Golden State Images News and Featured Photos

Arizona Meteor Crater

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 07:39:24 -0700

Was recently in Flagstaff for Triumphest 2012, an annual British car show and decided to have a look at the Arizona Meteor Crater. Knew this had the potential to be interesting but seeing it firsthand, I have to say this is one impressive hole in the ground...

Alaskan Brown Bear Catching Salmon

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:07:20 -0700

Was just going back through some material I had taken in Alaska a few years back. The highlight of the trip was having the opportunity to watch and photograph Alaskan Brown Bears actively catching salmon. It was surprising to see the widely differing fishing techniques and skill levels of individual brown bears...

La Jolla Concours d'Elagance Car Show

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 10:37:49 -0700

One of the bigger annual events in La Jolla each year is the Concours d’Elagance Car Show. Over the years it’s grown into one of the premier shows on the West Coast in the same league with Pebble Beach...

Palomar Mountain Observatory

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:53:20 -0700

This was one of those days when you arrive at a location and the light is 180 degrees out from where you would like. Given the harsh lighting I had pretty much put the camera away when I realized maybe there was a composition that could work...

California Brown Pelican Diving

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:28:31 -0800

This was an interesting recent photo op. I was driving along the back most part of Mission Bay where Tecolote Creek flows in. Right up close to the bridge there were six or eight Pelicans actively plunge feeding. It's quite common for them to hang around this spot but I had never seen them diving from the air here as the water is very shallow. Didn't have time to stop but later that day decided to swing back by and sure enough there was still pelicans there diving...

San Diego Skyline Reflection

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:37:41 -0800

This shot of the San Diego Skyline was taken a couple months ago on a particularly calm morning. What makes it rather unique is the reflection on the mirrored surface of the bay. Most days begin with at least some breeze which creates...

2011 Last Frame - Mission Bay Sunset

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:56:38 -0800

Well it's New Year's Eve 2011. Another year has flown by. Figured since I'm sitting here in the depths of another San Diego winter I should post a last frame that captures the experience...

2011 Opalescent Squid Run at La Jolla Shores

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:19:52 -0800

There was a strong Opalescent Squid run this year off La Jolla Shores. It started in early December and has continued through much of the month. From year to year the size and duration of the run is quite variable but the timing is very consistent occurring late in the year and most often coinciding with some of the biggest tides of the year...

Hobie Cats at the Catamaran

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:13:56 -0800

Another beach cruising shot, Hobie Cat sailboats hauled out at the Catamaran Resort Mission Bay. With their sails combining nicely to form a colorful pattern, white sand, blue sky and puffy clouds you have to stop for this shot.

California Dreamin

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:15:30 -0800

As I continue editing through some summer photos taken while beach cruising with my daughter, decided I'd post a few more in upcoming blogs. Here a couple pauses on their ride in Pacific Beach to take in a late summer sunset...

Missin the Beach Cruisin

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 18:18:29 -0800

This past summer my daughter Elizabeth and I got hooked on beach cruiser bikes. We spent many a long summer afternoon or evening cruising the beach boardwalks in San Diego on our new bikes. Single speed, fat tires and a cushy seat, it just doesn't get much better...

Calico Bass - Or How to Scratch One Out

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:46:49 -0700

Photography is often a very goal oriented proposition. You have a specific subject in mind, you prep and plan every detail and then you execute the plan only to find that there is no payoff. Conditions are not what you had expected, those blue skies and puffy clouds prove to be gray overcast or your critical subject is nowhere to be found...

A late Session at Pacific Beach

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:11:21 -0700

Two surfers enter the water on the north side of Crystal Pier for a last session, getting the most from the day...

San Diego California Hotel Del Coronado from Glorietta Bay

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 08:36:35 -0700

A different angle of an often photographed San Diego icon. Most pictures of the Hotel Del are taken from the west or beach side of the hotel. The classic lines and architecture of the hotel combined with its beachfront location, make for some great photo opportunities. In this case however I was on the Glorietta Bay side and happened to notice this composition...

San Diego County Fair Reflection

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 17:46:57 -0700

It’s the 4th of July weekend, summer is in full swing in San Diego and when it comes to July 4th, it doesn’t get much better than the county fair...

San Diego Sportfishing Boats

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:08:08 -0700

It’s getting to be that time of year. Local fishing is picking up with good numbers of Yellowtail in the catch reports...

Hoover Dam

Mon, 30 May 2011 20:58:43 -0700

Recently had the opportunity to do an overnight kayak trip down a stretch of the Colorado River known as Black Canyon, which begins directly below Hoover Dam. The dam had been on my photo list for a good number of years so the trip was an easy sell. We planned the first day as a travel day from San Diego and as an afternoon for photography at Hoover Dam...

Willow Beach Rainbow Trout Fish Hatchery

Thu, 26 May 2011 19:50:06 -0700

I recently spent a couple hours at the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery. Located on the Arizona side of the Colorado River about eleven miles south of Hoover Dam, the hatchery primarily raises Rainbow Trout for stocking Lake Mead and Lake Mojave to the south. In rows of long concrete tanks thousands of fry are raised to a releasable size of about twelve inches within six months...

Paraglider Soaring Over Torrey Pines State Beach

Sun, 8 May 2011 09:02:15 -0700

The Torrey Pines Gliderport is one of the premier locations in the world for paragliding enthusiasts. With San Diegos mild climate it operates year round but spring and summer are when things are really in full swing. On summer afternoons, many gliders will be in the air together soaring from the northern end of Torrey Pines State Beach, south to La Jolla...

Indian Rock Art Pictograph or Petroglyph?

Sun, 1 May 2011 18:55:59 -0700

After visiting Indian rock art sites in both Anza Borrego and the Mojave recently, I had the chance to learn the difference between pictographs and petroglyphs. Both forms of Indian rock art convey their meaning through a pictorial resemblance to a physical object. The difference between the two is in the medium used to create them...

Mojave Desert - Mojave Green Rattlesnake

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 17:51:09 -0700

Another shot from a recent trip to the Mojave Desert outside Barstow California. A Mojave Green Rattlesnake and he is not happy having been spotted out in the open. Their camouflaged patterning blends almost perfectly with the desert sand and dark green and tan shades of the Creosote bushes...

Mojave Desert - California Desert Tortoise

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:35:33 -0700

Just returned from a California Desert Tortoise hunt in the Mojave Desert outside Barstow. Thats right Barstow, not exactly on my top photo destination list either but did prove to be an interesting trip. It involved a couple days of driving a bunch of miles of backcountry dirt roads and many miles of hiking in what at first glance appears quite desolate desert terrain. Creosote bushes with the occasional stand of Joshua Trees mixed in dominate the landscape. But once you leave your vehicle and walk out into the open desert, you begin to experience a much more rich and complex environment...

San Diego Petco Ballpark Night Game

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:40:11 -0700

Its that time of year again, baseball is underway. Heres a shot looking down into Petco Ballpark during a recent home game between the Padres and the Dodgers. Petco Park was built in what at the time was a rundown area of downtown San Diego called East Village. Its promise was that it would serve not only as a new home for the Padres but also as a catalyst to revitalize the entire downtown area around it...

Anza Borrego - The Mud Caves of Arroyo Tapiado Wash

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:32:12 -0700

Another of the many unique areas in Anza Borrego Desert State Park are the Mud Caves of Arroyo Tapiado Wash. The wash cuts through a desolate area of badlands in the southern portion of the park. The geology of this area is a complex maze like terrain of rolling hills with little to no vegetation. Side canyons head off in all directions only to dead end or double back on themselves. The entire area was once sea floor and is made up of thick silt deposits. The caves have formed over thousands of years by storm water runoff which becomes channeled underground and then over long periods scours away the relatively loose sand deposits...

Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Sat, 9 Apr 2011 16:04:56 -0700

Combined with a couple other recent blog posts, this is becoming an Anza Borrego Desert series. A couple future posts will complete it. So far this has not been a banner year for wildflowers in the desert. Other than maybe a couple high desert areas of the park, such as Culp or Blair Valleys, from what Ive seen its been slim pickens. Since the flowers werent happening, I found myself revisiting a few spots I had not been to in years...

Imperial Beach Pier Late Light

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:11:47 -0700

You gotta like digital. This shot of Imperial Beach Pier was taken well after sunset. Although still requiring a tripod, you would not have taken this picture with transparency film. A couple pauses after a late afternoon on the ocean.

Anza Borrego Indian Rock Art

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:50:37 -0700

I have spent a good amount of time in Borrego including off-roading on many of its miles of dirt roads, hiking and even backpacking into very remote areas of the park. Over the years Ive come across a good number of sites which showed clear signs of past habitation by Native Americans. Artifacts such as bowl shaped holes in granite boulders called Morteros, used for grinding grain, are common in these areas. Pieces of broken pottery called pottery shards can be found along with various hand shaped rock tools and arrow tips. One artifact Id always hoped to see were some really good examples of Indian Rock Art also called petroglyphs...

Anza Borrego Desert Winter

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 20:10:42 -0800

Recently made a run to Borrego as one of our 2011 San Diego storm fronts was clearing through. This has been a good year for rain and snow in southern California. It was interesting to see firsthand why Borrego is a desert. As storm systems come ashore in San Diego County either from the southwest or northwest, they normally begin to shed some moisture right at the coast. While moving inland to the east they quickly run up against our local mountain ranges such as the Cuyamaca and Laguna ranges...

Oceanside Pier

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:33:19 -0800

I have photographed most of the piers in southern California over the years but have to say Oceanside Pier is one of my favorites. The architectural elements of the wood pier, combined with white concrete approach ramp and large palm trees make for a classic California location.

Gray Whale Fluke

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:46:01 -0800

A gray whale on its annual migration south to one of the lagoons found along the western side of Baja Mexico. This is a look I plan to continue working on, a gray whale diving with the Coronado Islands in the background...

Late Light La Jolla California

Fri, 4 Feb 2011 17:36:45 -0800

Beachgoers enjoy a January evening in La Jolla. This picture was taken north of Scripps Pier, looking north to Blacks Beach and Torrey Pines in the distance. A good low tide is a big draw to this stretch of beach for people looking to do a little tide pooling or simply for walking the beach and enjoying a sunset. When the time of year and conditions are right, the cliffs light up with this golden glow.

In the news: San Diego Hotel Del Coronado

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 18:12:54 -0800

For my wife Lori and I, it doesnt get much better than a couple days at the Hotel Del Coronado. All of the superlatives are in fact much deserved, historic, iconic, incredible, they all apply. Few hotels rival its architecture, beachfront location or history. I was at first surprised to read the news of its current financial problems, having well over 600 million dollars of debt but like so much of our recent economy the financial calculus it had been based on has proven to be unsustainable...

Scripps Pier La Jolla

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:41:48 -0800

Late light shot taken north of Scripps Pier looking south to La Jolla Shores. La Jolla Cove and point are in the distance. This one was taken well after sunset on a classic January Sunday evening in San Diego.

California Brown Pelicans Diving

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:42:05 -0800

A unique characteristic of the Brown Pelican is their habit of plunge feeding. They dive from the air to catch fish. Other species such as the White Pelican feed only while sitting at the surface. When performing their aerial high dives, Brown Pelicans will often group together and feed in mass. They have a keen eye for spotting schools of bait, such as sardine or anchovies that are massed just below the surface. Once the school is spotted...

Royal Terns

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 18:28:32 -0800

A last photo for 2010. For a number of years now, I have finished the year by heading down to La Jolla looking for any last photo ops for the year. Past years have included very focused efforts on Brown Pelicans, Sea Lions and Harbor Seals, as well as scenic shots. This year I had spent a good amount of time just walking and looking but really not being inspired to shoot many frames. After sitting down on a rock at Boomers point...

FLIP Ship Off San Diego California

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 18:42:19 -0800

The FLIP ship off San Diego California. FLIP stands for Floating Instrument Platform and is by any description a unique ocean vessel. Its really more of a barge which is towed to its research area. While under tow, it appears to be a cross between a ship and a submarine. Once on site...

GSI on the Cover of the San Diego Reader

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:26:50 -0800

Well its not a hill a beans, its a pile a salt and its on the cover of the December 15th issue of the San Diego Reader. As local papers go, The Reader is an institution. If you want to know whats happening in San Diego, all you have to do is pickup a copy while youre on lunch break...

Wild Turkey

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 08:13:00 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving!

Market Squid Feeding on Krill

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:14:40 -0800

Another shot from the recent krill run off San Diego. Not sure what to call it, a run, an invasion or maybe an explosion but whatever you call it for a short few days there were huge masses of krill at the surface while it lasted. Areas several hundred yards across with hundreds of birds diving and picking from the surface and in every direction you would see more spots just like it...

Blue Whale Surface Feeding on Krill

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 08:00:35 -0800

Freediver Richard Herrmann gets a big surprise when a Blue Whale decides to inhale the krill ball he was photographing underwater. We had been seeing large masses of krill at the surface spread over several miles of area off the west coast of Mexico. A number of whales were in the area but because of the mass quantities of krill spread around, most of our whale sightings had been from a distance of a quarter mile or more. We had found a large ball of krill, packed together by sardine feeding from beneath and birds diving from above...

Nose to Fluke Blue Whale Underwater

Sat, 6 Nov 2010 08:22:09 -0700

This nose to tail Blue Whale shot took a real investment in both time and effort to accomplish. Few wildlife subjects require so many variables all having to come together to produce a real opportunity. Calm surface conditions, clear bright sky, solid underwater visibility, large quantities of krill and of course a whale feeding at the surface that decides its time for her close-up...

San Diego Mission Bay H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Races

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 18:22:32 -0700

After not taking part in last years San Diego BayFair event, the unlimited hydroplanes were back on Mission Bay this year. As a kid growing up in Washington back in the early seventies, there were no events bigger each year in Seattle than the hydroplane races on Lake Washington...

F8 and Be There - Upper Little Five Lakes Sierra Nevada

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 18:50:19 -0700

More than one person I have shown this image to has commented something along the lines of, wow great shot but how did you do it, what Photoshop tools did you use? In todays digital world a viewers first reaction is often to question the authenticity of how an image was created and understandably so. Good photos are often over manipulated in an attempt to create something more...

2010 Western High Sierra Backpacking Trip

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 09:20:55 -0700

After a couple year layoff, my eighth High Sierra backpacking trip is in the books. It was the fifth with Brian Laird and our first entering from the western side of the Sierra. We did an eight day sixty mile trip starting from Crescent Meadow at the southwestern edge of Sequoia National Park. We followed the western portion of the High Sierra Trail widely known and used for doing west to east trans sierra hikes ending on the eastern side at Whitney Portal including a summit of Mt Whitney. The western side of the Sierra offers very different topography from the east. Access to the high country is much more gradual adding elevation over a twenty mile distance rather than the monster nearly straight up first day passes found on the eastern side...

Lemon Lily Wildflower

Sat, 7 Aug 2010 16:53:39 -0700

A last frame from a recent overnight backpacking trip to the top of San Gorgonio Mountain. Happened upon a small marshy meadow along Vivian Creek that was filled with these showy yellow wildflowers. They are Lemon Lilies and are yet another native California flower that has become quite rare.

The small meadow was filled with tall grasses along with the lilies, which were three to four feet tall. I was just starting to move on when a dark furry head appeared above the dense groundcover...

San Gorgonio Mountain Summit Camp

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:12:56 -0700

My tent sits in one of the rock walled sites atop Old Greyback. At 11,500 feet the summit of San Gorgonio Mountain is the tallest point in Southern California. This was my second time to camp on top and fourth time to the summit. The low rock walls have been built over the years by hikers looking for some amount of protection from the often brutal winds on the barren summit. Tonight the walls would not be needed. I reached the summit at 4:30 PM to completely calm conditions...

Black Sea Nettles Jellyfish

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 18:56:33 -0700

The Black Sea Nettle Jellyfish is somewhat of a mystery. Little is known about this deep ocean drifter. It can be years between sightings off southern California. When they do make an appearance, its often in very big numbers. In 1989 and again in 1999 swarms washed ashore on San Diego Beaches. Finding them this year was completely unexpected...

Downtown San Diego

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:04:58 -0700

It doesn't get much better than a summer day in San Diego.

This shot is from Seaport Village downtown San Diego. Street venders sell tie dyed t-shirts along the bayfront, Marriott hotel in background.

Matilija Poppy Pictures

Sun, 16 May 2010 19:55:12 -0700

I have read that the Matilija Poppy was once a common wildflower in California. Its found along western facing slopes and valleys away from the immediate coast and is the largest native flower in California. I have spent a good number of years hiking the trails and exploring remote areas of California and have only come upon this spectacular flower a couple of times...

Joshua Tree in Goldfields

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:35:17 -0700

One more shot from a recent trip to Lancaster California to photograph wildflowers. Poppies were the focus of the trip but there were some surprises along the way. Given the consistent rains that came to southern California this winter, even some of the most arid areas of southern California were in bloom this year. This Joshua Tree is surrounded by a Goldfields wildflower bloom...

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve Pictures

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:24:46 -0700

There are a number of variables that all must come together for a good California Poppy photo op. Poppies are normally in bloom by mid April. But on any given year even reliable areas like Antelope Valley can be inconsistent both in terms of quantity and timing of the peak. Poppies need a good amount of moisture during the winter months then consistent clear warm days in the spring. This year had all the makings of a good year and after hearing a few positive reports, I decided to make a bonsai run to Lancaster and have a look...

In The News - Pigeon Point Lighthouse a Decaying Coastal Landmark

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 08:58:52 -0700

Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the landmark structures of the California Coast. The tallest of a chain of lighthouses built along the central coast in the eighteen hundreds during and after the California Gold Rush. They were built to guide the wooden schooners of the time safely to and from San Francisco Bay.

Today Pigeon Points once gleaming white structure sits fenced in an ever advancing state of rust and decay...

Joshua Tree National Park

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:06:14 -0700

Standing in the Mojave Desert terrain at the northwestern edge of Joshua Tree National Park, it was quite the contrast to see the snow capped peak of Mount San Gorgonio in the distance. Although some thirty miles distant San Gorgonio appeared to be just beyond the immediate valley...

San Diego California Hotel Del Coronado

Sun, 7 Mar 2010 09:41:19 -0800

Was in the area so decided to make a quick run by the Hotel Del the other day. The exposed tidal flats provided the opportunity to snap this frame with the Del reflected in the mirrored surface. I like the painterly feel it created.

The Fading Dream of the Salton Sea

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:55:38 -0800

Bombay Beach Salton Sea California

When first walking up to this long abandoned crane, it struck me what a perfect metaphor it represents. Many people came to the Salton Sea with big dreams and sometimes even bigger budgets. But given time the failed environment that is the Salton Sea has claimed them all. For a short time the sea was in fact a near paradise...

California Sea Lion Pictures

Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:18:41 -0800

These California Sea Lions were enjoying a break from a series of southern California winter storms. Its always impressive to watch them negotiate huge surf while crossing treacherous rocky reefs all for the opportunity to haul out and bask in the sun. After making the rock there was still much jockeying and loud posturing for the prime sunning real estate.

La Jolla Big Wave Surfing

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:34:10 -0800

This past Saturday the weather had just cleared after a week of intense storms and rain. Decided to head down to La Jolla Cove and checkout the surf. Parked in one of the last remaining spots and looked out to see the next set rolling in. A clean stack of five or six evenly spaced big waves. Pulled out my gear, setup and made a last check of camera settings. Within no more than a couple minutes, the next set appeared in the distance...

Harbor Seal Lounging in Drift Kelp

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:36:16 -0800

Decided to get one last offshore run in before the end of 2009. The surface conditions proved to be stellar. A classic late season southern California day. Dead calm all day with just a bit of chill in the air and a glass surface you could run for miles on without a bump. You could clearly see San Clemente Island from a distance of over fifty miles.

There had been numerous reports of sport boats returning with large numbers of Humboldt Squid...

In The News - Blue Whale Songs Tones Getting Lower

Sat, 5 Dec 2009 09:11:13 -0800

Professor John Hildebrand has been studying Blue Whales since the 1960s. One of his specialties is doing acoustic research. He studies the songs of the Blue Whale. Since the 60s he has been making and collecting thousands of underwater sound recordings of the Blues and other whales. He noticed over the years that he was having to recalibrate the filters being used to isolate the Blue Whales vocalizations from the ambient background noise in the ocean. After looking back at years of data collected from around the world, he was amazed to find that the Blue Whales are in fact singing in lower voices...

California Halibut Pictures

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:12:54 -0800

A California Halibut, one more off the La Jolla shot list. I keep lists of subjects and locations I want to shoot. For some time now I've kept a short list of species I would still like to capture while diving off the beach in La Jolla and Scripps Canyons. A few high on the list include the Black Seabass, White Seabass, Angel, Swell and Leopard Sharks and the California Halibut. All of these species are quite rarely seen, elusive and in most cases very difficult to approach close enough for a good photo op.

I recently started making scouting dives off the Shores without a camera, mainly just for the exercise, but also hoping to find areas that had good potential for spotting one or more of my short list species. This California Halibut photo is the result of several scouting dives and one dive with the camera. This was one of four individuals I had seen on more than one dive in the same area. On the day the photo was taken, I initially spotted three of them swimming in formation along the bottom while trailing a school of...

Lions at La Jolla Shores Oh My!

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:18:51 -0800

Ok its not the furry kind but still quite interesting. After reading numerous reports from the DiveBums Forum, I figured it was time to check this out for myself. Directly off La Jolla Shores a few patches of Macrocystis Kelp have taken hold along the canyon slope. This in itself is interesting in that the Shores is historically a sandy bottom devoid of any algae growth for the most part.
The particular patch drawing all the interest is in fifty feet of water. When first approaching you immediately see that something is odd about a few specific kelp stalks, they appear to be adorned from bottom to top with...

In The News - Brown Pelicans

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:22:56 -0800

Yesterday the US Fish and Wildlife Service officially removed the Brown Pelican from the Endangered Species list. A recently completed four year study initiated by a petition from the La Jolla based Endangered Species Recovery Council, concluded the Brown Pelican no longer required protected status. They now join several other recovery success stories...

San Diego Pictures

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:26:10 -0800

GSI contains a wide variety of San Diego area material. Being based in town I have plenty of opportunity to get out, enjoy Americas finest city and pick and choose the photo ops for when season and conditions are at their best. This is a San Diego downtown skyline taken a couple years ago. A clearing winter storm produced the dramatic cloud conditions. Click on the photo to browse more of our San Diego specific material...

Utah Coyote Buttes

Sun, 8 Nov 2009 08:43:32 -0800

North Coyote Buttes is an amazing geologic area made up of swirling Utah sandstone. Its layered burnt orange rock worn by wind and water erosion has been twisted into smooth otherworldly shapes. The best known of these formations is called the Wave, a huge sandstone face formed into the perfect arching shape of a breaking wave...

Bryde's Whale Feeding on Pacific Sardine

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:25:09 -0800

Bryde's Whale feeding on a Pacific Sardine baitball. One of those underwater moments I will never forget. I was part of a group last year who booked a late season trip to the Pacific side of the southern Baja coast in hopes of photographing Striped Marlin and other pelagic species feeding on Sardine baitballs. To say the trip exceeded all our expectations would be an understatement. From the first morning we were in the water with huge balls of sardine and often twenty plus Marlin circling and taking turns crashing through the bait.

The Bryde's Whales were totally unexpected and more than a bit unnerving when they first made an appearance...

California Big Sur Coast

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:07:25 -0700

The California Big Sur Coast is truly a magical place. For the photographer it offers absolute natural beauty and frustrating visual challenges. For many the Big Sur Coast is simply a memorable drive along highway-1 on the way to a final destination. But for those willing to invest the time, it will prove to be far more...

Aerial Photo - San Diego USS Midway Aircraft Carrier

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:00:10 -0700

The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum was the subject of much discussion in San Diego prior to its opening in June of 2004. A large contingent of groups including some key members of local government and the press were convinced it would be a financial disaster. Once open to the public it quickly proved...

Its lobster season - California Spiny Lobster

Sat, 3 Oct 2009 21:07:23 -0700

You know its not summer anymore when there's football on Sunday and the California Spiny Lobster season opens. This years season runs from today through March 10th 2010. Winter warriors dig out their dusty dive gear long buried in the back of the garage and hit the water at all hours of the night...

Amphitheater Point Sequoia National Park

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:14:57 -0700

The view from Amphitheater Point turnout, with Moro Rock at upper left. This view turnout is at the southern end of the park about 10 miles in from the foothills visitors center. Its at a very interesting transition zone. From its elevation you see...

Whale Food! Krill Ball Pictures

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:34:50 -0700

A diver swimming through a small Krill ball. Krill mass together and form flowing red-orange clouds underwater. When driven to the surface by upwelling currents or predators they can turn large areas of the oceans surface red. Krill form the base of a critical food chain...

The MLPA Debate and a Garibaldi in a Kelp Forest

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 11:26:19 -0700

Given all the continued contentious debate over establishing MLPA reserves in California, heres my completely unscientific but firsthand observation. Ive been diving in California since the late seventies. Lets take three slow growing fish species found in the coastal kelp forest environment, the Garibaldi, the Sheephead and the Kelp Bass. The Garibaldi has been completely protected for basically as long as Ive been diving. Its interesting to note its politically been a very safe position to take in affording them protected status...

California Elkhorn Kelp

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:10:17 -0700

Elkhorn Kelp is an often overlooked algae species of the California Kelp Forest environment. Its low growing and normally found along the interface between where the rocky reef structure of the Kelp Forest gives way to the deeper sand plain. Its fronds or blades often lie along the bottom and can be sixty feet or more in length...

Kelp Forest

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:19:11 -0700

Just recently returned from a three day trip to San Clemente Island aboard the dive boat Horizon. It had been more than a couple years since I had returned to dive the spectacular kelp forests found along the southern end of the island. The warm water conditions of an El Nino year were still in full swing...

Mother and Calf Blue Whale Pictures

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:48:25 -0700

Took this photo a couple months ago. It captures an incredibly rare underwater glimpse of a mother or cow Blue Whale with her calf. As is the norm for these whales, they were feeding on Krill in very marginal visibility conditions. Mom made a single pass and I came away with two frames from the encounter. Oh for another fifteen feet of clean vis.

RED Camera System Underwater

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:06:03 -0700

Filmmaker Howard Hall testing his new digital video system. Its a RED camera teamed with a Gates underwater housing. This is a state of the art digital motion picture production system. Howard is one of the first to begin using it underwater. He wanted to give it a shot in open water...

Sequoia National Park Giant Sequoia Trees

Sat, 8 Aug 2009 08:33:47 -0700

When entering Sequoia National Park from the south, the park entrance is down in the foothills. Upon passing the visitors center you quickly begin gaining elevation. Along the way you pass several viewpoints such as Amphitheater Point and Eleven Range Overlook. The lower elevations are beautiful examples of undisturbed California Chaparral and Oak Woodlands. You soon transition...

Granite boulders Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 08:42:21 -0700

These large granite boulders are called the mushroom rocks, found a short distance in on the Buena Vista Trail. This is a somewhat overlooked trail in the park as its on the south side of the highway away from the big views to the north east. But if an hour or so is taken to leave your car, the short mile and quarter walk in will be reworded with...

Junction View Kings Canyon National Park

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:20:54 -0700

Another large composite photo from the Sequoia Kings Canyon project for the park service. This is the view from Junction View Turnout along Highway 180 as it descends into Kings Canyon. It includes both the middle and south forks of the Kings River. The image is made up of ten original frames from the camera, stitched together in post resulting in a final tiff file that is over 350mb in size.

Royal Tern Pictures

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:01:26 -0700

Royal Terns as with most tern species spend the vast majority of their lives foraging and feeding on the open ocean. We see them off the coast of San Diego through the spring and summer months...

Great Western Divide Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:23:36 -0700

View of the western face of the Great Western Divide, taken from Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park...

Mule Deer Pictures

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:06:33 -0700

While in Sequoia, one of the animals I knew could likely be spotted was the Mule Deer. The first couple days I found myself carefully scanning the forest when moving between locations and even being a little extra quiet when hiking trails early or late in the day in hope of seeing one of these elusive deer. Well by the third evening I was getting tired of working out of my ice chest, so decided to head over to Wuksachi Lodge for dinner...

American Black Bear Pictures

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:36:26 -0700

I recently finished a photo project in Sequoia National Park. Was surprised by the number of Black Bear sightings. The prior times I had visited the park had been earlier in the year, April or early May and I had not seen any bears. This trip was in late June. It was a real treat to see bears in some of the most heavily visited areas of the park such as the Giant Forest and Big Trees Trail...

Moro Rock Sequoia National Park

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 10:04:19 -0700

Just completed a project for the Park Service in Sequoia National Park. Spent six days in the park shooting specific view locations as large composite images. This shot of the summit of Moro Rock was intended to capture the erosion process at work on its peak...

California Central Coast - Rolling Hills with Oak Trees

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:07:09 -0700

Northern Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are best known for their wineries located around farming communities such a Paso Robles, Atascadero, Santa Margarita, Arroyo Grande and Santa Ynez. Much of these areas still retain their classic California character with vast expanses of rolling hills, pasture and farmland dotted with oak trees.

Great Western Divide Upper Kern River Basin High Sierra

Sat, 6 Jun 2009 07:46:39 -0700

This area is called Milestone Basin and is in the heart of the High Sierra. At the headwaters of the Kern River basin, this photo is looking west to the Great Western Divide. It was taken a few years ago...

San Diego - Imperial Beach Pier

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 18:48:37 -0700

A nice late light shot of Imperial Beach Pier. It was taken about twenty minutes after sunset, just a long exposure no Photoshopping required.

Humpback Whale on a Kelp Patty

Sun, 24 May 2009 11:05:12 -0700

An interesting Humpback Whale behavior off San Diego. We heard a report on the radio that a whale had been hanging around a patch of drift kelp and may be in some kind of distress. The area was about nine miles south of us in Mexican waters near North Coronado Island. While on the way to the area...

Jumping Rissos Dolphin

Sun, 17 May 2009 17:29:52 -0700

No this is not a jumping Rissos Dolphin Photoshoped to black & white, its a jumping Rissos Dolphin shot in the actual light we had to work with. Well the 2009 San Diego offshore season is officially underway...

San Diego Aerial - Coronado Bridge

Mon, 11 May 2009 19:32:42 -0700

The San Diego Coronado Bridge has recently been in the local news. With city government looking to replace lost tax revenue anywhere possible, the bridge is once again being eyed. From its opening in 1969, a one dollar toll was charged to all vehicles going westbound to Coronado Island...

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin Underwater

Mon, 4 May 2009 19:25:42 -0700

This photo of a small group of Pacific White-Sided Dolphin was taken back in November. Looking at still frames of these guys always makes the encounter look so calm and serene, the dolphin apparently just suspended there in front of you. In most cases the reality is much different...

Pottery Shop - Old Town San Diego Pictures

Sun, 3 May 2009 08:06:19 -0700

Stopped by Old Town for lunch the other day and decided to shoot a few frames. I like this shot its filled from edge to edge with color, pattern and detail. Would make a good jigsaw puzzle.

San Diego Aerial - Point Loma Lighthouse

Sat, 2 May 2009 09:00:41 -0700

An aerial view of the Point Loma Lighthouse. First placed into service in 1891, it was called the New Lighthouse as it replaced the original Cabrillo Lighthouse which was built high up on the slope of the point and was prone to being obscured by dense fog...

Cattle Egrets Sunrise Launch - Salton Sea Pictures

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:26:36 -0700

A birders favorite at the Salton Sea. A flock of Cattle Egrets often return late in the day to roost in these long dead snag trees. From a distance they appear to completely decorate the branches with white ornaments. Then promptly at sunrise...

Pacific Sailfish

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:35:07 -0700

This shot of a Pacific Sailfish was taken on a recent photo trip targeting baitballs off the coast of Baja Mexico. While in the water we primarily were seeing Striped Marlin hammering large schools of Sardine, but there were a few Sailfish as well. When in the area they would tend to be on the edge of the curtain, either staying deep or flying by shallower just at the edge of visibility...

San Diego Balboa Park

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:33:32 -0700

San Diego Old Town Trolley passing through Balboa Park, Museum of Man Tower in the background. Early spring is a great time of year to visit Balboa Park. The heavy tourist season has yet to kick in and the gardens explode with color.

Imperial Valley - Snow Geese

Sun, 5 Apr 2009 08:34:24 -0700

A flock of Snow Geese explodes from a farm field in Imperial Valley California. Each year in the early spring an interesting game plays out, the Snow Geese on one side and the underdog farmers on the other. Both sides clearly know the rules. To start the season the farmers set aside and plant fields specifically for the Geese. But upon arrival while on their annual migration, the Geese realize that the grass is always greener next door...

California Gamefish - North Pacific Yellowtail

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:24:39 -0700

Well offshore weather really isnt happening quite yet in Southern California, but its starting to feel like its not to far around the corner. Cant wait for summer conditions, a 3-mil suit and the opportunity to slide in on an offshore Kelp Patty. Given the right conditions a small patch of drifting kelp can be a magnet for...

Pima County - Old Tucson Courthouse

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:20:19 -0700

This proved to be an interesting perspective of the Old Tucson Courthouse. Its an ultra-wide angle view using a fisheye lens. Even though distorted it really captures the architectural lines and detail of the building.

Saguaro Cactus

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:31:12 -0700

I had spent the past day in Tucson shooting material. One shot I had been looking for was a nice photo of a Saguaro Cactus. I left Tucson knowing I really didnt have it...

Tucson Xavier del Bac Mission

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:05:09 -0700

Located in the Santa Cruz Valley on the south side of town, the Old Mission is one of the signature buildings of Tucson. Completed in 1797 it is one of the oldest structures in the city and is still an active Catholic Church today...

Striped Marlin on Pacific Sardine Bait Ball

Mon, 2 Mar 2009 08:36:59 -0700

Late each year, tremendous masses of Pacific Sardine often pass inshore along the western coast of Baja Mexico. They intern attract huge numbers of pelagic species such Dorado, Marlin and Sailfish. Sea Lions and even whales also share the feast. Being dependent on the prevailing fall currents and water temperatures, this concentration of life is highly variable and may occur anywhere along hundreds of miles of remote Baja Coast...

San Diego Aerial - Hotel Del Coronado

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:55:46 -0800

A nice aerial view of the Hotel Del, taken from the east looking west. A good portion of Point Loma is visible in the background, along with the entrance to San Diego Bay in the upper right.

Downtown San Diego Aerial Pictures

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 08:26:08 -0800

Getting some shots from the air of downtown San Diego has been on my list for a longtime. With 2009 shaping up to be a tight budget year for travel, its a good time to refocus on my own backyard. After getting the logistics figured out, it took several weeks of waiting for the right day...

Purse or Tuna Seiner Pictures

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:14:47 -0800

Tuna Seiner retrieves a set for Yellowfin Tuna off the west coast of Baja Mexico. Seiners have a terrible reputation for killing dolphin and other species as what is called bycatch. Tuna are often found in association with pods of dolphin. In the past seiners would wrap both tuna and dolphin in their nets with little or no regard for the dolphin...

Gardiner Basin - High Sierra

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:44:34 -0800

It doesnt get much better than a summer backpacking trip in the High Sierra. This photo is from a remote area called Gardiner Basin. At minimum reaching this spot is a two day hike in from the nearest trailhead...

Dorado or Mahi Pictures

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:17:56 -0800

Dorado or Mahi mahi under a Kelp Patty. Went back to the archives for this one. This is a male or bull Dorado. We spotted him hiding under drift kelp along with a single female, off the coast of San Diego. After two of us entered the water, it didnt take long to determine why they were glued to the underside of the kelp...

San Diego Night Skyline

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 19:31:07 -0800

Its been interesting to see all the construction cranes disappear from the San Diego skyline. Further proof that we are in a new economy. This is a composition I had visualized quite some time ago but never had the right opportunity until now to capture...

In The News - Mount Redoubt Volcano

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:54:16 -0800

Experts are now closely monitoring the Mount Redoubt Volcano in Alaska which is showing signs of an imminent eruption. It is one of several volcanoes in a chain running down the west side of Cook Inlet and is roughly 100 miles southwest of Anchorage...

California Gnatcatcher

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:17:24 -0800

At a little over four inches in length, the California Gnatcatcher doesnt exactly cast an imposing shadow, but since the early nineties it has become the cannery in the coal mine for coastal sage scrub habitat in California. The gnatcatchers population has plummeted due to its preference for coastal areas, which are prime real estate for the ever increasing human population...

Guadalupe Island

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:04:32 -0800

Guadalupe Island is a remote eastern pacific island located roughly 150 miles off the coast of Baja Mexico and about 250 miles southwest of Ensenada. This photo is a panoramic view of the complete northeast end of the island. Guadalupe is known for its world class Sport Fishing and more recently its summer population of Great White Sharks...

Gray Whale Migration Pictures

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:03:06 -0800

Even though its often cold and the days short, I always enjoy getting offshore this time of year to spot Gray Whales on their southern migration to the lagoons off Baja Mexico...

Del Mar Hot Air Balloon

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 08:40:04 -0800

Late last summer I spent a few afternoons shooting Hot Air Balloons. There are several operations in San Diego that do a good business providing balloon rides and sightseeing tours. Launching from several sites around Del Mar, they land to the east...

San Diego Skyline Pictures

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:01:46 -0800

Had to make a run over to Coronado anyway, so decided to stop off and take a shot at a San Diego Skyline. This is the Coronado Ferry Landing dock along with the beautiful San Diego Skyline at dusk...

Brown Bear afternoon at the beach

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 07:00:16 -0800

This female Brown Bear had been working the tidal flats for clams late into the afternoon. As the tide began to close out the beach, she switched to Salmon fishing along the creek outlet...

Ocean Beach Surfing Pictures

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 06:58:59 -0800

Well figured it was a couple days into the New Year and I didnt have any frames in the can yet. So I turned off the football, loaded the big glass and hit a couple of the local San Diego surf spots...

Merry Christmas - Poinsettia

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 06:57:43 -0800

This Poinsettia was in our front yard during a Christmas morning rain shower. Local temperatures had plummeted into the low fifties. Weather in San Diego can be tough but somebody has to live here...

Harbor Seal with Great White Shark Bite Pictures

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 06:56:19 -0800

This Harbor Seal displays the classic half moon shaped wound from a shark attack. Although impossible to confirm, the Great White is really the only species of shark off California that could produce a bite of this size...

Striped Marlin Underwater Pictures

Sun, 7 Dec 2008 06:54:52 -0800

A Striped Marlin hammers a small Sardine baitball. Having the chance to observe and photograph these pelagic gamefish free-swimming and feeding off the west coast of Baja Mexico was an amazing experience. It was interesting how what appeared to be a feeding frenzy from the surface, actually proved to be quite controlled underwater...

Common Dolphin Underwater

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 06:53:28 -0800

This is a shot I have wanted for a very longtime, a really nice image of Common Dolphin underwater. Even when seen in large groups numbering in the hundreds, they are extremely shy and hard to approach underwater...

Leopard Shark

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:52:04 -0800

Quite a few years ago, I had just completed a dive off La Jolla Shores and was wading in to shore. A woman standing in about three feet of water asked how was your dive? You didn't see any sharks did you? ...

DeepSee Submarine 2008 Expedition to Guadalupe Island

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:50:21 -0800

A school of Scad Mackerel frame the submersible DeepSee as it ascends from a dive off Guadalupe Island Mexico. In late September, Steve Drogin gave me a call saying he had an offer that I would likely pass on but would regret if I did. So I cleared the work schedule and ten days later boarded the vessel Argo in Ensenada heading for Guadalupe Island Mexico. What made this trip unique was the Argo is the tender ship for Steve's three person one atmosphere submarine named DeepSee...

Guadalupe Fur Seal

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:48:50 -0800

A Guadalupe Fur Seal leaps into the ocean off Guadalupe Island Mexico. Prior to the 1800's the Guadalupe Fur Seal was widely distributed along the west coast of Baja Mexico and California. By the late 1800's to early 1900's they were believed extinct due to the hunting practices of commercial sealers of the time...

Yellowfin Tuna Great White Shark Bite Pictures

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:47:19 -0800

Guadalupe Island is renowned for fishing stories of Great White Sharks taking large hooked up tuna right off the line, just as they are being brought to the boat. On this years White Shark photo trip I witnessed this behavior firsthand. A crewmember hooked up a large Yellowfin Tuna in the well over one hundred pound class...

Great White Pictures

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:45:48 -0800

Made a late season White Shark trip to Guadalupe Island Mexico. We had great conditions and the sharks did not disappoint. Would have liked to have had this girl centered up in the frame but a last second lunge for a hang bait was more than I could keep up with...

Northern Elephant Seal With Cookiecutter Shark Bite

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 06:44:05 -0800

Northern Elephant seal with fresh Cookiecutter Shark bite. Little is known about how Cookiecutter Sharks prey on marine mammals. They are small sharks, less than two feet in length and normally live in deep water. Specimens are often caught or snagged in nets at well over two thousand feet...

Brown or Grizzly Bear Pictures

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:42:32 -0800

Browns and Grizzly Bears are members of the same species. In Alaska its the geographic range that determines the common name of individuals. Bears living along the coast are called Browns and those living further inland are Grizzlies...

Alaskan Brown Bear Catching Salmon

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 06:40:33 -0800

Just returned from Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, Lake Clark National Park Alaska. Had planned this as a late season trip for one reason, to see Brown Bears up close actively feeding on salmon and I was not disappointed. The weather however did prove to be a real challenge...

Ocean Sunfish or Mola mola Under Drift Kelp

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:38:41 -0800

Several juvenile Molas being cleaned by Medialuna, under drift kelp. This is a classic mid summer kelp patty off Southern California. The drift kelp forms an open ocean oasis for marine life...

Blue Whale Underwater Pictures

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:37:03 -0800

A Blue Whale rolls and begins a dive. Looks like the 2008 Blue Whale season may be about over off San Diego and south off Mexico. We had good numbers of animals depending on the day but for the most part they were on the move pushing further north and most often in very green water...

Blue Shark Pictures

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:35:28 -0800

On a recent offshore shark drift, a single Blue Shark showed that was an unexpected surprise. This animal was a mature female over seven feet in length. Blue Sharks of this size used to be common place off San Diego but with over fishing off Mexico and Southern California it had been several years since I had seen a Blue of this size...

California Vernal Falls Yosemite National Park Pictures

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 06:33:38 -0800

Vernal Falls Yosemite National Park. Yosemite is one of the most visited and photographed natural places in the world. Over four million people now come to the park each year. For many, a visit is an annual rite of summer...

San Gorgonio Mountain

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:32:06 -0800

I have had the opportunity to overnight on the summit of San Gorgonio Mountain a couple of times now. At eleven thousand five hundred feet, San Gorgonio is the tallest point in Southern California. On a clear day you can see from Riverside County to the north to Palm Springs, Coachella Valley and even the Salton Sea to the South...

Blue Whale Spout Pictures

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:30:28 -0800

A Blue Whale exhales upon surfacing, producing the large characteristic spout. On calm days the mist formed spout can rise thirty feet or more in height and be easily seen from several miles away...

Ocean Sunfish or Mola mola

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:26:00 -0800

Looking much like the Elephant Man, the Ocean Sunfish is truly an odd character. The scientific name of the Sunfish is Mola mola. A large pelagic fish species, individuals can achieve weights of over 3000 pounds...

Crystal Pier Pacific Beach San Diego

Sun, 8 Jun 2008 06:24:25 -0800

This shot for me is one of those nuggets that can happen if you stick with a subject and forget about your preconceived ideas. I had setup a tripod and prepared for a sunset shot of Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach San Diego...

White Mountains Bristlecone Pine

Fri, 30 May 2008 21:30:59 -0800

The Patriarch Grove of Bristlecone Pines is located at an elevation of over eleven thousand feet in the White Mountains of Inyo National Forest. After doing some scouting the day before, I had arrived back at the Grove well before sunrise. Hiking through these ancient pines, under a dome of stars proved to be a truly memorable experience...

Desert Bighorn Sheep Pictures

Sat, 24 May 2008 21:28:27 -0800

Once widely distributed in mountainous desert areas of the southwest, the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep has been heavily impacted by human encroachment, drought and disease. All that remains of the Desert Bighorn Sheep, one of its sub species, is somewhere less than four hundred animals. The majority of these are located in Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California...

Common Dolphin Pictures

Sun, 18 May 2008 21:26:34 -0800

Decided it was time to get the offshore season started. Not much happening yet but we did come across a nice group of Common Dolphin. Launched out of Mission Bay and found the pod of Commons just a few miles out from the jetty...

Parrys Phacelia California Wildflowers

Sat, 17 May 2008 21:25:08 -0800

California Wildflower photo, Parrys Phacelia, California Poppies and others. This photo I was quite satisfied with. It was taken a couple months ago in a burn area on the northeast side of Poway San Diego. The area was one of the casualties of the devastating 2007 San Diego County wildfires...

Fin Whale Pictures

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:23:16 -0800

Although not the best photo ever taken of a Fin Whale, it does capture an instant of a quite unexpected behavior. I had dove down as the Fin Whale approached and was looking over the top of my camera housing when I realized that something was trailing the whale, directly behind its fluke. First thought was its a dolphin. Then it registered, given the size of the Fin Whale it must be something larger...

Torrey Pines State Reserve San Diego California

Sun, 6 Apr 2008 21:21:54 -0800

Torrey Pines Reserve is one of my favorite spots in San Diego. Nearly 2000 acres of undeveloped California coast. Spectacular sandstone cliffs overlook the Pacific and wide sand beaches below. The reserve is home to stands of Torrey Pines, the rarest pine in North America...

Morro Bay Pictures

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 21:20:02 -0800

A late light shot of a fishing boat in Morro Bay California with Morro Rock in the background. Always looking out of place, Morro Rock is a volcanic plug or core, all that remains of an ancient volcano...

Great White Shark Pictures

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 21:18:34 -0800

Seeing a Great White Shark materialize out of a blue water background is truly a spectacular experience. My first impressions of these majestic animals was they are huge beasts but are perfectly in tune with their environment...

California Brown Pelican

Tue, 1 Apr 2008 21:17:13 -0800

California Brown Pelicans spend a good portion of each day preening. This drying and waterproofing process is critical for maintaining insulation and bouncy. This Brown Pelican displays the behavior...

California Sea Otter Pictures

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:14:21 -0800

A California Sea Otter is a joy to watch but makes for an incredibly frustrating photo subject. Sea Otters are either in constant motion, diving, rolling and swimming at the surface or their curled up in a kelp frond napping and not moving for hours at a time...

La Jolla Cove Pictures

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:12:48 -0800

La Jolla Cove is a signature beach spot in San Diego California. I always find myself returning to the cove in early spring. The tourist season is yet to get underway and on clear mornings with flowers blooming and the crisp ocean air you know summer is just around the corner.

Blue Whale Pictures

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:11:23 -0800

You will not see a Blue Whale underwater unless they are interested enough to take a look at you. Long hours and days are spent drifting on your boat in areas where the whales are feeding. If you're very lucky, the long hours of boredom will be rewarded with a few electric moments as an inquisitive animal decides to make a single pass under the boat...

California Central Coast

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:09:47 -0800

A view looking south along Highway-1, California Central Coast. Its said there is no finer place where land meets sea than along the Central Coast. The light is ever changing. Winter and spring bring storms that can pound the slopes but are followed by calm crystal clear days...

Pacific White-Sided Dolphin Pictures

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:08:28 -0800

At about six to eight feet in length, the Pacific White-Sided Dolphin is a large dolphin species. Early each year I always look forward to their return off San Diego. White-Sided Dolphin migrate each year from as far north as the coast of Vancouver Canada and Alaska to Southern California and into Mexico...

Macrocystis California Kelp Forest Pictures

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:06:37 -0800

Many times I've been asked where is my favorite place to dive? Although I have been to many locations around the world, my first thought is always one of diving a pristine California Kelp Forest, late in the summer. If you happen to hit San Clemente Island on a late season weekend on a year when the Kelp Forest is lush and healthy and vis exceeds eighty to one hundred feet, it simply doesn't get much better...

Northern Elephant Seal

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:05:19 -0800

Northern Elephant Seal feeding on a Rockfish. This is a juvenile Northern Elephant Seal we came upon off the coast of San Diego. About nine miles off Point Loma, we metered the depth at well over six hundred feet in the immediate area...

California Poppy Pictures

Sat, 8 Mar 2008 21:03:29 -0800

In California in the spring, if you spot bright orange flowers along the highway or a huge area of color on a south facing slope, its likely the California Poppy. Poppies are the state flower. Needing the right conditions, they don't always put on a great show each year. Surprisingly, fire is a key element in producing a spectacular bloom...

California Garibaldi Pictures

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:01:26 -0800

With its bright orange coloration, the California Garibaldi really stands out in a crowd. The Garibaldi is the state fish of California and is a protected species...

Shortfin Mako Shark Pictures

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:00:13 -0800

The Short Fin Mako Shark is built for speed. In short bursts Mako Sharks can exceed speeds of over forty miles per hour, while chasing pelagic bait and gamefish species. They are often seen breaching and flipping through the air, unable to put on the brakes after making an attach run. Although a spectacular animal to see underwater, for me entering the water with a Mako Shark has always been like looking at an aquatic Grim Reaper...

La Jolla California Big Wave Surfing

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:56:44 -0800

Due to the contours of the coastline and its relatively protected location, the ocean off La Jolla Cove is most often quite calm. But in the winter when the right conditions come together, the Cove as locals say can Go Off. A large winter low pressure system must form in the North Western Pacific and travel at just the right angle towards Southern California...

Harbor Seal Pictures

Wed, 6 Feb 2008 20:53:54 -0800

Harbor Seals pretty much split their time between land and sea. When foraging in the ocean they can remain submerged for long periods of time, upwards of thirty minutes or more. But Harbor Seals appear to enjoy nothing more than hauling out on a beach or rocks to nap and bask in the sun...

San Diego Skyline Pictures

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 20:51:09 -0800

Well I'm not sure San Diego always lives up to its slogan of being Americas Finest City but it does have a beautiful skyline. This is a San Diego skyline photo taken from Coronado, looking back across the bay.

San Diego Blacks Beach

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 17:45:14 -0800

Two surfers return from an afternoon session at Blacks. Blacks Beach San Diego California is a spectacular stretch of coastline, sandwiched between Torrey Pines on the north and La Jolla Shores and Scripps Pier to the south. Its claim to fame is for being one of the only nude beaches on the West Coast...

Gray Whale Pictures

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 17:32:10 -0800

A Gray Whale rolls and displays its fluke while beginning a dive off Mission Beach San Diego. Each year Gray Whales pass by Southern California on their annual migration to and from the lagoons along the west coast of Baja Mexico...

Tall Ship Star of India

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:32:09 -0800

Having been commissioned in 1863, the Star of India is now the oldest still active ship in the world. Its docked along the waterfront in downtown San Diego and is the showpiece of the Maritime History Museum...