Category Archives: Photographs: People

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: People

Waiting for Sunrise

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Waiting for Sunrise
Four people await sunrise in California’s Central Valley.

Waiting for Sunrise. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Four people await sunrise in California’s Central Valley.

Waking up in the darkness, perhaps many hours before sunrise, strikes many people as being somewhere between barbaric and impossible. They literally cannot imagine themselves doing it, and perhaps they never have gotten up early enough to watch the first light appear. The odd thing is that most of us who do get up “that early” understand that the reward of watching sunrise makes the discomfort well worth it. In fact, it seems to us that NOT getting up for sunrise is the tragedy.

This was an exceptionally brilliant pre-sunrise experience, though it did not last long at all. In fact, friends of ours who arrived only a little later found the skies mostly gray. But the clouds in the east, leading out toward the Sierra crest, where as brilliantly colorful as I have ever seen them.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

On Patrol

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On Patrol
A serious-looking New York policeman standing against a sunlit wall on Fifth Avenue.

On Patrol. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A serious-looking New York policeman* standing against a sunlit wall on Fifth Avenue.

By now, I almost feel like I know this officer — since I have shared two previous photographs of the guy. The fact that I have so many is indicative of his, uh, relatively low level of active patrol efforts. To be fair, it was a nice sunny spot, and if I were him I probably would have lingered there, too. Plus it was a great spot from which to watch the Columbus Day parade passing by.

Although he didn’t move more than a couple of feet while I watched him, he did engage with his surroundings. I watched a back-slapping exchange with a passerby that he seemed to know. He was observing, and at one point he was aware that I was photographing. His demeanor has changed a bit in this photograph. In the earlier version his legs are crossed and he’s actually leaning on the wall. Perhaps I made this after he saw me? Now he stands erect, looking intently into the street scene.

*Update: I originally referred to the subject as a “NYPD” officer. Several people who are more familiar with that subject than I suggest that he may actually be a private security guard. I’ve altered the description here to account for that.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Photographs: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman in Central Park

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Woman in Central Park
A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

Woman in Central Park. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

As we walked through a busy section of Central Park on an October morning, I saw this woman walk through this square alone, pause as if taking stock of the surroundings, then eventually move on. Originally, the bright pink color of her outfit caught my attention, along with something about her demeanor, but I sacrificed that color for this monochrome rendering of the scene — since I like the way that a black and white image translates that color to almost white.

This is one of those photographs that asks more questions than it answers. I cannot tell you “what it means,” or even quite explain why it works for me. I think that there is something a bit noble about her, something about her standing apart from the rest of the crown in the park, but also something more than a bit uncomfortable about the image. and her place in it.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

Photographs: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

I Choose Culture

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I Choose Culture
A man wearing a jacket with the “I Choose Culture” slogan watches that New York Columbus Day Parade pass by.

I Choose Culture. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A man wearing a jacket with the “I Choose Culture” slogan watches the New York Columbus Day Parade.

After five days chasing New England autumn color, we spent a couple of nights in Manhattan. The photograph comes from a morning walk through midtown Manhattan before headed to the airport to fly back to the West Coast. This couple was up against the barricades, watching the “Columbus Day” parade up Fifth Avenue. In addition to the catchy phrase on the man’s jacket, the light was quite special, with reflections coming into the street from almost all directions.

Wandering along the parade route we got a look at a large cross section of the cultures on Manhattan. It is one of the most diverse places I’ve been, in almost every way — ethnically, locals and tourists, rich and poor, you name it. There’s even more political diversity than some would have you believe, with a fair number of rather conservative elements showing up and and in the parade. One surprise — Rudy Giuliani was standing at the front of one of the floats!

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

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