Tag Archives: stacks

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Sea Stacks And Headlands

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Sea Stacks And Headlands
Sea stacks and rugged headlands along the upper Big Sur coast.

Sea Stacks And Headlands. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sea stacks and rugged headlands along the upper Big Sur coast.

California’s coastline is quite varied, but nearly always interesting. There are flat and gentle areas in the south, areas exposed to wind and covered with trees in the far north. And then there is the (loosely speaking) Big Sur coast south of Monterey. it is an area of very tall coastal mountains, vast open views of the Pacific, and a shoreline that is often rugged and rocky.

I had a few free hours on this spring day so I headed south from the San Francisco Bay Area with the plan of getting some distance down the Big Sur coast… but not so far that I couldn’t be back by mid-afternoon. I’m a bit familiar with these formations, having stopped to photograph here in the past. This time I was struck by the color of the water, the springtime green of the plants, and the lights softened by very thin coastal fog.

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 and Amazon.

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

Storm Surf, Big Sur

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Storm Surf, Big Sur
“Storm Surf, Big Sur” — Storm surf batters the Big Sur coast of California

The surf on this mid-December morning along the Big Sur coast was stupendous. The surf advisories spoke of 25′-40′ waves, and that seemed accurate. The biggest waves were so large that they broke over the tops of tall boulders and sea stacks, sending up huge columns of spray. Froth covered the ocean well beyond the wave line, and smart visitors stayed on headlands and off the beaches. 

The largest waves came in sets of perhaps a half dozen or more. Watching the surf you might be lulled into thinking, “It isn’t that big.” And then a very large wave would appear, sending up spray and mist, following in close succession by a series of building waves of impressive size, which arrived in the spray of the previous waves. I put a long lens on the camera and shot across this gigantic surf, focusing on an area full of rocks emerging from the surf and shooting almost straight in to the morning light.

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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 and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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 and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

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

Storm Surf and Rocky Headlands

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“Storm Surf and Rocky Headlands” — Late autumn storm surf and Big Sur headlands

When many people think of California they envision beautiful summer days at the beach, with warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and benign surf. Aside from the fact that it is more likely to be foggy than sunny on a summer day along much of the California coastline, that vision is limited and it misses the most impressive conditions along the coast, namely those found during the wet season extending from late autumn through the end of winter. At this time the coast is the most compelling and impressive, especially when giant Pacific storm fronts roll through and the surf can be large enough to be downright scary.

We had such conditions for a few days this December. Local newscasts warned people to stay away from the coast and off the beaches, since waves up to 40 feet high were expected. Smart Californians do stay off the beaches at times like this, but we certainly don’t stay away from the coast! I headed straight to the upper Big Sur coastline to make photographs. I’ve seen big surf here before, but as I walked out onto headlands above the rocky shoreline south of Carmel and the first big set of waves came in, I’m pretty sure I gasped audibly as they piled up on the shoreline. The biggest waves come in sets of perhaps a half dozen or so, and they raise mist and spray that lingers along the headlands until the next set of big waves arrives.

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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 and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California

Pacific Coast Highway, Clearing Fog

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Pacific Coast Highway, Clearing Fog
Pacific Coast Highway, Clearing Fog

Pacific Coast Highway, Clearing Fog. Pacific Coast Highway, California. May 26, 2014. © Copyright 2014 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning fog clears above Rocky Point along the Pacific Coast Highway near Big Sur, California

I spent a good part of this beautiful spring day photographing along the upper half of California’ Big Sur coastline along the Pacific Coast Highway. On this potentially (and ultimately!) very busy holiday, I made a point of arriving early, since this area is so popular, especially on a day like this one when it was mostly sunny but with just enough fog to make it picturesque.

This photograph includes the area around Rocky Point which, while not being the main iconic view in this spot perhaps does come close to having that distinction. From the small arch in the foreground to the curving coast and seas stacks to the taller coastal mountains, the scene has many of the features that define this coastline. The fog was trying valiantly to maintain itself—driving into it the temperature dropped by many degrees and the wind whipped up—but the sun was winning.

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.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.