Tag Archives: waves

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

Winter Surf – Point Lobos

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Winter Surf - Point Lobos
Winter Surf – Point Lobos. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. February, 9, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Black and white photograph of huge winter surf crashing over Point Lobos rocks.

In February of 2008 I visited the Big Sur area and then stopped at Point Lobos on the way home. The Pacific coast is often at its most impressive in winter and this was an exceptional day, with absolutely huge waves rolling in from the winter Pacific Ocean. At the actual Point Lobos (an area of rocks extending a good distance out from the shoreline) we were able to get very close to the roiling surf and huge crashing waves.

keywords: california, landscape, nature, ocean, pacific ocean, point lobos, rock, seascape, seashore, travel, usa, water, waves, winter, surf, crash, punta, lobos, marinos, monterey, peninsula, stock, spray, foam

Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Point Reyes Beach, Sunset

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Point Reyes Beach, Sunset
Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Beach near the lighthouse at sunset, with yellow lupine carpeting the bluffs above the cliffs.

I had hoped to get some photographs of the wonderful fields of yellow lupine at the top of this bluff, but I was stymied by the tremendous winds buffeting Point Reyes. I do have photographs of this scene that show the flowers more clearly, but many of them are blurred from being blown by the wind.

keywords: california, national park, pacific ocean, spring, point reyes, beach, surf, waves, sand, haze, mist, cliff, nature, yellow, lupine, grass, texture, sunset, evening, seascape, landscape, tourism, scenic, travel, stock, usa, national seashore

Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Point Reyes Headlands

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Point Reyes Headlands
Point Reyes Headlands. Point Reyes National Seashore, California. June 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Point Reyes Headlands with coastal haze, foreground cove, and Drakes Bay.

I made this photograph in incredibly windy conditions. (I can hear other Point Reyes regulars saying, “duh!” at this point…) It was the kind of afternoon when no tripod is sturdy enough to really hold the camera still – so I waited and shot during relative lulls in the gale. If you look closely at the lower right corner you can see sea lions hauled out on the beach.

keywords: point reyes, national seashore, cove, sea lions, elephant seals, mist, haze, headland, cliff, rocks, surf, ocean, sea, coast, waves, drakes, bay, trees, grass, meadow, beach, landscape, seascape, scenic, travel, stock

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert

Sand Waves – Death Valley Dunes at Dusk

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Sand Waves - Death Valley Dunes at Dusk

Sand Waves – Death Valley Dunes at Dusk. Death Valley National Park, California. April 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Color photograph of “sand waves” at dusk on the transverse dunes in front of the main Death Valley Dunes near Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley National Park. Photographed after sunset as the last light began to fade.

A couple notes on the photograph… I had just barely arrived and set up camp when the light started to turn as sunset approached. My brother and I realized that we needed to “go now!” if we were to catch the light, so we jumped in the vehicle and had just enough time to get to this spot and pull over at the side of the road. There was no time to head out onto the dunes so I put the long lens (400mm) on the camera and approached the subject it a different way than I might have otherwise.

keywords: color, photo, photography, sand, waves, desert, plants, pink, blue, sunset, dusk, death valley, national park, dunes, funeral mountains, stock, landscape, scenic, travel, nature, california, usa, footprints