Tag Archives: huge

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Winter Surf, Clearing Sky

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Winter Surf, Clearing Sky
“Winter Surf, Clearing Sky” — Skies clear above winter surf as a Pacific Coast storm dissipates.

This photograph of winter surf and clearing sky was the culmination of a day-long weather transition. We heard reports of record-high surf along the Pacific coast, so we headed right over to see it. When we arrived, the surf was huge, but it was raining, producing a dark and ominous scene. As the day wore on those clouds began to thin, and before long the sun began to poke through. By the time I made this photograph there was more sun than shadow.

The surf is the main character in this scene. As we watched from the shore, the waves rose to impressive heights in the distance, producing monumental spray as the crashed ashore. But the light was nearly as interesting. This close to the water, the mist-filled atmosphere had a glowing, luminous quality.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Winter Storm Surf

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Winter Storm Surf
“Winter Storm Surf” — Giant winter storm waves crash ashore along the Northern California coast.

At one point while photographing the late-December winter storm surf along California’s coastline, I momentarily hit the light jackpot. While the far horizon was still dark and stormy, a break in the shoreline clouds cast bright sunlight on the surf crashing onto this beach. On a typical day the largest waves here would be more like the one at the bottom of the frame. On this day the biggest waves were huge and loud and sent spray far inland.

Many of us head straight to the coast when conditions like these arise. It is a spectacular thing and not to be missed. At the same time, authorities issue lots of warnings about the dangers. The dangers are real and you certainly want to keep your distance from the sea when it behaves like this. But with a degree of caution you can — and should! — safely watch the show.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Breaker

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Breaker
“Breaker” — Waves generated by a big Pacific Ocean storm break near the California coastline.

It is quite an experience to get up close and personal with huge storm surf like this — though having a very long lens and finding the right shooting location helps makes it safe. We headed to the coast south of San Francisco during California’s bout of giant waves between Christmas and New Year’s Day. At this location a peninsula juts out into the ocean between a beach and a bay. At the tip of this peninsula one is very close to the waves as they break and roll into that bay.

In a way, photographing these waves is more or less like photographing moving landscapes. They have slopes, peaks, and cliffs, and the effects of wind and light are part of the scene. The main difference is that everything is ephemeral. The landscape stands still, but when photographing waves the landscape photographer has to think more like someone photographing active wildlife or sports, making instantaneous, intuitive decisions about timing and composition.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Breaking Wave

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Breaking Wave
“Breaking Wave” — Breaking winter storm wave, Northern California Coast.

Winter surf on California’s coast was so impressive between Christmas and New Year’s Day that it made national news. As happens this time of year, a powerful Pacific storm far offshore produced a huge swell. The biggest waves were upwards of 30 feet tall, and they created real danger to those who live at the coast and to visitors who ventured too close. Naturally, we headed straight over there to view (carefully) the power of nature!

The weather was pretty gray when we arrived, but the storm (which was less impressive than the waves) began to clear and rays of sunlight moved across the surface of the ocean. I went to a peninsula extending into the ocean, and from there I had close-up views of the action. I made this photograph as a huge wave rolled through one of those sunlit patches and began to break.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.