At The Edge of Land and Water
There are several amazing trees at Mashes Sands Beach that have withstood the test of time but there was on really beautiful tree that had fallen down and lay on its side. The beautiful patterns of the bark fascinated me and I came here several times attempting to photograph it at sunrise. On this particular day, the conditions lined up with the sun peaking out and lighting up the clouds and tree in a golden glow. It is one of my favorites from this year.
Nature's sculptures, etched by ocean currents, basking in predawn's gentle glow. It made me wonder what all this tree had seen as eons went by.
Another composition from an evening at El Matador State Park in California. Also got blessed with some nice color in the skies.
I was starting to get overwhelmed with the number of images on my hard drives and not having worked on them in an organized fashion. After a great amount of procrastination, I have come with a plan to start from the beginning, and the starting point is 2013 (emoji). Here is an image from a trip I took on Hwy 1, Central Coast, California. This was one of the rare days during the trip with a beautiful sunset gracing us at the end of the day. Interestingly, we are spending a couple of months in the Pismo Beach area so there will be a great opportunity to further explore the wonderfully rugged Hwy 1 coastline.
The sea stacks at El Matador State Park can present an interesting foreground at sunset. However, hoping to catch clouds lit up under the right tide conditions proved to be a bit of a challenge. Most of the one hour trips yielded blue skies or completely overcast skies until this day when everything came together.
It was a mesmerizing sunrise this morning at a creek near Mashes Sands Beach. As the sun peeked over the horizon, the sky transformed into a stunning blend of soft colors. The sky turned into shades of gold, purple and orange, creating a breathtaking view reflecting off the calm waters of the creek. The peaceful chirping of birds welcoming the new day, and the cool morning breeze carrying a refreshing scent, added to the overall serene atmosphere. Watching the sunrise at Mashes Sands Beach Creek was an awe-inspiring experience that filled the soul with a sense of peace and renewal. It was a perfect reminder of the beauty and tranquility that nature has to offer, and a moment that will be treasured forever.
The blue hour at St Marks NWR lighthouse was a time of serenity, as the clouds created a dreamlike atmosphere above the calm waters of the pond, reflecting the tranquility of the moment in its still waters.
There was a single seagull sitting on top the sea stack enjoying the sunset. The view must have been mesmerizing enough that it stood still for the entire 20 second long exposure.
The sunrises at Carabelle, Florida could present a different look each morning. Being winter but still warm it was relatively easy to wakeup 'early' each morning of a new spectacle unfolding. This was a low tide morning with amazing colors and reflections as the sky lit up an amazing color this morning.
A dramatic and beautiful sunset at El Matador State Park in California.
The sun dipped below the horizon, turning the clouds into an amazing masterpiece, as the still waters of the pond at St Marks NWR reflected its beauty in perfect harmony.
I found this location hard to photograph partly because I was slithering over wet slippery rocks with a heavy camera backpack. Also being new to an ultrawide angle lens in 2013, it was hard to find a good composition in the quickly dwindling light.
It started out as a fairly bland sunrise with only a few clouds in the distant horizon. However, the calm water during low tide was still very inviting and I was enjoying photographing the reflections and sand waves as the sun rose. In the meantime, clouds were quietly drifting in and before you know it the sky was suddenly aflame with beautiful golden colors.
A beautiful sunset at Bandon Beach
It is fun to slow down the camera shutter speed and capture the different patterns as the waves strike the rocks. Of course, you also need to be careful about water splashes as it only takes a few drops of water on the lens to ruin the capture. It is quite often that I have come back from a similar shoot only to find the images messed up simply because in my excitement, I forgot to wipe the lens clean.
Another beautiful sunset at El Matador Beach.
Sunset at Bandon Beach