Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier with Holiday Christmas Lights at Night Aerial PhotographyBeautiful Views of San DiegoLa Jolla

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier with Holiday Christmas Lights at Night

Each December, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier is adorned with holiday Christmas lights and a tree at the end of the pier. It's a beautiful display. For about as long as I have owned a drone, I have flown it at sunset to capture the lights reflected in…
December 11, 2023
Wildlife Photography with the Sony Alpha One and Sony 200-600 Lens KenyaSafariWisdom

Wildlife Photography with the Sony Alpha One and Sony 200-600 Lens

I switched to a Sony Alpha One for my topside photography in May 2023. After shooting about 50,000 frames through it in Kenya and locally, I have thoughts.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 Background Over the past 20+ years I have owned many digital cameras from all three manufacturers (Nikon, Canon, Sony).  My underwater gear…
November 24, 2023
Photos of Giant Sea Bass Courtship, Mating and Spawning Groups at Catalina Island CatalinaFishUnderwater Photography

Photos of Giant Sea Bass Courtship, Mating and Spawning Groups at Catalina Island

Giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) are an enormous species of wreckfish (not a true bass) found in the kelp forests of California. Once known as "jewfish" and later as "black sea bass", giant sea bass are one of the most thrilling fish species divers will encounter in California.  They are…
July 25, 2023
Images of Brown Pelicans in Soft Overcast Light and Against Big Surf, Winter 2022/2023, Part IX Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Images of Brown Pelicans in Soft Overcast Light and Against Big Surf, Winter 2022/2023, Part IX

I'm shooting the La Jolla pelicans often this winter; see recent blog posts about La Jolla Pelicans as well as a gallery of my favorite brown pelican photos. This winter certainly has turned out to be great for bird photography in La Jolla. We have had a large number of…
January 16, 2023
Goldfish Point Pelicans: the Gift that Keeps on Giving, Winter 2022/2023, Part V Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Goldfish Point Pelicans: the Gift that Keeps on Giving, Winter 2022/2023, Part V

I'm shooting the La Jolla pelicans often this winter; see recent blog posts about La Jolla Pelicans as well as a gallery of my favorite brown pelican photos. Our wonderful weather and bird activity continues. It's the day after Christmas and the rest of the country remains freezing and in…
December 27, 2022
A Huge Mellow California Sea Lion Bull, and a Sea Lion Pup’s Odd Coat Islas CoronadoSea LionUnderwater Photography

A Huge Mellow California Sea Lion Bull, and a Sea Lion Pup’s Odd Coat

My efforts to photograph California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) this fall were not as productive as in the past, due to a combination of cancelled trips, poor weather, dirty water and a lack of sunshine.  But on my last scheduled day diving in the Coronados this year I did have a…
December 23, 2022
California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla, Winter 2022/2023, Part II Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

California Brown Pelicans in La Jolla, Winter 2022/2023, Part II

The first few weeks in December were generally great for photographing a variety of subjects in La Jolla with the exception of La Jolla's California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), at least on the mornings I was there. The pelicans seemed to be mostly gone, perhaps offshore foraging or just occupying cliffs that…
December 21, 2022
California Brown Pelican, plumage variety
Interesting Variations in California Brown Pelican Plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Winter 2022/2023 Part I Pelicans of La JollaSeabird

Interesting Variations in California Brown Pelican Plumage, Pelecanus occidentalis, Winter 2022/2023 Part I

This is the time of year that I photograph in La Jolla often, and California brown pelicans are one of my favorite subjects.  Adult brown pelicans are now entering the period when they display vibrant breeding and non-breeding winter plumage. And there is a variety of juvenile plumage to be…
December 20, 2022
Guadalupe Fur Seal Photos Underwater, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico Fur SealGuadalupe IslandMexicoUnderwater Photography

Guadalupe Fur Seal Photos Underwater, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico

Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi) can be found in small colonies along Guadalupe Island, resting in shallow water and hauled out on rocks. In fact, their coloration is such a fine match for the dark volcanic rocks that make up the coastline of Guadalupe Island that they are often hard to…
November 10, 2022
New Photos of Southern Right Whales in Argentina, Eubalaena australis ArgentinaUnderwater PhotographyWhales

New Photos of Southern Right Whales in Argentina, Eubalaena australis

After a three year break, I made it back to Peninsula Valdes with friends in September for another visit with Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis). There were two sessions planned and I was looking forward to both. The first was filled with sunny weather, inquisitive whales and generally great conditions.…
November 8, 2022
Aerial Panoramic Photo of Point La Jolla, Boomer Beach and Scripps Park at Sunset Aerial PhotographyBeautiful Views of San DiegoLa JollaPanoramas

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Point La Jolla, Boomer Beach and Scripps Park at Sunset

Point La Jolla is the ideal place in La Jolla to watch the sunset. Flanked by Ellen Browning Scripps Park and the La Jolla Bridge Club, the point offers views north past La Jolla Shores and Torrey Pines State Reserve and west over the ocean.  Sea lions are usually found…
November 2, 2022
South American Sea Lions, Otaria flavescens, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina ArgentinaSea LionUnderwater Photography

South American Sea Lions, Otaria flavescens, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina

When I was in Argentina recently to photograph southern right whales, one of our secondary goals was to also photograph South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens), aka "southern sea lions".   In 2019 we had spent a little time with them near Puerto Madryn, but that rookery is heavily visited…
October 24, 2022
San Clemente Island Underwater: a Symphony of Sea Fans, or, Gonzo for Gorgonians CaliforniaSan Clemente IslandUnderwater Photography

San Clemente Island Underwater: a Symphony of Sea Fans, or, Gonzo for Gorgonians

San Clemente Island is one of my favorite places to dive. Maybe my favorite. I have almost certainly logged more time on a scuba tank here than anywhere else, hundreds of hours.  And almost all of those dives have been made jumping off the deck of the M/V Horizon and…
October 22, 2022