http://www.oceanlight.com/log California photographer Phillip Colla. Professional underwater, marine and wildlife stock photos. Natural History Photography. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:15:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en My friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs was doing a little diving in the Sea of Cortez with a group of long-time diving friends. Skip shoots primarily video, but on his trips he always takes some time out to shoot a few still photos with his Canon G10. ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/skip-stubbs-in-the-sea-of-cortez-2009.html Each winter North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) converge on Hawaii to calve, form consort pairs and eventually mate. These social activities often culminate in "heat runs", exciting and only partly understood spectacles of competition unique among cetaceans. It should be pointed out that the term heat run ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/heat-run.html My kelp forest stock photos appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the kelp forest pictures I have on Photoshelter: Kelp Forest Pictures, Macrocystis pyrifera - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, see this kelp forest photo slideshow on Photoshelter! Keywords: giant kelp, macrocystis pyrifera, kelp forest, underwater photo, ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/kelp-forest-pictures.html Today I would like to recognize Doug Perrine, one of the worlds most accomplished and respected marine wildlife photographers. Last night, his amazing photograph of a feeding Bryde's whale was awarded highly commended at the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in London. Honestly, I cannot imagine ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/doug-perrine-marine-wildlife-photographer.html My Guadalupe Island stock photos appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the Guadalupe Island pictures I have on Photoshelter: Guadalupe Island Pictures, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, see this Guadalupe Island photo slideshow on Photoshelter! Keywords: Guadalupe Island, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, stock photos, ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/guadalupe-island-pictures.html I photographed this Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Sunday morning at Santee Lakes. The coast near my home was totally socked in with pea soup fog, but once I got inland to Santee Lakes the skies cleared. Santee Lakes has some great duck photography. I am not a ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/northern-shoveler-anas-clypeata.html My Galapagos Islands stock photos appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the Galapagos pictures I have on Photoshelter: Galapagos Islands Pictures, Ecuador - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, see this Galapagos photo slideshow on Photoshelter! Keywords: Galapagos Islands, archipelago, Ecuador, stock photos, image. http://www.oceanlight.com/log/galapagos-pictures-and-photos.html What is the largest bony fish in the world? The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) of course! My stock photos of the ocean sunfish appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the ocean sunfish pictures I have on Photoshelter: Ocean Sunfish Pictures - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/ocean-sunfish-pictures.html A few days ago I was contacted by an author who was interested in one of my photos for a book he is self-publishing. I got the sense there probably was not much budget when he mentioned in his email that the book would be available for free download. ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/another-sale-bites-the-dust.html My stock photos of the Wave in the North Coyote Buttes appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the pictures of the Wave and North Coyote Buttes I have on Photoshelter: Pictures of The Wave, North Coyote Buttes - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, see this Wave ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/photos-of-the-wave-and-north-coyote-buttes-arizona.html 36.99597 -112.00619 My Florida manatee underwater stock photos appear on Oceanlight.com in addition to the Florida manatee pictures I have on Photoshelter: Manatee Pictures - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, see this Florida manatee photo slideshow on Photoshelter! Keywords: manatee stock photo, photo of Florida manatees. http://www.oceanlight.com/log/florida-manatee-pictures.html My Yellowstone National Park stock photos are organized on Oceanlight.com in additional to the Yellowstone National Park pictures I have placed on Photoshelter: Yellowstone National Park Photos - Images by Phillip Colla Note: If you cannot see the slideshow above, then see this Yellowstone National Park photo slideshow. Keywords: Yellowstone National Park, stock ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/yellowstone-national-park-photos.html SOLD. For sale: Sekonic L-358 Lightmeter / Flashmeter. It is in pristine condition, hardly used, I am the original owner. I bought it thinking I would do more portrait photography with flash but never got into it (my kids don't like having their photo taken). Asking $155.00. ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/sekonic-l-358-lightmeter-for-sale.html My Yosemite National Park stock photos are organized on Oceanlight.com in addition to the Yosemite pictures appearing on my Photoshelter account: Yosemite Pictures - Images by Phillip Colla If you cannot see the slideshow above, then take a look at this Yosemite National Park photo slideshow. Keywords: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley http://www.oceanlight.com/log/yosemite-national-park-photos.html Today's post is a recommendation for Michael Frye's guide book for photographers, The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite. I've owned this book for years. While I know Yosemite National Park quite well, having made frequent visits to the park my entire life (now that's saying something!), I now carry ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/the-photographers-guide-to-yosemite.html One image that just screams "eastern Sierra fall color" that I wanted to make when I last visited Bishop was one of turning aspen trees alongside running water. The three basins in the mountains above Bishop drain into the three three forks of Bishop Creek, and with aspen trees ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/aspens-in-fall-beside-a-creek.html 37.18468 -118.55837 Along the road that runs beside North Lake in the Bishop Creek watershed is a section I have heard referred to as the "Aspen Tunnel", an apropos name certainly. Tall quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) on either side lean over the road, creating a impressive cylinder of color. ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/the-aspen-tunnel.html 37.22909 -118.61901 I have recently taken to shooting infrared photos while I am out on photo excursions. The motivation for me is that, if I can easily and inexpensively produce a different type of photo from what I normally shoot, all the while not affecting my ability to shoot traditional color ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/natural-history-photography-with-infrared-light.html One tree in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is my favorite. Its huge, reasonably symmetric, and sits somewhat alone in meadow clearing so that morning light can illuminate almost the entire tree nicely. Plus, its a nice 2 mile run up through the grove ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/infrared-photo-of-a-giant-sequoia-tree.html 37.51348 -119.59880 I got reports that the Eastern Sierra fall colors in the Bishop Creek Canyon basin were starting to peak at higher elevations, and that one or two weather developments in the coming week might affect the weekend of 10/3-4, so I decided to jam up to Bishop (5 hours from ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/banzai-run-to-bishop-creek-and-rock-creek.html Update 9/28/2009: see my report and latest photos from Bishop Creek and Rock Creek (cool slideshow). Update 9/24/2009: some reports are showing up. The most informative are from Inge Fernau, Greg Boyer, Cory Freeman and Parcher's Resort. If you are a weekend warrior and trying to assess which weekend will be ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/get-ready-for-fall-color-in-the-eastern-sierra.html Are you exposing to the right and using the best in-camera settings for contrast and saturation? If you shoot RAW and expose to the right and think contract and saturation settings don't affect you, think again. If you judge your exposure settings on whether you are clipping the ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/expose-to-the-right.html My tiger shark pictures (Galeocerdo cuvier) are now on Photoshelter (in addition to the tiger shark photos on this website). These were also taken on the same trip with Skip, Ken Howard, Keith Grundy and Jim Abernethy. These tiger sharks were the reason I wanted to go on the ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/tiger-shark-pictures-galeocerdo-cuvier.html My Caribbean reef shark pictures (Carcharhinus perezi) are now on Photoshelter (in addition to the Caribbean reef shark photos on this website). These were also taken on the same trip with Skip, Ken Howard, Keith Grundy and Jim Abernethy. These dives were a lot of fun. Jim ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/caribbean-reef-shark-pictures-carcharhinus-perezi.html My lemon shark pictures (Negaprion brevirostris) are now on Photoshelter (in addition to the lemon shark photos on this website). I spent about 10 days in the Bahamas with Skip, Ken Howard, Keith Grundy and Jim Abernethy to shoot a few different kinds of sharks. When we got ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/lemon-shark-pictures-negaprion-brevirostris.html My bull shark pictures (Carcharhinus leucas) are now on Photoshelter (in addition to the bull shark photos on this website). These underwater photos were taken in the Bahamas. And if you are curious, the answer is "yes"; the bull shark is one of the more dangerous sharks in ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/bull-shark-pictures-carcharhinus-leucas.html I've known Brandon Cole by reputation since about 1992 (I think), having seen his wonderful marine life images appearing in publication frequently both editorially and in advertising, and I have been fortunate to know him personally since we had the pleasure of getting out on the water some years ago ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/brandon-cole-marine-photography.html Update 9/28/2009: see my report and latest photos from Bishop Creek and Rock Creek (cool slideshow) as well as a summary of other links on the web about fall colors. OK, last post about Fall Color in the Eastern Sierra. I am looking forward to getting up there and am ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/bishop-creek-canyon-fall-color-on-google-earth.html Pictures of Eastern Sierra Fall Color from my stock photo collection on Photoshelter: Eastern Sierra Fall Color, Aspens in Autumn - Images by Phillip Colla I recently posted some links where one can soon see reports about Fall Color in the Eastern Sierra. Besides my collection on Photoshelter (from which the ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/pictures-of-eastern-sierra-fall-color-on-photoshelter.html I'm very happy to announce that our annual Guadalupe Island diving trip is on for July 2010! Skip Stubbs is once again personally leading this special trip to dive remote and unique Isla Guadalupe using the San Diego-based dive boat Horizon as our home-away-from-home. At present this trip ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/guadalupe-island-diving-trip-july-2010.html We wrapped up our end-of-summer family vacation in Mammoth, which we love to visit in the summer. We took the bus to Devil's Postpile National Monument, never having seen it before. Our timing could not have been better, we got there just before the sun went down, leaving ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/photo-of-devils-postpile-national-monument.html I recently posted some new images from a September 2009 visit to the Bishop Creek and Rock Creek watersheds, as well as a list of resources for learning more about where and when the fall colors can be expected to appear, and how to best photograph Fall Colors in the ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/eastern-sierra-fall-colors.html Cool: I was selected as one of Photoshelter's Featured Photographers for September 2009. For those of you that aren't photographers or don't yet know about Photoshelter: Photoshelter is the leading photo-hosting service for pro and serious amateur photographers. I've had a personal website for many years, and it ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/photoshelters-featured-photographers-for-september-2009.html Many of my giant sequoia pictures are now on Photoshelter, which is the source of this nifty slideshow. Sequoia trees really are the most majestic of all plants. They are the largest (i.e., most massive) life forms on earth, and they are nearly the tallest (exceeded only by ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/giant-sequoia-pictures.html 37.51332 -119.59873 Some years ago I posted a blog entry about photos of glacial erratic boulders on Olmsted Point in Yosemite National Park. Well, I was recently there and got a few more. Glacial erratic boulders are so named because they are erratic (i.e., differ materially from the naturally occuring ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/photos-of-glacial-erratic-boulders.html My in-laws live year-round very near the south entrance to Yosemite National Park. It only takes a few minutes for me to drive in and reach the Mariposa grove of giant sequoia trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum), so I will often go into the park early in the morning and take ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/giant-sequoia-tree-photo.html 37.50387 -119.60431 A wave truly is a gift from the sea**. We are baking in a heat wave right now in Southern California, and the only respite is water. I have not been out to photograph waves for a really long time, so I decide to go out this morning ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/gift-from-the-sea.html 33.01166 -117.28082 I've been a fan of Wordpress for almost six years. I started blogging with Wordpress in 2005 and have upgraded several times over the years as new versions have come out. However, it may be time for me to say TTFN to Wordpress. I am usually very ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/wordpress-28-memory-usage-and-bloat.html Please link to this website! Do you like these photos? I hope so! I've gone to a lot of effort to not only take these photos but put them on the web for you and others to enjoy. If you like them, please consider linking to my web site. That's right, ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/a-note-to-visitors.html Some of my humpback whale pictures (Megaptera novaeangliae) are now on Photoshelter (in addition to the humpback whale pictures on this website). I was fortunate to assist Dr. Dan Salden of Hawaii Whale Research Foundation on the waters near Maui for quite a few years, and have some interesting ... http://www.oceanlight.com/log/humpback-whale-pictures-megaptera-novaeangliae.html