Month: April 2010

Saturday (17-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 3: Big Sur & California Coastal Redwood Forest.

California blue iris, a view up into the redwoods, and the John Pfeiffer homestead cabin. Images taken on the Oak Grove Trail in Big Sur State Park.

California Wild Blue Iris Bloom (David J Mathre)
California Wild Blue Iris Bloom (David J Mathre)
Wide Angle Looking up from a Coastal Redwood Forest. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 14 mm, f/16, 2.5 sec). Raw image converted using Adobe Camera Raw 6.2 (landscape and used lens correction). (David J Mathre)
Wide Angle Looking up from a Coastal Redwood Forest. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 14 mm, f/16, 2.5 sec). Raw image converted using Adobe Camera Raw 6.2 (landscape and used lens correction). (David J Mathre)
John Pfeiffer Homstead Cabin. Oak Grove Trail, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, California. Composite of 3 images taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 85 mm, f/16, 1/8 sec). Raw image processed with Photoshop CS5 and Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. (David J. Mathre)
John Pfeiffer Homstead Cabin. Oak Grove Trail, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, California. Composite of 3 images taken with a Nikon D3x and 85 mm f/2.8 PC-E lens (ISO 100, 85 mm, f/16, 1/8 sec). Raw image processed with Photoshop CS5 and Nik Silver Efex Pro 2. (David J. Mathre)

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A print of the “View Looking Up in a Redwood Forest” image won “Best in Show” and “People’s Choice” Awards at the Tampa Bay Photographic Art Society in September 2010.

Thursday (15-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 1: Morning.

The group attending the Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant was scheduled to meet for breakfast in San Simeon. I walked down to the shore along the Pico Creek before breakfast to get some early morning images. The first is of the succulent sea fig (Carpobrotus chilensis) plant and its flower. It turns out that this is an invasive species. I then saw some tracks in the sand. I wondered if they were from a mountain lion, but since the nails were present — probably a dog. There was a lot of drift wood on the beach. Some to build a wind shelter. After breakfast, the group went to Piedras Blancas beach to view the Elephant Seals. The same place I was the previous evening. While Michael was beginning his workshop, I managed to catch a patrol of Brown Pelicans flying over in formation. Several more images of the Elephant Seals, including one with a Chipmunk on the sand. The final image includes the Piedras Blancas Rock and Lighthouse in the background (and a yawning Elephant Seal near the bottom right).

Sea Fig (Carpobrotus chilensis) near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/3.2, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sea Fig (Carpobrotus chilensis) near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/3.2, 1/250 sec).
Animal Tracks near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Animal Tracks near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec).
Driftwood Shelter near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Driftwood Shelter near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec).
Driftwood Shelter near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Driftwood Shelter near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec).
Driftwood near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Driftwood near Pico Creek, San Simeon, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 800, 50 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec).
Brown Pelican Patrol, Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/14, 1/800 sec) (David J Mathre)
Brown Pelican Patrol, Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/14, 1/800 sec)
Brown Pelican Patrol, Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Brown Pelican Patrol, Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/10, 1/400 sec)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 70 mm, f/16, 1/160 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 70 mm, f/16, 1/160 sec)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec)
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seal at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/400 sec)
Chipmunk and Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Chipmunk and Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec)
Elephant Seals and Driftwood at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 145 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals and Driftwood at Piedras Blancas Beach, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 145 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach and Lighthouse, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 165 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas Beach and Lighthouse, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 165 mm, f/11, 1/200 sec)

Thursday (15-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 1: Afternoon/Evening.

For the Afternoon, we spent time at Redwood Gulch Falls. The light levels within the forest near the falls ranged from very bright to very dark — well beyond the capability of DSLR sensors. Here I used Singh-Ray filters (to smooth out the water flow) and HDR (took 5 images under and over exposed) which were then combined using Photomatix. Later on we traveled to Sand Dollar beach. Our first exercise was to use filters at the beach to give the waves a soft ethereal effect. As the sun set over the Pacific ocean, I used HDR again to adapt to the wide range of light.

Redwood Gulch Falls, Los Padres National Forest, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 sec). Singh-Ray Filter. HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro. (David J Mathre)
Redwood Gulch Falls, Los Padres National Forest, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 sec). Singh-Ray Filter. HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro.
Redwood Gulch Falls, Los Padres National Forest, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 sec). Singh-Ray Filter. HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro. (David J Mathre)
Redwood Gulch Falls, Los Padres National Forest, Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/3.5 PC-E (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/16, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30 sec). Singh-Ray Filter. HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro.
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 5 sec). (David J Mathre)
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 5 sec).
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec).
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec).
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 8 sec). (David J Mathre)
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 8 sec).
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec). (David J Mathre)
Long Exposure Exercise at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens and Singh-Ray Filter (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 15 sec).
Sunset at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 1/5, 1/10, 1/20, 1/40, 1/80 sec). HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro. (David J Mathre)
Sunset at Sand Dollar Beach, Big Sur Central California Coast. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 50 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/16, 1/5, 1/10, 1/20, 1/40, 1/80 sec). HDR Composite of 5 images using Photomatix Pro.

Wednesday (14-April-2010) — California

Gone to See America 2010. Big Sur Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 0: Piedras Blancas Beach.

I arrived in San Simeon on the California coast the day before the Big Sur Workshop. After dinner, I drove 7 miles north to the Elephant Seal view-point on Piedras Blancas beach. There are hundreds of Elephant Seals just being lazy and making a lot of noise. The young males are mock fighting, but not doing much damage. This was an image rich environment.

Click on the image to view the whole set.