Owens Valley Sunrise_6278

Sunrise in the Owens Valley near the town of Lone Pine, CA.

Yosemite Valley - El Capitan_HDR_5121_22_23_24

El Captian reflection in a seasonal pond. To read the story behind the creation of this photograph please visit my blog - click Link below.

Yosemite - Bridalveil Fall, Just Before The Rain_HDR_5024_25

To read the story behind the creation of this photograph please visit my blog - click Link below.

Yosemite Valley - Seclusion_4695

Yosemite Valley - Cathederal Rocks_HDR_5106_07

Brewing Storm_4993

What is becoming a rare event in Southern California, a storm brews off shore, slowly working its way toward the California coast. More please!

Offshore Storm_4923

A cloudburst off the Southern California coast.

The Light of Night

Beautiful splashes of light along the streets of downtown Chicago.

Fall Colors - Tall Aspens, Rugged Terrain

Autumn in the Eastern Sierra is such a magical time of year. Each year is different and each autumn day is different as the color change progresses through the process. I found this year to be especially surprising because there seemed to be a lot of color change happening in some of the lower elevations ahead of some of the higher elevations that usually change first. I will explore this further in my blog.

Fall Colors - Twin Lakes, Autumn Sunset

A peaceful evening as the sun sets on a crisp autumn evening in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains at Twin Lakes near Mammoth.

Chicago - Around Back

I really liked the "modern loft" look and feel that the backside of this building had.

Reef Point - At Peace

Looking down and out to sea from the top of the bluffs at Crystal Cove State Park's Reef Point. A very pretty and peaceful start to the day.

Laguna Beach - Just A Splash Of Color

Just after sunrise. It had been raining off and on most of the morning. Now the clouds thinned and parted slightly allowing the still low in the sky sun to add "just a splash of color" to the mostly steel gray clouds and sky. The color only lasted for maybe 10 minutes. The gaps closed, the gray returned followed shortly thereafter by the rain.

Laguna Beach - Bird Rock Sunset #2

We were all enjoying the last of the days light.

Laguna Beach - Mixed Bag

This is a 5 exposure HDR image taken near sunrise on a rather moody morning along the Southern California coast.

Yosemite Valley - The Three Brothers - 2090

Read The story behind this image in my blog.

Yosemite Valley - El Capitan, Morning Light - 1952

The days first rays of light shine brightly on the summit of El Capitan.

Fall Colors - Lake Sabrina - First Light 2

Cold enough to see my breath. Silence dominates. A faint breeze whispers "good morning." The last star of the night vanishes as the sky transitions from the black of slumber to the dark blue of dawn. No one else is about. The day is young - no need to hurry. Silhouettes become apparent details, hue returns to color, the first hints of morning light reveal the awesome grandeur of the landscape and fills my spirit with the celebration of a new day. This is my favorite time of the day.

Laurel Mountain Convict Lake

We spent a couple hours of our afternoon exploring Convict Lake and each of us took home several nice photographs.

Fall Colors - Twin Lakes, Sunset_HDR_2416_17_18

Another day of my 2017 Fall Colors Pilgrimage comes to an end with a wonderful pastel sunset along the lakeshore at Twin Lakes in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Rock Creek - Waters Edge

Camp was still quiet. No one was awake but me and the birds. I finished my coffee, put away my journal and took a stroll downstream from camp to see what I could find.

Hidden Oasis

This image was created last week during my annual "Fall Colors Pilgrimage" in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It is a good example of the immense variety of potential subjects related to the autumn season that don't include changing leaves (if you allow yourself to be open to such possibilities.) This image also reveals the results of good pre-trip research and planning. To read more of this story visit my blog on this website.

Autumn in the Sierra

Clouds continued to build and fill the sky throughout the day. Now a few minutes after the noon hour I found myself along the Lake Sabrina Road staring at a spectacular scene. A moody autumn sky above, jagged tooth-like peaks in the background and a foreground full of fall color. I waited twenty minutes for the clouds to thin which provided a little pop of light on the most dominate group of trees and the distant canyon wall.

Fall Colors - Early Morning Moon Rise

It was a clear, cool and damp morning and I had been working from a sitting position photographing some aluminum row boats trying to incorporate a star-filled sky as my background for at least a half hour. Now standing, I turned around and noticed that the moon was beginning to rise above the ridgeline to my left. It didn't take long to realize the potential, so I quickly grabbed my tripod and framed up this shot.

Reef Point - Natures Fury

Living in southern California has its perks, but getting dramatic skies and weather like this is not often one of them, so I was up and out early on this stormy morning along the shore.

Reef Point - Evening Stroll

Walking along the water's edge during the blue-hour. The sun was getting low and the light was fading quickly. Beautiful pastel colors were starting to appear in the sky which really got me excited. I framed this scene up, added a ND filter and dialed in a thirty second exposure. Kind of nice. No?

We're Not In Control

I sat here watching the waves explode into the rocks for 15 minutes before I set my camera up and began to make images. The power and force of the exploding waves kept echoing the thought that "WE are not in control."

Returning To The Sea

Retreating from its brief assault on the rocks and sandy shoreline of the pacific the tide quickly retreats in order to regroup before it's next attempt. Like the chisel of a sculptor the forces of nature are the chisels of God slowly but surely creating His masterpiece.

Morro Bay Sunset

Fishing boats docked in the Morro Bay harbor at sunset with Morro Rock in the background.

Atascadero Administration Building

Evening photograph of the fountain in the park across the street from the Atascadero Administration Building in Atascadero California.

Headin Home

I love to try and capture the personalities of the animals that I photograph. This guy had such a determined look on his face as he paddled straight towards me. It was like there was no stopping him from getting to where ever he was going.

Peacock Tail.jpg

Colorful details of a peacocks tail plumage.

Crystal Cove - Taking Time To Reflect

A warm 74 degree winter evening sunset in Southern California. How grateful I am.

Crystal Cove - Fading Light

The sun dropped below the horizon about 30 minutes ago, but I hung out to see if there would be any magic during the "blue hour".

Moss Point Homes - Tonemapped

Pelicans fly above ocean front homes in Laguna Beach, CA.

Follow The Leader

Three Northern Shovelers flying to another location.

Reef Point - Serene

A beautifully peaceful morning for a walk along one of my favorite stretches of the Southern California coastline just north of Laguna Beach.

Death Valley - Getting The Shot

A photographer framing up a shot at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley - Passing Clouds

Snow on Stump

Autumn snow on a weathered stump along the shore of Rock Creek Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.

Jurassic Blue

Revealing the details of some beautiful spring flowers.

Lee Vining Creek Cascade #1

Isolating a small section of the falls on Lee Vining Creek in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.

Chicago - Downtown

A nice view of the Chicago River and the downtown skyline. Tonemapped.

Chicago - Skyline

It was just stating to rain. Note the lingering clouds around the tops of the buildings. Total gas!

Chicago - Wrigley Building

I thought that this came out pretty good considering it was shot handheld at night.

Impressionistic Mood #6939

Playing around and learning something new. I love how this turned out.

Coulters Poppy

These flowers are so inviting - I can not resist photographing them. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to come up with a new compositions of them.

Frozen In Time

Honey Moon

The last full moon of spring 2014 was what they call a "honey moon". It occurred on Friday June 13 (Friday the 13th). The amber colors are due to the scattering of longer wavelengths of light by dust and pollution in our atmosphere.

Swallowtail Butterfly

The first Swallowtail Butterfly that I have seen in my backyard this spring!

The Flower Fields

An inviting wooden bench surrounded by a field of beautiful flowers.

Brown Pelican Abstract

Timed this just right!

San Francisco - Highrises

The Transamerica Pyramid and Church of Scientology buildings.

San Francisco - North Beach Doors

Vividly colorful doors found in North Beach.

San Francisco - Coit Tower

Tightly framed image of the Coit Tower in mid-day light.

San Francisco - Towaway Zone

NO PARKING sign in front of someones garage on a neighborhood street just off of Powell.

Laguna Beach Sundy Morning Walk

This place is so beautiful and relaxing. Sometimes I forget to stop and make some images. Here I thought that the path and rails made good leading lines, so I framed it up to use them. I was lucky and got a few shots with no people in them, but I intentionally took this shot with the lady walking her dog because it helps to tell the story. Tonemapped.

Huntington Beach Central Library

Interior view of the fountains near the entrance of the library. Challenging light and handheld. Tonemapped.

Huntington Beach Central Park

This American Wigeon was enjoying a very peaceful afternoon just like I was.

Huntington Beach Central Park

The Hummingbirds are starting to show up in greater numbers.

Balboa Pier

After four days of rain it was starting to taper off, but the atmosphere still held onto its moody attitude. I decided to go with a long exposure in order to enhance the moodiness.

Flodded

Sometimes I just can NOT resist the temptation to get a little silly.

Morning Light At The Lake

A quiet morning walk along the lake. No one else was out and about yet. Not even the breeze.

Northern Pintail (m)

Have you ever thought or dreamed about being able to fly? Ducks may not be "the" most graceful in flight, but they always make me contemplate the freedom of flight.

Downtown Geometry

Plunge #1

Isolating a section of the waterfall in Lee Vining Canyon, Eastern Sierra.

Northern Shoveler(m)

The more time I spend around the ducks the better I am getting at predicting their next move. Ah, to think like a duck. How stimulating...

Early Autumn Aspens

Other aspens in the area had already begun turning yellow, but these guys were exercising their right to be stubborn. Bishop Creek Canyon, Eastern Sierra.

Mono Lake Sunrise #4

A cool start to an autumn morning along the South Tufa Road near Mono Lake, California.

Lee Vining Creek

A relaxing autumn afternoon along Lee Vining Creek, Eastern Sierra.

North Lake Road

Autumn colors in full display along North Lake Road in Bishop Creek Canyon, Eastern Sierra.

Two Flowers

Enjoying some early spring flowers in my back yard.