tiny back lanes of Venice. (Although this area is old, there are also quite modern sections of the city not far away, including the shopping district near Plaza de España.)

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” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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

Autumn Reflections

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Autumn Reflections
“Autumn Reflections” — Autumn colors reflected on the surface of an Eastern Sierra Nevada pond.

There are several things I like about this little scene, even though it is perhaps not the most shocking and dynamic photograph you have ever seen. For one, I like the range of autumn colors it contains. Yes, there are intense aspens, but there are also the subtle colors of the smaller plants along the shoreline of the pond. The reflection also pleases me — it becomes a sort of geometric abstraction of the detailed forms in the upper half of the image.

This is not a particularly wild or inaccessible location. In fact, the pond is at an intake for a hydropower system, and it is frequented by anglers, who fortunately were not in my photograph! But the fact is that autumn color is nearly everywhere in the Eastern Sierra, and the trees can be just as colorful in place like this as anywhere else.

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” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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