Wave Photos
Friday, May 17, 2013
Vista Point Storm
There is a little turn off from the 101 South about 20 miles north of Santa Barbara. The evning I took this was right after a great storm rolled in. Santa Barbara and Goleta were already socked in. They are somewhere in that deep dark cloud on the horizon. But the storm had such a distinct edge, it seemed like it would be possible to get out from under it so I took off for the Vista Point. A few miles before I got there the clouds started to break up and I got out from under the rain enough to watch it slowly make its way toward me as the sun was going down.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Monterey Cannery Row
A great little spot on a balcony overlooking a beach from Cannery Row in Monterey
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Sunset Cypress
The windswept trees along our coast are all works of art in their own right. This little Cypress is between two of its absolutely massive big brothers at Butterfly beach. Even though it's much younger than the others you can still see the beginnings of the windswept character that make them so beautiful. The amazing view of Santa Barbara in the background doesn't hurt either.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Skimming Pelican
Have you ever seen a Pelican surf? On the land they seem a little comical, but in the air they are amazing. They often fly right along the surface of the water taking advantage of "Ground Effect" an aerodynamic effect giving more lift in close proximity to the surface. It makes sense that they would do this to save energy, but at times they move closer to the breakers, riding the front of the wave just like a surfer. They wait until the last moment to slip gracefully over the top of the wave as it crashes below all gliding without a flap. This evening I caught this guy skimming the surface, but as he slowly flapped he actually ran the tip of his wing through the surface of the water just like a surfer playing in the front of the wave with his or her hand. He wasn't being as playful as some in the breakers but he was very graceful and relaxed. It was a pleasure to watch him and his friends fly off into the sunset.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Sunset at Shoreline Bluff
Yesterday we took a nice walk at Shoreline Park in the evening. We decided the best use of our daylight savings hour was to spend it on the beach, or at least overlooking it. It was a bit of a hazy evening, but I think most of it was sea spray, and it made for an amazing sunset!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Golden Shoreline Run
Girls running in the surf on the beach at Shoreline Park. I particularly like the gold water splashing up by their feet. They looked like two sisters enjoying the beach together. They stopped long enough to take in the sunset for a moment, then they were off again splashing in the breaking waves around their feet.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Shorline Reflection
This evening was a great one to spend on the beach. A few wispy high clouds and a great view of the setting sun. We found ourselves at Shoreline park late in the afternoon and decided to take a walk down the long stairway to the beach where we wandered and watched the setting sun. This is about the time everyone on the beach seemed to just stop and watch the beautiful scene. It was a wonderful evening!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Palm Sunset
Just another wonderful evening in Santa Barbara. There was a period of time when things got too hectic, and we didn't take too many walks on the beach. Not that we weren't thankful for the amazing beauty of the place we live, but life just gets busy sometimes. Lately we've set out to fix that though. Life is still busy, but we make sure to drop everything a few nights a week and go watch the sunset in a nice spot. I've really enjoyed that!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Gone Fishin'
This week was great for fishing, at least if you're a Brown Pelican in the Santa Barbara area. There are almost always pelicans feeding off the coast here, but there must have been some impressive schools of fish off of Butterfly Beach a few nights ago. The two Pelicans on the surface behind the dive bombers just surfaced from their dives and there must have been hundreds of attempts. If you look closely to the left of the photo you can see a nose sticking out of the water of what I believe must be a sea otter. But it's hard to say since I was paying so much attention to the Pelicans I did not actually see him until I looked at the photo.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Tropical Butterfly Sunset
Our sunsets are spectacular in Santa Barbara during the fall and winter. This is one of my favorite spots, under a beautiful Cypress tree at Butterfly Beach in Montecito. The lights across the water are in downtown Santa Barbara. When the tide is low you can walk all the way along the beach from this spot to Stearns Wharf, but the tide was definitely not low this evening.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Butterfly Beach Cypress Sunset
The evening I took this a few weeks ago, like many evenings, I took a walk along Butterfly Beach. But that night I was paying particular attention to this tree, one of my favorite spots along the walk. I had just spoken to someone who was looking for a special gift for someone who loves this tree as much as I do. Now I have quite a few shots already, but many of them use the amazing sweeping branches to frame other subjects, especially the sunset from the other side. Never one to shy away from the chance to look at a faviorite subject in a new light, I took it as a chance to spend some time wandering the beach with renewed inspiration for one of my favorite spots!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Christmastime in Santa Barbara
Ahh Christmastime in Santa Barbara, when everyone decorates their... umm.. rigging? Which of course makes the beautiful Santa Barbara Harbor even more enjoyable than usual.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Sunset at Butterfly
Another shot from a beautiful sunset a few days ago at Butterfly Beach. Recently there has been a great deal of interest in photos of the Butterfly Beach area so I thought I would post a few new images. Gives me a nice reason to go out and wander the beach too.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Cypress Sunset
An amazing sunset captured in one of the most perfect spots, under the Butterfly Beach Cypress Tree in Montecito.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Koi Pond
I love Koi. These beautiful fish are in a small Koi pond in Goleta. From the road all you see are office buildings, but when you explore a bit more you find an amazing peaceful spot with a small bridge over a Koi pomd. They were very cooperative, but I did have to promise them some snacks the next time I'm in the neighborhood.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Stearns Wharf Harbor Restaurant View
This view is from the end of the Sea Center section of Stearns Wharf. The Sea Center has it's own little wing, apart from the main section of the wharf. An area where you can escape the fray of the restaurants and shops and watch the people go by from a distance. And while you're there you can stop in and learn about the amazing world 20 feet below your feet too.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Elevated Wharf View
One more elevated view of Stearns Wharf. I really liked this spot, but the wind was really picking up so it made me a little nervous to have the camera suspended high above the water. But I'll be back to this spot again in the near future.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Santa Barbara View from Stearns Wharf
Recently I had a request for a cover shot that showed a view of Santa Barbara from Stearns Wharf. I have quite a few Stearns Wharf shots but the client was looking for a daytime shot, and most of my wanderings on the Wharf have been in the evening. This was one of the first shots after I raised the camera in this spot, the sea gull was really interested in the camera. I think he was planning on landing on it. He only thought better of it at the very last second.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Stearns Sunset Reflections
There's no better place to be at sunset than Stearns Wharf at the end of State Street in Santa Barbara. Great restaurants, souvineers and ice cream are all found out here. And they even have been known to film a movie or two out here.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Great Blue Heron Silhouette
This little lake on the eighteenth hole of the Sandpiper golf course is one of my favorite sunset spots. The birds seem to like it too. This particular evening I was coming back after getting some sunset shots of the rest of the course when I noticed this beautiful Heron resting at the near edge of the island. But try as I might, I could not get a good shot. After he watched me pace back and forth a few times he must have decided I looked too much like a hungry cat. So he decided to go get some dinner of his own. I watched him slowly cruise across the island moving as elegantly and stealthfully as possible hoping he would move into the remaining glow of the setting sun. After a few minutes you can see that my patience was rewarded.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Butterfly Glow
This evening I had the wonderful opportunity to take a new camera for a spin (Canon 5D Mark III). Now understand I love my current camera (the Mark II,) and before I took the new model out I just couldn't see the need for an upgrade based upon the specs. Other than the fact that my camera just passed the hundred thousand exposure mark. (Timelapse will eat the shutter eventually.) The one thing I did expect was better low light performance. And since I love my evening photos that is a big deal to me. So I decided to wander Butterfly Beach just after sunset. This was one of the early shots, but I was already impressed. I could easily hand-hold shots that would have required a tripod before. And the speed of the camera was amazing. Although it's only supposed to be 33% faster, I found in practice it would easily shoot twice as many photos in the same period of time. Thanks Canon for a great update to a wonderful camera, and thank you for the opportunity to take it for a test drive! Check back throughout the week for more real world impressions of the 5D Mark III.
Friday, September 28, 2012
West Beach View from Stearns Wharf
Recently my wife and I spent an evening playing tourist when friends came into town. We took them out to Stearns Wharf for dinner and to watch the sunset. As we were walking back to our car I took the opportunity to get a few shots of the fading colors in the sky. When you live in a beautiful place like this it's a wonderful way to spend an evening seeing it through someone elses' eyes.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Evening on Stearns Wharf
Recently my wife and I spent an evening playing tourist when friends came into town. We took them out to Stearns Wharf for dinner and to watch the sunset. As we were walking back to our car I took the opportunity to get a few shots of the fading colors in the sky. When you live in a beautiful place like this it's a wonderful way to spend an evening seeing it through someone elses' eyes.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Asilomar Sunset
The end of a beautiful day in Monterey. This is Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula, one of my favorite places to watch the sunset!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Carmel by the Sea Cypress Sunset
A veiw of the beach in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The Cypress trees are beautiful here, especially the ones that have extra character from decades of abuse by the sea. This is actually not far down the coast from the famous lone cypress at Pebble Beach golf course. This guy might not be as famous as his relative up the coast, but he is no less beautiful!
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