Balancing Act

I waited almost a year for this day. I knew the sun was at the point where it would present itself just over the Hermosa Beach pier prior to setting. I wanted to capture that moment.

I did so in near perfect balance. It took several shots to get it right. I would take a shot, view it in my camera's LCD and reposition myself for another shot. After around 5 shots, I go the one I wanted.

I walked to the end of the pier only to find the sun balancing itself on the pier's railing. I quickly took this shot and captured another nearly perfectly balanced shot.

I like the balance and symmetry of these photos and found a theme for today's posting -- a balancing act.

Flowers in the Rain

This morning ended a week's worth of rainy days. I trekked out to shoot flowers while they still held raindrops. I usually circle the neighborhood and look for the best subjects. This one is my favorite of the day.


This shot is why I brave the wet elements. The payoff is usually very good.
While Southern California doesn't get many rain days, it is a treat to catch the small window of opportunity to get these shots.


I did not add a frame to this photo but framed it this way. I shot this throw a white pickett fence and it turned out just as I envisioned it. Sometimes I get lucky.

I really liked the geometry in this shot. I think it all added up nicely.

Moon in Total Eclipse

The west coast experienced a total eclipse of the moon and I was fortunate enough to capture a few photos between the passing clouds. The pictures may seem a bit out of focus but it is due to the high clouds that obsured the view.

I zoomed back with the telephoto lens and include two stars in the composition. This is as close as I could get to the total eclipse before clouds took over the night sky for about 45 minutes or so.

By the time the big cloud formations cleared the total eclipse took place the the moon started its reappearance.

Nikon D300 in Lowlight

I know you have heard how great the new Nikon D3 is in lowlight situations. I can attest that the new Nikon D300 is no slouch. I recently photographed a sunset at the beach and as I started to walk home, I noticed a couple heading for the swing set. Already a half hour after sundown, I knew it would be difficult to slow down the motion with little available light, no tripod and no flash.

I set the D300 to ISO 1250 and fired away. I was amazed at the quality. While not as good as the D3, it remains impressive. Of course, the resolution of these two photos do not do justice to the camera. I must resize the image to 2” X 3” at 72dpi to make image file size small enough for the web. If you saw these in their native size and resolution, I think you would be amazed at the low noise level.



I think this picture shows he had the same idea as I did. He set his flash and camera to capture at the apex of her ascent. You can see the viewing screen on his camera waiting for the right moment. I hope his image was as good as mine. I am very satisfied with the new Nikon D300. It is an amazing camera that is residing at the top of the digital DSLR heap. Only the D3 is better right now. Don't hesitate to get one if and when you have the chance. You won't regret it.

Color and Light

Today I felt like an extended ride on the bike so I made my way up the hill to Palos Verdes to catch the sunset. The light and color of the tonight's sunset wasn't spectacular so I tried to make it more interesting by capturing a few boats as they passed under the sun.

This one caught me off-guard. I struggled to retrieve the camera from my bag just in time to catch this one before it passed by. Luckily all the boats travelled slowly this evening.

This boat followed the above one a few minutes later. As the sun became consumed by the clouds, the light softened at the expense of the color. The detail of the sun is better but the oranges and reds disappeared. These are the compromises we face as landscape and sunset photographers. Make the best of what you have. Both are decent pictures, just different in color and light.

Row Your Boat

Yesterday I was photographing birds in Playa del Rey and came across the Loyola Marymount University women's rowing team. I am not much of a sports photography person but I took a few shots anyways.

This is an interesting body of water where the Ballona Creek meets the Pacific. Ballona Creek quickly becomes a trickle in a cement riverbed.

This team is rowing upstream with Marina del Rey and the Hollywood Hills in the background.

Winter Shore Birds

Southern California beaches become home to many migrant shore birds for the winter. As the cooler weather produces smaller crowds at the beach and birds fill the gap.

Morning provides the best shots of shore birds. The early morning sun shines from the east against the west facing ocean. The lighting at this time is at its best.

We begin with a Godwit hunting for his breakfast. These are medium-sized birds with beautiful variable brown feathers.

I next approached a flock of Godwits that finished their morning feeding and began to soak in the morning sun. Here we find one that is drying its feathers and retaining its body heat.


Godwits are plenty but they are far from the only shore birds calling Hermosa Beach home. There are more to come as I will publish more shore bird shots in the near future.

A Good February Start

The Groundhog may have seen his shadow but February started on a great note. A nice sunset ended the first day of the month and the surf was up. This young lad caught the day's last glimer with a little body surfing.

While shooting the Manhattan Beach Pier, I noticed this surfer to the left of the pier. I migrated a little south and composed a few shots against the orange sunset. I managed several good shots with these being my favorites.

Nikon D70 with Nikkor 80-400mm VR lens.

Manhattan Beach Pier

With 8 straight days of rain, I haven't shot a sunset in a while. I thought I might chance it today and catch a few clouds in the photo. No such luck but I tried to make chicken salad out of chicken crap anyways.

Manhattan Beach Pier always provides a nice backdrop for sunsets. In winter, it is less populated and makes photo ops easy. These pictures capture a few people watching the sun drop over the horizen.

Today I shot the Nikon D70 with my Nikkor 80-400mm lens. All the books and articles I read always promote the "go wide" philosophy in shooting landscapes. Nonsense. I find the telephoto zooming in and narrowing the subject makes very interesting shots. To me, far more interesting than "going wide angle." But, you be the judge.

More Moon

A storm moved in last night and created a game of peek-a-boo between the moon and clouds. I had an amazing time photographing the moon dancing with them. I thought moonbeams outlining the clouds made for great photos.

A Surprising Sunset

An approaching storm produced large clouds all day. I patiently waited for the sunset to arrive. As the sun descended over the Pacific, a large cloud formation overtook the setting sun. To my dismay, the sunset would be very pedestrian. I snapped a few shots hoping for the best.



With no hope of a spectacular sunset, I turned towards the city an began to go home. I was surprised to see the moon rise above a cloud bank just over the hilltop. What a spectacular sight indeed. I took way too many shots but all were great. It was hard to pick one.



I took many photos of the rising moon and was pleased to have this bonus to balance an unremarkable sunset. I always mark the phases of the moon but tonight I did not give it a second thought. It caught me off guard and it was a pleasant surprise.

Patience Pays Off

I cannot count how many times I heard a photographer tell a story about how they were ready to give up on a shot due to frustration. The weather was bad or the animals were not cooperating, etc. For some reason they stayed with the shot and miraculously the sky opened and the money shot appeared upon command.

Recently I walked to the beach and scouted for a new location to photograph. The clouds were heavy and it could easily become overcast and a waste of time. I have a good knack for guessing if the clouds will break for a good sunset shoot or not. Today was debatable but I figured what the heck.

Upon arrival to my scouted location, the sky miraculously opened up and it allowed for my shots. These are the results.

The lesson learned is to stay with the shot until all hopes is lost. If you stay with it, you will get some amazing shots you never expected. Then again, there will be plenty of times where it is bomb. Such is life.

Dancers

Today's photo goes back several years to 2003. While at the Orange County Fair, I snapped this one off of these young girls performing a traditional Mexican dance. The vibrant color of the dresses draw the eye immediately.

The beauty of this shot proves that you don't need the most modern DSLR (although it helps) to capture great photos. I used my Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P92 5.0 Megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera for this photo. In comparison, today's new Nikon D300 and D3 are 12 megapixels cameras.

Today's lesson is encouragement to get out and shoot regardless of your camera. In the end it is the photo's compositon and not the equipment that makes great shots. Happy shooting.

P. S. The Sony has long ago bite the dust, so today I will take my new expensive Nikon out for a run. I goes to show that you get what you pay for.

A Swinging Sunset

The new year brought a magical sunset with it. Late in the afternoon I monitored the clouds formations in the western sky. I made my way to the beach to prepare for the sunset. I had no location set in my mind as I departed.

As I came upon 2nd Street I noticed a family taking in the last of the day's light on the swingset. This made for a perfect composition to frame the sunset. With the light quickly changing and the swingers constantly changing position, I take more pictures than I should have. This gave me plenty of photos to choose from but a harder choice to narrow down the best shots.

As I sorted through the shots, I learned a lesson from the lens I chose. The wider lens (Nikkor 18-200mm) had the overall better shots. The telephoto lens (Nikkor 80-400mm) took sharp pictures of the swings but the depth of field of the sunset distracted from some shots. Presented for your approval are these shots as they were the best representations.

A Weather Event

Rain in the Los Angeles area is always a big news event. Given that we had one of the driest years ever last year, three successive storm this weekend brought major concern.

I cannot resist grabbing my camera, with my Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 macro lens, and head out for flower photos after a rain. I don’t think we had enough rain days last year to shoot any flower shots. Today was an opportunity I looked forward to for over a year.


Unfortunately, the small amount of rainfall in the last year provided few flowers. I traveled several of my old walking routes and didn’t many flowers to photograph. The ones available were lame. What a major disappointment. I did get one shot that I was pleased with. This orange flower popped out on this dark and dreary day. It was definitely my favorite of the day.

New Year's 2008

Today is the Rose Parade in nearby Pasadena. Just two years ago I got lassoed in taking a few people to Alhambra to work on the floats. If you were ever interested in working on a float, it is easier than you think. Just show up there at the building and you are in.

I remember working all day on the City of Alhambra’s float and told all my family and friends about it. I asked them to keep their eye out for it while they watched the parade. As luck would have it, the national coverage of the Rose Parade ended before the float passed by. I barely caught it on the local coverage, which plays all day and night here by the way. So much for the float building but I must say that it was an experience. At least when I pass on to the great beyond, I can say, “I worked on a Rose Parade float.”
2008 is shaping up to be the best photo shooting year yet. I look forward to 2008.

Nikon D100, Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 micro lens

New Year's Eve 2007

2007 is being ushered out with mixed feelings. It had its ups and downs, but more ups than downs. At least it ended on the most magnificent up note.

2008 will be a great photography year I am sure. Happy shooting to all.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm lens, and Lexar UDMA CF Card

Vicente Revisited

As the afternoon progressed, I could see a great sunset taking shape. I gathered up my gear and headed back to Vicente Point to apply all the lessons learned from my previous trip.

The sunset shaped up better than expected and it was really beautiful. I expected it to be good but not that good. After sunset, red filled the sky and I was able to get more shots from another location several miles away. Few times have I observed the entire sky painted in glowing red light.

Luck, or being at the right spot at the right time, plays a major role. After aligning the lighthouse with the sun over head, a biplane passed perfectly above the composition. I was fortunate enough to press the shutter at the right time in the right place (luck).

Nikon D70, Nikkor 80-400mm lens and Lexar UDMA CF Card

Point Vicente Lighthouse

Today I scouted a new location for a sunset shot. Palos Verdes overlooks the Pacific and provides a wonderful vista. Vicente Point has an old lighthouse that I thought would provide a great fore shot.


Lack of clouds made for harsh lighting but it softened up as the sun met the sea. I learned a few lessons from this scouting trip. This location is better around the summer solstice instead of the winter solstice. The angle is much better.


Next I learned that I should have used my Lee Neutral Density filter to even out the exposure. Next time I will be better prepared to capture a memorable shot.

Nikon D70, Nikkor 80-400mm lens

Jack is BACK

Although I have only known Jack a little over 2 years, I have to consider him one of my dearest friends. We hit it off from the start because we share several common things. A fellow Nikon shooter, Jack has a great dry sense of humor that I enjoy. Jack makes me laugh every time we go out to shoot photos.

Jack admired my sunset shots and wanted to capture that daily magic moment for himself. For months I promised him that I would invite him here for photographs and dinner.

Today turned out to be a winner. You never know in southern California as we have few days ripe with the right clouds that spawn perfect sunsets.

After Jack arrived we had lunch at a quaint local 50’s style restaurant and then headed for the local camera shop. A few purchases later we headed for a tour of my favorite locations.

We ended up at the Hermosa Beach Pier to take our shots. It took some careful thought and planning but we set up our gear just before the sun started its descent on to the Pacific.

What a great sunset it turned out to be. I took almost 100 photos and I seldom do that. The hardest part was choosing which ones to keep and process. Every shot really looked good.

Jack seemed pleased with his photographs and I must admit he did a great job of composing his shots. They looked totally amazing.

We ended the day by dining on some choice Peruvian food. Thanks for a great day Jack.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm lens, Nikon D70, Nikkor 80-400mm lens and Lexar UDMA CF Card

Moon Over Malibu

Photographing the moon is a fun but challenging process. This photo was taken just after sunrise just south of the Hermosa Beach Pier with Malibu in the background. It was the morning after the full moon.

Why is photographing the moon so popular? We see it so often yet we cannot resist phtotgraphing it again and again. It is always the same moon but we shoot it anyways.

The Challenge. The moon provides a challenge because we usually have a 15 or so minute window to take a good shot. The secret on a full moon morning shot is to take it the day before a full moon because it sets just before dawn. That provides with enough early morning light to balance out the shot.

The sunset shoot is just the opposite. Shot it the day before the full moon as it rises just before sunset. Shooting the day of the full moon can be good also. I will write about my favorite moon shot in the future. The small sliver of a moon just before and after the new moon is most satisfying.

Manhattan Beach Fireworks

I never photographed fireworks before. I thought it would be a challenge and a nice addition to my portfolio. It definitely was a learning experience and a rewarding one at that. I took many keepers that night and I may never take fireworks photos ever again after this. Since I did such a good job this time, what would be the point? Basically all fireworks look the same.


Manhattan Beach shoots off 20 minutes of fireworks annually the Sunday before Christmas. Tens of thousands of people make the pilgrimage to view the spectacular and it is a sight to see. They shot them from the pier and setting up to take good shots was a cinch. I chose south of the pier because the westerly winds off the Pacific would blow the fireworks smoke away from my shots.



I packed my bag with my new Nikon D300 with the 18-200mm lens attached. I made sure I packed away my cable release cord. Without it, I would not have been able to get sharp pictures. Lastly, I stowed away my Gitzo 1228 tripod and Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead.

About a quarter a mile away from the pier, I set up my tripod and camera in the dark. I set the camera to the Bulb setting so that I could control my shutter speed. Setup was complete just minutes before the first fireworks filled the sky.

Having researched a few web sites on photographing fireworks, I settled on the suggestion to press the cable release just as the firework shot up towards the sky. I continued to hold it until the explosion took place and the last ambers burned out.

The great thing about digital cameras is its immediate feedback. Imagine doing this with film for the first time. There is no instant learning from your mistakes. It would take time to take the film to be developed and view the results. With digital, I just look at each shot and learned.

Sometimes I missed the entire firework because my aim was off. I made the adjustments necessary and shot again. After a few shots, I decided to take quick shots instead of holding the shutter open for a few seconds. Both look nice so I suggest doing both. Take some shots with quick shutter speeds and a few with long shutter speeds (1 to several seconds).

Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm lens, Gitzo 1228 tripod, Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ballhead and Lexar UDMA CF Card

Hermosa Beach Christmas

Merry Christmas to all from Hermosa Beach.

Hot weather and a cold drink. Weather-wise, we had a great day in Hermosa Beach. The beach was in the 70's and clear blue skies ruled.

This proved to be a great day to sit outside in the warm sun and read those books and magazines that Santa brought. The hummingbirds kept me company throughout the day.