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People Watching Sunset on Mt. Tam
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.
"Lichen Rock" Location: Mt. Tamalpais, Mill Valley, California. One of the most spectacular displays of nature in the San Francisco bay area is the fog rolling into the bay, and viewing it from the top of Mt. Tamalpais is like going to another world above the clouds. Also seen in the image are lichen covered rock and the golden grass that are so characteristic of the California landscape. Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @29mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 2sec at f/11 and ISO 50 Filters: SinghRay 2 stop hard edge ND grad I learnt recently that lichens were one of the first species to evolve on the planet giving rise to more complex plants. This place gives a sense of perspective where these lichens can be seen together with the giant redwoods at the foothills.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills3304tamalpaisfoglichenrockhorizontalformat
Fremont City
Location: Mission Peak, Fremont, California, Map
Mission Peak is a very popular destination among Bay Area hikers for it's steep slopes, proximity and gorgeous views of the bay area. On a regular weekend one can expect to find up to 4000 people hiking the trail. The trails are just shy of having a traffic jams!
But Mission Peak is also a favorite place for photographers. The grass is lush and green during winter season and quickly changes to dry brown color due to persistent dry weather in California. But while the green lasts, the beauty is similar to those often mentioned lush green Irish hills.
I shot this image of the bay area homes at the foothills during one of the most dramatic sunsets I witnessed at this location. It was bit of a planning and bit of a luck to have started the hike at the right moment, reached this point just before the sun broke out of those clouds and see it all happen when the grass was green! I sure was a happy camper.
Those homes are some of the most expensive and luxurious homes in the Bay Area often reaching over 2M pricetag. But to me enjoying the open spaces of Mission Peak Regional Preserve is the real luxury I have access to any time of the year.
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Path Less Traveled
The change is around the corner. Golden grass, parched from months of dry summer heat is about to see rain.
"California's Gold" Location: Mt Tamalpais, Mill Valley, California. Golden grass on undulating hills is a characteristic California landscape. Up here it is dry but at lower elevation fog is abundant and brings in enough moisture so giant redwoods can grow. There has been extensive logging in this area which took away acres of redwood forests but many still survive such as Muir woods seen in this image. Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @26mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.2sec at f11 and ISO 50 Filters: SinghRay 2 stop hard edge ND grad Hiking on these trails can take you all the way from top of Mt. Tamalpais to the ocean floor at Stinson Beach. I highly recommend this hike for spectacular views and good exercise coming back up. Remember going down is optional but coming back is compulsory.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills3282tamalpaiscaliforniasgoldpano1x2format
Prosperous
This part of the Santa Cruz hills is so beautifully lush. I loved how morning light and contrasting colors make this scene evoke a sense of richness and prosperity in the nature.
First Light on Mt. Whitney
"First Light on Mt. Whitney" Location: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California. On my second day of photoshoot at this location I saw this view of Mt. Whitney lit by the first rays of sunlight at dawn. My previous attempt at this location had Mt. Whitney shrouded in fog, so I was happy to finally get the view I came here to see. It is quite an experience to shoot here. You have to arrive when it is still dark and hike up to this spot to claim a spot on the rock behind the arch. I read on the internet that this place can get very crowded since it is a classical sunrise spot to photograph. I, however, had this place pretty much to myself. On the contrary I enjoyed company of another fellow photographer Keith Kapple who was also there to photograph the arch. We chatted a bit and later drove around hunting for other arches in the area. It is always nice to bump into fellow photographers in the field. There are few more interesting arches here but I will leave those for my next trip here. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 26mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 2sec at f/14 and ISO 50 Filters: No filters Post processing: The as-shot image needed warm tones since it was shot during dawn. Without adding warm tones the image can look excessively blue (cold color temp)
alabamahillswhitneycloudsalabama hillsestern sierrafirst light on mt whitneygpslone pine peakmobius arch
Rollig Hills of Mt Tam
tamalpaisrollinghills5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills
Mt. Tamalpais Sunset
Location: Mt. Tamalpais, California
MapTech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 21mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 4sec at f/14 and ISO 100
Filters: LEE 0.6 (2-stop) and 0.9 (3-stop) stacked together + SinghRay 3-stop
Post Processing: Everything captured in single image and processed for shadows in LR
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.
"Mt Tamalpais Sunset"
Location: Mt. Tamalpais, San Francisco, California.There is nothing better than being on a quiet hillside watching sunset. Fortunately, not far from where I stay, Mt. Tamalpais in San Francisco offers such a vantage point. So when the lighting conditions were just right I decided to capture this view forever.
Tech Info and Tip:
Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @40mm
Camera: Canon 5D Mk II
Exposure: 6/10sec at f/13 and ISO 200
Filters: SinghRay 2 stop hard edge and 3 stop hard edge ND filters stacked togetherThe grass is green for a very short time of the year. But golden grass on the hills look equally good. I am hoping to return to this spot again next year and try some of those shots.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills2307tamalpaisgreensunsetundulatinghorizontalformat
"Rolling Hills of California" Location: Mt Tamalpais State Park, Marin County, California. Hiking on the slopes of undulating rolling hills at Mt. Tamalpais State Park has its perks. Here is an image for those who could not witness the beauty of this amazing place. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 30mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.6sec at f/13 and ISO 50 Filters: All the ND Grads I had with me... the dynamic range was too high to be managed with just one filter. Post Processing: Added warm tones by adjusting white balance. Added few more software ND Grads filters. Dust removal and saturation adjustments.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.golden grassmt tamalpaisrolling hills of californiahorizontalformat
"Summer Sunset" Location: Mt Tamalpais, Mill Valley, California. I thought I would talk about this image a bit since it was such a good fun shooting this. It always amazes me to see how these subtle colors in nature start to reveal just after sunset. The so-called magic hour is truly magical. Technically this is a high dynamic range image but obtained using graduated neutral density filters and not using multiple exposures. It was shot in a single frame using a stack of graduated neutral density filters to avoid overexposure of the sky and the fog. Once the light is dim and filters are in place to balance the brightness of the sky against land, I like to try long exposures to create these surreal shots. The exposure time for this image is 90sec which helps bring out rich colors that are otherwise not accessible. Hope you enjoyed this image. Tech Info: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @ 17mm (Yes, this is a very wide angle shot. I had maybe just about a foot of space between the rocks I photographed and rocks behind me) Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 90sec at f/14 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE Graduated ND filters with soft edge 0.9 and 0.6 combined with 3 stop Singh Ray Reverse ND Grad Post processing for this image was limited to increasing brightness a bit. Of course I adjust white balance on all my shots. Tree area needed some increase in exposure. Colors are all natural and unaltered. Processing was done in Adobe Lightroom
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.bay area landscapemt tamalpaissunset photographyhorizontalformat
"Heaven's Trail" Location: Mt Tamalpais, Mill Valley, California. Among the places that can make you feel being on the edge of the earth, Mt. Tamalpais certainly ranks high in its ability to do so. A visit to this area during summer months is guaranteed to give you a view that is out of this world. The undulating hills rise above the fog which rolls into the San Francisco bay from the Pacific ocean. And what could be a better way to explore such landscape than to hike on the trail carefully managing steep slopes on all sides. I saw fog here several times but I never saw the moonrise. This day was truly special. Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/4L @70mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 25sec at f/9 and ISO 1600 Filters: singhRay 3 stop ND grad hard edge ISO 1600 is very unusual for me. I usually shoot at ISO 50 or ISO 100, however, in this case the scene was near dark and without high ISO sensitivity it would be impossible to get correct exposure.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills3317tamalpaisedgelandfoghorizontalformat
"Möbius Arch"
Location: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.Möbius arch is one of the most iconic rock formations on eastern sierra landscape, however, photographing it can get tricky. The name, as you may have guessed, derives from a mathematical concept of 'Möbius strip'. This is first of the series of few images of the arch where I liked the warmth of the morning light on the arch against winter fog in the background. On a clear day it is possible to see Mt. Whitney through the arch, which makes from another interesting image.
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 22mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/8sec at f/14 and ISO 50
Filters: No filters.Note to first time visitors to the arch:
It can can difficult to find the arch, but I found these directions quite useful in locating it. Since you have to be here much before sunrise it is advisable to first go and find the arch the previous evening. Also winter is the best time to go here since low angle of the sun casts beautiful shadow of the arch and the light is sublime. And oh yes, get enough warm clothing, it can get quite cold there.
One has to really visit eastern sierra landscapes to truly appreciate its beauty. I don't think any photograph can do the justice of what it feels to hike on barren landscapes, camp besides some of the most scenic lakes and feel out of breath at high altitudes. Over the years I have had a few chances to hike on eastern sierra mountains including Mt. Whitney, but only recently I began to photograph it. So here are few images from one of the most unique places on the Sierra-Nevada mountain range.alabama hillseastern sierramobius archnatural archvolcanic rock formationshorizontalformat
"Fog View" Location: Mt Tamalpais, Mill Valley, California. It is such an experience to drive through the the valley below the fog and then break out of it and see the same fog from above. It is nothing short of feeling like being two places at the same time. I highly recommend a visit to Mt. Tamalpais during summer months. Tech Info: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @40mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 10sec at f/13 and ISO 50 Filters: SinghRay 2 stop hard edge ND grad A long exposure works very well to not just show fog movement but also to make the image possible during low light conditions after sunset.
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.5D Mk IIbay area fine art photographybay area fogbay area hikesbay area landscapesbay area nature photographybay area photographyhigh resolutionlarge printmill valleymt tammt tamalpaisrolling hillssan francisco fogsan francisco imagessan francisco photographysan francisco rolling hillssan franciscoundulating hills3307tamalpaisfoglookingeastpano1x2format
Evening By the Hillside
Location: Mt Tamalpais, California, Map
It is still early for the dense fog days of summer months at Mt. Tamalpais. However, hills would not stay green till then. So this was a great opportunity to see the hills lush green and also witness fog rolling in.
Tech Info and Tip:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @100mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 13sec at f/18 and ISO 50
Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 soft edge and 0.75 hard edge stacked together
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.
"Rolling Hills of California - II"
Location: Mt Tamalpais State Park, Marin County, California.I shot this image just when the sun was peaking through a small gap between the high clouds and the low fog. Hiking on the slopes of undulating rolling hills at Mt. Tamalpais State Park has its perks. Here is an image for those who could not witness the beauty of this amazing place.
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 30mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1.3sec at f/13 and ISO 50
Filters: All the ND Grads I had with me... the dynamic range was too high to be managed with just one filter.
Post Processing: Added warm tones by adjusting white balance. Added few more software ND Grads filters. Dust removal and saturation adjustments in Adobe Lightroom
San Francisco is a busy metropolitan area but just a few miles to the north exists a place so quiet and unique that it is such a perfect escape from the chaos of the city life. Mt. Tam, as it is locally know, is a perfect vantage point to watch the summer fog rolling into the bay or just enjoy the hike on its undulating hills and redwood forests.golden grassmt tamalpaisrolling hills of californiahorizontalformat
"Alabama Hills"
Location: Lone Pine, California.I always wanted to visit Alabama Hills to see its strange rock formations, natural arches and views of Mt. Whitney. This is an early morning shot showing strange landscape. It had snowed the previous night and was about to snow again. You can see streaks of snowfall on the distant hills while early morning light illuminated the scene from the side. I loved how this image turned out.
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 70mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 1/20sec at f/11 and ISO 3200The light was changing fast and there was no time for me to setup the tripod, hence high ISO for hand-held shooting. Within few moments it was snowing in the whole area and the light that illuminated the rocks had gone.
One has to really visit eastern sierra landscapes to truly appreciate its beauty. I don't think any photograph can do the justice of what it feels to hike on barren landscapes, camp besides some of the most scenic lakes and feel out of breath at high altitudes. Over the years I have had a few chances to hike on eastern sierra mountains including Mt. Whitney, but only recently I began to photograph it. So here are few images from one of the most unique places on the Sierra-Nevada mountain range.alabama hillsalien landscapeeastern sierralone pinemobius arch GPSpano1x2format
"North Palisades"
Location: Dusy Basin, Kings Canyon Backcountry, California.These are some of the highest mountains in the Seirra Nevada range, next only to majestic Mt. Whitney. I captured this image while camping at scenic Dusy Basin. The backcountry hike to Dusy Basin is one of the most scenic hikes to do in eastern sierra mountains. The dusy, as a final destination, offers fantastic views of the sierra mountains and pristine quietness that is hard to find anywhere else.
Making this particular image was an interesting adventure. We had planned a two day hike and it was raining on and off all the time. When we reached here it was raining again and I thought I would miss any opportunity to photograph here. Then clouds opened up giving me a brief window of about an hour when I could get this image. I was happy that the clouds were still in the sky while opening up just a bit to allow sunlight to shine on the peaks.
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 26mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 5sec at f/16 and ISO 50
Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 soft edge along with Singh-Ray Vari ND solid grad set at about 8 sopts to allow long exposure
One has to really visit eastern sierra landscapes to truly appreciate its beauty. I don't think any photograph can do the justice of what it feels to hike on barren landscapes, camp besides some of the most scenic lakes and feel out of breath at high altitudes. Over the years I have had a few chances to hike on eastern sierra mountains including Mt. Whitney, but only recently I began to photograph it. So here are few images from one of the most unique places on the Sierra-Nevada mountain range.bishop passbishopdusy basineastern sierralong lakemt. whitneyhorizontalformat
"Mt Whitney Night Glow"
Location: Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California.It is one of the amazing displays you can enjoy watching Mt. Whitney reflecting moonlight. I originally arrived here to shoot sunrise but while I was here I noticed the wonderful glow on the peak. A long exposure also shows a few star-trails.
Tech Info:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 200mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 30sec at f/5 and ISO 50
One has to really visit eastern sierra landscapes to truly appreciate its beauty. I don't think any photograph can do the justice of what it feels to hike on barren landscapes, camp besides some of the most scenic lakes and feel out of breath at high altitudes. Over the years I have had a few chances to hike on eastern sierra mountains including Mt. Whitney, but only recently I began to photograph it. So here are few images from one of the most unique places on the Sierra-Nevada mountain range.5D Mk IIalabama hillslone pinemain whitney trailmt whitneyhorizontalformat
Mt Rainier
Location: Mt Rainier National Park, Washington, Map
This image of Mt. Rainier was a total surprise. When we (myself, wife and brother in law) arrived at the Mt. Rainier National Park there was nothing but lots of fog to see. Then it started raining and snowing and it was all gray. My wife even wondered if the picture she just took was in color or black and white. Since this was my first visit to the park I was still enjoying it but had totally given up hope to see Mt. Rainier. During this time of the year the park is closed beond the visitor center at Paradise. So when we finally reached here all we could see was fog. Then quite unexpectedly the fog started clearning and soon we got a spectacular glimpse of the mountain with sunset light on it.I took a few shots but the fog and sunset light came out the best in this one. Hope you enjoyed it.
Tech Info and Tip:
Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 70mm
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Exposure: 8sec at f/22 and ISO 50
Filters: Circular polarizerThe light on the mountain was coming from left which was a huge advantage for getting the most out of circular polarizer. The polarizer helped darken the sky which would have otherwise taken away the contrast in the image.
Mt. Rainier is a giant dormant volcanic peak. It is the most dominant peak in the northwest standing at over 14 thousand ft. Though its origins were in fire today it hosts several glaciers and resides in one of the most pristine and protected places on the earth. I wish to visit the park again and explore its beauty further.
