All Posts By

Phil Colla

Photo of the Day

Cougar Photos

Recently I had an opportunity to photograph cougars (Puma concolor) in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada, near Mariposa. Note: these are captive animals, not wild. Here are a few of the images: Mountain lion, Sierra Nevada foothills, Mariposa, California.Image ID: 15791Species: Mountain lion, Puma concolor Mountain lion, Sierra…
May 2, 2006
BirdsCaliforniaSeabirdWildlife

Western Gull, Larus occidentalis

The Western gull, Larus occidentalis, is a large white-headed gull common along the western coast of North America. The Western gull ranges from British Columbia to Baja California. It is exclusively marine, and nests on offshore rocks and islands. While offshore it feeds on fishes and invertebrates that it can…
April 18, 2006
Photo of the Day

Northern Fur Seal Photos

Some years ago I had the good fortune to swim with and photograph a group of Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) at San Miguel Island, the northernmost of the Channel Islands offshore of central California. I was there on a multi day tank diving trip. Blessed with fantastic weather, we…
April 16, 2006
Ocean SunfishWildlife

Sport Diver Cover

My photograph of an ocean sunfish alongside drift kelp appeared on the June 2003 cover of Sport Diver magazine: Ocean sunfish recruiting fish near drift kelp to clean parasites, open ocean, Baja California.Image ID: 03267Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola Keywords: Mola mola, ocean sunfish photos.
April 12, 2006
Guadalupe IslandMexico

Freediving and Spearfishing Cover

My photograph of expert freediver, spearfisherman, long range boat captain and all-around-good-guy Chris Thompson was taken at Guadalupe Island in July 2001 shortly after he speared his ginormous yellowfin tuna (not his first mind you). It then appeared on the Summer 2002 cover of the International Freediving and Spearfishing News:…
April 11, 2006
Photo of the Day

Double Crested Cormorant Photos

These double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) were photographed on the La Jolla cliffs. The double-crested cormorant ranges from Alaska to Nova Scotia south into Mexico -- most of North America -- wintering on both coasts. It swims underwater quite well, diving for fish and invertebrates up to 100' deep (personal observation).…
April 10, 2006
Photography

Biological Sciences Cover

Here's another "scientific journal" cover, I've had a few of these in the last three years. My photograph of schooling jacks in the Sea of Cortez appeared on the cover of the January 2006 issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences to accompany The principles of collective…
April 8, 2006
Uncategorized

Baja California to the Bering Sea Cover

My photograph of a schooling jacks in the Sea of Cortez appeared on the cover of Baja California to the Bering Sea, a report on marine priority conservation areas issued by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation of North America and the Marine Conservation Biology Institute (Morgan, Maxwell, Tsao, Wilkinson and…
April 7, 2006
Uncategorized

All Animals Cover

My photograph of a neonate gray whale calf underwater near the Monterey Peninsula appeared on the Summer 2002 cover of the All Animals magazine, the official publication of the Humane Society of the United States: A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the…
April 6, 2006
Uncategorized

Ecology Letters Cover

In addition to the cover of Nature a few years ago, I've had interest from other scientific and peer-reviewed journals recently. My photograph of a scalloped hammerhead shark appeared on the October 2005 cover of Ecology Letters, to accompany Direct and indirect fishery effects on small coastal elasmobranchs in the…
April 5, 2006
Uncategorized

Where Cover

My photograph of a gray whale blowing as it surfaces along the Big Sur coast appeared on the cover of the Where magazine: Gray whale, blow.Image ID: 01173Species: Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustusLocation: Big Sur, California, USA
April 4, 2006
Photo of the Day

Photo of a Wood Duck, Aix Sponsa

The wood duck (Aix sponsa) inhabits lakes, swamps and streams throughout much of North America. Curiously, it is one of just a few duck species in North America that nests in trees. The male wood duck has a bright plumage pattern including rich green, white, brown and red colors, while…
April 3, 2006
Guadalupe IslandMexico

Isla Guadalupe :: Restauracion Y Conservacion

Finally, an authoritative book has been published about Guadalupe Island, our favorite eastern Pacific island and one of Mexico's finest ecological wonders. Published in December 2005 by Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE-SEMARNAT) and compiled by editors Karina Santos del Prado and Eduardo Peters, Isla Guadalupe, Restauracion Y Conservacion describes the…
March 21, 2006
Beautiful Views of San DiegoCaliforniaSan Diego

Between Showers

Downtown San Diego viewed from Point Loma. A storm system passed through Southern California last weekend dumping rain, hail and snow. However, the sun was able to peek through the clouds for a moment at sunset, lighting up the San Diego skyline while the surrounding harbor and mountains in the…
March 13, 2006
CaliforniaElephant SealWildlife

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals

We have been visiting the Piedras Blancas rookery of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) since early 1991, when it was newly colonized by animals from the San Miguel, San Nicholas and Ano Nuevo rookeries, and have watched it grow to its current size. We have had the good fortune to…
March 1, 2006
Funny

Psycho Bird

Check out this crazed seagull. Until today I had no idea that birds actually had tongues. Learn something new (and useful) every day it seems. Larus psychobirdus. Western gull, open mouth.Image ID: 15563Species: Western gull, Larus occidentalisLocation: La Jolla, California, USA
February 21, 2006
Central CoastSurf

Mavericks Surf Contest 2006

The Mavericks Surf Contest 2006 photos are now online. I shot the 2006 running of the Mavericks Surf Contest, held February 7, 2006 at Half Moon Bay, California. The event went off very well, with great organization, beautiful weather and near perfect waves. The Mavericks Surf Contest is about big…
February 7, 2006
Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Pelican Head Throw

See my Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. Here are a few photos of California brown pelicans performing the pelican head throw, also known as the pelican bill throw. It looks painful. The brown pelican lifts its large bill up, arches its neck back until the throat gular pouch…
February 1, 2006
Surf

Carlsbad Morning Glass

I got a few fun photos in South Carlsbad recently, it was glassy and sunny, did not feel like winter: Surf, wave, winter, morning, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 14980Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Surf, wave, winter, morning, Ponto, South Carlsbad.Image ID: 14978Location: Ponto, Carlsbad, California, USA Surf, wave, winter, morning,…
January 9, 2006
California

Recent California Snaps

A few recent images. Click on any one to see others that are related. Beach cliffs at Torrey Pines State Reserve: Sandstone cliffs rise above the beach at Torrey Pines State Reserve.Image ID: 14725Location: Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego, California, USA Broken Hill at Torrey Pines State Reserve: Broken…
January 5, 2006
HaleakalaHawaii

Atop Haleakala

We used to spend 6-8 weeks in Maui each winter as part of a humpback whale research team. One of the fringe benefits of that work was a chance to make a trip to the summit of Haleakala volcano each year, the mass of which comprises most of the island…
January 3, 2006
Surf

Salt Creek Surf

When the sun finally burned through the morning haze some nice waves appeared at Salt Creek, leftovers from Big Wednesday. Salt Creek surf, pretty big day, winter, morning.Image ID: 14851Location: Salt Creek, Laguna Niguel, California, USA Salt Creek surf, pretty big day, winter, morning.Image ID: 14852Location: Salt Creek, Laguna Niguel,…
December 22, 2005
CaliforniaSurf

Big Wednesday

Big Wednesday : December 21 2005. All of Southern California and Baja gets bombed with good surf, some of the best we've seen in 20+ years. Most excellent. I got away for a few hours and saw some guys tackle what is probably an 18 foot La Jolla Cove left.…
December 21, 2005
Surf

Del Mar Surf Camera Housing

**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.** **As of September 2006, I am using an even newer, better, more killer…
December 14, 2005
CaliforniaDesertWildlife

Photo of Desert Bighorn Sheep

The Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) found in southwestern California, is a subspecies of the North American desert bighorn sheep that occupies the rocky and arid Mojave and Senoran deserts of the American southwest and northern Mexico. Desert bighorn sheep, male ram. The desert bighorn sheep occupies dry, rocky…
November 22, 2005