San Diego, Natural History Photography Blog

Stock Photos of Coronado, San Diego, California

Filed under: San Diego on 1/29/2012

Stock photos of Coronado, San Diego, California

My recent San Diego Magazine cover photo of the San Diego Coronado Bridge has generated some potential new clients for me over the past few days. I’ve assembled a gallery of Coronado Island photos for them to consider for related publishing projects. We’ll see if I make any sales! Thanks for looking.

San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California.  The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002.  It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay.  Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north
San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California. The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002. It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay. Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north.
Image ID: 22288  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 

San Diego Magazine Cover Photo: Coronado Bay Bridge and Downtown

Filed under: San Diego, Tear Sheets on 1/27/2012

The February 2012 cover of San Diego Magazine is my aerial photo of the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge, with the bay and downtown in the background. The boat wake shaped like a heart (”heart” = “reasons to love San Diego”, get it?) was the work of the cover illustrator. This photograph was shot on a fun flight I made with Alaska photographer Ron Niebrugge a few years ago. We had clear air and warm sunlight to make our photographs of San Diego. Thanks for looking!

San Diego Magazine Cover Photo by Phillip Colla, San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge aerial photo

Leucadia Sunset

Filed under: San Diego on 1/18/2012

Sunset over the Ocean, Leucadia, California

This photo was made a few minutes after the sun went down, in Leucadia, California, an eclectic beach community in north San Diego county that is home to great surf, great taco shops and nouveau riche homes teetering on the edge of crumbling sea cliffs. I left the shutter open for 30 seconds to let the surf blur and allow the ocean to appear flat. I love living near the ocean!

Leucadia sunset, beautiful clouds and soft colors
Leucadia sunset, beautiful clouds and soft colors.
Image ID: 27379  

See more photos of San Diego.

Hotel Del Coronado with Christmas Lights, San Diego

Filed under: San Diego on 1/17/2012

Christmas Holiday Lights at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, California.

During the holidays I joined my photographer friend Garry McCarthy at sunset to photograph the Hotel Del Coronado on beautiful Coronado Island in San Diego. During the holidays “The Del” puts on quite a holiday show, with a beachside ice skating rink and holiday lights. Garry and I waited until the “blue hour” kicked in and shot some nice images of this distinctive landmark San Diego hotel at dusk. If you like these, take a look at my gallery of San Diego photos. Thanks for looking!

Hotel del Coronado with holiday Christmas night lights, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance. It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977
Hotel del Coronado with holiday Christmas night lights, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance. It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
Image ID: 27396  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 
Hotel del Coronado with holiday Christmas night lights, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance. It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977
Hotel del Coronado with holiday Christmas night lights.
Image ID: 27405  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 

Imperial Beach Pier

Filed under: San Diego on 1/16/2012

The Imperial Beach Pier is an old, charismatic wooden pier reaching out in the lovely Pacific from that funky and most-southerly city in California: Imperial Beach. The Imperial Beach Pier, of “I.B. Pier”, was most recently built in 1989. It is 1491′ long and 24′ wide and situated in water that is approximately 20′ deep. I like photographing the ocean and coastlines at dawn, and recently made a trip down to the Imperial Beach Pier to photograph it over the holidays. If you like these, see a few other Imperial Beach Pier photos. Thanks for looking!

Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,
Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,.
Image ID: 27414  
Location: Imperial Beach, California, USA
 
Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,
Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,.
Image ID: 27411  
Location: Imperial Beach, California, USA
 
Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,
Imperial Beach pier at sunrise,.
Image ID: 27417  
Location: Imperial Beach, California, USA
 

See also my photos of the other four ocean piers in San Diego County:

Ocean Beach Pier photos
Scripps Institute of Oceanography Research Pier photos
Crystal Pier photos
Oceanside Pier photos

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 41' 4.88" N, Longitude: 117° 14' 38.25" W, Coord: 32.68469°, -117.24396°
Filed under: San Diego on 3/30/2011

Photos of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma, San Diego

When I went down to Point Loma to photograph downtown San Diego and Mount Laguna, I spent a while visiting beautiful and solemn Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I was struck by the sheer number of tombstones covering the grassy rolling hills the overlook both San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean. I felt a renewed and deep appreciation for the many heros buried at Fort Rosecrans as well as our country’s many other National Cemeteries.

Tombstones at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, with downtown San Diego with snow-covered Mt. Laguna in the distance
Tombstones at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, with downtown San Diego with snow-covered Mt. Laguna in the distance.
Image ID: 26593  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
Image ID: 26572  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
Image ID: 26573  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
Image ID: 26571  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 

Downtown San Diego and Snow-Covered Mount Laguna

Filed under: San Diego on 3/29/2011

Mount Laguna, covered in snow, rises over the downtown San Diego City Skyline

In Southern California we have the ability to go skiing or sledding in the morning and surfing in the afternoon! A couple times when I was growing up I was able to ditch school and go mid-week skiing in the local mountains and get back home in time to make a run on the beach. A novelty, sure, but there are not too many places one can experience both in a single day.** In late February we had a cold wet storm come through that left quite a bit of snow on the mountains east of downtown San Diego. I decided to make a photograph contrasting downtown San Diego with a snow-covered Mount Laguna in the distance. This is a composition that occasionally appears on the front page of the local paper, the emphasis being on the novelty of the snow in this city known for its mild and pleasant weather. However, the U-T usually shows a harsh mid-morning or daytime image. I wanted something with warmer and softer light than that, so I photographed this after sunset. In the foreground is part of North Island Naval Air Station’s complex of tarmacs, runways and hangars. The bright plume of white seen in the middle of the image comes from an aircraft carrier docked in San Diego Bay. Originally I liked the streak of light from a passing plane, but being a modern unethical photographer I now think I should remove it in Photoshop. OK, that last part was a lie.

I was in shorts and a t-shirt when I took this photograph but I am sure the folks on Mount Laguna were bundled up.

Dusk settles on downtown San Diego with snow-covered Mt. Laguna in the distance
Dusk settles on downtown San Diego with snow-covered Mt. Laguna in the distance.
Image ID: 26716  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
 

**Another place I was able to play in the snow and swim in the ocean on the same day was at my aunt and uncles place on the Big Island. My uncle drove us from Kamuela on a dirt road to the top of Mauna Kea, where we ran around and got lightheaded from the altitude and slid down the snow-covered sides of the bowl alongside the astronomical observatories on top of the volcano. We drove back down and had pupus and an afternoon swim at the beach later that same day. Snow and surf.

See more photos of the downtown San Diego city skyline.

Photos of Scripps Pier, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

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Latitude: 32° 51' 56.8" N, Longitude: 117° 15' 38.48" W, Coord: 32.86578°, -117.26069°
Filed under: California, La Jolla, San Diego on 2/7/2011

Photos of Scripps Pier, La Jolla

Below is the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier, the pier that supports the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. The original wooden Scripps Pier was built in 1915 and was replaced by the modern cement pier in 1988. On the hill behind the pier can be seen many of the buildings that make up Scripps Institute of Oceanography. To the left (north) is the southern edge of Black’s Beach, while if one walked along the beach to the right (south) one would come to La Jolla Shores Beach in a few minutes. When I was in grad school I worked in the Norpax building on the far left above the sandstone bluff. Some of the greatest minds in all of science work on this hill, wearing flip-flops as their laser brains study climate change and deep ocean phenomena, and go surfing at the pier at lunch. It’s brutal living in Southern California.

SIO Pier.  The Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier is 1090 feet long and was built of reinforced concrete in 1988, replacing the original wooden pier built in 1915. The Scripps Pier is home to a variety of sensing equipment above and below water that collects various oceanographic data. The Scripps research diving facility is located at the foot of the pier. Fresh seawater is pumped from the pier to the many tanks and facilities of SIO, including the Birch Aquarium. The Scripps Pier is named in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps, the most significant donor and benefactor of the Institution.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22293, all rights reserved worldwide.
SIO Pier. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier is 1090 feet long and was built of reinforced concrete in 1988, replacing the original wooden pier built in 1915. The Scripps Pier is home to a variety of sensing equipment above and below water that collects various oceanographic data. The Scripps research diving facility is located at the foot of the pier. Fresh seawater is pumped from the pier to the many tanks and facilities of SIO, including the Birch Aquarium. The Scripps Pier is named in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps, the most significant donor and benefactor of the Institution. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA.
Image: 22293  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
Scripps Pier, predawn abstract study of pier pilings and moving water, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, predawn abstract study of pier pilings and moving water.
Image ID: 26340  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
Scripps Pier, sunrise, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, sunrise.
Image ID: 26456  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
Research pier at Scripps Institution of Oceanography SIO, sunset, La Jolla, California
Research pier at Scripps Institution of Oceanography SIO, sunset.
Image ID: 26531  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
Scripps Pier, sunrise, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, sunrise.
Image ID: 26458  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 

See more San Diego photos and photos of Scripps Pier.

La Jolla Photos

Filed under: La Jolla, San Diego on 1/19/2011

La Jolla Photos

I have been having fun recently making new photographs of one of my favorite cities in California: La Jolla. I spent about 10 years living in La Jolla, first in undergrad and graduate school at UCSD then a while longer before moving to North County (Del Mar, Carlsbad). Tracy and I love La Jolla since many of our favorite restaurants are there, and Tracy works in La Jolla. La Jolla’s rocky coastline really is the jewel of San Diego. Included in these images are some from Coast Boulevard, Children’s Pool, Goldfish Point, Scripps Pier and Torrey Pines, plus a few aerial and UCSD photos shot in 2010:

Pacific harbor seal, an sand at the edge of the sea, Phoca vitulina richardsi, La Jolla, California
Pacific harbor seal, an sand at the edge of the sea.
Image ID: 26315  
Species: Pacific harbor seal, Phoca vitulina richardsi
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Sunset falls upon Torrey Pines State Reserve, viewed from the Torrey Pines glider port.  La Jolla, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Scripps Pier are seen in the distance
Sunset falls upon Torrey Pines State Reserve, viewed from the Torrey Pines glider port. La Jolla, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Scripps Pier are seen in the distance.
Image ID: 26436  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
California brown pelican, showing characteristic winter plumage including red/olive throat, brown hindneck, yellow and white head colors, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus, La Jolla
California brown pelican, showing characteristic winter plumage including red/olive throat, brown hindneck, yellow and white head colors.
Image ID: 26462  
Species: Brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Western gull, Larus occidentalis, La Jolla, California
Western gull.
Image ID: 26465  
Species: Western gull, Larus occidentalis
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Earth Shadow lies over Point La Jolla at dawn
Earth Shadow lies over Point La Jolla at dawn.
Image ID: 26444  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Sea Caves, the famous La Jolla sea caves lie below tall cliffs at Goldfish Point.  Sunrise
Sea Caves, the famous La Jolla sea caves lie below tall cliffs at Goldfish Point. Sunrise.
Image ID: 26442  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Waves wash over sandstone reef, clouds and sky, La Jolla, California
Waves wash over sandstone reef, clouds and sky.
Image ID: 26453  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Scripps Pier, predawn abstract study of pier pilings and moving water, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, predawn abstract study of pier pilings and moving water.
Image ID: 26457  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
La Jolla Coast Boulevard at sunset, ocean and sea bluffs
La Jolla Coast Boulevard at sunset, ocean and sea bluffs.
Image ID: 26424  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Scripps Pier, sunrise, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, sunrise.
Image ID: 26427  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
Scripps Pier, sunrise, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California
Scripps Pier, sunrise.
Image ID: 26430  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
Fisherman at dawn along the La Jolla coastline, waves blur as they crash upon the Boomer Beach boulders
Fisherman at dawn along the La Jolla coastline, waves blur as they crash upon the Boomer Beach boulders.
Image ID: 26447  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Waves and beach boulders, abstract study of water movement, La Jolla, California
Waves and beach boulders, abstract study of water movement.
Image ID: 26449  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
Torrey Pines seacliffs, rising up to 300 feet above the ocean, stretch from Del Mar to La Jolla.  On the mesa atop the bluffs are found Torrey pine trees, one of the rare species of pines in the world, Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California
Torrey Pines seacliffs, rising up to 300 feet above the ocean, stretch from Del Mar to La Jolla. On the mesa atop the bluffs are found Torrey pine trees, one of the rare species of pines in the world.
Image ID: 22285  
Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California, USA
 
SIO Pier.  The Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier is 1090 feet long and was built of reinforced concrete in 1988, replacing the original wooden pier built in 1915. The Scripps Pier is home to a variety of sensing equipment above and below water that collects various oceanographic data. The Scripps research diving facility is located at the foot of the pier. Fresh seawater is pumped from the pier to the many tanks and facilities of SIO, including the Birch Aquarium. The Scripps Pier is named in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps, the most significant donor and benefactor of the Institution, La Jolla, California
SIO Pier. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier is 1090 feet long and was built of reinforced concrete in 1988, replacing the original wooden pier built in 1915. The Scripps Pier is home to a variety of sensing equipment above and below water that collects various oceanographic data. The Scripps research diving facility is located at the foot of the pier. Fresh seawater is pumped from the pier to the many tanks and facilities of SIO, including the Birch Aquarium. The Scripps Pier is named in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps, the most significant donor and benefactor of the Institution.
Image ID: 22286  
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, USA
 
The Children's Pool in La Jolla, also known as Casa Cove, is a small pocket cove protected by a curving seawall, with the rocky coastline and cottages and homes of La Jolla seen behind it
The Children’s Pool in La Jolla, also known as Casa Cove, is a small pocket cove protected by a curving seawall, with the rocky coastline and cottages and homes of La Jolla seen behind it.
Image ID: 22302  
Location: La Jolla, California, USA
 
UCSD Library glows at sunset (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
UCSD Library glows at sunset (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library).
Image ID: 14780  
Location: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
 
UCSD Library glows at sunset (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library), University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
UCSD Library glows at sunset (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library).
Image ID: 14777  
Location: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
 
Bear is another of the odd outdoor "art" pieces of the UCSD Stuart Collection.  Created by Tim Hawkinson in 2001 of eight large stones, it sits in the courtyard of the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla
Bear is another of the odd outdoor “art” pieces of the UCSD Stuart Collection. Created by Tim Hawkinson in 2001 of eight large stones, it sits in the courtyard of the UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering.
Image ID: 20851  
Location: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, USA
 

See also: San Diego photos, La Jolla photos.

Thanks for Garry McCarthy who showed me a nice spot to shoot rocky coastline photos in La Jolla.

Timelapse Movie of Oceanside Pier at Sunset

Filed under: California, Photography, San Diego, Time Lapse, Video on 3/5/2010

Timelapse video of dusk and sunset at the Oceanside Pier, California, as tourists play on the beach and surf fish. Shot with a still camera, my lucky flipflops, and a pack of Altoids. Finished on our new iMac. Gotta love coastal Southern California.

San Diego Pictures

Filed under: Aerial Photography, California, Photoshelter, San Diego on 7/30/2009

My San Diego pictures are now on Photoshelter in addition to the photos of San Diego on this website. There is even a nifty slideshow of them. Don’t watch too long, however, or you will want to move out here.

San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California.  The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002.  It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay.  Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north, Keywords: aerial, aerial photo, california, coronado bay bridge, coronado bridge, san diego, san diego coronado bridge, usa, city, downtown, scene, urban, view, vista, bay, bridge, harbor, marine, ocean, sea, span, transportation, water, coronado, freeway, road, landmark, scenic, structure, travel, marina, outdoors, outside, tourism, island, above, over,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22288, all rights reserved worldwide.
San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California. The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002. It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay. Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north. San Diego, California, USA.
Image ID: 22288  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Keywords: San Diego pictures, San Diego, California, stock photo, picture, landscape, scenic, travel, image, photograph.

Tijuana River Pollution, San Diego

Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/27/2009

The Tijuana River Valley, which skirts the U.S. - Mexico border, has a huge pollution problem. The Tijuana River, which passes through Tijuana before crossing into the United States, collects huge amounts of trash and debris with each winter’s storms. The plastic bottles, cans, tires, garbage bags, clothes, and sewage then washes downstream into the United States. While the liquid pollutants flow with the river until it empties into the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach, the rest of the debris washes up on the edges of the Tijuana River Valley or is trapped in vegetation. It is a depressing sight to behold.

Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22544, all rights reserved worldwide.
Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States. Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22544  
Location: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA
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Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22546, all rights reserved worldwide.
Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States. Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22546  
Location: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA
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Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22549, all rights reserved worldwide.
Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States. Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22549  
Location: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA
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Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22555, all rights reserved worldwide.
Pollution accumulates in the Tijuana River Valley following winter storms which flush the trash from Tijuana in Mexico across the border into the United States. Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22555  
Location: Imperial Beach, San Diego, California, USA
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See more Tijuana River Valley pollution photos and Imperial Beach pollution photos.

Downtown San Diego and USS Midway

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Latitude: 32° 42' 43.99" N, Longitude: 117° 10' 45.62" W, Coord: 32.71222°, -117.17934°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/14/2009

One more photo of San Diego, then on to other things. Seen here are the high rise office buildings along the waterfront of downtown San Diego, lit with warm sunset light. Dominating the foreground is the USS Midway, a US Navy aircraft carrier that is now permanently docked in San Diego and which serves as a naval museum and a testament to San Diego’s rich Navy tradition and history.

Downtown San Diego and USS Midway.  The USS Midway was a US Navy aircraft carrier, launched in 1945 and active through the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm, as of 2008 a museum along the downtown waterfront in San Diego.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22289, all rights reserved worldwide.
Downtown San Diego and USS Midway. The USS Midway was a US Navy aircraft carrier, launched in 1945 and active through the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm, as of 2008 a museum along the downtown waterfront in San Diego. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22289  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Coast Highway 101

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Latitude: 32° 56' 19.31" N, Longitude: 117° 15' 39.74" W, Coord: 32.9387°, -117.26104°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/13/2009

The Coast Highway, also known as Highway 101 or Coast Blvd, is one of the gems of San Diego County. It takes on somewhat different names as it passes through the beachside communities of La Jolla, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas and Carlsbad. It passes spectacular ocean views, funky cafes and galleries, upscale restaurants, a few state parks and some very nice real estate. In this photo looking south, the Coast Highway passes alongside Torrey Pines State Beach and climbs past Torrey Pines Reserve. La Jolla is in the distance. The mouth of Los Penasquitos Marsh connects with the ocean in the center of the photograph. If you are a runner, consider this stretch of highway and beach “A-list.”

Coast Highway 101, looking south from Del Mar, with Los Penasquitos Marsh on the left and the cliffs of Torrey Pines State Reserve and La Jolla in the distance.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22310, all rights reserved worldwide.
Coast Highway 101, looking south from Del Mar, with Los Penasquitos Marsh on the left and the cliffs of Torrey Pines State Reserve and La Jolla in the distance. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22310  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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San Diego Convention Center

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Latitude: 32° 42' 5.83" N, Longitude: 117° 9' 41.32" W, Coord: 32.70162°, -117.16148°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/12/2009

We made several loops over downtown as the sun dropped to the horizon, eventually passing by the San Diego Covention Center. It is really a big facility and looks quite different from the air than when I have seen it from the entrance near the Gaslamp District. Just a few seconds after the photo below was made, I took a nice photo of Petco Park just a short distance away (as the crow flies).

San Diego Convention Center, located in the Marina District of downtown San Diego.  Built in 1989, the San Diego Convention Center offers 525,700 square feet of exhibit space.  It is noted for its distinctive sails made of Teflon-coated fiberglass suspended over the central exhibition hall, aptly named Sails Pavilion.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22290, all rights reserved worldwide.
San Diego Convention Center, located in the Marina District of downtown San Diego. Built in 1989, the San Diego Convention Center offers 525,700 square feet of exhibit space. It is noted for its distinctive “sails” made of Teflon-coated fiberglass suspended over the central exhibition hall, aptly named Sails Pavilion. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22290  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Petco Park and Downtown San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 42' 25.3" N, Longitude: 117° 9' 17.96" W, Coord: 32.70703°, -117.15499°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/10/2009

Here is a view of Petco Park and downtown San Diego with San Diego Bay in the background.

Downtown San Diego and Petco Park, viewed from the southeast.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22300, all rights reserved worldwide.
Downtown San Diego and Petco Park, viewed from the southeast. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22300  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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See more of our San Diego Photos.

Coronado Bridge, San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 40' 59.55" N, Longitude: 117° 9' 18.43" W, Coord: 32.68321°, -117.15512°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/9/2009

One of the most striking sights during our flight over San Diego was the San Diego - Coronado Bridge. Arching high over San Diego Bay, the Coronado Bridge connects San Diego with the “island” community of Coronado and North Island Naval Air Station. Coronado is not truly an island as it is connected with the mainland with the long, skinny Strand, but approaching Coronado along the Strand requires a long detour through Imperial Beach. The Coronado Bridge was built high enough that large Navy boats can sail beneath it. And the bridge sections are designed to float so that, in the event that a disaster occurs and the bridge is destroyed, the bridge pieces can be easily moved out of the way so that Navy vessels can move quickly through the area. In this photo looking north, Coronado Island is seen to the left and downtown San Diego to the right.

San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California.  The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002.  It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay.  Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22288, all rights reserved worldwide.
San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California. The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002. It is 2.1 miles long and reaches a height of 200 feet above San Diego Bay. Coronado Island is to the left, and downtown San Diego is to the right in this view looking north. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22288  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Hotel del Coronado, San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 40' 40.33" N, Longitude: 117° 10' 46.73" W, Coord: 32.67787°, -117.17965°
Filed under: Aerial Photography, California, San Diego on 2/7/2009

An aerial photo of the Hotel del Coronado, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the country’s few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance. It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Hotel del Coronado, known affectionately as the Hotel Del.  It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts.  It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance.  It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22287, all rights reserved worldwide.
The Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22287  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Old Point Loma Lighthouse, San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 40' 18.26" N, Longitude: 117° 14' 46.42" W, Coord: 32.67174°, -117.24623°
Filed under: California, San Diego on 2/6/2009

The original Point Loma lighthouse was built in 1855 and operated until 1891. It was one of the original 8 lighthouses built on the West Coast and was designed in the Cape Cod style common to all of them at the time. East Coast lighthouses were then built on promontories and hill tops so it was natural to do so on the West Coast as well. This was soon realized to be a major blunder: the lighthouses were too high for the weather, above the low-lying fog that is common on the West Coast, and thus not visible to coastal mariners. In 1891 the Point Loma lighthouse was replaced by another one closer to sea level. The “old” Point Loma lighthouse, which has been refurbished to its 1880’s condition, is now the principal attraction of Cabrillo National Monument and offers unobstructed views of San Diego Bay, North Island Naval Air Station and Coronado Island, Mexico’s Islas Coronado and the Pacific Ocean.

Old Point Loma Lighthouse, sitting high atop the end of Point Loma peninsula, seen here with San Diego Bay and downtown San Diego in the distance.  The old Point Loma lighthouse operated from 1855 to 1891 above the entrance to San Diego Bay. It is now a maintained by the National Park Service and is part of Cabrillo National Monument,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22301, all rights reserved worldwide.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse, sitting high atop the end of Point Loma peninsula, seen here with San Diego Bay and downtown San Diego in the distance. The old Point Loma lighthouse operated from 1855 to 1891 above the entrance to San Diego Bay. It is now a maintained by the National Park Service and is part of Cabrillo National Monument. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22301  
Location: San Diego, California, USA
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Crystal Pier, San Diego

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Latitude: 32° 47' 52.4" N, Longitude: 117° 15' 46.29" W, Coord: 32.79789°, -117.26286°
Filed under: Aerial Photography, California, San Diego on 2/5/2009

Crystal Pier, a combination hotel and pier in the Pacific Beach community of San Diego, extends 872 feet out into the Pacific Ocean. A few dozen cottages sit on the pier near its base. It was built in 1925. Seen beyond Crystal Pier in this aerial photo are Mission Bay and, to the upper right, downtown San Diego.

Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach.  Mission Bay and downtown San Diego are seen in the distance.,  Copyright Phillip Colla, image #22294, all rights reserved worldwide.
Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach. Mission Bay and downtown San Diego are seen in the distance. San Diego, California, USA.
Image: 22294  
Location: San Diego, California, USA

 

The Crystal Pier and Pacific Ocean at sunrise, dawn, waves blur as they crash upon the sand.  Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach
The Crystal Pier and Pacific Ocean at sunrise, dawn, waves blur as they crash upon the sand. Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach.
Image ID: 27239  
Location: Pacific Beach, California, USA
 
The Crystal Pier and Pacific Ocean at sunrise, dawn, waves blur as they crash upon the sand.  Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach
The Crystal Pier and Pacific Ocean at sunrise, dawn, waves blur as they crash upon the sand. Crystal Pier, 872 feet long and built in 1925, extends out into the Pacific Ocean from the town of Pacific Beach.
Image ID: 27243  
Location: Pacific Beach, California, USA
 

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Updated: February 3, 2012