G Dan Mitchell | Photography

Morning, San Francisco Bay. San Francisco, California. September18, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

On my way to Point Reyes I passed over the Golden Gate Bridge just after sunrise. Since it is only a short distance off the main highway I decided to drive up to the famous spot overlooking the bridge and see what I could see. Everything was quite gray when I got there, but I notice a bit of light far to the east across the bay and decided to stick around to see what would develop. The light gradually worked its way westward toward the bridge and I made this photograph by stitching together several images of the bridge and the bay.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.31.2007 :: Photographs: San Francisco :: 2 Comments »

Fall Color, Aspendell. Sierra Nevada, California. October 7, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

After getting up before dawn, driving hundreds of miles, and searching up and down eastern Sierra gravel roads for colorful aspen groves I was almost embarrassed to join the other dozen or more photographers working this scene right next to the road on the edge of the small village of Aspendell. :-)

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.30.2007 :: Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada :: No Comments »

As if on cue (given my recent and upcoming Yosemite photographic expeditions) Jim Goldstein has released a new installment of the EXIF and Beyond Podcasts, this one devoted to Yosemite Winter Photos. (My copy is downloading as I write this, and I plan to listen to it on the bus to work tomorrow.)

One of the great things about Yosemite Valley is that the best times of year there are not, for the most part, the most crowded. (One exception can be early June in a great waterfall year.) I just returned from a fall foliage shoot there and I can’t imagine the Valley being any more beautiful… unless it is right after a winter snowfall.

Morning and New Snow, Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park, California. April 4, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.29.2007 :: Commentary, Locations, Photographs: Yosemite :: No Comments »

September Morning, Los Cerritos Pond. Calero Hills, California. September 2, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

This spot is one that I hike past frequently on my visits to the Calero Park in south Santa Clara County. The tree sits next to an overlook above a small pond nestled in the grassy hills of this park. This photograph captures the golden browns of late summer, the form of the oak tree, and the shadow of the rustic fence.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.29.2007 :: Photographs: Central California :: No Comments »

As I did another one-day photographic trip yesterday - this one to Yosemite Valley to see autumn colors. Up at 3:15 a.m. and on the road before 4:00 a.m. I arrived at the park entrance at 7:00 a.m., still before sunrise. Since there wasn’t yet enought light to photograph dogwood leaves and other autumn foliage along highway 120, I went ahead to the first view of Half Dome and El Capitan and shot a few images there before heading back up 120 to spend some time on the foliage. Then I headed down into The Valley where I found the foliage in abundance - it was just about as colorful as I’ve ever seen in the Valley.

I started at El Capitan Meadow (after a short snooze to make up for my early rise time) where there are a bunch of really beautiful black oaks in the middle of golden grasses. I spent over two hours working this spot before heading on to the Curry Village area. I left the car here and did the “tourist hike” to Vernal Fall, hoping to photograph a tree at the base of the cliff at the fall. When I got back to car it was later than I expected and darkness was arriving a bit early, so I started back down the valley to try to grab a few late shots, but without a whole lot of success - the high overcast was now thicker and there wasn’t much of a sunset.

The light was challenging all with light overcast and occasionally thicker clouds. This is a mixed blessing - large scale scenic vistas were somewhat obscured by haze and flat light; on the other hand the softer light can work well with foliage and similar subjects.

(I have posted a few examples in my Gallery - This link should get you to several of them.)

A couple notes about Yosemite conditions: The foliage on highway 120 and in the Valley was stunning yesterday. I have a feeling that this is the peak fall color weekend this season. I have a return trip scheduled for next week, but I’ll need to watch the conditions to see if it will be worth it. Also, not sure if it was due to normal atmospheric conditions or the aftermath of the southern California fires, but it was quite hazy in the Sierra.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.28.2007 :: Commentary, Locations :: No Comments »

Morning Snow and Blowing Fog, Silver Lake. Near Carson Pass, Sierra Nevada, California. September 29, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

The first snow of the season (for me, at least) on the shore of this Sierra Lake in the early morning light.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.28.2007 :: Photographs: Sierra Nevada :: No Comments »

Morning, Boats - San Francisco Bay. San Francisco, California. September 18, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell

I took this photograph on the way to Point Reyes. As I waited at this viewpoint overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge the light to emerge through the fog and these two ships passed just inside the entrance to the bay.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.27.2007 :: Photographs: San Francisco :: No Comments »

In response to the people who have asked if I can accept payment for prints via PayPal, I am now able to do so. Email for more information.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.26.2007 :: Commentary :: No Comments »

Shorebirds, Point Reyes. Point Reyes National Seashore, California. September 18, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell

During my recent visit to Point Reyes I drove out to Limantour Beach and spent a bit of time wandering there with my camera. The distant land is the actual “Point Reyes” on the far side of the bay, backlit by afternoon sun and partly obscured by haze from the ocean spray.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.26.2007 :: Photographs: Ocean, Photographs: Wildlife :: No Comments »

Half Dome, Dusk - Olmsted Point. Yosemite National Park, California. October 7, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.

In early October I was driving back from two days of photographing aspens in the eastern Sierra. I had finished for the day - or so I thought - when I came upon Olmsted Point and saw Half Dome softly illuminated by the very last pale light of the sunset.

G Dan Mitchell :: Oct.25.2007 :: Photographs: Yosemite :: No Comments »