Tag Archives: Cloud

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Sea Stack and Cove, Wilder Ranch State Beach

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Sea Stack and Cove, Wilder Ranch State Beach

Sea Stack and Cove, Wilder Ranch State Beach. Santa Cruz, California. December 29, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Twilight view of a surf filled cove, shoreline ledges, sea stack, beach, and Monterey Peninsula at Wilder Ranch State Beach.

Although I have visited the section of the California Coast Highway between San Francisco and Santa Cruz many times and have driven past this spot frequently, I had never actually stopped at Wilder Ranch State Beach and wandered out the the ocean here. Having seen some interesting photographs of this spot recently, tonight as I drove north from Santa Cruz I decided that there was no time like the present and I pulled over and hiked down to the beach. Compared to many winter evenings along this section of the Pacific coast, it was very calm and almost warm tonight.

This photograph looks south toward Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay – the Monterey Peninsula is visible on the horizon. The sea stack is probably the most recognizable feature of this beach, though the low rock shelfs along the water’s edge are also pretty interesting. This photograph is a fairly long time exposure shot in the post sunset glow.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: sea, stack, cove, rock, ledge, reef, bluff, surf, wave, ocean, pacific, monterey, bay, peninsula, santa cruz, california, usa, sunset, twilight, evening, light, moss, reflection, time exposure, beach, sand, pond, pool, sky, cloud, landscape, seascape, travel, scenic, stock, mist, island, birds

Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspens, Forest, and Snow Showers – North Lake

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Aspens, Forest, and Snow Showers - North Lake

Aspens, Forest, and Snow Showers – North Lake. Sierra Nevada, California, October 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Early autumn snow falls on peaks above the aspen groves at North Lake, California.

I had arrived at North Lake on this early October morning to photograph the renowned aspen stands surrounding the lake. After arriving before dawn and getting all of my gear out and ready to shoot… it began to snow! I retreated to my car for nearly an hour, but soon the early season front passed through and the sun began to shine through in between the light snow showers. This photograph was made from the road near the “aspen tunnel” near the upper end of the lake. I like the multiple layers of bright fall aspen color in the foreground, green forest on the ridge in the middle, and the combination of thin sunlight and snow showers on the high peaks beyond.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: aspen, tree, grove, color, yellow, red, orange, gold, forest, ridge, mountain, snow, squall, flurry, peak, cloud, mist, fog, rock, north lake, california, usa, sierra, nevada, range, alpine, bishop, creek, nature, autumn, fall, season, scenic, landscape, travel, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Storm Cell over the Pacific – Rocks, Surf, and Bluff

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Storm Cell over the Pacific - Rocks, Surf, and Bluff

Storm Cell over the Pacific – Rocks, Surf, and Bluff. Near Davenport, California. December 15, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Coastal rock formations glisten in the rain as an evening squall approaches a shoreline bluff on the Pacific Coast north of Davenport, California.

A landscape orientation photograph of more or less the same scene I posted earlier this week, though this photograph includes a bit of the distant bluff a bit further south along the coast and the early sunset light is just barely beginning to illuminate the base of the rain cell near the right side of the frame.

keywords: bluff, cliff, hill, rock, formation, pool, evening, squall, storm, cell, rain, cloud, downpour, shower, pool, tide, wave, surf, shore, coast, beach, strata, reflection, sun, light, pattern, moss, pacific, ocean, coast, sea, wet, santa cruz, davenport, highway, one, scenic, weather, landscape, seascape, travel, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Coastal Rocks, Surf, and Rain

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Coastal Rocks, Surf, and Rain

Coastal Rocks, Surf, and Rain. Near Davenport, California. December 15, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Coastal rock formations glisten in the rain as an evening squall approaches the Pacific Coast north of Davenport, California.

Late on a rainy afternoon earlier this week it seemed like the sky might clear enough to make for some spectacular evening shooting along the California coast near Davenport. I headed over the hill to Santa Cruz and started north up the Coast Highway in post-storm clear air with a few puffy clouds offshore. However, as I passed through Davenport I could see a squall line to the northwest, just beginning to move between me and the bright sky to the west. Being either brave or foolish I kept heading north until near Greyhound Rock where the cold rain started. I headed back south, almost to Davenport, before pulling over along a beach where the road descends to near sea level. Although it wasn’t raining here yet, the clouds were clearly heading this way. I grabbed my camera pack and tripod and put on some extra clothes and headed across the beach to the waters edge before turning north toward some low rocks at the end of the beach. Soon it started raining, but at this point I wasn’t about to go home empty-handed so I continued up onto the rocks and managed to make a few exposures in the rain as the squall line approached, the wind picked up, and the rain increased.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: rock, formation, pool, evening, squall, storm, cell, rain, cloud, downpour, shower, pool, tide, wave, surf, shore, coast, beach, strata, reflection, sun, light, pattern, moss, pacific, ocean, coast, sea, wet, santa cruz, davenport, highway, one, scenic, weather, landscape, seascape, travel, stock