Mission San Antonio de Padua is located north of Paso Robles in the central coast region of California. It is largely restored to it’s original condition. This is the inside of the chapel from the back.

I had just seen an HDR of Trey Radcliff’s and was inspired to try to recreate it inside the chapel. Using five images each taken with a one stop difference, I put them together in Photomatix. I tried to get the look to be more real and not the surreal, painted affect that you see in most HDR images.

The image was taken with a Nikon D300 and  a Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 lens at 16mm. The exposure varied in duration, but the aperture was at f8 and the ISO was at 800.

While we had a lot of rain in SoCal during the past winter, the wildflower season was a bit of a disappointment. Even in the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, there were not a lot of poppies. I found these about a mile south of the reserve and liked the composition of the grass and the poppies together.

I looked for an angle that eliminatied anything in the background and had a nice mix of the grass and the poppies. There were lots of clouds and the light was changing constantly, so I waited until the light was behind a cloud. I also had to wait for the breeze to die down.

The picture was taken with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 18-70 f.5-4.5 lens at 70mm. The exposure was 1/50 of a second at f16 and an ISO of 400.

Driving though the foothills of the central California coast on a road where I almost never see another vehicle, I crested a hill and ran into the middle of about 50 of the nicest, well kept vintage Porsches I have ever seen. Usually, I drive looking for wildlife to shoot in the fields near the road or birds that sit on the fences, but this was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. When life gives you lemons,…

The light was fairly harsh, but with a little post production tweaking, I think the images came out nice. We talked for a few minutes before the group got back into their cars and began driving down the road. I stayed and tried to shoot each car as it went by.

While talking to them, I learned that they were going to have a concourse de elegance in Morro Bay the next day. I went and got some more shots there.

The image above was taken with a Nikon D300 and a Nkkor 18-70 3.5-4.5 lens at 70mm. The exposure was 1/200 of a second at f11 and an ISO of 200.

Hearst Castle

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to fly over Hearst Castle with a life long friend who passed away earlier this year. This is one of the shots I got on that flight. Looking at it reminds me of him.

The image was taken with a D300 and a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens at 90mm. The exposure was 1/320 of a second at f9 and an ISO of 1000.

Taken on an extended trip through Northern California and Southern Oregon, this picture of the Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Bed National Monument. The sun was setting and I was looking for an image that captured the feeling of being there. I liked the patterns of the zig-zaging shadows and the texture of the soil.

The picture was taken with a Nikon D70 and a Nikkor 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 lens at 70mm. The exposure was 1/90 of a second at f6.7 and an ISO of 200.

Oak Branches in the Fog

Shot in Atascadero, CA during a really foggy morning, I liked the way that the branches weren’t really defined and produced a nice pattern.

The image was taken with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 lens at 70mm. The exposure was for 1/200 of a second at f5.6 and an ISO of 200.

Every spring, after the rains, the Santa Rosa Plateau comes alive with life. The vernal pools are full, the wildflowers are blooming, and the wildlife are coming out of hibernation.

The garter snake population is particularly active and in the middle of mating season. They seem to hang out at the edge of the vernal pools; the thicker females can have as many as 10-15 males around them at a time.

As you walk the boardwalk over the vernal pool, a snake might pop up from the bottom for a breath of air and swim on the surface for a minute or two. That’s what this little guy was doing before he disappeared toward the bottom again.

The image was taken with a Nikon D300 and a Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 lens at 200mm. The exposure was for 1/320 at f8 and an ISO of 640.

Roots in Jedediah Smith State Park

Jedediah Smith State Park is one of the most beautiful places in the state of California and, as far as I’m concerned, an place I’ve been.

This roots of a fallen redwood now support a multitude of fungi, ferns, lichens, and a host of small animals. They also make an interesting image.

The picture was taken with a Nikon D70 and a Nikkor 18-70 3.5-4.5 lens at 18 mm. The exposure was for 1/15 of a second at an aperture of 3.5 and an ISO of 800.

Thank you to all who served and all of those presently serving.

Be safe.

I woke up early to try to shoot the sunrise, but it was completely socked in with fog. There wasn’t going to be a sunrise and, as a matter of fact, the sun wouldn’t show its self until past noon that day.

Instead of going back inside, I focused on what I could see or what I could barely see. Once in a while the fog would lift enough to faintly see the trees on the opposite hill. I took those moments to capture the scene above.

I wanted enough detail to make sure the viewer knew what they were looking at, but not enough to make it ordinary. I think I accomplished my goal.

I think the lesson is that if the image you had in mind isn’t there, make the best of the situation and look for another one.

The photo was taken with a D300 and an 18-70 f3.5-4.5 lens at 31mm. The exposure was for 1/100 of a second at f8 and an ISO of 200.