California

Birds

Heermann’s Gull, Larus heermanni

The Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni), photographed when I am out and about in La Jolla and North County. Lately I have been trying to frame seabirds against blue water, or have the ocean horizon in the image to anchor the composition and help tie the animal with the ocean. Cheers,…

Phil CollaFebruary 1, 2015

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Surf

La Jolla Reefs, Surf and Clouds

This morning in coastal La Jolla was lacking in color but there is always something of beauty in the way waves come ashore and wrap around rocks and reefs. Cheers, and thanks for looking!

Phil CollaJanuary 31, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California San Diego

Stars, A Galaxy and … Wind Turbines?

On a lark one evening in 2014, my buddy Garry McCarthy and I headed out to the desert to do some night photography with only one caveat: try someplace new (in other words, not Joshua Tree again). We headed east and somewhat south with sort of a plan but really…

Phil CollaJanuary 28, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California San Diego

Lunar Eclipse Photo Sequence, October 8 2014

Lunar Eclipse Sequence Over Broken Hill, Torrey Pines State Reserve. While the moon lies in the full shadow of the earth (umbra) it receives only faint, red-tinged light refracted through the Earth's atmosphere. As the moon passes into the penumbra it receives increasing amounts of direct sunlight, eventually leaving the…

Phil CollaNovember 10, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Surfer’s View of Scripps Pier Perfect Sunset, Solar Alignment, La Jolla

Twice each year, the sun sets perfectly centered in the long thin window of the Scripps Research Pier pilings. Photographing this event is frankly rather formulaic and straightforward, to the point that people pack the narrow space on the shore between the pier pilings well before the sunset to ensure…

Phil CollaAugust 12, 2014

Aerial Photography Channel Islands

Anacapa Island, Aerial Photo, Channel Islands National Park, California

This is Anacapa Island, viewed from the west with the California coastline visible in the distance. Anacapa Island is composed of three islets stretching about 6 miles long, located 11 miles off the coast. West Anacapa, seen here, is the highest of the three reaching an altitude of 930' above…

Phil CollaAugust 8, 2014

White Mountains

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees and the Night Sky Milky Way

If you like this, please see my Gallery of Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree Photos or my Gallery of Milky Way Photos. These ancient bristlecones are two of the more iconic in the world. They stand on a slope in the White Mountains in a clearing with few other trees nearby.…

Phil CollaAugust 6, 2014

Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Dusk on Vogelsang Peak, Yosemite National Park, California

The last time I stayed at Vogelsang High Sierra Camp, my dad and I took the Rafferty Canyon trail and arrived about 3pm. For some reason I still had some energy so I took off and tried for the summit of Vogelsang Peak, arriving just shortly before sunset. The view…

Phil CollaJune 24, 2014

Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Townsley Lake and Cathedral Range at Sunrise, Yosemite National Park

One of my favorite lakes in the Sierra Nevada is Townsley Lake, located a bit above and not far from the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp in Yosemite National Park. Every time I stay at Vogelsang I make sure to spend at least one sunrise at Townsley, where I have always…

Phil CollaJune 23, 2014

Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Lembert Dome Sunset, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park

Nice pastel light hits the clouds and lights up Lembert Dome rising above Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, California. An easy hike takes one to the top of Lembert Dome for expansive views of Tuolumne Meadows and the high Sierra Nevada around the eastern side of Yosemite National Park.…

Phil CollaJune 22, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Sequence, Juniper and Standing Rock, Joshua Tree, 2014

For the eclipse of April 14/15, 2014, I wanted to depict the course of the eclipse across the sky with some recognizable landscape features in the foreground to anchor the composition. As the day of the eclipse went by, I watched the weather reports and decided Joshua Tree National Park…

Phil CollaJune 9, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California

Searching the Skies – Palomar Observatory at Night

My father took my brother and I camping at Mount Palomar a few times when I was a kid. We would fish at Doane Pond (back then it seemed like a lake but now I realize its little more than a puddle), and always visit the Palomar Observatory just up…

Phil CollaMay 29, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Panoramas San Diego

Panorama of the Full Moon over San Diego City Skyline

I shoot a lot of images of the San Diego City Skyline, to keep them fresh and because I am always looking for a reason to be down along the San Diego Bay at dawn or dusk -- it is such a beautiful city. A few months ago I made…

Phil CollaMay 27, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree Panoramas The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Sequence over Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, April 2014

The lunar eclipse of April 14 and 15, 2014 was a wonderful event to see. I went up to Joshua Tree National Park to photograph it for two reasons. First, the weather forecast in the high desert was for clear skies and, for the most part, the skies were indeed…

Phil CollaApril 29, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Blood Red Moon Sequence over Joshua Tree National Park

This is the first of my photographic efforts shooting the lunar eclipse the evening of April 14/15 2014. I spent the entire night out under the stars in Joshua Tree National Park, where I often shoot when looking for clear skies and stars at night. I photographed several compositions and…

Phil CollaApril 17, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Venus, Milky Way and Arch Rock at Astronomical Twilight, Joshua Tree National Park

Things are always better at astronomical twilight. Venus was often referred to as the “Morning Star” by ancient civilizations (and as the “Evening Star” as well). On this day, it was indeed the morning star, rising just moments before astronomical twilight began. This allowed for a very brief window of…

Phil CollaApril 11, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla

Scripps Pier, Clouds and Surf, Black and White, La Jolla, California

Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California. Cloudy day and small surf. This image was photographed with the relatively new Sony A7R camera. I am really impressed with this camera. If you follow my photography you may know I am not a black and white art photographer, but in this case it…

Phil CollaMarch 22, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

High Resolution Panorama of San Diego City Skyline and San Diego Bay

Here is another recent panoramic photo of San Diego, photographed on a beautiful spring afternoon. This one spans nearly the entire width of the bay, and includes the yacht marinas of Shelter Island in the foreground. I photographed this with a top quality 300mm f/2.8 lens and high resolution camera,…

Phil CollaMarch 20, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

San Diego City Skyline, Full Moon Rising, Sunset

A new photograph of the full moon, just rising over the mountains behind downtown San Diego, with the San Diego County Administration Building seen lit in the foreground. This is actually just a small portion (about 5%) of a huge panorama stretching the entire length of the San Diego City…

Phil CollaMarch 19, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

Full Moon Rising over Downtown San Diego, Sunset

A new photograph of the full moon, rising at dusk over a view of downtown San Diego and its beautiful harbor front and city skyline, viewed from Point Loma, California. I have recently made a nice series of new images of the San Diego city skyline, harbor and rising full…

Phil CollaMarch 18, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Dawn at the Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego

I recently sold a beautiful 60" print of "Dawn at the Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego" for display in a client's home. I've had images presented in quite a few print publications, museums, aquariums, etc. but the most rewarding sale is to a client who wishes to include my photography…

Phil CollaMarch 14, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California

Oceanside Pier Photos

The Oceanside Municipal Pier is located at the end of Mission Avenue in Oceanside, California. The area has a bit of a gritty look to it but don't let that dissuade you from visiting, the Oceanside Pier is frequented by families, surfers, dog walkers, locals, fishermen and tourists day and…

Phil CollaMarch 1, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Sierra Nevada

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California. I made this image several years ago but neglected to share any images from that evening's photographic efforts on my blog. I have made many visits to the Volcanic Tablelands, at all times of day, to explore the rocks, admire…

Phil CollaFebruary 27, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Trees White Mountains

Ancient Bristlecone Pines, Full Moon and Starry Night, Patriarch Grove

This is the best image I made during a May trip through the White Mountains and Tioga Pass. I set out to find new, photogenic ancient bristlecone pine trees, something other than the two iconic brutes along the Discovery Trail near Schulman Grove and the oft-photographed leaner near the Patriarch…

Phil CollaJune 25, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego Seascapes

Scripps Pier Sunset Perfect Solar Alignment, La Jolla, San Diego, California

SIO Pier Sunset with Sun Framed Within the Pier Pilings Occasionally the setting sun will be perfectly framed within the pilings the Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier. This is what the perfect solar alignment through the SIO Pier pilings looks like -- it is a spectacular sight! Contact me…

Phil CollaMay 6, 2013

California Underwater Photography

Asferico Photo Competition Segnalato Il Mondo Subacqueo!

I love Italy. And I love photography. What could be better than an Italian Photography competition? Molto Bene! The Asferico photography competition, sponsored by Asferico Magazine in Italy, is an annual display of incredible images by many of the finest photographers in Europe. I have long admired the annual Asferico…

Phil CollaAugust 14, 2012

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Trees White Mountains

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest Ancient Bristlecone pine trees (Pinus longaeva) live in a relatively restricted area of eastern California, Nevada and Utah, typically at altitudes above 9500'. The ancient bristlecone pine tree is considered to be the world's oldest species of tree (and…

Phil CollaJune 12, 2012

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Imperial Beach Pier

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…

Phil CollaJanuary 16, 2012

California Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Salps, Pelagic Tunicates, Cyclosalpa Affinis

Photos of Salps, Pelagic Tunicates, Plankton This summer I've been fortunate to get out on the ocean a few times, and each time we have seen an incredible abundance of pelagic tunicates, in particular the species Cyclosalpa affinis. These open ocean planktonic animals largely drift with ocean currents, although they…

Phil CollaAugust 11, 2011

Desert The American Southwest Wildflowers

Palm Canyon Brittlebush

This brittlebush photo, at dawn in Palm Canyon in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, was one of only a handful of desert wildflower photos I made last year. It is raining again, the second bout of rain the coast of Southern California has received this week. This is on the…

Phil CollaFebruary 19, 2011

Desert The American Southwest Wildflowers

Henderson Canyon Road Dune Evening Primrose

Its raining now. If the deserts to the east of us get some of this moisture, it should bode very well for the wildflower season. We received a lot of rain in November and December. When this occurs, typically all that is needed is another moderate rain or two in…

Phil CollaFebruary 16, 2011

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego

Photos of Scripps Pier, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

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…

Phil CollaFebruary 7, 2011

Aerial Photography California San Clemente Island

San Clemente Island Aerial Photograph

Aerial photograph of San Clemente Island, California San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, the distinctive pyramid shaped southern end of the island. San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, showing geologic terracing, underwater reefs and giant kelp forests Image ID: 26003 Location: San Clemente Island, California, USA San Clemente Island is where I…

Phil CollaSeptember 30, 2010

Aerial Photography California Catalina

Catalina Island Aerial Photograph

Aerial photograph of Catalina Island I was very fortunate recently to have the opportunity to fly over Catalina Island, and was able to take a few photographs of the West End of the island. Growing up in Newport Beach I used to visit Catalina fairly often as a kid, and…

Phil CollaSeptember 29, 2010

California Death Valley Desert Infrared National Parks The American Southwest

Eureka Valley Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park

Stock photos of the Eureka Valley Sand Dunes and the Eureka Valley in Death Valley National Park. One of the goals of our recent Death Valley trip was to reach the wonderful Eureka Valley Sand Dunes. At almost 700' tall, these dunes are some of the tallest in the United…

Phil CollaJune 11, 2010

California Death Valley Desert Flora National Parks The American Southwest Wildflowers

Eureka Valley Evening Primrose, Oenothera californica eurekensis

Stock photos of the Eureka Valley Dune Evening Primrose, Oenothera californica eurekensis, in Death Valley National Park. The Eureka Valley Evening Primrose (Oenothera californica eurekensis) is a federally endangered wildflower found only on and near the sand dune habitat of the Eureka Valley, in the far northern reaches of Death…

Phil CollaJune 4, 2010

California San Clemente Island Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Sea Fans and Gorgonians at San Clemente Island

Photos of gorgonians and sea fans at San Clemente Island. I spent three days diving at one of my favorite spots on Earth: San Clemente Island. The island, about 60 miles offshore of southern California, is home to some of the world's most beautiful kelp forests. Swimming through these kelp…

Phil CollaJune 2, 2010

California Desert The American Southwest Wildflowers

Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflower Update

Brittlebush at sunrise, dawn, springtime bloom, Palm Canyon, Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Image ID: 24301 Species: Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Anza Borrego, California, USA I made a sunrise visit to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, my first visit this spring. By 9am I had seen enough…

Phil CollaMarch 13, 2010

Sea Lion

Sea Lions of Santa Barbara Island

Santa Barbara Island Sea Lions Santa Barbara Island, part of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, is home to a large population of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Since Santa Barbara Island lies only 38 miles off the coast of Southern California, it is possible to visit the island by boat…

Phil CollaDecember 8, 2009

California Catalina Marine Life Underwater Photography

California Golden Gorgonian, Muricea californica

The California golden gorgonian (Muricea californica) is a common gorgonian species in southern California. It is typically found growing on rocky reefs from 40' to 200' deep. The California golden gorgonian is a colonial organism composed of thousands of individual polyps, each of which secretes calcium to form the structure…

Phil CollaNovember 28, 2009

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