Author: Michael Scandling

A New Look at a Favorite View

August 5, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 25
Abstract / California / Horizon / Impressionism / Inspiration / Landscape / Photo Log / Photography / Point Reyes / Seascapes

December 12, 2016. Point Reyes National Seashore. June 20, 2021. My Office. I’ve been reworking some old favorites recently as I update my website. This was taken during a family getaway. I’ve made several versions but I was never quite in love. Here are two stages of evolution of a whole new look. One is somewhere between literal and impressionist: And one is further abstracted: I’m on a journey to the land of minimalism. It’s […]

Sometimes She Roars

June 10, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 36
California / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

March 19, 2021, Sonoma Coast I was asked by both Instagram followers and blog followers, “What about the real action outside? What about the larger waves?” There were indeed larger waves. I tripped the shutter about 1500 times so there had to be something memorable out there. Something like this, perhaps. Mother Ocean speaking, not with subtlety as in my last post, but with bombast. She has both these voices and an Infinity of voices […]

World Oceans Day

June 8, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 24
California / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

March 19, 2021, Sonoma Coast On the day I shot this, the waves were in 12 seconds sets. Five per minute. This was a typical inside wave. The real action was several hundred yards further out. This one was not the biggest wave ever. Probably only about four feet. But it was exquisite in its sculptural delicacy. A fleeting example of Mother Ocean’s ephemeral art. June 8 is World Oceans Day. Do something nice for […]

Evolution/Revolution

May 17, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 18
Abstract / California / Impressionism / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

April 10, 2015, Hurricane Point, Big Sur Coast. August 8, 2017, my office. Morning of May 13, 2021, my office. Evening of May 13, 2021, my office. On January 12, 2019, I wrote in my twelfth blog post: My dog and I decided that conditions were right for a ride down the coast. Travels with Chewy. And Nikon. We made it as far south as Hurricane Point. Crystal clear. The horizon went halfway to Hawaii. […]

Take Another Look

May 7, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 12
California / Horizon / ICM / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

December 24, 2018 — Sonoma County Coast. May 4, 2021, My office. I’ve done a lot of photogralogical* archive digs in the past months and have come up with an astonishing number of shots that were overlooked on first, second, and even third look. A number of my mentors have counseled not to even look at a shoot until days, weeks, or months after to shoot. They say it makes it easier to be objective. […]

Let Nature Have Her Way

May 5, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 17
California / Monochrome / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

March 19, 2021, Sonoma County Coast It is often my wont to have my way with nature. One of my favorite statements has been that what comes out of the camera is fodder for what happens later in the quiet of my office days, weeks, or years later. But not always. Sometimes it’s best to just stand aside and let Nature say it all. Whoopie! (Nikon D500, Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 Di VC USD. RAW processing in […]

Tight Rope

April 30, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 24
Abstract / California / ICM / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

March 15, 2021 — Sonoma County Coast, California While the house was in the hands of the realtor being prepped for sale, we took off for the coast for a few days. Early one afternoon, clouds cast shadows on the sea. Perfect for intentional camera motion. That shot — one of many, because ICM is a numbers game — formed the basis for the completed picture, which doesn’t look anything at all like what was […]

One Last Time

April 22, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 30
California / Hummingbirds / Photo Log / Photography / Wildlife

April 20, 2021, Silicon Valley As of yesterday, our home for 24 years is now in the hands of its new owners. We spent the previous afternoon sitting on the back deck one last time, eating falafels and reminiscing. Emotions were felt. Many. I brought a camera in hopes of getting one last shot at a hummingbird feasting on echium. It’s in full bloom, so it’s prime time. And sure enough. But before that, the […]

Pause

April 18, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 17
California / Horizon / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photography / Seascapes

July 13, 2018 — San Mateo County Coast I was asked to show the original shot from yesterday’s post. I thought I’d be able to update the post with a link to the original — but as it turns out there isn’t an original. So here, for the fist time, is my 2018 treatment of this shot. Discuss. (Canon G7X. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 2.0; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)

Forward — Into the Past!

April 17, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 18
California / Horizon / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

July 13, 2018 — San Mateo County Coast; February 24, 2021 — My Office In exploring the essence of the essence, I reimagined a few old favorites. This was shot in the late afternoon/early evening as sunrays found their way through low clouds/high fog on the coast. The subject, really, is contrast, texture, and glow. The philosophy is adding by taking away. What isn’t the picture? Remove it or reduce it. Distill. (Canon G7X. RAW […]

Where Have you Been, My Blue-Eyed Son?

April 15, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 22
California / Horizon / ICM / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

March 22, 2021 — Sonoma County Coast. I’ve shot and I’ve processed a hundred new pictures I’ve formed and I’ve weathered scores of opinions I’ve kept and I’ve scrapped a thousand examples I’ve spent time away in the course of my journeys I’ve reflected so much and concluded the essence And it’s a soft, it’s a soft, it’s a soft, and it’s a soft It’s a soft rain of pictures gonna fall   Yes, I […]

Crystal Silence

February 13, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 25
Abstract / California / Horizon / ICM / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Positivity / Seascapes

July 9, 2020 — San Mateo County, California. Feb 12, 2021 My Office. On February 9, we lost Chick Corea. A phenomenal composer, pianist, arranger, and producer. A mentor. A marvelous human being. Here’s an excerpt from his farewell message: “It is my hope that those who have an inkling to play, write, perform or otherwise, do so. If not for yourself then for the rest of us. It’s not only that the world needs […]

I’m Lookin’ at YOU, Flightless Biped!

February 4, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 37
California / Photo Log / Photography / Point Reyes / Wildlife

January 20, 2021 — Point Reyes National Seashore, California It’s been a minute — maybe several — since I’ve posted wildlife. I’ve been concentrating on abstract and impressionistic seascapes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love to shoot wildlife — photographically. A couple weeks ago, The Muse and I went out to the Tomales Point trail for a long hike in celebration of significant click on my personal chronometer. It was a sunny day. Mild […]

The Essence of the Essence

January 30, 2021
by Michael Scandling
comments 12
Abstract / Impressionism / Inspiration / Photo Log / Photography / Seascapes

July 10, 2020. San Gregorio Bluffs, San Mateo County, California. January 28, 2021, My Office Here’s what I said in my August 3, 2020 post of the mother of today’s picture: This is an impossibly small crop of a much larger frame — a starting point for an imaginary stroll on walkable water. I was going to post this last night, but it wasn’t ready. This is a picture where every nuance counts. An adjustment […]