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Patrick Smith Photography - Northern Big Sur, Central California Coast |
Portal of the Sun Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Pfeiffer State Beach, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOZine
Story:
This opening in a cliff face at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur allows large waves to come through at high tide before a big storm. The waves often fill the
entire portal to the top, and the portal becomes a giant water shotgun! The Tufoni formations in the rock are incredible and should be seen in
person. The sun was only like this for about 30 seconds so I had to work fast. Fortunately, the sun was dimmed by high clouds but there was
still enough light to reflect onto the rock face from the cliff behind the camera. Backlighting is crucial here; otherwise you have an overexposed
portal with no detail on the rock face. Once the light was right, I waited for the water flow to become dramatic. A short exposure time allowed a
little movement while retaining detail of the sea spray.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Pfeiffer State Beach, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOZine
Story:
This opening in a cliff face at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur allows large waves to come through at high tide before a big storm. The waves often fill the
entire portal to the top, and the portal becomes a giant water shotgun! The Tufoni formations in the rock are incredible and should be seen in
person. The sun was only like this for about 30 seconds so I had to work fast. Fortunately, the sun was dimmed by high clouds but there was
still enough light to reflect onto the rock face from the cliff behind the camera. Backlighting is crucial here; otherwise you have an overexposed
portal with no detail on the rock face. Once the light was right, I waited for the water flow to become dramatic. A short exposure time allowed a
little movement while retaining detail of the sea spray.
The Northern Portion of Big Sur
This especially rugged coastline rises from the sea to over 5,000 ft. elevation just a few miles inland. The geography creates some outstanding
seascapes of grand proportions and some interesting rock formations as well. This stretch of coastline extends from Garrapata State Park in the
north to Pfeiffer Beach in the south.
This especially rugged coastline rises from the sea to over 5,000 ft. elevation just a few miles inland. The geography creates some outstanding
seascapes of grand proportions and some interesting rock formations as well. This stretch of coastline extends from Garrapata State Park in the
north to Pfeiffer Beach in the south.
Moonlight Archipeligo Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 12-minute exposure @F6, no filters, ISO 200, in camera noise reduction
Story:
There was a full moon rising in the darkness over Soberanes Point in Garrapata State Park in Big Sur. I could see the moonlight on the water
and how it cast shadows across the small islands of rock. This long exposure shows the stars in motion with the sky appearing nearly as though
it was daytime. The fog in the distance moved onshore shortly after I was finished, so I was fortunate to capture this scene. Even though it was
nighttime, my eyes became accustomed to the low light and I was able to see the deep blue color of the sea. The shimmering waves took on
mystical properties as I sat alone on the rocky outcrop where I had placed my tripod listening to the waves and the coyotes. It was the mystical
atmosphere that I hoped to capture on this night....
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 12-minute exposure @F6, no filters, ISO 200, in camera noise reduction
Story:
There was a full moon rising in the darkness over Soberanes Point in Garrapata State Park in Big Sur. I could see the moonlight on the water
and how it cast shadows across the small islands of rock. This long exposure shows the stars in motion with the sky appearing nearly as though
it was daytime. The fog in the distance moved onshore shortly after I was finished, so I was fortunate to capture this scene. Even though it was
nighttime, my eyes became accustomed to the low light and I was able to see the deep blue color of the sea. The shimmering waves took on
mystical properties as I sat alone on the rocky outcrop where I had placed my tripod listening to the waves and the coyotes. It was the mystical
atmosphere that I hoped to capture on this night....
Garrapata Surf #1 Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California.
Details: 1/5-second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
A large storm cleared out right at sunset on this beach south of Monterey. That stirred up some large waves and good cloud formations. I waited
for over a year for these conditions with a medium tide and finally it all came together. Low tide cuts off the waves and high tide does not show
the interesting cobblestones on the beach. Once the conditions were right, it came down to capturing the waves at their most dramatic moment.
One moment (shown here) occurred as the waves struck the sea stacks. Another happened as the waves hit the cliffs behind. I made sure to
capture both moments. Here, a 1/5 second exposure was enough to show movement in the fast moving water, while retaining detail in the
slower moving water in the foreground. Too bad photographs cannot capture sound as an extra element. The cobblestones made quite an
impressive sound as they rolled around in the large surf.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California.
Details: 1/5-second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
A large storm cleared out right at sunset on this beach south of Monterey. That stirred up some large waves and good cloud formations. I waited
for over a year for these conditions with a medium tide and finally it all came together. Low tide cuts off the waves and high tide does not show
the interesting cobblestones on the beach. Once the conditions were right, it came down to capturing the waves at their most dramatic moment.
One moment (shown here) occurred as the waves struck the sea stacks. Another happened as the waves hit the cliffs behind. I made sure to
capture both moments. Here, a 1/5 second exposure was enough to show movement in the fast moving water, while retaining detail in the
slower moving water in the foreground. Too bad photographs cannot capture sound as an extra element. The cobblestones made quite an
impressive sound as they rolled around in the large surf.
Garrapata Surf #2 Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California.
Details: 1/4 second exposure @F14 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine Flickr
Story:
This is similar to Garrapata Surf #1 but I waited for the waves to strike the cliff rather than the two towering rock pillars. And it was taken a few
minutes later so the light is a little softer and warmer, and the exposure time is a little longer. I also moved over a bit to show a different set of
rocks in the foreground.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California.
Details: 1/4 second exposure @F14 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine Flickr
Story:
This is similar to Garrapata Surf #1 but I waited for the waves to strike the cliff rather than the two towering rock pillars. And it was taken a few
minutes later so the light is a little softer and warmer, and the exposure time is a little longer. I also moved over a bit to show a different set of
rocks in the foreground.
Garrapata Gold Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This rocky coastline south of Carmel is quite scenic and dangerous. The lens was 20 feet above the water and soon after I made this image, I found
out the hard way why the rocks were wet! I got in close to show the brief light show on the waves and the rock. It was difficult to get to this
spot, as it required a scramble across a rocky cliff. Sometimes the best rock is the least accessible. The light played a big role on how the rock
looks in this photograph. A few minutes earlier, the light was bright and harsh and the rock had less detail and color. And a few minutes later,
the colors faded along with the light. It is easily possible to find a great spot with nice rock formations but still end up with a boring photo
because the light was not right.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Story:
This rocky coastline south of Carmel is quite scenic and dangerous. The lens was 20 feet above the water and soon after I made this image, I found
out the hard way why the rocks were wet! I got in close to show the brief light show on the waves and the rock. It was difficult to get to this
spot, as it required a scramble across a rocky cliff. Sometimes the best rock is the least accessible. The light played a big role on how the rock
looks in this photograph. A few minutes earlier, the light was bright and harsh and the rock had less detail and color. And a few minutes later,
the colors faded along with the light. It is easily possible to find a great spot with nice rock formations but still end up with a boring photo
because the light was not right.
Garrapata Light Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California
Details: 0.2-second exposure @F10 with ND grad 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The coast was blanketed in a 2,500 foot deep low cloud layer, but this part of the Big Sur coastline bends to the east just south of Carmel allowing
holes to develop in the fog. That allowed the light to cast itself across the beach and mountains one hour before sunset. I had originally planned
to shoot at another location, but it was fogged in so I went to where the light was.
I wanted to catch the waves just at the split second when the light shone through, revealing the color of the water. The angle of the light
enabled the texture of the rock face and sand to show up clearly. The softness of the light allowed me to have the wave paint itself onto the image
with an exposure time just long enough to show some movement without losing a sense of the direction of motion. A ½ second exposure would
have looked rather messy and a 1/20 second exposure would have frozen the wave in place.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California
Details: 0.2-second exposure @F10 with ND grad 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The coast was blanketed in a 2,500 foot deep low cloud layer, but this part of the Big Sur coastline bends to the east just south of Carmel allowing
holes to develop in the fog. That allowed the light to cast itself across the beach and mountains one hour before sunset. I had originally planned
to shoot at another location, but it was fogged in so I went to where the light was.
I wanted to catch the waves just at the split second when the light shone through, revealing the color of the water. The angle of the light
enabled the texture of the rock face and sand to show up clearly. The softness of the light allowed me to have the wave paint itself onto the image
with an exposure time just long enough to show some movement without losing a sense of the direction of motion. A ½ second exposure would
have looked rather messy and a 1/20 second exposure would have frozen the wave in place.
Garrapata Stacks Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California
Details: 30 second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
These sea stacks in Garrapata State Park are constantly battered by large waves in the winter months. They make great subjects either by
themselves or as part of a wider seascape image.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Garrapata State Park, California
Details: 30 second exposure @F16 with ND grad 0.9
Story:
These sea stacks in Garrapata State Park are constantly battered by large waves in the winter months. They make great subjects either by
themselves or as part of a wider seascape image.
Soberanes Arch Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This rocky coastline south of Carmel is quite scenic and dangerous. The lens was 20 feet above the water and soon after I made this image, I found
out the hard way why the rocks were wet! I got in close to show the brief light show on the waves and the rock. It was difficult to get to this
spot, as it required a scramble across a rocky cliff. Sometimes the best rock is the least accessible. The light played a big role on how the rock
looks in this photograph. A few minutes earlier, the light was bright and harsh and the rock had less detail and color. And a few minutes later,
the colors faded along with the light. It is easily possible to find a great spot with nice rock formations but still end up with a boring photo
because the light was not right.
Location: Big Sur Coast, Soberanes Point, California.
Details: 1/6-second exposure @F16 with ND grads 0.9 + 0.6
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This rocky coastline south of Carmel is quite scenic and dangerous. The lens was 20 feet above the water and soon after I made this image, I found
out the hard way why the rocks were wet! I got in close to show the brief light show on the waves and the rock. It was difficult to get to this
spot, as it required a scramble across a rocky cliff. Sometimes the best rock is the least accessible. The light played a big role on how the rock
looks in this photograph. A few minutes earlier, the light was bright and harsh and the rock had less detail and color. And a few minutes later,
the colors faded along with the light. It is easily possible to find a great spot with nice rock formations but still end up with a boring photo
because the light was not right.
