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It’s official I’m back. Back from 5 days of a very hectic but relaxing travel schedule to photograph the beautiful natural landscapes of Utah and Wyoming. Not counting my flight from San Francisco to Salt Lake City I logged nearly 1100 miles in my trusty rental car. In a very strange coincidence I seem to have captured a tad over a photo per mile. As we all know it’s not the quantity of photos it is the quality of the photos that matter. Over the coming weeks you can expect to see photos and read vignettes from my trip.

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With an aggressive schedule and so much ground to cover
even while driving my camera wasn’t getting much rest.
On this trip I had the pleasure of meeting several great people across the region. I am looking forward to sharing in the coming week a conversation I had with a very talented and for now unnamed photographer in my next episode of EXIF and Beyond. I’ll also introduce you to a local environmentalist with a great cause that needs your support.
Before ending this entry I should also note that just before and during my trip quite a bit has happened that is noteworthy.
N. Rockies Wolves Get Federal Protection Restored - National Geographic
I have to admit I was very happy to have heard this news while in Wyoming.
My Arctic National Wildlife Refuge photos were referenced in a ThinkProgress.org blog post titled Boehner falsely claims there’s no ‘wildlife’ in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (with video of Congressman Boehner’s idiotic claim)
PhotoNetCast #8 has been released with discussions around Photography Contests with special guest professional photographer David Ziser
An Interview With Jim M. Goldstein on Bild och foto
It’s quite common to see iconic photos of San Francisco with the spans of the Golden Gate Bridge emerging from the fog, but here is a view of just the fog at sunset. On this particular evening I had no time to get in place to photograph the bridge in the fog. Instead, much closer to home, I caught a view I’ve yet to see of the fog partially covering the western portion of the city “San Francisco Sunset“. Shortly after that photo was taken the fog and lighting became much more intense. Watching the fog roll in while the light of sunset danced over the rapidly transforming cloudscape was quite a treat. On this evening I’m glad there wasn’t a bridge to ruin it.

View more photos of San Francisco Fog
Technorati Tags: sunset, fog, photography, stock photo
Photographed below is an Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) at Moss Landing. Birding isn’t my primary focus when it comes to photography, but the red eye of an Eared Grebe is a tough subject to pass up. The red eye of this bird is truly an eye catcher. Sorry I couldn’t resist the pun.
Have a great weekend everyone.

If you’re interested in capturing photos like this consider joining me on my Sea Otters of California Photo Tour for a day of great nature photography.
Technorati Tags: Eared Grebe, Podiceps nigricollis, California, Monterey, wildlife, photography, stock photo
Looking forward… I cannot wait until early September. The prospect of photographing Sea Otters again is keeping me going these days. The act of photographing a landscape or nature subject has always been a meditative experience for me. Add to the mix a cute furry critter like Sea Otters and you have a magical combination that adds up to a relaxing and fun time. Only 62 more days to go…
Join me on my Sea Otters of California Tour for a day of great nature photography and you’ll know what I mean.

Technorati Tags: Monterey, California, Sea Otter, wildlife, stock photo, photography, Enhydra lutris
Before the end of the short work week I wanted to wish everyone in the U.S. a fun and safe 4th of July weekend. For those that are lucky enough to get out this weekend make the most of your time and be sure to stop and enjoy the show nature puts on daily. Have a great weekend!

Technorati Tags: seascape, photography, photo, stock photo, surf
Photographing bears, particularly Grizzly Bears, is always a rush. These animals are truly awesome. Their natural behavior, raw power and characteristic look make for great photography. No matter where you photograph these awe inspiring creatures, the wild, zoos or wildlife refuges, they always deserve your respect as you never know what they might do. With a little luck someday soon I look forward to the opportunity to photograph Grizzlies on the Katmai coast amongst many other places.

Technorati Tags: Grizzly, bear, Ursus horribilis, stock photo, photography
One of the most essential pieces of knowledge to understand in order to attain sharp images, particularly for landscapes, is the principle of hyperfocal distance.
Phil Davis put it best in Photography, 1972
“When the lens is focused on the hyperfocal distance, the depth of field extends from half the hyperfocal distance to infinity.”
The general tip to burn into your memory is focus 1/3 of the way into your photo with a smaller aperture setting to maximize your depth of field.

image courtesy of DOFMaster
A great online resources to reference when researching hyperfocal distance for your gear is DOFMaster’s Depth of Field Calculator. In addition Vividlight Photography also has a great article on this subject What is Hyperfocal Distance and Why Should I Care? were they provide an Excel or PDF Hyperfocal Distance Chart that can be put in your camera bag.
View more photos of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
Technorati Tags: photo, term, terminology, Hyperfocal Distance, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Arctic Refuge, ANWR, landscape, photo, photography, Alaska, wildflower, stock photo
California Sea Otters certainly have an air of relaxation about them. As relaxed as they seem they’re actually quite active eating 20% of their body weight in food per day. Their constant pursuit of food is a reflection of their fast metabolism that helps them survive in the frigid northern California water. Their diet includes mostly invertebrates such as sea urchins, mussels, abalone, clams, scallops, crabs, sea snails, chitons, octopus and squid. You might say they have similar taste to humans. Sushi anyone?

California Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Technorati Tags: California Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, photography, wildlife