Phil Colla

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

Photo of Star of India, the World’s Oldest Seafaring Ship

The Star of India is the world's oldest seafaring ship. Originally built in 1863, the Star of India is now a maritime museum docked in San Diego Harbor, and occasionally puts to sea for special sailing events. The Star of India is tied to her dock along the waterfront of…

Phil CollaNovember 4, 2005

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

San Diego Skyline Photo

Photos of the San Diego downtown city skyline. San Diego likes to boast that it is America's Finest City. Perhaps -- at least the notion is debatable. However, San Diego does have a beautiful downtown waterfront and city skyline. A few places to admire the lineup of hotels and buildings…

Phil CollaNovember 3, 2005

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

Photo of the Point Loma Lighthouse, Cabrillo National Monument

The original Point Loma lighthouse was built in 1855 and operated until 1891. It was one of the original 8 lighthouses built on the West Coast and was designed in the Cape Cod style common to all of them at the time. East Coast lighthouses were then built on promontories…

Phil CollaNovember 2, 2005

Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs in the Sea of Cortez (2005)

My good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs recently returned from his annual October visit to La Paz. As usual, the focus of the trip was underwater video of the excellent schools of fish that inhabit the reefs in the Sea of Cortez. For those of you who do not…

Phil CollaOctober 24, 2005

Washington

Seattle Skyline Photo

While in Seattle this past summer, I made a quick trip to Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill to catch a view of the downtown Seattle City Skyline. I was hoping to get some nice Space Needle photos. When I arrived I was surprised to find 50+ photographers there, at…

Phil CollaOctober 14, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Artist Point, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 7 Artist Point is a popular and dramatic spot to view Yellowstone Falls. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone lies before you with its steep cliffs and striking yellow-orange-pink colors, the result iron oxidation and sulfur in the soil. The Yellowstone River churns at the bottom of…

Phil CollaSeptember 23, 2005

Surf

The Wedge, Newport Beach

A wave, breaking with powerful energy, at the Wedge in Newport Beach. Image ID: 16988 Location: The Wedge, Newport Beach, California, USA September swell at the Wedge. Image ID: 14416 Location: The Wedge, Newport Beach, California, USA Wave breaking, tube, Newport Beach. Image ID: 16802 Location: Newport Beach, California, USA…

Phil CollaSeptember 21, 2005

California Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photo of Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park

Tenaya Lake lies in the high country of Yosemite National Park, surrounded by enormous granite domes and coniferous forests. Tenaya Lake is surrounded by epic granite domes, with Polly Dome on the left. Late afternoon, viewed from Olmsted Point. Image ID: 09955 Location: Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park, California, USA…

Phil CollaSeptember 19, 2005

California Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photo of Mammoth Peak, Yosemite National Park

Mammoth Peak rises above Tioga Lake and Tuolumne Meadows in the high country of Yosemite National Park. Mammoth Peak and alpine meadows in the High Sierra are reflected in Tioga Lake at sunrise. This spectacular location is just a short walk from the Tioga Pass road. Near Tuolumne Meadows and…

Phil CollaSeptember 18, 2005

California Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photo of Lembert Dome, Yosemite National Park

Lembert Dome rises above Tuolumne Meadows in the high country of Yosemite National Park. The hike to the summit of Lembert Dome is easy and leads through a forest of trees before emerging on the backside of the dome, and offers expansive view of the entire Tuolumne Meadows from the…

Phil CollaSeptember 17, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Yellowstone Falls from Lookout Point, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 6 Yellowstone Falls marks the point at which the Yellowstone River plunges 308 feet into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It is a spectacular waterfall, one of the highlights Yellowstone National Park. (Actually, there are two falls, Upper Yellowstone Falls and Lower Yellowstone Falls, within a…

Phil CollaSeptember 16, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 5 Gibbon Falls, on the Gibbon River between Madison Junction and Norris Geyser Basin, is one of the most stunning waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park. Gibbon Falls marks the point at which the Gibbon River flows off Yellowstone's northern escarpment and drops into the Park's lower volcanic…

Phil CollaSeptember 15, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Castle Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 4 Castle Geyser is, after Old Faithful Geyser, perhaps the most-viewed of the large predictable geysers in Yellowstone National Park. Castle Geyser is a short, easy walk from the Old Faithful Inn, and is well predicted with intervals of about 10 hours. Since Castle Geyser stands in…

Phil CollaSeptember 14, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Grand Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 4 Grand Geyser is one of tallest geysers in the world, and the tallest predictable one. It is amazing, reaching heights of 200' and often erupting simultaneously with Vent Geyser and Turban Geyser, both of which are very near to Grand Geyser and are connected to it…

Phil CollaSeptember 13, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Lion Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 4 Lion Geyser, in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park along the Geyser Hill boardwalk, was a lucky happenstance for me. Lion Geyser, part of the Lion Group which includes a few other geysers, is difficult to observe since it is not one of geysers…

Phil CollaSeptember 12, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Riverside Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 3 Riverside Geyser is our favorite geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Riverside Geyser lies right at the edge of the Firehole River. It is a cone-type geyser with a tight, hose-like flow angling out over the river and reaching heights of 80' or more. Low afternoon light…

Phil CollaSeptember 11, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Daisy Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 3 Daisy Geyser is one of the most accessible and impressive geysers in Yellowstone National Park. Daisy Geyser is in the Upper Geyser Basin and is reached by an easy paved foot and bike path from the Old Faithful Inn area. The park rangers include Daisy Geyser…

Phil CollaSeptember 10, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Pink Cone Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 3 Pink Cone Geyser lies along Firehole Lake Drive in the Lower Geyser Basin area of Yellowstone National Park, between White Dome Geyser and Firehole Lake, on the left as you drive along. Pink Cone Geyser is a small cone-type geyser whose eruptions, though widely spaced at…

Phil CollaSeptember 9, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of White Dome Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 White Dome Geyser lies along Firehole Lake Drive in the Lower Geyser Basin area of Yellowstone National Park. White Dome Geyser is a cone-type geyser whose eruption, through a narrow opening of about 6 inches, reaches heights of 30' (10m). It erupts relatively frequently -- sometimes…

Phil CollaSeptember 8, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is an enormous and colorful example of thriving thermophilic bacteria. The temperature of the water in Grand Prismatic Spring cools as it moves outward from the spring's center. Different species of thermophilic bacteria occupy different areas of the spring…

Phil CollaSeptember 7, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Lewis Falls, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 Lewis Falls is between the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park and Grant Village, just before Lewis Lake. A short trail ends near the 30-foot falls, but to view the falls from the riverside one must leave the trail and hop down an embankment. Lewis Falls…

Phil CollaSeptember 6, 2005

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Photo of Moose Falls, Yellowstone National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 Moose Falls is at the southern edge of Yellowstone National Park, just inside the south entrance for visitors arriving from Grand Teton National Park. The falls are just a few yards off the highway, indicated by a small sign and a turnout for parking. They are…

Phil CollaSeptember 4, 2005

Grand Teton National Parks Wyoming

Photo of a Moose, Grand Teton National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 This mother and calf moose pair was spotted walking and grazing among grasses and shrubs along Christian Creek at the north end of Grand Teton National Park. Spending an hour watching them was the highlight of my time in Grand Teton this summer. Mother moose grazes…

Phil CollaSeptember 3, 2005

Grand Teton National Parks Wyoming

Photo of Oxbow Bend, Snake River and Mount Moran, Grand Teton National Park

Road Trip: Day 2 Oxbow Bend is perhaps the most convenient -- and most photographed -- spot in Grand Teton National Park -- and for good reason. It offers a pleasing composition of Mount Moran in the distance with a sweep of the Oxbow Bend section of the Snake River…

Phil CollaSeptember 2, 2005

Grand Teton National Parks Wyoming

Photo of Wildflowers, Bridger-Teton National Forest

Road Trip: Day 1 Most attention in Grand Teton National Park is focused on the Tetons themselves and the west side of the park. However, on my most recent trip to the Tetons I took a drive out of Grand Teton National Park and up into the Bridger-Teton National Forest…

Phil CollaAugust 31, 2005

Grand Teton National Parks Wyoming

Photo of the Mormon Row Barns, Grand Teton National Park

Road Trip: Day 1 The Mormon Row barns are popular with photographers in the southern part of Grand Teton National Park. The conventional wisdom is to shoot this area in the morning, with warm light on the barns and low, front light on the Tetons in the background. However, I've…

Phil CollaAugust 30, 2005

Grand Teton National Parks Wyoming

Photo of Schwabacher’s Landing, Grand Teton National Park

Road Trip: Day 1 Schwabacher's Landing, in the southern part of Grand Teton National Park, is a great spot for morning photographs of the Cathedral Group (Grand Teton and Mounts Owen and Teewinot) reflected in a sidewater of the Snake River. Driving north from Jackson on the Jackson Hole Highway,…

Phil CollaAugust 29, 2005

Photography

Road Trip 2005

Just returned from a three week road trip. It was amazing. We had lots of fun and shot thousands of photos. It will take several weeks before I get the images organized and available online, so for now some summary statistics of the trip will have to suffice: 21 days…

Phil CollaAugust 2, 2005

Hawaii Humpback Whale Underwater Life Wildlife

Photos of Humpback Whale Bubble Displays

Humpback whales are famous for their use of bubbles to "net" prey, especially in Alaska where coordinated bubble netting among groups of humpback whales is often seen. However, humpbacks also commonly use bubble displays and air releases in their social interactions in warm waters. It is thought the these bubble…

Phil CollaJune 23, 2005

Galapagos Diaries Icons Underwater Life

Whale Shark Photo, Darwin Island, Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands, an Ecuadorian archipelago straddling the equator in the Eastern Pacific, is a remarkable underwater paradise. The central and southern islands hold a wealth of temperate as well as tropical marine creatures due to the mixing of currents there. However, it is the northern islands of Darwin and…

Phil CollaJune 22, 2005

Hawaii Stories

Revenge of the Mahi Mahi :: Part II

Continued from Part I You see, mahi, as open water fish are prone to do, seek cover underneath and beside any floating object that they can find. This mahi is no exception. He has seen manfish before, swimming gracefully below the surface and sporting deadly appendages that send out flashing…

Phil CollaJune 14, 2005

Hawaii Stories

Revenge of the Mahi Mahi :: Part I

REVENGE OF THE MAHI, or, The Hapless Research Videographer Perhaps their reputation is unjustified. I know of no documented case where a human has been attacked by one. Nevertheless, false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) are intimidating creatures. Have a false killer swim up to you and smile, displaying its many…

Phil CollaJune 13, 2005

California Natural World San Clemente Island Stories Underwater Life

The Kelp Forest :: Part V

When the goal is simply to swim in and admire a kelp forest, nothing beats the (relatively) warm clear waters of Southern California's San Clemente Island in late summer. On a good day the panorama at San Clemente is stunning: kelp in all directions reaching from seafloor to surface, summer…

Phil CollaJune 12, 2005

California Natural World Ocean Sunfish Stories Underwater Life Wildlife

The Kelp Forest :: Part IV

Further to the south, Santa Barbara and Catalina Island kelp forests offer somewhat less profuse animal life but warmer and clearer waters. While I don't dive these two islands often anymore, I do dive kelp originating from these islands throughout the summer: drift kelp. I was introduced to the notion…

Phil CollaJune 11, 2005

California Natural World San Clemente Island Stories Underwater Life

The Kelp Forest :: Part III

Central and Northern California kelp forests are bathed by cold, nutrient-laden currents. The waters here are generally not clear but are rich with animal life. Invertebrate displays on the rocks below the kelp forest are some of the most profuse and interesting in the world and it is common to…

Phil CollaJune 10, 2005

California Natural World San Clemente Island Stories Underwater Life

The Kelp Forest :: Part II

It is my spirited opinion, one that I enjoy defending over a beer after a long day on the water, that diving amidst giant kelp is the most magnificent diving in the world. I am fortunate enough to have had some amazing experiences underwater -- watching swarms of hammerheads soar…

Phil CollaJune 9, 2005

California Natural World San Clemente Island Stories Underwater Life

The Kelp Forest :: Part I

My first experience with seaweed was as a kid combing the shores of Newport Beach where I grew up. After storms my brother and I would find clumps of the brown stuff pushed up the beach. We would pick through them to pop the small bubbles attached to the leaves.…

Phil CollaJune 8, 2005

San Clemente Island Underwater Life

Seagrass in Motion

One morning while diving at San Clemente Island I was struck by the lackluster light. It was cloudy and dark and I had yet to find any exciting subjects to shoot. I was spacing out in the shallows watching the kelp fishes meander among the weeds when I started fiddling…

Phil CollaJune 2, 2005

California Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photos of Yosemite Falls in Spring

Falling 2425 feet (730m) in three sections, Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America and the fifth tallest in the world. During winter, a cone of frozen mist forms at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls. A strenuous hike takes visitors from the valley floor to the precipice…

Phil CollaMay 26, 2005

Landscape National Parks Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Photo of Vernal Falls, Yosemite National Park

Spring is the time to visit Vernal Falls and the famous Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park. Vernal Falls is at peak flow in late May and June, the weather is usually pleasant and the dogwoods are in bloom on the valley floor. We try to make a springtime visit…

Phil CollaMay 23, 2005

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