{"id":7476,"date":"2015-12-28T21:45:49","date_gmt":"2015-12-29T05:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/?p=7476"},"modified":"2018-12-31T07:19:42","modified_gmt":"2018-12-30T23:19:42","slug":"natural-history-photography-best-photos-of-2015-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/natural-history-photography-best-photos-of-2015-2.html","title":{"rendered":"Natural History Photography – Best Photos of 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

My Best Natural History Photographs of 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

2015 offered opportunities for me to photograph the Sierra Nevada, the Sea of Cortez, California’s Channel Islands, the coral reefs of the Fiji Islands, a Louisiana plantation, astrophotography landscapes in the Southwest, and as always America’s Finest City, San Diego. I was finally able to get back in the water and focus on underwater photography, which is where I got my start as a photographer but which has been nearly absent in my work for the past 10 years.<\/p>\n

This is the ninth year in a row I have done an annual retrospective. My creative goal for any one year is, as it always has been, to shoot 3-4 world-class images and 10-15 portfolio-quality images. Below are my favorites from 2015. If you like these feel free to check out previous years’ favorites as well: 2014<\/a>, 2013<\/a>, 2012<\/a>, 2011<\/a>, 2010<\/a>, 2009<\/a>, 2008<\/a>, 2007<\/a>. Also, be sure to check out Jim Goldstein’s blog<\/a>, where he collects the “best of the year” collections of many talented photographers. Cheers and Thanks for looking<\/i>!<\/p>\n

Desert Light<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Erosion<\/a><\/p>\n

Erosion in the salt patterns of Badwater Playa, Death Valley National Park
\nImage ID: 30475<\/a>
\nLocation: Badwater<\/a>, Death Valley National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Mesquite<\/a><\/p>\n

Mesquite Dunes at sunrise, dawn, clouds and morning sky, sand dunes.
\nImage ID: 30479<\/a>
\nLocation: Mesquite Dunes<\/a>, Death Valley National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Sand<\/a><\/p>\n

Sand verbena wildflowers on sand dunes, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
\nImage ID: 30516<\/a>
\nSpecies: Sand verbena<\/a>, Abronia villosa<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park<\/a>, Borrego Springs<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

San Diego From Above<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Panoramic<\/a><\/p>\n

Panoramic Aerial Photo of San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge
\nImage ID: 30789<\/a>
\nLocation: San Diego<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/a><\/p>\n

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Point Loma and Cabrillo Monument
\nImage ID: 30847<\/a>
\nLocation: San Diego<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Del<\/a><\/p>\n

Del Mar beach and homes at sunset
\nImage ID: 30491<\/a>
\nLocation: Del Mar<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Aerial<\/a><\/p>\n

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Point La Jolla and La Jolla Cove, Boomer Beach, Scripps Park
\nImage ID: 30786<\/a>
\nLocation: La Jolla<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

Astrophotography Landscapes<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Milky<\/a><\/p>\n

Milky Way during Full Lunar Eclipse over Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, April 4 2015
\nImage ID: 30718<\/a>
\nLocation: Joshua Tree National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Perseid<\/a><\/p>\n

Perseid Meteor Shower over Joshua Tree National Park, Aug 13, 2014
\nImage ID: 31145<\/a>
\nLocation: Joshua Tree National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Jet<\/a><\/p>\n

Jet Airliner Silhouetted Against Supermoon Eclipse, at Moonrise over San Diego, September 27 2015
\nImage ID: 31869<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Milky<\/a><\/p>\n

Milky Way over Mount Laguna FAA Radar Site, including ARSR-4 radome (radar dome).
\nImage ID: 31047<\/a><\/p>\n

Sierra Nevada – The Range of Light<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Panorama<\/a><\/p>\n

Panorama of Bear Creek Spire over Long Lake at Sunrise, Little Lakes Valley, John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest
\nImage ID: 31173<\/a>
\nLocation: Little Lakes Valley, Inyo National Forest<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Milky<\/a><\/p>\n

Milky Way over Tenaya Lake, Polly Dome (left), Tenaya Peak (center), Yosemite National Park
\nImage ID: 31185<\/a>
\nLocation: Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"North<\/a><\/p>\n

North Peak (12242′, center), Mount Conness (left, 12589′) and Conness Lake with its green glacial meltwater, Hoover Wilderness
\nImage ID: 31060<\/a>
\nLocation: Conness Lakes Basin<\/a>, Hoover Wilderness<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"View<\/a><\/p>\n

View from Summit of Mount Hoffmann, Ten Lakes Basin at lower left, looking northeast toward remote northern reaches of Yosemite National Park
\nImage ID: 31193<\/a>
\nLocation: Mount Hoffmann<\/a>, Yosemite National Park<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

Ocean Light<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"California<\/a><\/p>\n

California sea lions underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico
\nImage ID: 31205<\/a>
\nSpecies: California sea lion<\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Sea of Cortez<\/a>, Baja California<\/a>, Mexico<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Young<\/a><\/p>\n

Young California sea lion pups underwater, Sea of Cortez, Mexico
\nImage ID: 31209<\/a>
\nSpecies: California sea lion<\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Sea of Cortez<\/a>, Baja California<\/a>, Mexico<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Sea<\/a><\/p>\n

Sea fan gorgonian and schooling Anthias on pristine and beautiful coral reef, Fiji
\nImage ID: 31311<\/a>
\nSpecies: Gorgonian<\/a>, Anthias<\/a>, Pseudanthias<\/i><\/a>, Gorgonacea<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Wakaya Island<\/a>, Lomaiviti Archipelago<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Dendronephthya<\/a><\/p>\n

Dendronephthya soft corals and schooling Anthias fishes, feeding on plankton in strong ocean currents over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
\nImage ID: 31318<\/a>
\nSpecies: Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Anthias<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>, Pseudanthias<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Gau Island<\/a>, Lomaiviti Archipelago<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Acropora<\/a><\/p>\n

Acropora table coral on pristine tropical reef. Table coral competes for space on the coral reef by growing above and spreading over other coral species keeping them from receiving sunlight.
\nImage ID: 31331<\/a>
\nLocation: Vatu I Ra Passage<\/a>, Bligh Waters<\/a>, Viti Levu Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\n

\"California<\/a><\/p>\n

California Pelican flying on a wave, riding the updraft from the wave.
\nImage ID: 30262<\/a>
\nSpecies: Brown Pelican<\/a>, Pelecanus occidentalis<\/i><\/a>, Pelecanus occidentalis californicus<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Gray<\/a><\/p>\n

Gray whale raising fluke before diving, on southern migration to calving lagoons in Baja.
\nImage ID: 30463<\/a>
\nSpecies: Gray whale<\/a>, Eschrichtius robustus<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: San Diego<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Spectacular<\/a><\/p>\n

Spectacular pristine tropical reef with vibrant colorful soft corals. Dendronephthya soft corals, crinoids, sea fan gorgonians and schooling Anthias fishes, pulsing with life in a strong current over a pristine coral reef. Fiji is known as the soft coral capitlal of the world.
\nImage ID: 31367<\/a>
\nSpecies: Crinoid Feather Star<\/a>, Dendronephthya Soft Coral<\/a>, Gorgonian<\/a>, Anthias<\/a>, Dendronephthya<\/i><\/a>, Pseudanthias<\/i><\/a>, Crinoidea<\/i><\/a>, Gorgonacea<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Vatu I Ra Passage<\/a>, Bligh Waters<\/a>, Viti Levu Island<\/a>, Fiji<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Killer<\/a><\/p>\n

Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion.
\nImage ID: 30429<\/a>
\nSpecies: Killer whale<\/a>, California sea lion<\/a>, Orcinus orca<\/i><\/a>, Zalophus californianus<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: Palos Verdes<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

The Kelp Forest offshore of La Jolla, California. A kelp forest. Giant kelp grows rapidly, up to 2′ per day, from the rocky reef on the ocean bottom to which it is anchored, toward the ocean surface where it spreads to form a thick canopy. Myriad species of fishes, mammals and invertebrates form a rich community in the kelp forest. Lush forests of kelp are found throughout California’s Southern Channel Islands
\nImage ID: 30998<\/a>
\nSpecies: Giant kelp<\/a>, Macrocystis pyrifera<\/i><\/a>
\nLocation: La Jolla<\/a>, California<\/a>, USA<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Best Natural History Photographs of 2015 2015 offered opportunities for me to photograph the Sierra Nevada, the Sea of Cortez, California’s Channel Islands, the coral reefs of the Fiji Islands, a Louisiana plantation, astrophotography landscapes in the Southwest, and as always America’s Finest City, San Diego. I was finally…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8292,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[147],"tags":[211],"class_list":{"0":"post-7476","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-years-best-photography","8":"tag-best-photos-of-the-year"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oceanlight.com\/log\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}