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 […]
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. […]
December 9, 2020 — Pacific Grove, California I’m slowly emerging from my cave… A few days ago, the Muse and I headed south on a journey in search of Monarch butterflies and the manifestation of a high surf advisory — and for an Ambrosia Burger and glass of Santa Lucia pinot noir on the deck of Nepenthe 30 miles further down the Big Sur coast. We got there just a few days before sitting on […]
August 12, 2020 — Sonoma County Coast, California; Recently — My Office Not to minimize the point, but minimalism brings me maximum enjoyment. If I can focus on the one thing that is the scene and reduce or completely banish the rest, it opens up a new world. The more I take away, the more there is to see. The first version was what I envisioned when I took the shot. Then, as part of […]
December 26, 2017. The Sea Ranch, Sonoma Coast, California. It had been stormy. We spent Christmas hunkered down. The coast had been battered with wind and rain. For the longest time, it seemed, we weren’t sure if it would go on and on or if the rage would finally be over. We drifted off into an uneasy sleep with nothing resolved. The morning was still unsettled. But then suddenly it was over. The midday brought […]
November 6, 2020 — Point Reyes National Seashore, California The surf was particularly exuberant yesterday. Almost as if it knew something was about to happen. (Nikon D500, Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 Di VC USD. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 4.0.1; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.) PS — I’m still deeply engaged in other activities and I shall return to regular blogging and to reading blogs as soon as I can. You’ll like what you see.
December 29, 2019 — Sonoma County Coast, California; September 21, 2020 — My Office …but what I had ordered. Mother nature didn’t see what I’d had in mind, so I had to help her. Better late than never. Proof that Rothko made his mark on me. (Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing and initial editing in DxO PhotoLab 3.3; Final editing in Adobe Photoshop.)
June 9, 2013 — San Francisco, California I’d given this up for lost. The RX-100’s chromatic aberration on the edges had ruined it. Then I looked at another approach. This is a crop from the center, much massaged. Lots of selective sharpening and minus Clarity combined with selective increase and decrease in Vibrance. No fancy filters. Ever. An exercise in soft, made while listening to Derek Hunter Wilson’s new album — an exercise in soft […]
August 16, 2020 — Sonoma County Coast, California A blindingly bright afternoon. Calm day — but each wavelet was its own mirror, each adding to the millions of tiny suns out on the water. ICM — Intentional Camera Motion — does wonderful things with time and space as they combine in the camera in myriad mystical modes. Then in the computer, more magic happens. (Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing and initial editing in […]
August 17, 2020 — Sonoma County Coast, California There was a guy in England, an RAF officer, he was. A cracking good pilot. He lived at the RAF Aerodrome, which he and all his mates called the ’Drome. He was an affable guy; extremely well thought of. Popular. He had an easy way about him. He also had a unique talent. He was completely ambidextrous. No matter what he did, he could do equally well […]
August 12, 2020 — Marin County Coast, California It’s easier to have one’s head in the clouds if the clouds are at or only slightly above sea level. The California coast is famous for sea-level clouds in the summer. We locals call it fog. (Nikon D850, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G VR. RAW processing and initial editing in DxO PhotoLab 3.3; Final editing in Adobe Photoshop.)
Note: If you are seeing this in an email, please click on the blog title in the body of the email. Your web browser will take you to the actual blog where pictures always look much better. December 6, 2013. Sonoma County, California. This shot had been and also-ran from a shoot that has produced a couple of other pictures that I’ve posted here. It just seemed that it was too much like another one […]
July 10, 2010. San Gregorio Bluffs, San Mateo County, California. On my way from Silicon Valley to San Francisco, I decided on the spur of the moment to take the scenic route. Web Cam showed some coastal clouds and I was hoping to get a sun-dappled sea. All I had with me was trusty MiniCam™ — my Canon G5X II. (The best camera is the one you have with you, so have something decent with […]
November 27, 2019 — San Mateo County, California Or maybe Rothko Turnover easy? (Nikon D500, Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 Di VC USD. RAW processing in DxO PhotoLab 3.2; Editing in Adobe Photoshop.)
April 15, 2015 — Windy Hill, Woodside, California I was going to post something else today, but a look at an Instagram post by Óli Haukur inspired me to show this instead. Oli made the point that most photography instructors stress low ISO settings for low noise and therefore “best” image quality. Image quality these days seems to be based solely on low noise and extreme sharpness. His opinion is that, based on these criteria, […]
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