All Posts By

Phil Colla

The American SouthwestUtah

Photo of Wilson Arch, Utah

Wilson Arch is a large natural sandstone arch about 25 miles south of Arches National Park in Utah. A short walk up a steep slope takes the hiker right to the base of the arch, with a fantastic view on either side of the arch. Wilson Arch rises high above…
January 23, 2007
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Pelican Portrait

See our Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. Another stop at the California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in La Jolla before running an errand in San Diego. This time testing the sharpness of a 500mm f/4 and a 2x teleconverter. Here is a snap. Brown pelican, winter adult breeding…
January 19, 2007
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

California Brown Pelican Photo

See our Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. I went down to one of my favorite spots in La Jolla yesterday morning, one I have visited each winter since the late '80s, to test out a lens combination on the California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) that rest along the…
January 16, 2007
CaliforniaCarlsbadSurf

Jetties, Carlsbad, December 23

Sunny and offshores, beautiful morning. Got to a spot I have wanted to try for a while but just never got around to it before. There was some size this morning. As I checked the surf from shore it seemed that most of the larger barrels went empty (perhaps they…
December 23, 2006
Photo of the Day

Bubble Ring Photo

I had a request this morning for a bubble ring photo. Bubble rings are cool. Dolphins are the best at making them (seriously), having had eons to hone their skills. However, if you are a blowhard and willing to spend some time upsidedown underwater learning this amazing skill, you too…
December 22, 2006
Surf

Heaving Mini Tubes

Heaving tube-lets in South Carlsbad this morning: Carlsbad morning shorebreak, heaving little 6 tube.Image ID: 17901 Carlsbad morning shorebreak, heaving little 6 tube.Image ID: 17902
December 19, 2006
Surf

Surfline : West Coast Wonderland

Surfline picked up my shot of Carson Smith getting barreled at Ponto for their latest slide show about the swell that hit last week. Carson Smith, Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17828Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA
December 18, 2006
Surf

Cardiff, December 14

Another nice morning in North County, surf was still strong and fun. Thanks to the surfers who let me poach some shots on their waves. Cardiff, morning surf.Image ID: 17884Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California, USA Cardiff, morning surf.Image ID: 17883Location: Cardiff by the Sea, California, USA Mike Thomas, Cardiff,…
December 14, 2006
Surf

Ponto, December 13

Another nice morning in Carlsbad. Full sun, ocean was not too cold, glassy and calm, and a few big bottlenose dolphins swimming in the lineup. However, the water was full of sand from the lagoon so it looks sort of dingy in the photos, and there was a longshore current…
December 13, 2006
Surf

Hmmm

Can God create a wave so big that even He couldn't surf it? Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17833Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Waxing philosophical today.
December 11, 2006
Surf

Ponto, South Carlsbad, December 9

Got out this morning for a three hour session in some fun surf, first time in the water in about a month. A solid NW swell, light offshore winds, full sun, water not too cold, occasional freight train barrels -- empty. All the surfers were packed at the jetties so…
December 9, 2006
Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs at Mag Bay

My good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs, just returned from another great dive trip, this one dedicated to bluewater freediving offshore of Magdalena Bay (Baja California), in search of marlin, mahi mahi and other pelagics alongside Terry Maas, Derek Stavenger, Bob Jackson, Mike McGettigan and Nils Larsen. While Skip…
November 19, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photographer and Aspens

This guy was shooting a large format film rig in the same patch of turning aspens (Populus tremuloides) I was in, near North Lake, Bishop Creek Canyon, California in September: A photographer is surrounded by changing aspen trees, turning fall colors, near North Lake in the Eastern Sierra, Bishop Creek…
November 15, 2006
BahamasSharksUnderwater Photography

Caribbean Reef Shark Photo

This Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) was shot late afternoon on a seamount in the Northern Bahamas. There were so many reef sharks it was crazy. They smelled the small bait box that I was sitting on and were quite bold, bouncing off my shoulders, tank, my head and arms…
November 14, 2006
Sharks

Blue Shark Photo

In the late 80s and 90s we used to leave the docks really early on summer mornings, motor 10-20 miles offshore in our little boats, far enough to get into really blue and bottemless water, drop a bucket of chum in the water, and make bets on when the blue…
November 11, 2006
Surf

Surfline : Rocktober

Surfline picked up a shot of mine for today's ROCKTOBER slideshow, check this page out. Breaking wave, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 17679Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA
November 2, 2006
Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs in the Sea of Cortez (2006)

This just in from my good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs, who has just returned from another of his excellent dive expeditions, this time in Mexico's wonderful Sea of Cortez and Cabo Pulmo. For the past 7 years I have organized October diving trips to the Sea of Cortez…
October 30, 2006
Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs at Cabo Pulmo (2006)

This just in from my good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs, who has just returned from another of his excellent dive expeditions, this time visiting Mexico's wonderful Sea of Cortez and Cabo Pulmo Since 2001 we have also visited Cabo Pulmo national marine park, on the east cape of…
October 29, 2006
Surf

Ponto, South Carlsbad, October 24

Smaller and less consistent than the past few days but also less crowded. Click here for the shots I decided to keep from this morning. Below are a couple of the guys who took pity on me and passed by so I could get a few snaps. Ponto, South Carlsbad,…
October 24, 2006
Surf

Ponto, South Carlsbad, October 23

Another nice day on the water. Click here for the shots I decided to keep from this morning. And below are a couple of larger ones. Tony Gatti, Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17777Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Tony Gatti, Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17780Location: Ponto, Carlsbad,…
October 23, 2006
Surf

Ponto, South Carlsbad, October 22

Fun day! I got out for an hour or so this morning. Beautiful light, offshores, size and on the weekend to boot. Click here for the shots I decided to keep from this morning . Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning surf.Image ID: 17717Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Ponto, South Carlsbad, morning…
October 22, 2006
Surf

Ponto, South Carlsbad, October 20

Solitude. I had a long stretch of the waves south of the jetties all to myself. It was beautiful this morning, until the tide rose and the waves lost their form. Click here to see more from this morning. Breaking wave, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 17679Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA
October 20, 2006
Surf

Cardiff October 13

It was overcast this morning, a storm is coming in says the weatherman. After dropping the kids off at school I got about an hour of fun and exercise in the water before a breeze arose and junked up the waves. Plus I had to get to work. Click here…
October 13, 2006
Galapagos Diaries

Photo of Darwin’s Arch, Galapagos

Darwin's Arch is a spectacular natural rock arch that rises above the ocean offshore of Darwin Island in the Galapagos Archipelago. (Typical of most islands in the Galapagos, Darwin Island has a second name that often appears on nautical charts: Culpepper Island.) Darwins Arch, a dramatic 50-foot tall natural lava…
October 12, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of Aspens and Cardinal Pond, Aspendell

Aspendell, in the Bishop Creek Canyon, cradles tiny Cardinal Pond. Cardinal Pond is well protected from wind, so its mirror-like surface reflects the turning aspen trees that surround it beautifully. Aspen trees reflected in Cardinal Pond, Aspendel, Bishop Creek Canyon.Image ID: 17504Species: Aspen, Populus tremuloidesLocation: Bishop Creek Canyon, Sierra Nevada…
October 11, 2006
Uncategorized

Traffic

We checked out the web logs for the first time in a while. OceanLight.com is receiving about 200,000 visitors and 300,000 visits a month, not counting crawlers (e.g., Google, Yahoo, MSN), that's over two million visitors each year. It is increasing each month (probably in sync with the increase in…
October 9, 2006
CaliforniaIconsTreesWhite Mountains

Photos of Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees

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 indeed the world's oldest sexually reproducing, nonclonal lifeform). A number of…
October 8, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of North Lake, Bishop Creek Canyon

North Lake lies at the end of the road in the North Fork of Bishop Creek Canyon. This photo was taken around 8 in the morning, just as the sun illuminated the entire far side of the lake and moments before the wind kicked up and ruined the mirror reflection.…
October 7, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of Aspen Trees in Fall

These changing aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) were seen in Bishop Creek Canyon. Aspen trees turn yellow and orange in early October, South Fork of Bishop Creek Canyon.Image ID: 17503Species: Aspen, Populus tremuloidesLocation: Bishop Creek Canyon, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA Aspen trees display Eastern Sierra fall colors, Lake Sabrina, Bishop…
October 6, 2006
Photo of the Day

Fall Colors, South Fork of Bishop Creek Canyon

The south fork of the Bishop Creek Canyon holds vast, thick groves of aspen trees (Populus tremuloides). Since aspen groves are clones, they all leaf out together in spring. In fall they change color simultaneously, resulting in fantastic expanses of canyonsides covered in rich hues of yellow and orange, as…
October 5, 2006
Photo of the Day

Fall Colors in Bishop Creek Canyon

I found incredible displays of turning aspens along this dirt road near North Lake in the Bishop Creek Canyon photos. I was stoked to find that I had this road largely to myself for several hours one morning, under bright sun, blue skies and brilliant trees, before two photography workshop…
October 4, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of Aspens in Bishop Creek Canyon

The small community of Aspendell is tucked in the Bishop Creek Canyon near the road to Lake Sabrina. The canyonsides around Aspendell are carpeted in groves of quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides) which glow yellow and orange in autumn. This is a view from the road just above Aspendell, looking toward…
October 3, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of Aspens Reflected in Lake Sabrina

Lake Sabrina in the Bishop Creek Canyon is surrounded by groves of quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides), which are nicely reflected in the lake in the early morning before any breezes has arisen. Aspen trees display Eastern Sierra fall colors, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek Canyon.Image ID: 17497Species: Aspen, Populus tremuloidesLocation: Bishop…
October 2, 2006