Share/Save/Bookmark
Pinnacle Rock #1     Buy!     

Location:  Point Lobos State Park, Carmel by the Sea, California

Story:

My original view of Point Lobos that is included in the 2010 Nature conservancy calendar.  To repeat as above, This place is at the
north end of Big Sur just south of Carmel, California could keep a photographer busy for months or even years. It is a peninsula
that has been sculptured by large Pacific waves over millions of years and the results are stunning. This is one of the
western-most points of rock and is probably 50 feet tall at high tide.  Sometimes waves wash over the entire rock.  The most
interesting motion was occurring just as the waves curl around the rock.  I painted long lines (but not too long) with a 0.6 second
exposure.
Point Lobos State Park, Carmel by the Sea, California
Pinnacle Rock #4   Buy!   

Location:  Point Lobos State Park, Carmel by the Sea, California

Story:

This was the view just a few minutes after #3.  It is amazing how the light can change in just a few minutes!  Some people like
this one while others prefer one of the others.
Asilomar Surf     Buy!          

Location:  Asilomar State Park, Pacific Grove, California

Story:

The first light of the day can often be the best, even in an area known for its sunsets. I had to get wet to get close enough to the
surf to capture every fine detail in the ocean, yet still allow the Santa Cruz mountains to be seen 40 miles away in the distance.
There were many chaotic motions happening at once, so it took a while before I could capture lots of motion going in the same
direction.  It was a memorable morning.
Asilomar State Park, Pacific Grove, California
Lover's Point Morning    Buy!       

Location:  Pacific Grove, California

Story:

I have always liked the way the water moves through these rocks, so I waited for the atmosphere to be right before making this
photograph.  Sometime I will wait for a year or more before conditions are right.  Finally, the fog lifted just enough to let in some
color at first light at Lover's Point near Monterey and Pacific Grove.  The low angle of light also shows the color and texture of the
rock at its best.  I liked the contrast of the sharp lines of surging water against the softness of the glowing fog.  I had to study
the ebb and flow for quite some time in order to figure out how best to time the waves.  Rarely did all this action happen all at
once.
Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, California
Monterey Moonlight       Buy!        

Location:  Pacific Grove, near Monterey, California

Story:

The clouds opened up and let the moonlight through to the rocks and sea on a foggy Monterey night. The violent surf was
smoothed out by a long exposure, making this place look like another world.   Fog at night creates a lot of atmosphere even though
the stars are not visible.  

Because the fog came and went and I was making long exposures, some images were underexposed while others were
overexposed.  It really is a matter of luck in situations like this, so I spent a few hours making just a few images, of which only this
one turned out well.  Time well spent I believe!.
Sea and Storm      Buy!     

Location:  Point Lobos, Carmel, California

Story:

A winter storm had battered the coast for much of the day, but as the sun began to set, the sky opened up  just in time.  I got
as close to the water as possible in order to capture the chaotic swirling movement.  It was a bit nervewracking being this close
with slippery rocks providing the only exit from this rocky outcrop.  I kept an eye on the big waves and waited for a smaller one to
sweep by.  I had to run several times before I finally captured this scene.
Bird Rock       Buy!             

Location:  Point Lobos, Carmel, California

Story:

I've been planning this shot for about two years.  I noticed the layered slabs of rock and how they seemed to point to Bird Rock in
the distance, but the conditions were never good for the element of atmosphere.  Finally the storm came through and I was able
to make the image I had hoped for.  I waited for a bit of light to strike the rock and hillside to the left.  Then I waited for a wave to
sweep into the cove.  There were big waves striking the rock in the left-center, but they were big and blocked the rest of the
scene.  So I waited for calmer conditions.
Window to the Sky    Buy!      

Location:  Point Lobos, Carmel, California

Story:

As I was running to my next planned spot, I came across this tidepool.  There was an image I had in mind and the light was fading,
but I could not resist the calm conditions and perfect reflections.  So after a bit of moving back and forth looking for the best
composition and a cloud to move into the pool, I made the image.
Windswept         Buy!          

Location:  Point Lobos, Carmel, California

Story:

As the sun set, the rays of the sun burst forth and the light spread across the water.  The light on the water is actually being
reflected from a very bright bit of sky just above the top of the frame.  I made sure to exclude the bright area from this picture
because it would have been too bright to expose correctly.  I got close to the action and after a bit of dodging the water, I was
able to capture the way the waves struck the rock.  I always keep an eye on the waves just in case.  A 1/4-second exposure is
usually long enough to show some motion without the water looking frozen, nor like a cottony mess!
Pinnacle Rock #3     Buy!  

Location:  Point Lobos State Park, Carmel by the Sea, California

Story:

I revisited this spot at the end of the point at Point Lobos to capture a new view.  This place is located at the north end of Big Sur
just south of Carmel, California.  It could keep a photographer busy for months or even years. It is a peninsula that has been
sculptured by large Pacific waves over millions of years and the results are stunning. This is one of the western-most points of
rock and is probably 50 feet tall at high tide.  Sometimes waves wash over the entire rock.  The most interesting motion was
occurring just as the waves curl around the rock.  I captured a little motion with a 1/4-second exposure.
Point Lobos State Park, Carmel by the Sea, California
Patrick Smith Landscape and Seascape Photography



The Seascapes of Monterey, Asilomar, Carmel and Point Lobos

This area has been the home of famous photographers such as Edward, Cole and Brett Weston, Ansel Adams, Morley Baer,  and
others.  Currently there are several high quality photo studios in the area.  And for good reason.  This place is extremely
photogenic and close to other scenic areas.  It is a perfect place to live if you are a photographer or other artist or writer.  In
Carmel, there are literally 100 fine art galleries in a 4x8 block area!

Go here for prints on metal, or canvas (24x36 and smaller)

Go here for full-resolution downloads, photographic prints and framing of all images on this page.