Personal Favorites

These are a few of my favorite images from the past year. They are favorites not just for aesthetics, but because of the subject itself or the story behind the creation of the image. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge. Click on the enlargement for an ever larger image.

Convict Lake First light with Laurel Mountain awash in moon light on what was a brisk, calm and cloudless morning.	Alabama Hills Taken at 631AM in the Alabama Hills. Lone Pine Peak is the dominate peak in the background and Mt. Whitney (the highest point in the continental United States - 14,505') is near the right edge.
Yosemite Valley - El Capitan, Morning Light The days first rays of light shine brightly on the summit of El Capitan.	Alabama Hills - Sunrise To read the story behind the creation of this photograph use the link below to visit my blog.
Laguna Beach - Just A Splash Of Color Just after sunrise. It had been raining off and on most of the morning. Now the clouds thinned and parted slightly allowing the still low in the sky sun to add "just a splash of color" to the mostly steel gray clouds and sky. The color only lasted for maybe 10 minutes. The gaps closed, the gray returned followed shortly thereafter by the rain.	Tamarack Lodge Boat Dock - Early Morning #4 Up early again this morning and found myself along the lake shore well before sunrise. It was another crisp and damp morning and the sky was filled with stars. A perfect opportunity to work on my night photography (that's why I was up and out so darn early.)
At Rest I just love the trust and peacefulness portrayed in this photograph.	Fall Colors - Lake Sabrina Morning Light I moved down to the water's edge in order to change my perspective and improve the positioning of the reflections. The light was fantastic and the peaks reflected very nicely on the lake surface which I knew would help distract from the boring cloudless sky. Then the miracle I was hoping for occurred - the breeze died down and the lake surface that moments ago was awash in small distorting ripples turned almost completely calm with glass like clarity revealing the submerged rocks. CLICK!
Aspens and Deer I left my vehicle in a small pullout about 30 minutes ago. I was now bushwhacking between aspen groves when I noticed this stand of aspens (the deer was not there). I liked how the tree trunks stood out and contrasted nicely with the mix of yellow and still green leaves, so I decided to see if I could work out a pleasing composition. To read more of this story use the link below to visit my blog.	We're Not In Control - 2646 I sat here watching the waves explode into the rocks for 15 minutes before I set my camera up and began to make images.
Morro Bay Harbor_HDR_8712_13_14_15_16 Enjoying a gorgeous sunset in Morro Bay.	Yosemite National Park - Therapeutic Waters - 5541 I was able to compose a couple of "people free" images before I noticed this guy taking off his boots. Next, he entered the water and proceeded to meander out into the middle of "my composition". He seemed to be in no hurry to get out of the way. Why should he let some photographer rush "HIS communion with nature". But, the longer I watched the more I realized he added just what I needed to complete this image - CLICK. Thank You Stranger!
Laguna Beach - Above The Beach, Stormy Day Looking south along the Southern California coastline. Early morning light on a stormy late February morning.	Morro Bay Harbor - Let's Call It A Day - 8737 This is the last image I made on a very long and productive day photographing in several locations in the central California area. As it turns out, this is my favorite image of the entire trip.
Gull Lake - 0324 Just after sunrise. Cold morning (even my feet were cold) had to keep moving and drinking coffee to fight off the chill. Worth it though - Pretty light and scene. Went Vertical to include the wonderful clouds. Just wish the sunrise brought more vivid colors. Maybe next time :)	El Capitan Reflection With the slower flows of autumn the Merced River can provide some stunning reflections like this one of El Capitan.
Rain Drops On Leaves - 0365 Just after a brief light rain I came upon this scene along the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.	Pacific Shoreline Abstract - 1901 Morning light along the pacific coast at Crystal Cove State Park.
Death Valley - Getting The Shot - 20838 An unknown photographer frames up his next gallery shot at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park in the Mojave Desert of Eastern California and Nevada.	Mono Lake - Dynamic Mood - 9978 Considering I initially had no intentions of stopping here I am glad that I decided to do so. As it turns out this is one of my favorite images from this entire trip. Once again, I am reminded that being flexible and willing to go just a little out of the way can make all the difference in your photographic opportunities.
Yosemite Valley - Waters Edge I came upon this scene and was immediately mesmerized by the sharpness of the reflections and knew I had a special opportunity.	Detonation The waves weren't as large as advertised, but the power and energy was obviously present.
Spring - Local Hillside and Trail The generous rains of the 2016/2017 winter season are starting to pay dividends in the form of an incredibly beautiful eruption of color in the local foothills and nearby open spaces of Southern California. Here, a trail meanders along the base of a small hill dotted with beautiful yellow wildflowers.	Morning Light - Zabriskie Point To read the story behind the creation of this photograph use the link below to visit my blog.
Laguna Beach - Rainy Day #1 A rainy day along the Southern California shoreline offers up some good photography opportunities.	2019 Fall Colors - Lake Reflections_8824 To read the story behind the creation of this and other related photographs visit my blog.

Personal Favorites

Convict Lake

First light with Laurel Mountain awash in moon light on what was a brisk, calm and cloudless morning.

Alabama Hills

Taken at 631AM in the Alabama Hills. Lone Pine Peak is the dominate peak in the background and Mt. Whitney (the highest point in the continental United States - 14,505') is near the right edge.

Yosemite Valley - El Capitan, Morning Light

The days first rays of light shine brightly on the summit of El Capitan.

Alabama Hills - Sunrise

To read the story behind the creation of this photograph use the link below to visit my blog.

Laguna Beach - Just A Splash Of Color

Tamarack Lodge Boat Dock - Early Morning #4

Up early again this morning and found myself along the lake shore well before sunrise. It was another crisp and damp morning and the sky was filled with stars. A perfect opportunity to work on my night photography (that's why I was up and out so darn early.)

At Rest

I just love the trust and peacefulness portrayed in this photograph.

Fall Colors - Lake Sabrina Morning Light

Aspens and Deer

We're Not In Control - 2646

I sat here watching the waves explode into the rocks for 15 minutes before I set my camera up and began to make images.

Morro Bay Harbor_HDR_8712_13_14_15_16

Enjoying a gorgeous sunset in Morro Bay.

Yosemite National Park - Therapeutic Waters - 5541

Laguna Beach - Above The Beach, Stormy Day

Looking south along the Southern California coastline. Early morning light on a stormy late February morning.

Morro Bay Harbor - Let's Call It A Day - 8737

This is the last image I made on a very long and productive day photographing in several locations in the central California area. As it turns out, this is my favorite image of the entire trip.

Gull Lake - 0324

Just after sunrise. Cold morning (even my feet were cold) had to keep moving and drinking coffee to fight off the chill. Worth it though - Pretty light and scene. Went Vertical to include the wonderful clouds. Just wish the sunrise brought more vivid colors. Maybe next time :)

El Capitan Reflection

With the slower flows of autumn the Merced River can provide some stunning reflections like this one of El Capitan.

Rain Drops On Leaves - 0365

Just after a brief light rain I came upon this scene along the Kern River in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Pacific Shoreline Abstract - 1901

Morning light along the pacific coast at Crystal Cove State Park.

Death Valley - Getting The Shot - 20838

An unknown photographer frames up his next gallery shot at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park in the Mojave Desert of Eastern California and Nevada.

Mono Lake - Dynamic Mood - 9978

Yosemite Valley - Waters Edge

I came upon this scene and was immediately mesmerized by the sharpness of the reflections and knew I had a special opportunity.

Detonation

The waves weren't as large as advertised, but the power and energy was obviously present.

Spring - Local Hillside and Trail

Morning Light - Zabriskie Point

To read the story behind the creation of this photograph use the link below to visit my blog.

Laguna Beach - Rainy Day #1

A rainy day along the Southern California shoreline offers up some good photography opportunities.

2019 Fall Colors - Lake Reflections_8824

To read the story behind the creation of this and other related photographs visit my blog.