Tag Archives: yosemite

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

Waterfall and Trees, Spring Evening

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Waterfall and Trees, Spring Evening
Evening light on Yosemite Falls and meadow trees

Waterfall and Trees, Spring Evening. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Evening light on Yosemite Falls and meadow trees

I have had my eyes on this composition for some time. The photograph is, in many ways, a pretty straightforward thing, and it certainly doesn’t require any logistical difficulty or long hikes. However, there are a few variables in play that are not entirely under the photographer’s control, and timing is critical — as to the season, the time of day, and the momentary conditions. The green of that group of trees is briefly at its most intense for a period in the spring. As in so many photographs, the momentary effect of light is critical and ephemeral. Two days earlier I had photographed this same scene, with results I liked but not as much as what happened here.

Speaking of that earlier photograph of the same subject, I had not made a firm decision to re-photograph the scene on the evening when I made this version. I was thinking about several potential subjects on this final evening in the Valley for this trip, but it was the infamous Yosemite Valley traffic that put me here at the right moment. I had parked in a day use lot while I went on an afternoon hike, returning to my vehicle in time to finalize my evening plans. The traffic was completely stopped due to the combination of large numbers of spring visitor and construction work to the west. So I headed across the Valley and back to the east, looping around towards this spot. Some distance away the traffic stopped completely once again, so I simply pulled to the side, loaded my equipment on my back abandoned (temporarily!) my vehicle, and started walking. I could see good light ahead through the trees, but as I arrived some clouds blocked it. But since I wasn’t going to have much luck trying to drive elsewhere I simply decided to stick around and watch. Eventually there was a short break in the clouds, and a brief moment of lovely light illuminated these trees. And then the show was over.

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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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

Looking West

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Looking West
Looking across Sierra Nevada foothills toward California’s Central Valley at dusk

Looking West. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Looking across Sierra Nevada foothills toward California’s Central Valley at dusk

I didn’t intend the photograph to be such, but it could be at least a bit metaphorical. I made in near the end of my period as a Yosemite Renaissance artist-in-residence, at opportunity that provided me with a total of about two weeks to photograph in the park, mostly in the Valley. (More of the photography from this work will be seen in an exhibit opening at Gallery 5 in Oakhurst in June — stay tuned for the details!) Hence the metaphorical “sunset” on the photography for this project (unless I manage to squeeze in one more quick visit next week!) and “looking west” toward my home in the San Francisco Bay Area, from which I post this image.

I suppose this photograph is also a bit more evidence — as if it were needed! — that Yosemite is far more than just the Valley, as incomparable as that area of the park is. I made the photograph on my evening “commute” between the Valley and my lodging elsewhere in the park, and by this evening I had already selected the location as a likely prospect. Often when I’m in the park my orientation is to the highest peaks lying on its eastern boundary along the Sierra crest. But on this evening I was looking the other way, towards layers of foothills descending toward California’s Great Central Valley to the west.

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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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

Detail, Granite Face

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Detail, Granite Face
Detail view of a section of a Yosemite Valley granite cliff face

Detail, Granite Face. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Detail view of a section of a Yosemite Valley granite cliff face

Yosemite, and especially Yosemite Valley, is famous for its “granite” (quotation marks for any geologists reading this post…) cliffs, towers, domes, slabs, and other formations. While we tend to think of this rock as being “gray,” the coloration varies quite a bit depending on the nature of the rock itself, the presence of lichens or plants, and on the light. Almost everywhere the expanses of granite are cut through by intrusions of different colored rocks. I don’t usually think of this particular face as being all that colorful, but on this morning the light somehow brought out the rust-colored tones on many sections of the rock.

I did just enough rock climbing many years ago to have developed memories of the sensations of such rock, from the cold and smooth slabs, to sharp edges of cracks, and rough surfaces (you hope!) on some friction routes. A close look at this section of cliff reveals an amazing variety of surfaces and irregularities. Perhaps most obvious is the large, curving vertical crack towards the left. The dark water stains are also striking, as is that rust colored rock. A closer look reveals other patterns, including a diagonal rising from left to right.

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.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

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

Black Oaks, Spring Snow

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Black Oaks, Spring Snow
Spring snow falls on a black oak grove, Yosemite Valley

Black Oaks, Spring Snow. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring snow falls on a black oak grove, Yosemite Valley

It is hard to pick a favorite season in Yosemite Valley. Fall brings much cooler temperatures, diminishing crowds, and autumn colors. Winter brings snow and clouds drifting among peaks and across meadows. In spring the waterfalls flow strongly again as rivers rise, and the Valley’s vegetation comes back to life. Perhaps the ideal time is the transition between winter and spring, when on the ideal day you can experience a bit of both seasons. (Identifying the least favorite is easy. That would be summer, on account of the sometimes extreme heat and the frequent crowds of tourists. I generally stay away between June and mid-September.)

This was one of those spring days that briefly felt more like winter. A quick snow storm came through, dropping temperatures and leaving a few inches of snow on trees and on the ground. (It was almost all gone before noon the next day, when spring returned.) These black oak trees, with their graceful trunks and branches, are always lovely, but when snow falls they are special. There was just enough snow to coat the upper branches of these trees, and snow and mist swirled beyond among the cliffs surrounding the Valley.

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.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

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