Sunrise Pelican La JollaPelicans of La JollaSeabird

Sunrise Pelican

On a recent winter morning I found this adult California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) displaying the species' characteristic winter breeding plumage (note the chestnut hindneck) posing nicely as the distant sky took on the pre-sunrise purple glow. This is basically straight out of the camera. I did not adjust…
February 15, 2010
Brown Pelicans La JollaPelicans of La JollaSeabird

Brown Pelicans

This morning I photographed brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) in La Jolla. I really don't need any more photos of pelicans but the setting is so beautiful that I keep returning. I've enjoyed these cliffs for 30 years. (We used to cliff dive off of them in college but now…
February 13, 2010
Sunset Arch, Southern Ocean Southern Ocean

Sunset Arch, Southern Ocean

During our crossing from Falklands to South Georgia Island we were treated to a magnificent sunset: Photographer takes picture of a spectacular sunset arch, spanning the heavens from horizon to horizon, over the open sea between the Falkland Islands and South Georgia Island.Image ID: 24096Location: Southern Ocean A long band…
February 6, 2010
Equipment List for Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands Southern OceanVideo

Equipment List for Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands

Equipment List for Antarctica, South Georgia Island and the Falklands. Adelie penguins leaping into the ocean from an iceberg.Image ID: 25005Species: Adelie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliaeLocation: Brown Bluff, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica This is what I used on my recent Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands trip. Photo gear will be described tomorrow…
February 2, 2010
Cheesemans Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia AntarcticaFalklandsSouth Georgia IslandSouthern Ocean

Cheesemans Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia

Trip report and photos from Antarctica, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island, the South Orkney Islands and the South Shetland Islands on the icebreaker M/V Polar Star with Cheesemans Ecology Safaris. I have just returned from a one-month trip during which I joined the most recent Cheesemans Ecology Safaris voyage…
January 31, 2010
Best Photos of 2009 Best Photographs of the Year

Best Photos of 2009

Best Photos of 2009 Looking back on 2009, I realize I was fortunate to spend a lot of time outdoors -- alone, with my family and with friends old and new -- pursuing photographs and adventure. During the course of those outings I brought back some images I am proud…
December 31, 2009
Sea Lions of Santa Barbara Island 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…
December 8, 2009
California Golden Gorgonian, Muricea californica CaliforniaCatalinaMarine LifeUnderwater 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…
November 28, 2009
Back in the Saddle CaliforniaSan Clemente Island

Back in the Saddle

After a hiatus of almost four years away from the SCUBA gear, I decided to take a 3-day dive trip on my favorite vessel, the dive boat Horizon out of San Diego, for some diving at Catalina Island, Santa Barbara Island, and San Clemente Island. I got my regulator serviced…
November 27, 2009
Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata Birds

Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata

I photographed this Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Sunday morning at Santee Lakes. The coast near my home was totally socked in with pea soup fog, but once I got inland to Santee Lakes the skies cleared. Santee Lakes has some great duck photography. I am not a bird-centric photographer, but…
October 20, 2009
Aspens in Fall Beside a Creek Sierra Nevada

Aspens in Fall Beside a Creek

One image that just screams "eastern Sierra fall color" that I wanted to make when I last visited Bishop was one of turning aspen trees alongside running water. The three basins in the mountains above Bishop drain into the three three forks of Bishop Creek, and with aspen trees surrounding…
October 7, 2009
The Aspen Tunnel Sierra Nevada

The Aspen Tunnel

Along the road that runs beside North Lake in the Bishop Creek watershed is a section I have heard referred to as the "Aspen Tunnel", an apropos name certainly. Tall quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) on either side lean over the road, creating a impressive cylinder of color. If you…
October 6, 2009
Expose to the Right Wisdom

Expose to the Right

Are you exposing to the right and using the best in-camera settings for contrast and saturation? If you shoot RAW and expose to the right and think contrast and saturation settings don't affect you, think again. If you judge your exposure settings on whether you are clipping the highlights on…
September 22, 2009
Giant Sequoia Pictures Sierra NevadaTreesYosemite

Giant Sequoia Pictures

Many of my giant sequoia pictures are now on Photoshelter, which is the source of this nifty slideshow. Sequoia trees really are the most majestic of all plants. They are the largest (i.e., most massive) life forms on earth, and they are nearly the tallest (exceeded only by their cousins…
September 2, 2009