Pyramid Rock #1 Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
I have always liked to visit McClure’s Beach to see the dramatic wave action. But it is usually too violent to get a good shot of it.
On this evening however, low tide and a partly cloudy sunset allowed me to capture the light on the rock and water without
getting drenched. The warm tone of the light showed off every detail and color in the storm-beaten rock at it's best. Once I had
a good view of the rock, I waited for the best light and then timed the wave to show how the water moved around the rock.
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
I have always liked to visit McClure’s Beach to see the dramatic wave action. But it is usually too violent to get a good shot of it.
On this evening however, low tide and a partly cloudy sunset allowed me to capture the light on the rock and water without
getting drenched. The warm tone of the light showed off every detail and color in the storm-beaten rock at it's best. Once I had
a good view of the rock, I waited for the best light and then timed the wave to show how the water moved around the rock.
| The Seascape of Marin County Marin County sits along the San Andreas fault, and as a result it has some rugged coastlines and steep mountains backing the sea. There is also a nice gap in the hills at the Golden Gate, where the fog flows inland. These conditions result in some fine photographic opportunities if you know where and when to look for them A landscape photographer could spend an entire lifetime here and still have more to see. |
Pyramid Rock #2 Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
In this photograph, I wanted to show the movement in the water and some good detail on the rock face. The water curling around
the rock was particularly eye catching so I concentrated on capturing it at the most dramatic moment. I experimented with
exposure times ranging from 0.1 seconds to a full second. A 0.5 second exposure produced the most graceful brush strokes of
motion. This image was made just after Pyramid Rock #1 which shows the cliff, but here I just wanted to show the sweeping
motion of the sea. A got down low on the cliff behind me in order to have the tip of the rock break the horizon. It made the rock
feel a little closer and it brought more attention to the water motion in front. It was a beautiful evening to hang off a cliff to try to
get this shot.
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
In this photograph, I wanted to show the movement in the water and some good detail on the rock face. The water curling around
the rock was particularly eye catching so I concentrated on capturing it at the most dramatic moment. I experimented with
exposure times ranging from 0.1 seconds to a full second. A 0.5 second exposure produced the most graceful brush strokes of
motion. This image was made just after Pyramid Rock #1 which shows the cliff, but here I just wanted to show the sweeping
motion of the sea. A got down low on the cliff behind me in order to have the tip of the rock break the horizon. It made the rock
feel a little closer and it brought more attention to the water motion in front. It was a beautiful evening to hang off a cliff to try to
get this shot.
Nightscape - Rodeo Beach Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Rodeo Beach, Golden Gate National Park, Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
This long-exposure image was created under a 3/4 full moon about 1 hour after sunset. It allowed the moon to light the seascape
much as the sun does during the daytime. The waves have been reduced to a haze and the star trails indicate how much each star
had moved during the exposure. It was a warm night and after a while, my eyes became used to the darkness and I could see the
faint blue in the sky. This is how it felt to be out here, alone at night in an alien place.
In order to get a properly exposed photograph at night, a lot of experimentation is required. In previous outings at night with
strong moonlight, I tried exposures from 5 minutes to an hour. 30 minutes is just about right with this amount of moonlight and
the aperture nearly wide open at F5 with ISO 50. Under a quarter moon, perhaps an hour is necessary. Changing the ISO to 200
reduces the exposure time and also produces less heat sensor noise, which is different than regular ISO noise. I use ISO 200
now as long as I can get an exposure of at least 10 minutes, to show movement in the stars.
Location: Rodeo Beach, Golden Gate National Park, Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
This long-exposure image was created under a 3/4 full moon about 1 hour after sunset. It allowed the moon to light the seascape
much as the sun does during the daytime. The waves have been reduced to a haze and the star trails indicate how much each star
had moved during the exposure. It was a warm night and after a while, my eyes became used to the darkness and I could see the
faint blue in the sky. This is how it felt to be out here, alone at night in an alien place.
In order to get a properly exposed photograph at night, a lot of experimentation is required. In previous outings at night with
strong moonlight, I tried exposures from 5 minutes to an hour. 30 minutes is just about right with this amount of moonlight and
the aperture nearly wide open at F5 with ISO 50. Under a quarter moon, perhaps an hour is necessary. Changing the ISO to 200
reduces the exposure time and also produces less heat sensor noise, which is different than regular ISO noise. I use ISO 200
now as long as I can get an exposure of at least 10 minutes, to show movement in the stars.
Sausalito Morning #1 Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
The light at sunrise was spectacular following an unusual October storm. I arranged the posts in the frame to make a diagonal line
pointing towards the city. The extra long exposure softened the clouds and water to enhance the impression of how it felt to be
there on this morning. Without the two stacked filters, the exposure time would have been about 1 second and that would have
made the water look rather messy. Also, I still had to use a ND grad filter to darken the sky in relation to the water just as I would
have had I not used the two stacked filters.
Location: Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
The light at sunrise was spectacular following an unusual October storm. I arranged the posts in the frame to make a diagonal line
pointing towards the city. The extra long exposure softened the clouds and water to enhance the impression of how it felt to be
there on this morning. Without the two stacked filters, the exposure time would have been about 1 second and that would have
made the water look rather messy. Also, I still had to use a ND grad filter to darken the sky in relation to the water just as I would
have had I not used the two stacked filters.
Sausalito Morning #2 Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
After making #1, I planted the tripod in the sand (only possible during a very low tide) at an angle where important parts of the
skyline and bridges are not cut off by the posts. The light at sunrise was still spectacular following an unusual October storm.
Normally, it is not a good idea to have things blocking the overall view of the background, but here it seems to give a 3d effect, so
why not?
Location: Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
After making #1, I planted the tripod in the sand (only possible during a very low tide) at an angle where important parts of the
skyline and bridges are not cut off by the posts. The light at sunrise was still spectacular following an unusual October storm.
Normally, it is not a good idea to have things blocking the overall view of the background, but here it seems to give a 3d effect, so
why not?
Southwest Swell Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Rodeo Beach, Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
Rodeo Beach, just north of San Francisco often takes the full brunt of storms off the Pacific ocean. After a series of storms, the
lagoon overflowed and created a stream across the sand. I liked the striking patterns it made and waited for the surf to show lots
of detail.
Location: Rodeo Beach, Sausalito, Marin County, California
Story:
Rodeo Beach, just north of San Francisco often takes the full brunt of storms off the Pacific ocean. After a series of storms, the
lagoon overflowed and created a stream across the sand. I liked the striking patterns it made and waited for the surf to show lots
of detail.
Starfish Pool Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This beach is in Point Reyes National Seashore and can only be reached during an extremely low tide. These conditions expose
normally submerged creatures for about 1 hour. Even then, the water in this pool became a whirlpool with every wave and I had to
raise the camera and tripod above my head each time. I wanted to show the strong surge of water just as it enters the quiet
pool where the seaweed was momentarily floating undisturbed. I used F22 to show the sandy bottom and rocks as sharp as
possible. A 1/10 second exposure was just long enough to show movement in the water. Sometimes a lot of planning is required
if you wish to make an unusual photograph. In this case, I planned to come out to this beach during an extra low tide near
sunset. And I wanted to see some light fog and mist in the air to add some atmosphere. It took several months before all the
conditions were met.
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This beach is in Point Reyes National Seashore and can only be reached during an extremely low tide. These conditions expose
normally submerged creatures for about 1 hour. Even then, the water in this pool became a whirlpool with every wave and I had to
raise the camera and tripod above my head each time. I wanted to show the strong surge of water just as it enters the quiet
pool where the seaweed was momentarily floating undisturbed. I used F22 to show the sandy bottom and rocks as sharp as
possible. A 1/10 second exposure was just long enough to show movement in the water. Sometimes a lot of planning is required
if you wish to make an unusual photograph. In this case, I planned to come out to this beach during an extra low tide near
sunset. And I wanted to see some light fog and mist in the air to add some atmosphere. It took several months before all the
conditions were met.
Point Reyes North Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This beach south of McClures Beach and north of Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore can only be reached during an
extremely low tide. That is when interesting features such as those in the foreground are exposed. The sea was quite violent
despite the low tide. An hour later this beach was completely inaccessible but I was back on the main part of the beach by then!
It would be quite dangerous to get stuck in this place. The cliffs are steep and crumbly and the surf gets huge here.
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This beach south of McClures Beach and north of Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore can only be reached during an
extremely low tide. That is when interesting features such as those in the foreground are exposed. The sea was quite violent
despite the low tide. An hour later this beach was completely inaccessible but I was back on the main part of the beach by then!
It would be quite dangerous to get stuck in this place. The cliffs are steep and crumbly and the surf gets huge here.
Starfish Cliffs Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This photo was taken in a cave that can only be reached during an extremely low tide. Normally the rock and starfish are covered
in water even during a normal low tide. I positioned the camera so that there is a hint of reflection in the little pool to the right of
the rock.
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
This photo was taken in a cave that can only be reached during an extremely low tide. Normally the rock and starfish are covered
in water even during a normal low tide. I positioned the camera so that there is a hint of reflection in the little pool to the right of
the rock.
Starfish Point Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
An extremely low tide exposed these starfish and other sea creatures for a brief time on this beach in the Point Reyes National
Seashore. Here, I made my exposure just as the water was wrapping around the rock. I made sure that the top of the
foreground rock did not break the line formed by the beach in the background.
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
An extremely low tide exposed these starfish and other sea creatures for a brief time on this beach in the Point Reyes National
Seashore. Here, I made my exposure just as the water was wrapping around the rock. I made sure that the top of the
foreground rock did not break the line formed by the beach in the background.
Point Reyes Reflections Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
Kehoe Beach has numerous tide pools during a very low tide. And it also has some nice flat sand that is perfect for reflecting the
red cliffs at sunset. I have been here many times even at low tide and not seen it like this. And even on this day, it was only like
this for a few minutes.
Location: Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
Kehoe Beach has numerous tide pools during a very low tide. And it also has some nice flat sand that is perfect for reflecting the
red cliffs at sunset. I have been here many times even at low tide and not seen it like this. And even on this day, it was only like
this for a few minutes.
McClure's Last Light Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
McClures Beach is a great place to go for low tide if you wish to capture the sand at it most reflective state. Add in some big
winter waves, a dramatic sky, and some good timing and it is possible to capture a nice seascape. You have to get wet to get in
close enough to show the turbulent sea. I also wanted to show how the similarity between the foreground rocks and the
background rocks.
Location: McClures Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California
Story:
McClures Beach is a great place to go for low tide if you wish to capture the sand at it most reflective state. Add in some big
winter waves, a dramatic sky, and some good timing and it is possible to capture a nice seascape. You have to get wet to get in
close enough to show the turbulent sea. I also wanted to show how the similarity between the foreground rocks and the
background rocks.
Impact! Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: Marin Headlands, Marin County, California
Story:
This black sand beach just west of the Golden Gate bridge is nearly as black as any on the Big Island of Hawaii. It has a bit of
brown and red in it as well. Here, I tried to capture that moment where the sand turned golden just as a wave pounded the rock.
The beach is steep and the water moved fast, so it was difficult to set up the tripod and get the shot without being overwhelmed
by the water!
Location: Marin Headlands, Marin County, California
Story:
This black sand beach just west of the Golden Gate bridge is nearly as black as any on the Big Island of Hawaii. It has a bit of
brown and red in it as well. Here, I tried to capture that moment where the sand turned golden just as a wave pounded the rock.
The beach is steep and the water moved fast, so it was difficult to set up the tripod and get the shot without being overwhelmed
by the water!
Point Reyes Light Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
Usually when I find a good composition and the light is looking right, I make a commitment to wait for the best light for that
particular scene. That is because I used to run around trying to get as many shots as I could with good light, and I would get
home and realize that I had 5 different compositions but only one had good light. So I would delete the rest of them and return
later to try for the other ones.
It is hard to be patient at McClures Beach because the temptation is great to go for 'just one more.' You know what I mean! So I
took some time to be really sure that I had some decent shots of the previous two compositions I've shown on Flickr from this
evening before moving on.
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
Usually when I find a good composition and the light is looking right, I make a commitment to wait for the best light for that
particular scene. That is because I used to run around trying to get as many shots as I could with good light, and I would get
home and realize that I had 5 different compositions but only one had good light. So I would delete the rest of them and return
later to try for the other ones.
It is hard to be patient at McClures Beach because the temptation is great to go for 'just one more.' You know what I mean! So I
took some time to be really sure that I had some decent shots of the previous two compositions I've shown on Flickr from this
evening before moving on.
McClures Surf Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
I often try to show a good solid bit of rock or some finely detailed sand in the foreground of a seascape image. However, I
noticed how there was a brief moment where the combination of the golden sand in the water and the reflected sunset turned the
water into gold. So after several failed attempts, with the water often getting to near the top of the tripod and inches away from
the camera, I finally captured the image I hoped for!
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
I often try to show a good solid bit of rock or some finely detailed sand in the foreground of a seascape image. However, I
noticed how there was a brief moment where the combination of the golden sand in the water and the reflected sunset turned the
water into gold. So after several failed attempts, with the water often getting to near the top of the tripod and inches away from
the camera, I finally captured the image I hoped for!
McClures Point Buy limited edition print/license Buy open edition print
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
Usually when I find a good composition and the light is looking right, I make a commitment to wait for the best light for that
particular scene. That is because I used to run around trying to get as many shots as I could with good light, and I would get
home and realize that I had 5 different compositions but only one had good light. So I would delete the rest of them and return
later to try for the other ones.
It is hard to be patient at McClures Beach because the temptation is great to go for 'just one more.' You know what I mean! So I
took some time to be really sure that I had some decent shots of the previous two compositions I've shown on Flickr from this
evening before moving on.
Location: McClures Beach, Marin County, California
Story:
Usually when I find a good composition and the light is looking right, I make a commitment to wait for the best light for that
particular scene. That is because I used to run around trying to get as many shots as I could with good light, and I would get
home and realize that I had 5 different compositions but only one had good light. So I would delete the rest of them and return
later to try for the other ones.
It is hard to be patient at McClures Beach because the temptation is great to go for 'just one more.' You know what I mean! So I
took some time to be really sure that I had some decent shots of the previous two compositions I've shown on Flickr from this
evening before moving on.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Angel Island Sky #1 Buy limited edition print/license
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
A low fog blowing through the Golden Gate spread across the bay and along the side of Angel Island as the sun set behind the
camera. Unusual high clouds became lit by the last light of the already set sun. I used a 10-stop Neutral density (very dark,
non-colored) filter to allow me to make a one-minute exposure in order to show how the fog moves across the bay and how the
red sky reflected onto the waters of the bay.
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
A low fog blowing through the Golden Gate spread across the bay and along the side of Angel Island as the sun set behind the
camera. Unusual high clouds became lit by the last light of the already set sun. I used a 10-stop Neutral density (very dark,
non-colored) filter to allow me to make a one-minute exposure in order to show how the fog moves across the bay and how the
red sky reflected onto the waters of the bay.
Angel Island Sky #2 Buy limited edition print/license
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
Yes, this is real and I did not saturate the sky! As with #1, a low fog blowing through the Golden Gate spread across the bay and
along the side of Angel Island as the sun set behind the camera. Unusual high clouds became lit by the last light of the already set
sun. I used a 10-stop Neutral density (very dark, non-colored) filter to allow me to make a one-minute exposure in order to show
how the fog moves across the bay and how the red sky reflected onto the waters of the bay. This photo was made a few minutes
after #1 when the red of the sky was at it's most intense. I actually had to de-saturate the sky a bit in order to retain detail. It
was just too red!
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
Yes, this is real and I did not saturate the sky! As with #1, a low fog blowing through the Golden Gate spread across the bay and
along the side of Angel Island as the sun set behind the camera. Unusual high clouds became lit by the last light of the already set
sun. I used a 10-stop Neutral density (very dark, non-colored) filter to allow me to make a one-minute exposure in order to show
how the fog moves across the bay and how the red sky reflected onto the waters of the bay. This photo was made a few minutes
after #1 when the red of the sky was at it's most intense. I actually had to de-saturate the sky a bit in order to retain detail. It
was just too red!
Angel Island Sky #3 Buy limited edition print/license
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
A weak September frontal system mixed up the fog a bit as the sun rose. Some fog stayed low, casting a warm light across Angel
Island and the bay. This is the wide-angle view and Angel Island #4 is a closer view of the island. I used a dark filter so I could use
a long exposure to show the movement of the fog and light.
Location: Sausalito, California
Story:
A weak September frontal system mixed up the fog a bit as the sun rose. Some fog stayed low, casting a warm light across Angel
Island and the bay. This is the wide-angle view and Angel Island #4 is a closer view of the island. I used a dark filter so I could use
a long exposure to show the movement of the fog and light.
Angel Island Sky #4 Buy limited edition print/license
Location: Sausalito,California
Story:
As with #3, a weak September frontal system mixed up the fog a bit as the sun rose. Some fog stayed low, casting a warm light across
Angel Island and the bay. This is the close-up view and Angel Island #3 is a wider view of the island. I used a dark filter so I could use a
long exposure to show the movement of the fog and light.
Location: Sausalito,California
Story:
As with #3, a weak September frontal system mixed up the fog a bit as the sun rose. Some fog stayed low, casting a warm light across
Angel Island and the bay. This is the close-up view and Angel Island #3 is a wider view of the island. I used a dark filter so I could use a
long exposure to show the movement of the fog and light.
