Enjoy some of my favorite California sea lion photographs from 2022. Select HD quality if you can. Cheers and thanks for looking!
Phil CollaJanuary 10, 2023
This year has been a challenge as far as diving locally is concerned. I had multiple trips planned to Mexico's Coronado Islands but so far only one has really produced any good diving and images. Here are some photographs from a single long dive at Lobster Shack, enjoying the company…
Phil CollaDecember 2, 2022
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…
Phil CollaOctober 24, 2022
One of my photographic projects the last couple years has been the California Sea Lion colony in La Jolla. I spend a lot of time making portraits of them on rocky Point La Jolla. These are beautiful animals and I try to depict them as such. But where sea lions…
Phil CollaMarch 14, 2022
Too many times I have come across sea lions entangled and injured by fishing line. It sickens me. For each sea lion that survives such a mess, I believe there are many others than do not survive. In fact, I believe many that become entangled in fishing line or nets…
Phil CollaMarch 2, 2022
I unabashedly use front lighting on my subjects, especially those photographed with long lenses where separation between subject and background can be achieved through depth of field. Side- and back-lighting have their places, and are often effective at rendering a subject in an interesting or compelling way. But I tend…
Phil CollaJanuary 1, 2022
This is the last in my "Southern California Bight Sampler (Post-Covid?)" series: Coronado Islands Refresher San Clemente Island's Kelp Forests Catalina Island's West End Farnsworth Banks San Diego Wrecks Coronado Islands - Sea Lions in Fall Each Fall I look forward to spending time in the shallow waters of a…
Phil CollaNovember 9, 2021
I photograph California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) often, and this winter has been no exception. We have had ideal weather for photographing the local colony of sea lions and I've tried to take advantage of it, making more portraits of them in the golden morning sun. I repeat this every year…
Phil CollaMarch 8, 2021
Fall is the best time to dive with young California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Most pups are born in May and June, and by September they have become strong enough to swim and will venture out from the rocks on which they live into shallow water. A sea lion colony…
Phil CollaNovember 22, 2020
I've spent a lot of time diving with sea lions and love it. There is no bad sea lion dive (with one exception which I'll get to at the end). I have more photographs of them than I need, but I will keep diving with and photographing sea lions until…
Phil CollaAugust 3, 2020
I try to reach Lobster Shack at North Coronado Island each fall to dive with California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). Some years are better than others but generally the months of October and November offer superb encounters with these gregarious young pinnipeds. I say young because in fact the gangs…
Phil CollaMarch 30, 2020
In January I made another trip to Hornby Island to photograph Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus). This is some of the most exciting scuba diving that can be done anywhere in the world and is not for the faint of heart! Steller sea lions are some of the largest pinnipeds in…
Phil CollaMarch 25, 2020
I was in Patagonia recently to photograph Southern Right Whales. While there, my friends and I took a morning to visit South American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens) near the coastal city of Puerto Madryn. A resident colony of South American sea lions is there, and it is relatively simple to…
Phil CollaMarch 10, 2020
In December I spent a day diving the Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California in Mexico, home to one of the better California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) rookeries within a reasonable drive. The water was off-color so I did not make any beautiful images but I did encounter Cyclops the…
Phil CollaMay 12, 2019
In early November I spent a day diving with California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Lobster Shack at the North Island was place to be since that's where a great colony of sea lions is. Conditions were excellent, about as good as diving in the Coronados gets. Photographer friend Allison had…
Phil CollaDecember 31, 2018
Steller sea lion underwater, Norris Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada Image ID: 32660 Species: Steller sea lion, Eumetopias jubatus Location: Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada I have a real love for pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). I've been in the water with many big animals including whales, sharks, dolphins,…
Phil CollaFebruary 17, 2017
Some of my favorite diving with California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) has taken place at Mexico's Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado). The Coronados are a small group of undeveloped rocky islands just offshore of Tijuana, Mexico and only about an hour boat ride south of San Diego. Seemingly barren, the islands…
Phil CollaMay 5, 2016
California sea lions underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico Image ID: 31205 Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus Location: Sea of Cortez, Baja California, Mexico In October, Tracy and I joined our friends Mike and Sherry, Skip, Shirley, Barb and Walt for 9 wonderful days diving in the Sea of Cortez…
Phil CollaJanuary 29, 2016
I love diving in the Sea of Cortez in the Fall. The water is warm, the weather is often serene, the diving easy and fun. And there are some amazing rookeries of sea lions, including the world famous Los Islotes island in the Espiritu Santo Biosphere Reserve. So I was…
Phil CollaJune 12, 2015
I saw Wild Kingdom in action yesterday: killer whales preying upon California sea lions. Classified as Biggs transient orcas, these individuals are well known (CA51) for terrorizing other marine mammals along the Southern California coast. "Biggs transients" are one of four distinct populations (some insist they are species) of killer…
Phil CollaFebruary 9, 2015
Los Islotes, the small island just off the northern end of Espiritu Santo in the Sea of Cortez, is my favorite place in the world for photographing California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). These wonderful pinnipeds are very comfortable with the presence of, and famous for the willingness to interact with,…
Phil CollaMarch 3, 2014
Art Wolfe hosts the biennial International Conservation Photography Awards ("ICP Awards"). One of my images was honored in the 2010 edition of the competition, so I decided to try again this year. My photograph of a young California sea lion entangled in monofilament fishing line, taken in the Espiritu Santo…
Phil CollaAugust 15, 2012
Photos of Wildlife Entanglement in Plastic Unfortunately, I have had a number of opportunities to photograph wildlife entangled in plastic debris. Plastic Debris. We make it, we use it and then we leave it behind. This stuff is killing animals and causing problems everywhere. I find it dismaying every time…
Phil CollaMarch 22, 2012
Los Islotes is a small island at the northern end of Isla Espiritu Santo, near La Paz in the Sea of Cortez. Espiritu Santo Island and Partida Island are two beautiful desert islands, scalloped with gorgeous white sand beaches. Bird nest on their rugged slopes, and cardon cacti grow in…
Phil CollaFebruary 10, 2012
I've been photographing California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) for about 20 years and still do not have the perfect image of one. They are a lot of fun to dive with, but are notoriously fickle about staying put and posing for the camera. In addition, the fur of a seal…
Phil CollaApril 12, 2011
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…
Phil CollaDecember 8, 2009
This California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) has a severe neck laceration caused by what is likely monofiliment fishing line wrapped around its neck and digging into its skin. Monofiliment fishing line is an exceptionally thin and strong type of synthetic line used for sportfishing. Given that it is designed to…
Phil CollaMarch 10, 2009
There is a big spawning aggregation of market squid assembled on the sand flats at about 60' off of La Jolla Shores beach right now. As a consequence, many California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are now in the area, feeding on the squid and hauling out on rocks to rest…
Phil CollaJanuary 23, 2008
La Jolla is well known for its population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi), but it boasts California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) as well. When the movable feast of market squid (Loligo opalescens) arrives to lay its carpets of eggs on the edge of the undersea La Jolla Canyon, California…
Phil CollaMay 8, 2007
Each winter California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) gather in the hundreds on the rock slopes of North Coronado Island, just south of the US/Mexico border. The bottom diving is unremarkable here the remainder of the year, but when the sea lions are gathered in such numbers it is worth making…
Phil CollaMarch 15, 2005
Connect / Social:
