Four Mile Beach in Black & White

While en route to meet up with a friend in Santa Cruz, I decided to kill some time and hang out at Four Mile Beach. The fading color in the sky wasn't especially appealing, but there still are interesting textures to be found. I had an idea for a black & white photograph, so I thought I'd give it a shot and see what I could come up with. Here is the result after working with a 3-stop, soft graduated neutral density filter by Singh-Ray.

The Crown Jewel of California's Coast - Point Lobos

If I were ever pressed to name a single location that has led me pursuing photography as a profession, it would be the Point Lobos State Reserve in California. Located just south of Carmel, this state park is often described as the crown jewel of California's coast. It has served as inspiration to numerous writers and artists such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Robinson Jeffers, Ansel Adams, and the Weston family.

I can spend hours just staring at the waves whenever I visit. Whenever I have friends and family visiting from out of town, Point Lobos always makes the list of must-see locations. So much of my childhood was spent at the park that I know my love of the ocean and sunsets was born here.

This past week, I had the pleasure of visiting twice. I was fortunate enough to witness a few spectacular sunsets. Here are a few images from my most recent shoots at Punta de los Lobos Marinos | Point of the Sea Wolves.

Being In The Moment - Four Mile Beach

I've heard many photographers speak about the difficulty in balancing family life with photography. Over the last 3 weeks, I often noticed beautiful photographic opportunities while en route to functions that didn't allow me time enough to stop and shoot. The more I let myself get frustrated about that, the more I seemed to experience it. I had to force myself to re-evaluate my outlook and remind myself to live in the moment. Usually, I'm pretty easy about things like this. But I definitely had a setback. Luckily, I was able to get back on track in time to really enjoy my holiday season and spend quality time with friends and family.

Now, if I have a personal commitment or engagement that does not involve photography, I'll just leave the camera at home and embrace the decision. Occasionally, I'll whip out my iPhone as a way of documenting an idea that I might have for a later time. In most situations, there will be another opportunity to take photos. Photographic scenes are abundant. I truly believe that something just as good, or greater will present itself if you are able to pay enough attention. This pretty much mirrors my outlook on life.

Yesterday was pretty much the first time that I had a real opportunity to go out and take some photos. It all happened very naturally, which is ideal for me anyway. I had the urge, I had the time, I hopped in the car and enjoyed being in the moment.

Below, are a few examples of my shoot from yesterday at Four Mile Beach, which is just north of Santa Cruz, CA.

Carmel Beach Sunset

While hanging out with my girlfriend in Carmel, CA ... she got the urge to go shooting at the beach with her new Canon S95 (her photos came out beautifully). Since I'm not one that needs to be dragged to the beach, I shot a few frames. This was one of my favorites out of the few I took.

Award of Excellence Certificate :)

I received word a few months back that a photo of mine was to be published in the Photographer's Forum Magazine hardcover book, "Best of Photography 2010". Although I have shot an album cover in the past, this marks the first time that I've been published amongst fellow photographers. Yesterday, I received a certificate for making it into the finals of the Photographer's Forum Magazine's 30th Annual Spring Photography Contest. If anyone wishes to purchase this photo as a holiday gift, I have discounted the price by 25%. Click on the photo if you wish to purchase. You will see the option to buy on the right. The offer will expire on January 1st, 2011.

Pfeiffer Beach

Yesterday, I went to Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, CA., along with my friend and colleague, Edward Chuck. We hoped to get a break in the rain. Once we hit Castroville, things really started to look up. The clouds started to peel back just enough to let the sun through on occasion. Of course, the weather can change on a dime, but we were optimistic. Although we were both prepared to be disappointed, the weather turned in our favor.

Try, Try Again - Hole-In-The-Wall Beach

After bombing at Hole-In-The-Wall Beach last weekend, I decided to take another stab at this little gem. My friend, Phil Richardson agreed to meet up with me. Having been in 91˚ heat in San Francisco of all places, I figured that Santa Cruz would offer nothing but great weather. Even Half Moon Bay had great weather. I was absolutely wrong. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. By the time I got close to San Gregorio State Beach, the fog had rolled in thick. We decided to continue on as planned and just enjoy the location. It just goes to show that no one can truly predict the weather. I suppose it wouldn't be as fun if you always knew what you were going to get. There is a lot to be said for going with the flow of things.

Although I had hoped for something completely different, the fog presented an opportunity for me to get more mileage out of my Vari-ND filter. The conditions were rather perfect for black & white images. I'd say Phil and I were out shooting for a pretty short period of time. 45 minutes to an hour I guess if you count parking and walking to the beach. The fog eventually came in so thick that we felt it was best to get out of dodge and count our blessings. Neither of us were keen on a swim in the Pacific Ocean :) We both managed to get some rather interesting images. Once I got around to editing, I did decide to leave a few in color, but most of the shots that I processed ended up looking better as B&Ws. Here are three images from the day.

Confirmed: Finalist in Photographer's Forum Magazine's 30th Annual Spring Photography Contest

I just received confirmation that I am a finalist in Photographer's Forum Magazine's 30th Annual Spring Photography Contest! I'm just excited for the chance to gain additional exposure!

Our photos will be published in a hardcover book, "Best of Photography 2010", by Photographer's Forum Magazine. The book will be released in late December, 2010.

Walton Lighthouse

Last wednesday was pretty interesting. After watching the brutally awesome, "The Expendables", with friend and fellow photographer Phil Richardson, Phil and I decide to grab a bite to eat before heading over to the coast. As we were just about to leave, I spotted a friend that I hadn't seen in about 12 years. The timing was pretty funny. Her car had been disabled by the dead battery in her remote. I spotted her right after she called just about everyone she knew. No one was able to help. So we drove her to a Radio Shack to get a replacement battery and back to the car. Fortunately, the car started. We said our goodbyes, and then Phil & I were off to the coast!

The day was beautiful along the Pacific. There were so many people out on the local beaches. Although we had several tourists blocking our shots at some of the most opportune moments (people really have a knack for that), it was still worth the trip. Phil and I managed to snap off a few decent frames. The breeze was light, and the light was fairly nice. The sky along the horizon was a little muddy though :-( I really enjoyed shooting in this location. I'll have to return soon and capture something a bit more dramatic.

Hole In The Wall Beach

In California, May is typically a month that brings great weather. Although we've had some great days of sunshine. It hasn't been consistent. Recently, I heard an announcement that May (2010) is on track as one of the coldest in history here in the Bay Area. I don't recall having this much rain in May during my childhood. On the upside, there have been some great scenes for photography as a result! Moody clouds, crashing waves, and bright bursts of sunshine during the sunset.

Yesterday, I made it over the hill to get to Hole In The Wall Beach. As the name suggests, you must go through the hole in the wall, to get through to the beach. So the tide does need to be on the low side. Getting swept out to sea isn't shouldn't be on anyone's bucket list. This location is quite fascinating and full of energy. Its a bit easier to understand the power behind the ocean when seeing all of the large formations of rock that have been carved away over time. Absolutely gorgeous.

While my goal is to capture the best photo I can, my time is well spent if I can capture even a small fragment of the natural beauty in front of me. It saddens me to see the litter people leave behind after having the privilege of visiting. Key word being privilege. Places like this need to be preserved!

Point Lobos

Landscape artist Francis McComas called Point Lobos “the greatest meeting of land and water in the world.” Anyone would have a difficult time disproving this statement. I will say that Point Lobos is certainly one of the most beautiful places on the planet! I had the pleasure of spending the entire day at Point Lobos today. I've been to Point Lobos on several occasions. However, its never been for more than a couple of hours. It was great to just sit back and take in all of the beauty. Of course, I got a chance to shoot a bit. The sunset was pretty amazing. As always, the window for great light was short, but I still managed to walk away with some photos that I really liked :) I will add that I am quite grateful to have spent this great day amongst friends and fellow photographers, Edward Chuck, and Michael Duarte. I also got a chance to hang out with another amazingly talented photographer by the name of James W. Baker. Thanks for the invite fellas!

Pebble Beach - Pescadero

This past Saturday, I had the chance to hang out, and go shooting with friend and fellow photographer, Phil Richardson at Pebble Beach in Pescadero, CA. I've probably shot in this area 4 times within the last two months, and its always a completely new experience that comes with various challenges. I suppose this is why I keep returning. Though most people will always associate Pebble Beach with the one closer to Carmel, this remains a special place in my opinion. I was quite pleased with these three images.

en route to Big Sur

The day I shot this image was a lot of fun. I got a chance to hang out with my buddies and fellow photographers Thomas Barclay & Minh Ly. The day was filled with laughter, gear talk, and sharing our own tips and tricks for improving image quality. This was my favorite among the images I took that day.