Category Archives: Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Receding Rock Patterns

Receding Rock Patterns

Receding Rock Patterns. Point Lobos, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of layers or receding rock patterns in fog and mist at Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

I liked this small scene with many layers of rocks receding into the fog, then the bay with “Bird Island” on the other side of the water, and very faintly beyond that the forest covered hills of Carmel Highlands.

keywords: point lobos, state, reserve, california, usa, big sur, monterey, peninsula, carmel, ocean, pacific, coast, shore, rock, pattern, receding, layers, fog, mist, black and white, landscape, seascape, travel, scenic, stock, light, morning, winter

Wave, Surf, and Rocks

Wave, Surf, and Rocks

Wave, Surf, and Rocks. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Winter surf crashes against the coastal rocks at Point Lobos with Carmel Highlands beyond.

This photograph was made from a bluff roughly between Weston Beach and Punta de los Lobos Marinos as the huge winter surf crashed on the rocky outcroppings along the Point Lobos coastline. The string of birds passing over the very large wave seems unaffected by the event. Portions of the Point Lobos Reserve and the Carmel Highlands are seen in through the fog and mist.

keywords: waves, surf, swell, winter, spray, rocks, coast, shore, bay, rock, tree, forest, carmel highlands, california, usa, point lobos, reserve, park, state, fog, clouds, mist, atmosphere, mist, birds, gulls, flight, fly, person, stock

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of winter surf crashing on rugged coastal rocks in backlit fog and spray at Point Lobos, California.

I never get tired of watching and photographing these rugged rock formations as they are overrun by huge winter surf at Point Lobos – and, for that matter, just about anywhere else along the central and northern California coast. If you look closely you can just make out the forest covered hills of the Carmel Highlands area in the upper left corner.

This is another of the "long lens landscapes" I shot last weekend using the 100-400mm lens, in this case at about 180mm. I shot almost straight into the sun, which was brightly backlighting the fog and spray.

keywords: point lobos, reserve, park, state, california, usa, big sur, monterey, peninsula, pacific, ocean, coast, sea, seascape, landscape, surf, wave, rock, fog, mist, cloud, spray, silhouette, recession, atmosphere, scenic, travel, stock, tree, layers

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock. Point Lobos, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A gull rests on the point of a shoreline rock at Point Lobos, California.

I thought I was finished shooting for the day and I was hiking back to my car to head home when I walked past this gull. It obligingly stood on this picturesque pillar of conglomerate rock for at least 15 minutes, as if posing for me – so I could hardly pass up the opportunity to stop and photograph.

And isn’t that an amazing rock!

keywords: gull, seagull, bird, pelagic, shore, sea, conglomerate, rock, perch, beak, bill, orange, white, surf, coast, wildlife, nature, california, usa, point lobos, state, reserve, park, monterey, peninsula, big sur, pacific, ocean, stock