Two fisherman fish from a rock outcropping above giant winter surf and shallow fog thrown up by the waves near Rocky Creek Bridge along the Big Sur coastline. A more distant perspective on a scene I uploaded earlier in a series of monochrome photographs.
An older photograph shot on a wonderful foggy winter day along an unused trail that climbs a beautiful ridge covered with oak trees and grassland in a hillside park near San Jose, California.
keywords: photo, photography, grass, oak, trees, branches, fog, green, winter, trail, hiking, almaden, quicksilver, county park, santa clara, san jose, california, usa, stock, grove, leaves, shrouded, sprout, central, landscape, nature, scenic, stock
Photographed from high on a bluff north of Santa Cruz overlooking the Pacific Ocean, on a day when giant swells were coming in from Pacific winter storms.
keywords: Seascape, Place, California,Pacific, Ocean, Winter, waves, reflections, mist, fog, clouds, surface, seascape, water, waves, swell, black and white
Two surfers near the edge of the winter surf in central California near San Francisco. Black and white.
As I write this description a half dozen years after making the photograph it is the day of another Mavericks surf competition, and I remember distinctly the day I made the photograph and the experience of making it. The location is somewhat typical of the California Coast Highway, along with the road alternates between ascending along the edges of high coastal mountains and dropping down to small beaches where creeks and rivers enter the sea. This beach is one of those latter locations, in this case one I frequently visit when I photograph along the coast south of San Francisco.
My favorite time of year along this coast is the winter, and for a diversity of reasons. Contrary to the expectations of non-Californians, summer is not the most beautiful time on the coast. In summer the coast is frequently socked in by fog, and the clear days are so clear that there may be no clouds – a lovely thought for all but perhaps the photographers, who often wants more “interesting” conditions. In the winter the ocean can become a powerful force, with winds whipping the tops of huge waves as storms near and far stir things up. While the summer coast can seem benign, the winter coast can present us with scenes of tremendous, awe-inspiring power. But it can also be quiet and moody as it was on this day. Yes, the surf was running high (which is why the Mavericks surf competition was going on a few miles north of this spot on the day I made the photograph), but winter clouds muted the colors, the sounds of birds and water were everywhere. These two surfers walked quietly along the beach, seeming a part of this beautiful scene. (Revised description written January 24, 2014)
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more. Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | 500px.com | LinkedIn | Email
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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Fishing Above Winter Surf, Big Sur. Big Sur Coastline, California. February 9, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved. (Visit the site and click the image to see a larger version.)
