G Dan Mitchell Photography

Fletcher Lake and Vogelsang Peak. Yosemite National Park. August 27, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

This is another photo from last weekend’s pack trip out of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. This picture was taken at sunset and includes the lower end of Fletcher Lake in the foreground and Vogelsang Peak in the distance, slightly obscured by haze from a nearby forest fire.

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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.31.2005 :: Photographs: Yosemite :: Comments Off

Lyell Canyon at Dusk. Yosemite National Park. August 26, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

The John Muir Trail leaves Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows via Lyell Canyon, following the Lyell fork of the Tuolumne River to cross the Sierra crest at Donohue Pass. This photo was taken at sunset near the junction of the Muir Trail and the lateral trail to Ireland Lake. Due to the wide range between the still-sunlit peaks and the dark, forested foreground this is a composite of two different exposures.

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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.30.2005 :: Photographs: Yosemite :: Comments Off

I see today that the Canon Digital Rebel XT (my camera) and the 20D are both on sale at considerably reduced prices at the Dell Home Store. The XT is available for about $700 and the 20D is available for $1125. Both are body-only and these prices require coupons.

In the past, I’ve seen Dell offer low prices like this when a product is first introduced (to grab the initial sales perhaps, but not in this case), when a product is going to replaced by something newer (it could happen), or just because.

I considered the Rebel XT and the 20D before I upgraded by digital camera earlier this year. I could have gotten either but for my purposes, the XT turned out to be a better choice than the 20D. The smaller and lighter body are a definite advantage since I often use the camera while hiking or backpacking. Not incidentally, the XT fits into a smaller case as well. (I use the Tamrac Zoom 14.) If the 20D took better pictures I might have made a different decision, but the image quality of the XT is essentially identical to that of the 20D. The 20D does have a more flexible and powerful interface, or so I hear, but this isn’t a big deal for the kinds of photography I usually do.

The Canon EF-S 17mm-85mm IS lens works well with this camera and is usually all I need. (Not that I couldn’t think of ways to spend a lot of money on additional lenses if given the opportunity. ;-)

Now, if the price on the just-announced Canon 5D (12.8 megapixel, full-frame, and about the size and weight of the 20D) would just drop by an equivalent amount…
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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.29.2005 :: Equipment :: Comments Off

Morning Light at Fletcher Lake. Yosemite National Park. August 28, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

I was backpacking in Yosemite this past weekend, on a loop that took me up Lyell Canyon to Ireland Lake, cross-country to Fletcher Lake, and then back to Tuolumne Meadows via the Rafferty Creek trail.

This picture was taken in the morning as the sun began to peek around and over Fletcher Peak, which towers above the lake. Fletcher Lake is in the foreground, a glacial moraine above the Vogelsang High Sierra camp is behind the trees, and the lower slopes of Vogelsang Peak are in the background.

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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.29.2005 :: Photographs: Yosemite :: Comments Off

Dry Grass, Fletcher Lake. Yosemite National Park. August 28, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

Just back from a weekend pack trip in Yosemite, and time to post one photograph.

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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.28.2005 :: Photographs: Nature :: Comments Off

Crowley Lake, Owens Valley. August 5, 2005. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

During the months when Sierra runoff is peaking this area near Crowley Lake can be one of the most colorful spots in Owens Valley, especially when the sun is broken up by scattered clouds.

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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.25.2005 :: Photographs: Owens Valley :: Comments Off

On Tuesday I posted a note about the corrected dating of an Ansel Adams photo taken in Yosemite. Robert Pearce posted a note today pointing out that this has happened before:

This isn’t the first time this has been done. In Ansel Adams’
book “An Autobiography,” in the chapter on Nation Parks he discusses another date
correction done I’m assuming in the late 1970’s. Adams
had misdated MOONRISE for many years, labeling it 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944.
Dr. David Elmore computed the actual date to be October 31, 1941, between 4:00
and 4:05P.M.

Technology is amazing.

It is reassuring to know that I’m not the only one who can’t keep dates straight!
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G Dan Mitchell :: Aug.25.2005 :: Commentary :: Comments Off