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Photographs: Mono Lake Basin, Photographs: Nature

Dawn Sky, Mono Basin

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Dawn Sky, Mono Basin
“Dawn Sky, Mono Basin” — Tufa towers in Mono Lake waters reflecting the dawn sky.

It is difficult to resist a visit to immense Mono Lake when I visit the Eastern Sierra, even when it isn’t the main goal of my trip. OK, it is actually just about impossible to resist making at least a quick stop there. In early July I spent a few days around the Sierra crest along the eastern boundary of Yosemite National Park, and one morning I decided to head down to Mono Lake before dawn and spend a few hours photographing in the early light.

I hade this photograph near dawn, when the pre-sunrise light was deeply coloring the sky, which was reflected in the waters of the lake. I love how the apricot-olored sky near the horizon fades to blue far above. The distant mountains are on the far side of this gigantic lake, many miles away, and this cluster of tufa towers stands a good distance out in the water.

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

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

Ginginha da Casa

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Ginginha da Casa
“Ginginha da Casa” — A man talks to a woman selling ginfinha from her home in the Alfama, Lisbon.

A while ago I shared a near-portrait of one of the Lisbon neighborhood ginginha vendors. This photograph takes in a larger perspective on one of the actual neighborhoods, this time in Alfama. Ginginha is reputedly the “national drink” of various parts of Portugal. (Yeah, I know, to some extent that may be tourism talk.) It is a sweet cherry liqueur served by the shot at sidewalk stands.

The stands are all over the place. The first one we encountered was at a stairway near the railway station in Lisbon. Another more famous one is nearby, not far from Rossio Square. But the most fascinating ones are those set up in the doorways and windows of peoples’ homes. Here a woman sells the drink from her doorway, and a passerby pauses to chat for a while.

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

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

Charlie’s Tree

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Charlie's Tree
“Charlie’s Tree” — Trees growing on the side of a granite dome, Yosemite.

This tree (along with a companion hiding behind it) is situated in an especially picturesque location at the base of a granite dome, where it grows out the upper edge of a pile of rocks. At just the right moment the sun moves around from behind and above the dome and illuminates the tree from behind. (You may have seen this tree in another photograph I recently shared, one that takes a wider view of the scene.)

There are many reason s that I like this tree, but one is that it always reminds me how easy it is to overlook something interesting. It is along a road that I have driven for decades. For years I whizzed past this spot without noticing it at all. Then I saw a photograph of this tree by Charles Cramer, and since then I do notice it. I often stop and look, and if the light is decent I’ll make a photograph or two — but in the end it will always remain “Charlie’s Tree.”

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

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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

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

Alfama Steps

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Alfama Steps
“Alfama Steps” — Cobblestone steps wind between buildings in the Alfama, Lisbon.

We wandered quite a bit during our May visit to Lisbon this year. (This was part of a 6-week trip that took us to Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and New York City.) When I write “wandered,” I mean this quite literally — we frequently head out with only the vaguest idea of what we’ll explore. In this case, we knew we were headed to the Alfama district, but beyond that we would wing it.

The Alfama is full of narrow, twisty, and often steep streets — just the sort of place to wander slowly. Roughly speaking we first crossed a section of the lower reaches of the district, and then we turned and began climbing. Along the way, we took many detours. If a side street looked interesting we went that way. I made this photograph in a quiet, out of the way area, where steps led uphill between the closely-spaced buildings.

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

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(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)