Images

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Capitol Reef

Image Leave a comment
Capitol Reef
“Capitol Reef” — Early morning view of the peaks of Capitol Reef from the east.

A friend and I met up in Capitol Reef National Park some years ago, and we spent a few days photographing in and around the park. We began accessible spots not far from our camp, but later we made a long drive down gravel roads to the east of the Capitol Reef ridge. I made this photograph shortly after a colorful sunrise on these summits.

That sunrise photograph, which I’ve shared previously, was focused on the area behind my camera position for this photograph. The sky colors are wonderful, but I also like the darker and somewhat more foreboding quality of this sky that has lost the dawn colors.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email


All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Tables and Columns

Image Leave a comment
Tables and Columns
“Tables and Columns” — Tables set up between pillars under a portico, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

On a cool May Day, these tables in the sunlight between stone columns along a narrow street in Santiago de Compostela were quite attractive. While the narrow streets serve, in part, to reduce the amount of hot sun on the passageway in the summertime, on this cloudy day a bit of sunshine between the arches seemed appealing.

For us, travel is an opportunity to stretch boundaries and step outside of the usual routines. At home, we’re more likely to just walk along our local streets without stopping, but here it seems like stopping is the point.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: People In Landscape

Canyon Hikers

Image Leave a comment
Canyon Hikers
“Canyon Hikers” — Two hikers walk along a desert wash between high walls in a Death Valley canyon.

It seems to me that when most people think of Death Valley National Park, the first things that come to mind are familiar desert icons, the sand dunes, with features like salt flats close behind. But the park is remarkably diverse, with other features that would surprise those who don’t know of them. Among them are the park’s canyons, some of which — like this one — feature extremely high walls.

The weather often dictates what we do on any given Death Valley day. On this one we had clouds building towards evening rain, so the light on grand landscape subjects was not especially great. So we decided to visit a canyon or two. This one is fairly accessible so we were most certainly not alone. but at times the other visitors disappeared behind curves in the canyon. I decided to include these two hikers in order to illustrate the size of the canyon.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature

Manly Lake, Mountains and Clouds

Image Leave a comment
Manly Lake, Mountains and Clouds
“Manly Lake, Mountains and Clouds” — Distant desert mountains and clouds reflected in the surface of Manly Lake, Death Valley.

Lake Manly, the ancient body of water that occasionally reestablishes itself on the floor of Death Valley in wet years, has many moods. Before sunrise or at sunset, if there are clouds, it can reflect intensely colorful light from the sky.. As sunlight strikes the peaks of the Panamint Range, their golden light colors the water. Later in the day, especially if it is hazy, the scene can become soft and pastel.

On this winter solstice morning we began photographing before sunrise and continued through all of the light phases. I made this photograph after the warm sunrise light had dissipated, and when haze made blue the predominant color. The symmetry of the reflections abstracts the shapes of mountains and clouds.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.