Taking in early morning light in the Owens Valley is a magical experience. Drab grey rocks come to life in a variety of colorful hues as the sun’s first rays of light are filtered through the atmosphere. The success of capturing my now favorite photo of  Mobius Arch, taken back in 2006 and the subject of one of my first podcast episodes, hooked me on repeatedly visiting the Alabama Hills in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately such great light and scenery does not go unnoticed these days…
First Light on Mount Whitney Seen Through Mobius Arch
Photo Details:
Canon 1DS Mark III, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/13, 115 seconds, ISO 200
Venturing out to Mobius Arch is seldom a solo event. The tight space that one can capture this photo is often filled with numerous photographers clamoring to get the perfect angle shutting out other photographers. On this morning it was the most crowded I’ve seen with at least 5 photographers in the area.
Photographers stake their ground to photograph Mobius Arch in the Alabama Hills
In this day and age its nearly impossible to keep a good photo location under wraps. Given the popularity of this arch I wonder when the BLM will take action to preserve the area or regulate access. During this visit it would seem the BLM was more interested in making it as easy as possible for folks to find the arch with a freshly marked trail being in place. Given these circumstances its no wonder the likes of Marc Muench keeps his Unknown Arch location quiet. Â As the popularity of this area grows I do hope that photographers take care of this special location and stay civil to each other.
It’s ironic and sad that only when we lose something does it become treasured. Muir Woods is a perfect example of this. These majestic Redwood trees were nearly wiped out to build and rebuild San Francisco (after numerous fires and the great earthquake of 1906). This last stand of local Redwood trees was saved by rough terrain that made logging difficult if not impossible and the donation of the land by William Kent.
Muir Woods National Monument Visitors
Muir Woods National Monument is among the most popular destinations in the San Francisco area. Just the other weekend my wife and I drove through Marin to see large crowds gathering at a shuttle stop to visit Muir Woods. The small parking lot there is quickly filled by early arrivals and numerous tour buses. I think it’s great that people now see the value in the serene beauty of this oasis of Redwood trees, but I can’t help but feel sad that it took their near destruction for others to appreciate their existence.
God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools. – John Muir
Two of the most photogenic nature icons in San Francisco are the fog and Monterey Pine trees. Shaped by the wind Monterey Pines have a rugged appearance and texture. When shrouded by fog these trees stand out even more with their sweeping canopy and jagged branches. This scene was photographed very close to my home and in viewing it you can’t help but get the feeling these trees are reaching out to embrace the fog as it wisps by. Only after years of walking my dogs here have I learned that in fact that is what they’re doing. Their needles condense water from the fog and it drips down to the ground allowing them to hydrate and grow ever taller into the fog.
Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) Trees in the Fog - San Francisco, California
Few would argue that one of the cutest sea mammals around are Sea Otters. Whether they’re grooming, using tools to crack open shellfish to eat or just warming themselves in the sun Sea Otters seem to have an eternally cute appearance. As Sea Otters rest in rafts you never know what pose they might take. The rare combination is the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” pose between neighboring otters. I happened to get luck one morning witnessing and seeing this classic pose. I do wonder if I’ll catch this pose again… I hope so.
Experiencing the purity of nature is always exhilarating. Nothing to me exemplifies the purity of nature more than the untouched patterns found in the desert. While often explored by Death Valley National Park visitors the desert winds always reclaim Mother Nature’s domain. These still moments are fleeting and oh so prized.
Often hidden in the fog of the northern California coast is the Farallon Islands. On rare days from San Francisco the atmosphere is clear enough to see their outline across 27 miles of the Pacific Ocean. Virtually out my backdoor is a view of these distant islands. The 850 foot elevation of this particular vantage point from my neighborhood helps in conjunction with the 840mm focal length used to capture this image. Of all my years in San Francisco this particular day provided the unique combination of clear view and amazing color in the sky. While the Farallons are often concealed in fog on this evening they were concealed in a curtain of color.
Farallon Islands Curtain of Color
Photo Info:
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 600mm + 1.4x = 840mm, Â 1/320 sec, f/13, ISO 400, Compensation: +2/3
One thing I really enjoy about sharing my photography is that every so often a photo finds its perfect audience who can fully appreciate a core thought that inspired its creation. Case in point is my Light Lasso photo from Death Valley National Park that was recently published in the quarterly edition of the DarkSky.org quarterly publication Nightscape with a feature on “Seeing Blue, Blue Rich White Light”.
Darksky.org's Nightscape featuring Racetrack Light Lasso, Death Valley National Park
It is increasingly hard to find night skies that are not polluted by artificial light from our roadways, homes, towns and cities. The Sierra Nevada mountains, parts of the Owens Valley, Death Valley and portions of southern Utah are but a few places I gravitate toward to enjoy the stars. You’d be surprised even on a moonless night how bright the stars in night sky can be. To be able to see the arm of the Milky Way stretch from one horizon to another is breathtaking. Unfortunately such sights are increasingly rare. It’s great to see that organizations like DarkSky.org exist and in case you’re curious they do operate based on contributions/donations. I just made mine and hope you do to lend them a hand.
This past Saturday I led the Sutro Baths Photo Walk here in San Francisco and was joined by a group of great photographers from all over northern California. This particular photo walk was one of many held on Saturday as part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk event. The weather was typical for San Francisco summers and ideal for longer exposure photography. For those that stuck it out there were great photo opportunities to be found. The photo walk started at 6:30, ran past sunset and I believe I was one of the last people to leave at 10pm. For those that joined me thank you so much for your participation and perseverance.
