Tag Archives: Cloud

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Last Light, Boulders and Sand

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Last Light, Panther Beach

Last Light, Boulders and Sand. Pacific Ocean North of Santa Cruz, California. January 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The last light shines on surf and rocks near Santa Cruz, California.

After posting a long string of urban landscapes, I figured it was time to post some natural landscapes once again – so I drove over to the coast north of Santa Cruz on Sunday evening to photograph. This photo was more or less an afterthought – I had set up the tripod just on the ocean side of the natural bridge that provides access to the south section of this beach and I had finished shooting a pair of large boulders with the more distant surf and sea stack in the background. The light was going fast, and I was starting to pack up when I saw this arrangement of rocks nearby. Because I was anxious to get off the beach before dark, I just took a few frames using the lens that was already on the camera, a 35mm prime.

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: panther, beach, state, park, santa cruz, davenport, california, usa, park, surf, wave, rock, boulder, cliff, spray, sky, cloud, sunset, twilight, evening, last, light, seascape, landscape, ocean, pacific, coast, highway, one, 1, reflection, sand, water, stock

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