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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…

adminOctober 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…

adminOctober 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…

adminOctober 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…

adminOctober 2, 2006

California Sierra Nevada Trees

Fall Comes to the Eastern Sierra

For a few years I have been interested in witnessing the famous fall colors of the Eastern Sierra, but never had the time to drive up Highway 395 and take a look. I finally managed to squeeze 36 hours out of my schedule recently and get up to Bishop, and…

adminSeptember 30, 2006

Surf

Overcast Day at Seaside Reef

I met my friend Eric at Seaside Reef. It was overcast and illustrated why its called the "green room". See more surf photos.

adminSeptember 26, 2006

California Carlsbad Stories Surf

South Carlsbad Reminiscing

When I was a kid, my family would drive down from Newport Beach to spend a week or two each summer camping at South Carlsbad State Beach with two other families. This was going on 30+ years ago. Back then we just had fun and didn't ruminate over things too…

adminSeptember 25, 2006

California Carlsbad Surf

Fire Breathing Dragon

**As of August 2012, I am using Delmar Housing Projects for my Canon 5D Mark III. The lens I prefer to use is the 16-35 f/2.8 II. The first couple sessions with this rig: first and second.** More surf photos. My approach to photography is not particularly rigorous or diligent.…

adminSeptember 24, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Black Skimmer, San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

The last light of the day caught the underside of this black skimmer (Rynchops niger): Black skimmer forages by flying over shallow water with its lower mandible dipping below the surface for small fish.Image ID: 17420Species: Black skimmer, Rynchops nigerLocation: San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA

adminSeptember 23, 2006

Galapagos Diaries Sharks Underwater Life

Hammerhead Shark Silhouette

This lone hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) was photographed at Darwin's Arch, Darwin Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador: Scalloped hammerhead shark, black and white / grainy.Image ID: 16265Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewiniLocation: Darwin Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

adminSeptember 22, 2006

Surf

Shorebreak at the Wedge

Another morning at the Wedge. I sympathize with this guy as I have eaten more than my fair share of shorebreak sand too. It looks like the lip caught him in the back of the head just after this shot was taken. And this is only a small inside shorebreak,…

adminSeptember 21, 2006

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California Wildlife

Blue Whale Aerial Photo

This blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), was photographed offshore of the coast of Baja California, Mexico: Keywords: blue whale photos, Balaenoptera musculus

adminSeptember 20, 2006

Alaska Kenai Fjords Marine Life

Sea Otter Photo

This sea otter (Enhydra lutris), was photographed in Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutrisLocation: Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: sea otter photos, Enhydra lutris

adminSeptember 19, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Patient Bear, Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska

This brown bear knows why it's called "fishing" and not "catching". On this overcast morning he waited nearly motionless atop the falls for an hour, watching the churning pools below the falls, before a school of salmon came up the river and gave him opportunities to catch a meal. Brooks…

adminSeptember 18, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Photo of a Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger), San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Don Hill recommended a few spots in San Diego for me to see fall seabirds. Inspired by Don's great shots I drove down to take a look and was pleasantly surprised by all the bird life in the bay. This black skimmer (Rynchops niger) was photographed in the San Diego…

adminSeptember 17, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Avian Surfer, Black Skimmer, San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

This black skimmer (Rynchops niger) was photographed in the San Diego Bay. Black skimmer forages by flying over shallow water with its lower mandible dipping below the surface for small fish.Image ID: 17419Species: Black skimmer, Rynchops nigerLocation: San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA

adminSeptember 16, 2006

Photo of the Day

Moon Photo

Two teleconverters (2x and 1.4x) stacked on a 500mm f/4, yielding an effective 1400mm f/11 megalens, with a Canon 1Ds Mark II body, and a moon just starting to wane: The Moon.Image ID: 17474Location: Earth Orbit, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, The Universe

adminSeptember 10, 2006

National Parks Olympic Trees Washington

Nurse Log Photo

A "nurse log" is a tree that has fallen and, in the process of decay and rotting away, provides nutrients and a substrate for other plants, including seedling trees, to root and grow. Eventually these plants overwhelm the nurse log which rots away and is completely replaced by the new…

adminSeptember 9, 2006

California Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird Wildlife

Brown Pelican Photo

See my Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. This brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) is coming in for a landing on the cliffs of La Jolla, California, just after sunrise: Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of…

adminSeptember 8, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Waiting For Fish, Brown Bears, Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska

These two brown bears know why its called "fishing" and not "catching". On this overcast morning they waited nearly motionless atop the falls for an hour, watching the churning pools below the falls, before a school of salmon came up the river and gave them opportunities to catch a meal.…

adminSeptember 6, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai Wildlife

Kung Fu Bear, Brown Bear Cub, Katmai National Park, Alaska

This spring brown bear cub had major Kung Fu attitude, adopting his best Bruce Lee stance when he stood up to see above the tall grass: Brown bear cub, a few months old.Image ID: 17217Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctosLocation: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: Brown bear photos,…

adminSeptember 5, 2006

Alaska Katmai Kenai Fjords National Parks Wildlife

Alaska Photos (2006)

I have posted 382 photos from my 10-day trip to visit Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park and Katmai National Park, including sea otters (Enhydra lutris), Stellar sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and most notably, brown bears (Ursus arctos, also known as grizzly bears). Here are a few: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species:…

adminSeptember 3, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai Wildlife

Whisper Bear

Psst, hey buddy, the salmon fishing sucks here and I'm starving. On three I say we bust a move and take out that white-meat photographer over there... Brown bear (grizzly bear).Image ID: 17158Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctosLocation: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA See also: Photos of brown bears…

adminAugust 21, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Photo of Grizzly Bears Fighting

The brown bear on the right, which we nicknamed Scarface for his battered head bearing many previous scars, got hammered hard by the boar on the left. Scarface was not having any luck catching salmon and tried to steal a fish from the one on the left. Big mistake. The…

adminAugust 11, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai National Parks Wildlife

Photo of Brown Bear Catching Salmon

This Alaskan Brown Bear (or grizzly bear, Ursus arctos) was quite skilled at catching salmon jumping up falls. He had honed his technique and was expert at energy conservation, barely moving until the moment he would suddenly snag a salmon in midair, then barely moving again as he ate it.…

adminAugust 10, 2006

Great White Shark Guadalupe Island Mexico Sharks

Guadalupe Island White Shark ID Project

I had an interesting conversation with Nicole Nasby Lucas of the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research yesterday. Ms. Lucas and PIER co-founder Michael Domeier PhD have been conducting a capture/recapture study on great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, building a database of identification photos and video of…

adminAugust 9, 2006

Channel Islands Fish Underwater Life

Torpedo Ray Photo

In this photo a California torpedo ray (Torpedo californica), or electric ray, is hovering amid the kelp forest while my diving partner Brad Silva is filming it with his bright torchlights and video camera. Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, California. Pacific torpedo ray in kelp forest, filming…

adminAugust 8, 2006

Galapagos Diaries Sharks Underwater Life

Galapagos Photos

I have posted 575 new images shot on my latest Galapagos Islands diving trip, a 15-day run on the liveaboard M/V Sky Dancer. We had phenomenal encounters with schools of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), literally by the hundreds and thousands on nearly all dives at Wolf and Darwin, not to…

adminAugust 7, 2006

Surf

Newport Photos from an August Swell

A nice swell just hit southern California. I have some photos posted. For afternoon in-water shots see August 4th #1 and August 4th #2, and for beach shots see August 5th #1 and August 5th #2. Sorry, but some of the beach shots on August 5th are backlit, I asked…

adminAugust 5, 2006

Surf

Newport Today

My wife and I took the kids up to NB for an afternoon in the sun. I had a good time in the water and got a better workout than I do in my usual pool swim, but after 3 hours of watching Dad trying to figure out how to…

adminAugust 4, 2006

Galapagos Diaries

Photo of a Galapagos Tortoise

The Galapagos tortoise, Geochelone spp., an endemic species of the Galapagos islands, is thought to have arrived in the Galapagos archipelago on rafts of debris. As it became distributed throughout the islands, it evolved into 14 distinct species of which 11 are still in existence and are endangered. In some…

adminAugust 3, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai National Parks Wildlife

Alaskan Brown Bear Learning to Catch Fish in Brooks River

This young Alaskan brown bear (Ursus arctos) waited patiently for the bruisers to get their fill and leave the prime spots above the falls before he was able to go in and have a turn. He had not really figured out how best to catch the fish in mid-air and…

adminJuly 31, 2006

Surf

Evening Glassoff at Ponto

Tonight the little waves at Ponto were glassed off and the water was warm. A fun several hours in the water. Tube, sunset, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 16475Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Breaking wave, sunset, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 16478Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA More Ponto photos.

adminJuly 27, 2006

Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs at Guadalupe Island

My good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs recently returned from his annual July visit to Guadalupe Island, Mexico. As usual, the focus of the trip was diving, spearfishing and comraderie. For those of you who do not know Skip, let it be said that he is a skilled marine…

adminJuly 26, 2006

Carlsbad

Fireworks at the Aviara Four Seasons

Happy 4th of July! The Aviara Four Seasons Hotel in South Carlsbad, just around the corner from our house, shoots off 4th of July fireworks each year. Sarah and I set up the lawn chairs on the edge of the 17th fairway at 9pm tonight to check it out --…

adminJuly 3, 2006

Blue Whale California San Diego Wildlife

Photo of a Blue Whale Fluke

Check out the fluke on this blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) , fringed with barnacles and sporting what is almost certainly an orca bite on the left lobe: See also whale fluke photos.

adminJuly 2, 2006

Surf

Seaside Reef, Cardiff, Sunset

Shot this last night: Wave breaking at sunset, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 16211Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA

adminJune 27, 2006

Blue Whale California Wildlife

Summer Is Here Now

Summer has not officially started until I have seen a blue whale. My first blue whale photo of 2006: I got out recently with Mike Johnson and we saw a few blue whales.

adminJune 22, 2006

Uncategorized

Wonders of America Stamps — Redwood Photo

One of my redwood tree photos was used as reference for the redwood tree stamp appearing as part of the United States Postal Service's new commemorative issue Wonders of America :: Land of Superlatives. Released on May 27th, 2006, this stamp pane features 40 natural and man-made wonders of the…

adminJune 21, 2006

California Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photo of Nevada Falls, Yosemite National Park

Nevada Falls is one of Yosemite's most spectacular waterfalls but is only reached with some effort. A 3.5 mile hike (one-way) up the Mist Trail, which includes a good soaking while passing by Vernal Falls along the way, is required to reach the summit of Nevada Falls, including 1900' of…

adminMay 19, 2006

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