Tag Archives: stock

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos

Winter Surf and Rocks, Point Lobos. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of winter surf crashing on rugged coastal rocks in backlit fog and spray at Point Lobos, California.

I never get tired of watching and photographing these rugged rock formations as they are overrun by huge winter surf at Point Lobos – and, for that matter, just about anywhere else along the central and northern California coast. If you look closely you can just make out the forest covered hills of the Carmel Highlands area in the upper left corner.

This is another of the "long lens landscapes" I shot last weekend using the 100-400mm lens, in this case at about 180mm. I shot almost straight into the sun, which was brightly backlighting the fog and spray.

keywords: point lobos, reserve, park, state, california, usa, big sur, monterey, peninsula, pacific, ocean, coast, sea, seascape, landscape, surf, wave, rock, fog, mist, cloud, spray, silhouette, recession, atmosphere, scenic, travel, stock, tree, layers

Folds and Gullies, Zabriskie Point

Folds and Gullies, Zabriskie Point

Folds and Gullies, Zabriskie Point. Death Valley National Park, California. April 4, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pastel colors of folds and gullies at Zabriskie Point in early morning light, Death Valley National Park, California.

Another in my 2008 series of photographs of the tortuously folded formations below Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park. The colors in this photograph are more muted than in some of the others, partially due to the early light but also due to (if I recall correctly) a bit of high overcast. And, to be frank, photographers often boot the contrast and saturation quite a bit in their photographs of this area – so I thought I’d try a natural approach here that shows the pastel shades.

keywords: zabriskie, point, folds, gullies, abstract, shape, morning, early, light, shadow, pastel, death valley, national park, california, usa, landscape, scenic, travel, stock, desert, barren

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock

Gull on Rock. Point Lobos, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A gull rests on the point of a shoreline rock at Point Lobos, California.

I thought I was finished shooting for the day and I was hiking back to my car to head home when I walked past this gull. It obligingly stood on this picturesque pillar of conglomerate rock for at least 15 minutes, as if posing for me – so I could hardly pass up the opportunity to stop and photograph.

And isn’t that an amazing rock!

keywords: gull, seagull, bird, pelagic, shore, sea, conglomerate, rock, perch, beak, bill, orange, white, surf, coast, wildlife, nature, california, usa, point lobos, state, reserve, park, monterey, peninsula, big sur, pacific, ocean, stock

Three Birds and Rocks

Three Birds and Rocks

Three Birds and Rocks. Point Lobos, California. November 30, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of three birds on rugged rocks with winter surf beyond – Point Lobos, California.

Another photograph from my brief excursion to Point Lobos last weekend, on a morning of very high winter surf and backlit fog. Three small birds perch on rugged coastal rocks with the churning coastal waters beyond.

keywords: black and white, silhouette, rocks, ridge, mist, fog, atmosphere, recession, wave, surf, ocean, sea, bay, birds, three, gulls, light, foam, point lobos, state, reserve, park, california, usa, landscape, seascape, coast, shore, pacific, ocean, winter, scenic, travel, monterey, peninsula, big sur, stock