Tag Archives: wild

Point Reyes

Point Reyes
Black and white photograph of Point Reyes and the Pacific Ocean with afternoon reflections.

Point Reyes. Point Reyes National Seashore, California. June 1, 2008. © Copyright 2008 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Brilliant afternoon light on the Pacific Ocean near Point Reyes.

Black and white photograph of Point Reyes and the Pacific Ocean with afternoon reflections. This photograph was made in extraordinarily windy conditions from a high point a bit further along the bluffs of the point with late afternoon sunlit brightly illuminating the ocean surface. (There is also a color version of this photograph in the queue, and it should show up here soon.)

There are several things that I like about this photograph. First, the memory of the circumstances of the photograph is a powerful one. Point Reyes is a wild and windy place, well out in the Pacific and facing out to see – usually with strong winds blowing. On this day the winds were incredible; so strong that it was all I could do to get a steady shot even while holding tightly to the tripod, which was lowered down to near the ground. And the reflection off of the ocean surface was astonishingly bright – impressive in its own right and a real photographic challenge. Finally, I like the way that the land of Point Reyes seems to extend only tentatively into what is primarily an ocean photograph.


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 and Amazon.
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Incoming Fog – Big Sur Coastline

Incoming Fog - Big Sur Coastline
Incoming Fog – Big Sur Coastline. Big Sur, California. July 21, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Evening fog rolls in near sunset along the Big Sur coastline, California. Photographed at the end of a long day driving up Highway 1 (the Coast Highway) from Southern California.

keywords: big sur, coast, coastline, shore, shorline, bay, beach, sand, wave, mountain, ridge, coast, highway, one, pink, blue, pacific, monterey, california, usa, wild, nature, landscape, seascape, travel, rock, stock

Purple and White Wildflowers

Purple and White Wildflowers
Purple and White Wildflowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 26, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Purple and white wildflowers photographed in a shady valley at Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

I’m terrible at identifying most wildflowers, though a helpful friend tells me that these are Collinsia heterophylla, or Chinese houses. (Thanks, Gena!)

keywords: California, flower, Foothills, Forest, Grass, hiking, Leaf, nature, plant, Spring, purple, white, wild, wildflower, green, san jose, santa clara, county, almaden, quicksilver, park, usa, stock

Pink and White Wildflowers

Pink and White Wildflowers
Pink and White Wildflowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 26, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pink and white spring wildflowers photographed at Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

Once again, a photo shot handheld with the 24-105mm lens. I like to use this photo and some similar ones to respond to folks who are convinced that “the 24-105mm f/4 L IS has bad bokeh.” I’ll admit that it doesn’t always produce great blurred backgrounds, but if you are careful you can actually get some nice bokeh from it. And for handheld wildflower shots its focal length is just about perfect and the image stabilization turns out the be very useful.

I’ve been told that these flowers are “Stachys ajugoides – rigid wood mint,” though after looking around at some online photos of that plant I’m not 100% certain since the leaves don’t seem quite right. Anyone?

keywords: pink, white, flowers, wild, wildflowers, nature, delicate, stem, leaf, green, bokeh, almaden, quicksilver, mines, park, santa clara county, san jose, california, usa, plant, hiking, trail, stock