Tag Archives: winter

High Tide, Weston Beach, Point Lobos

High Tide, Weston Beach, Point Lobos

High Tide, Weston Beach, Point Lobos. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. January 25, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

High tide at Weston Beach with seastacks, islands, and departing storm clouds in the distance, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

This was shot from a slightly different vantage point as compared to the Weston Beach photograph I posted a couple of days ago – I have moved to the left so that the ridged “island” in the cove is roughly centered in the frame.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: big sur, california, carmel, monterey, morning, pacific ocean, point lobos, travel, usa, winter, peninsula, weston, cove, beach, shore, coast, rocks, surf, wave, tide pool, outcropping, sky, clouds, storm, departing, passing, fluffy, landscape, seascape, nature, travel, scenic, stock

Weston Beach, Winter

Weston Beach, Winter

Weston Beach, Winter. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. January 25, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Weston Beach in the wake of a passing Pacific storm, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

After photographing shore birds for a couple of hours I started back toward the park exit, but when I saw these post-storm clouds on the horizon beyond high-tide-filled Weston Beach I had to stop and make another round of photographs.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: weston, beach, cove, point lobos, state reserve, park, california, usa, monterey, peninsula, big sur, carmel, pacific, ocean, coast, shore, shoreline, passing, storm, clouds, winter, weather, birds, gulls, wave, surf, rock, boulder, sand, gravel, landscape, seascape, stock

Gull in Flight, Blue Sky

Gull in Flight, Blue Sky

Gull in Flight, Blue Sky. Point Lobos State Reserve, California. January 25, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Gull in flight against blue sky, Point Lobos State Reserve, California.

A short trip to Point Lobos today turned into mostly a bird photography expedition. Landscape prospects were challenging, to say the least – the tide was very high, the surf was only moderate, but strong winds were whipping up a lot of choppy water. When I arrived I still planned to shoot landscapes, but I got the hint when a huge flock of pelicans flew by just a few feet from the parking lot as I was unloading – so I put the long lens on the camera and went “hunting” for birds in flight.

I’ve noticed a funny thing about photographing birds, at least at Point Lobos. I can drag the tripod out on a nice promontory and wait… and wait… and wait. But as soon as I decide to give up and try something else the world’s biggest and most spectacular flock of pelicans will cruise 20 feet over my head! Today I had put my gear in the car three times, only to have to drag it out again as the birds flew by mere feet away from the coastal bluff.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: bird, in, flight, wing, gull, sea, shore, shoreline, sky, blue, cloud, azure, backlit, edge, beak, fly, avian, tail, point lobos, state, reserve, california, monterey, peninsula, carmel, highway one, coast, pacific, ocean, winter, stock, wildlife, nature

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky

Pacific Ocean, Evening Sky. North of Santa Cruz, California. January 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pacific Ocean evening surf and sky at Panther Beach, north of Santa Cruz, California.

I’ve been working on a series of “minimalist seascape” photographs for a couple years now, and this is the latest in the series. This was shot quite a bit after sunset and the only light left was the soft, diffused light from the sky.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: beach, california, county, Dusk, evening, nature, pacific ocean, sand, Santa Cruz, seascape, seashore, sky, Sunset, travel, water, waves, winter, surf, sea, seascape, landscape, sky, pink, blue, reflection, pattern, color, bird, gull, usa, winter, rocks, stock