Personal Favorites - California Naturescapes

Personal Favorites

Golden Gate Evening
Morning Light on Santa Cruz Hills
California Dreamin
Coastal Bluffs of California
Tunnel View Sunset
Tunnel View Sunset, Yosemite NP
Rugged California Coastline
Location: Garrapata State Park, Big Sur, California, Map This image has been four years in the making and I really liked how it finally turned out. The biggest challenge to photograph at this spot is to get a good light on the sea stacks during sunset. The evening was turning out to be great and I was able to make this image of the famous sea stacks at Garrapata State Park. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 37mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.4sec at f/11 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grad 0.9 soft edge Garrapata state park is one of the most photographed locations on the California coast. People are drawn to this spot due to the rugged coastline and its famous sea stacks. Just south of Monterey, California it is one of the best places to see waves crashing against the rugged coastline.
Golden Gate Morning
Half Dome Sunset
Half Dome Sunset, Yosemite National Park
Barn by the cliff
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Location: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan, Map I had seen pictures of these bamboo groves and wanted to go there in person. Arashiyama is located little bit on the outskirts of Kyoto and it needs bit of planning to go there. Google maps are the best to guide your way to this location, but to photograph this place without people is all about being here at the right moment. Expect to see hoards of tourists walking on this path and while I was here I counted at least 20 to 25 people on the path for the entire duration of one hour I was waiting to shoot this image. The location is best photographed using a wide angle lens. I used 24mm focal length on a full-frame (35mm) camera. This particular spot is located at the other end of the path, so you can enjoy the bamboo grove first, walk through them and reach the other end eventually to photograph. Public transportation is very nice, but slightly expensive as trains are easier to reach this place than bus. I took a day pass for the bus, but had to pay anywhere from $2 to $5 for a train ride. Suica card makes paying for train very easy, so I highly recommend purchasing one at the Narita airport if you plan to travel in Japan. I had a wonderful visit to Japan during late summer of 2013 and got to see both it's historic and modern faces. Kyoto was my destination of choice to see old temples and shrines of Japan and I focused on Tokyo to witness it's modern lifestyle. Below are a few images from the trip. I was thoroughly impressed by how well Japan's public transportation worked and how easy it was for me to visit all these places. Being mostly a vegetarian eater, I was a bit concerned about the food at first but was pleasantly surprised by abundant and excellent food choices available. Japan is a country everyone should visit at least once. There is so much to learn from it's culture and day to day life practices of Japanese people such as their approach towards conservation, food and emphasis on being polite. Link to sites I visited
Santa Cruz Hills
Golden Gate: A Foggy Evening
Location: Fort Baker, San Francisco, California, Map Golden Gate is, by no doubt, the most beautiful bridge in the world. No wonder so many people visit San Francisco to see it. In that sense I feel very lucky that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and not far from the bridge. This is the view of the bridge on a foggy evening from the north end at Fort Baker. I used long exposure of camera to smooth the waves in the water and give a minimalist feel to the image. This image prints very well at 24x36in with all the details in the cables of the bridge still sharp. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 50mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 64sec at f/16 and ISO 200 Filters: No filters
Under an Oak Tree
Location: Cascade Creek (The Cascades), Yosemite National Park, California, Map Oak trees are great! Sitting underneath their canopy usually brings to mind the thoughts of reading a book or simply taking a pause during a hectic workday. So when I saw this oak trees with cascade creek flowing besides it I could not resist taking a picture. Needless to say even after I was done photographing I spent few minutes enjoying these peaceful surroundings with gentle sounds of Cascade creek. Cascade creek and it's waterfall are one of the first waterfall you may see at Yosemite if you enter through highway 140. The creek is usually just a trickle during winter months but comes to life during spring and early summer months. I plan to visit this area again in next few years and try to capture the beauty of the Cascade creek waterfall as well. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 20mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 8sec at f/13 and ISO 200 Filters: Hoya 4-stop solid ND filter Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
Ray of Hope
Location: Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California, Map Big Sur coastline in Northern California has some very interesting rock formations. At some places the coastline is rugged while at other places large sea stacks and rock formations have interesting erosion patterns such as the one shown in this image. This rock at Pfeiffer Beach, with it's interesting hues and textures, has a naturally formed passage that opens up to the Pacific ocean on the other side. The passage was created by the erosive forces of crashing waves over hundreds and thousands of years. During winter months the angle of the sun is such that at sunset a beam of light can be seen passing through the opening in the rock face. In addition large waves constantly gush through the opening creating splashes with the small rocks in the front. I was happy to capture all of these natural phenomena in this image. I shot this image on the last day of Year 2009 and particularly for that year I liked how symbolically this image represented how my year was coming to an end. It was a great end to the year and a ray of hope for the coming year... hence the title! Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 93mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/3sec at f/13 and ISO 400 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 soft edge for rock face and 0.75 hard edge for foreground rocks (Merzeta photo of the day winner on Jan 05 2010)
"The Tree That Giveth Life" Location: Joseph D Grant State Park, California. When I saw this oak tree on the rolling hills of California I was struck by warmth and purity of light bathing the canopy of new leaves. The air was chill but fresh. The moisture in the air after rainstorm was very refreshing. The lush green color of the grass and the new sprouting leaves was very pleasing to look at. I sat here thinking this is how elements would have come together to create and nurture life. It was certainly a very Feng-Shui moment for me. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 70mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/60sec at f/14 and ISO 640 Filters: No filters
Majestic El Cap and Mighty Merced
Location: Yosemite National Park, California, Map The grandeur of Yosemite valley is best seen from spots that are hidden away along the curves of Merced river. The view is particularly appealing when major landmarks in the valley, such as El Capitan in this case, can also be seen. It was not just the view but also the photographic process that I enjoyed at this location. It was dull gray and raining when I arrived at this spot. Then it started clearing and El Cap appeared out of fog in it's full glory. This is a scene in the valley during spring season when when the Merced river is at it's peak flow and there is a good chance to see fog and clouds shrouding the granite peaks. In this particular image I also liked spots of penetrating light on the pine trees. As the storm was clearing in the sky, pockets of openings were creating interesting displays of light. I made several images but likes this one very much. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L @ 28mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.3sec at f/16gg and ISO 50 Filters: LEE 0.6 (2-stop) and 0.9 (3-stop) soft edge ND Graduated filters Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
La Jolla Potholes
Location: Hospitals Reef, La Jolla, California, Map This interesting landscape was first brought to my attention by a friend and fellow photographer Scott Lawson. So during my brief visit to San Diego I could not resist shooting these potholes on the rocky sandstone shores of La Jolla. The clouds were just enough to play with the sunset light and create bit more drama to the scene. I loved shooting here that day. Tech Info: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @ 24mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.6sec at f/22 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.75 hard edge, Singh Ray Rev. ND Grad 3 stop Post processing: Dust spot removal and white balance adjustment and noise removal in the sky, all using Adobe Lightroom. The image was shot as a single exposure and due to extreme dynamic range of the light I shot it bit darker than whan you see here to avoid excessive overexposure near the sun. La Jolla is one of the most beautiful coastal cities in the world. I have had a fortune to live there for several years, but unfortunately I never photographed it at that time. So on my recent visit to San Diego I decided to take time to shoot seascapes at the La Jolla coastline. I will be adding few more, so stay tuned.
Golden Pavilion
Location: Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan, Map Japan's history is fascinating and the country has done a great job preserving historic landmarks such as this beautiful gold covered temple in Kyoto. It exhibits Japan's characteristic architectural style and garden design that amplify the feelings of serenity and peace. I reached here late in the evening but was glad to see good lighting conditions. The gold on the temple walls reflects sunlight and is best photographed using long exposure to smooth out ripples on the water. Tripods are not allowed inside temple premises, but I managed to shoot this image before I was asked to keep the tripod away. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L @ 55mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D MK II Exposure: 90 sec at f/16 and ISO 50 Filters: Hoya 8-stop solic ND filter along with LEE 3-stop soft edge graduated ND filter. I had a wonderful visit to Japan during late summer of 2013 and got to see both it's historic and modern faces. Kyoto was my destination of choice to see old temples and shrines of Japan and I focused on Tokyo to witness it's modern lifestyle. Below are a few images from the trip. I was thoroughly impressed by how well Japan's public transportation worked and how easy it was for me to visit all these places. Being mostly a vegetarian eater, I was a bit concerned about the food at first but was pleasantly surprised by abundant and excellent food choices available. Japan is a country everyone should visit at least once. There is so much to learn from it's culture and day to day life practices of Japanese people such as their approach towards conservation, food and emphasis on being polite. Link to sites I visited
Bean Hollow Tidepool
Location: Bean Hollow State Beach, San Mateo County, California, Map The rock formations at the Bean Hollow State Beach are fascinating. I still don't understand completely how these strange folds and undulations in the rock can develop through natural processes. Nevertheless it is a very interesting location along scenic highway 1 of California. The circular arrangement with a central rock in this tidepool was very appealing to me and I spent over two years trying to get a good light so I could show all the details in the rock and clarity in the water. Hope you enjoyed this image. Tech Info: Lens: EF 17-40 f/4L @22mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 71sec at f/13 and ISO 50 Filters: A circular polarizer to remove glare off water surface, then two LEE ND Grads 0.9 Soft edge and 0.75 Hard Edge stacked together to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground. The coastline of the Bean Hollow State Beach has one of the most unique rock formations. It is always a joy to visit this location and photograph it during sunset. There are no long sandy beaches to be found here but only the rugged stone formations eroded in strange and sometimes beautiful formations called "tafoni". I have been visiting here for many years and though I am somewhat satisfied with the images I have captured, I feel that the beauty of this place is best seen in person. These are twin beaches, Bean Hollow State Beach and the Pebble Beach. Both beaches are amazing with their rock formations, colorful pebbles, tide pools, tafoni and of course the open views of the pacific ocean.
"Come Out Upon My Seas" Location: Pescadero State Beach, San Mateo County, California. The northern end of the Pescadero State Beach is dominated by these coastal bluffs. They rise up abruptly from the sand and tell a geological story that has shaped this landscape for thousands of years. It's a story of how the land here wass transformed by colossal forces within the earth. These forces first lifted certain parts of the landscape several hundred feet in the air and then gradually eroded them by the wind and the water. It's timeless and for me it is a place to find solitude. The day I shot this image an unusual storm was passing over Bay Area. It is always great to witness a passing storm which brings with it interesting cloud formations and filtered light that I so much strive to capture in an image. The combination of breaking storm, sunset light, texture on the face of the eroding bluff and receding wave finally gave me all the elements I needed to tell this geological story. This land is never the same. It changes with every tide and gets eroded evermore during every winter storm. As they always say, beauty is transient and this landscape certainly highlights that point. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 17mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/2sec at f/13 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.6 and 0.9
La Jolla Cove, San Diego
Bay Bridge Evening
Valley of Wonder
Location: Tunnel View, Yosemite National Park, California, Map Here is a classic view of the Yosemite valley seen from Tunnel View vista point at sunset. I could not be happier about this image. It took me several trips to Yosemite and never before I saw all the elements lining up for this image. It was snow on the hills, fog in the valley, water in the Bridalveil falls, sunset clouds in the sky and the warm glow on the granite rocks which was rare to find together. Winter months are typically the best for catching good lighting conditions in the valley. Over the years I have made several trips to the exact same spot and have always seen a different face of the valley. Out of several keeper shots from this location I like this one the most. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 60mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 15 sec at f/14 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grad 0.9 soft edge and 0.75 hard edge stacked together I posted a slightly different view of this image on Aperture Academy's webpage. Click here to view image, rating and comments Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
Call of the Valley
Location: Valley View Vista Point, Yosemite National Park, California, Map This is a very special image I have ever captured. I decided to name it Call of the Valley after a musical piece that I used to listen to back home in India. The classical instrumental piece portrayed life in the beautiful Kashmir valley in the Himalayas. This visit of mine to Yosemite made me feel that way. It was so silent at this spot that all I could hear was the gentle flow of the merced river. Usually this vista point is crowded with visitors, but since it had been snowing all day the valley was very quiet. The image shows merced river, snow covered trees and fog shrouded El Capitan. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L @ 42mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 5sec at f/18 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE .6 (2-stop) soft edge graduated neutral density filter. Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
"San Francisco Bay Bridge" Location: Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco, California. I shot this image just before the sun came up and lit the whole scene (see next)... that is still my favorite image. However, I liked this image because it has both the warm glow of the twilight and also the magic of the cool blue tones. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 24mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 30sec at f/13 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 and 0.6 soft edge Post Processing: Adobe Lightroom for white balance, shadow details, Adobe PS for wide angle lens distortion correction. Rest is straight from the camera.
"Bridal Veil Falls: A Spring Evening" Location: Valley View, Yosemite National Park, California. Here is the view of the bridal veil falls lit by the late afternoon sun. It is amazing to me how many different views of this location I have witnessed over the years. Changing lighting conditions, seasons, snow, rain storms, clouds all play a key role in emphasizing the beauty of this location. This view was captured on a spring afternoon prior to arrival of a rain storm. Without clouds not just the sky would have been empty but also there would have been no penetrating light on the granite walls. It's a rare moment that I was very happy to capture! Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 40mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 3.2sec at f/16 and ISO 50 Filters: Hoya 8-stop solid ND filter to allow long exposure of 3.2sec. LEE 0.9 (3-stop) soft edge ND grad filter to balance exposure of sky with the foreground. Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
California Coastline
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey-Carmel Area, California, Map The rugged California coastline around Big Sur area is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. I have been fortunate enough to see and photograph it several times. My favorite time of the year to visit the coastline is during winter months when you can see interesting cloud formations and vibrant hues of sunset colors. This is a long exposure image which renders the water smooth and helps to bring out the beauty of the place further. Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @32mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 30sec at f/11 and ISO 50 Filters: SinghRay 2 Stop ND grad hard edge The vibrant colors in the image are the result of sunset glow and long exposure time. It is often possible to obtain rich vibrant colors in an image if it is captured during twilight conditions when the light is warm and the shadows are not harsh. I emphasized the mood further by using long exposure that "averaged" the ripples in the water and created a surreal minimalist look. Garrapata state park is one of the most photographed locations on the California coast. People are drawn to this spot due to the rugged coastline and its famous sea stacks. Just south of Monterey, California it is one of the best places to see waves crashing against the rugged coastline.
"Pebbles of Pebble Beach" Location: Pebble Beach, San Mateo, California. I think these pebbles are the highlight of this beach, which is also aptly named after them. The entire shore is covered by these incredibly beautiful bebbles. Since you are not allowed to take these home I took a picture of them instead. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 2sec at f/18 and ISO 200 Filters: B+W Circular Polarizer The coastline of the Bean Hollow State Beach has one of the most unique rock formations. It is always a joy to visit this location and photograph it during sunset. There are no long sandy beaches to be found here but only the rugged stone formations eroded in strange and sometimes beautiful formations called "tafoni". I have been visiting here for many years and though I am somewhat satisfied with the images I have captured, I feel that the beauty of this place is best seen in person. These are twin beaches, Bean Hollow State Beach and the Pebble Beach. Both beaches are amazing with their rock formations, colorful pebbles, tide pools, tafoni and of course the open views of the pacific ocean.
"Sunset and California's Oak Tree" Location: Joseph D Grant State Park, California. What a day today! Monday always starts off busy and you never seem to have enough time. It has been raining on and off all day today but it was a perfect weather for landscape shots. I almost thought of taking a day off today but that did not materialize. Anyway, the best I could hope for was to run to the hills after work and catch those fleeting moments at sunset. It was indeed an awesome sunset and I was just happy to be here and witness all the drma in the sky. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 70mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/15sec at f/13 and ISO 200 Filters: No filters (Though I think I should have used ND filter but light was changing so fast and I was pressed for time that I just managed to setup a tripod and catch this)
"Sunset Glow", Location: Montara Beach, California. Montara beach just north of Half Moon Bay is quite featureless but an interesting place to wind down at the end of the day. As the sun was setting over pacific the beauty of this place was even more appealing. Tech Info Tip: Lens: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 @18mm Camera: Canon 30D Exposure: 2.5sec at f/16 and ISO 100 Filters: SinghRay 2 stop ND grad hard edge
"Lower Yosemite Falls - Spring Flow" Location: Lower Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, California. Spring in Yosemite arrives with a thundering roar of the giant waterfalls. As the snow begins to melt the valley comes back to life. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 17mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/6sec at f/16 and ISO 50 Filters: Hoya 4 stop solid ND filter and LEE .6 (2-stop) soft edge graduated neutral density filter Post processing: Bringup of details in shadow areas, selective exposure and saturation adjustment, all in Adobe LightRoom 3 Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
"Bay Bridge at Dawn" Location: Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco, California. I don't think I had to wake up early to see this because what I saw was nothing less than a beautiful dream :) Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 22mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 25sec at f/14 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 and 0.6 soft edge Post Processing: Adobe Lightroom for white balance, Adobe PS for wide angle lens distortion correction. Rest is straight from the camera.
"Majestic El Cap and Mighty Merced (Portrait Version)" Location: Yosemite National Park, California. The grandeur of Yosemite valley is best seen from spots that are hidden away along the curves of Merced river. The view is particularly appealing when major landmarks in the valley, such as El Capitan in this case, can also be seen. It was not just the view but also the photographic process that I enjoyed at this location. It was dull gray and raining when I arrived at this spot. Then it started clearing and El Cap appeared out of fog in it's full glory. This is a scene in the valley during spring season when when the Merced river is at it's peak flow and there is a good chance to see fog and clouds shrouding the granite peaks. In this particular image I also liked spots of penetrating light on the pine trees. As the storm was clearing in the sky, pockets of openings were creating interesting displays of light. I made several images but likes this one very much. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L @ 45mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1/4sec at f/14 and ISO 50 Filters: LEE 0.6 (2-stop) and 0.9 (3-stop) soft edge ND Graduated filters Yosemite is the arguably the most beautiful national park. It's grandeur and the time scale it took to evolve is very humbling. I learnt that the granite peaks started out as molten magma deep below the earth's surface about 100 million years ago. Merced river then carved it into a "V" shaped valley and finally glaciers shaped it into its present day "U" shape. The beauty of the valley has inspired many. It's lush forests, tall granite peaks, amazing monoliths and beautiful waterfalls are so pristine that a visit to the park often overwhelms the senses. A visit here at least once in lifetime is a must.
Torii Gates at Fushimi Inari
Location: Fushimi-Inari, Kyoto, Japan, Map There are apparently over thousand of these torii gates at the Fushimi Inari shrine and it's a wonderful experience to walk through them. Each of these torii gates has been donated to the shrine by individuals and business and their names are written on the torii pillars. One of the biggest challenges to photograph here is to avoid the tourists crowd, so early in the morning is the best time to be here. The shrine itself is very beautiful as well but nothing beats these torii gates photographically. Fushimi Inari shrine is also located little bit outskirts of Kyoto and city bus, for which you can buy day pass, does not go here. So train is the best option and one can get down at Fushimi train station and walk half a mile or so to reach this shrine. I had a wonderful visit to Japan during late summer of 2013 and got to see both it's historic and modern faces. Kyoto was my destination of choice to see old temples and shrines of Japan and I focused on Tokyo to witness it's modern lifestyle. Below are a few images from the trip. I was thoroughly impressed by how well Japan's public transportation worked and how easy it was for me to visit all these places. Being mostly a vegetarian eater, I was a bit concerned about the food at first but was pleasantly surprised by abundant and excellent food choices available. Japan is a country everyone should visit at least once. There is so much to learn from it's culture and day to day life practices of Japanese people such as their approach towards conservation, food and emphasis on being polite. Link to sites I visited
"Pigeon Point Lighthouse" Location: Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Half-Moon Bay Area, California. The lighthouse was built in 1871 and stands at one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. On a cloudy I like to experiment using long exposures which not only allow me to smooth the water but also capture the wind driven motion of the clouds. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @33mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 55sec at f/11 and ISO 160 Filters: SinghRay 3 Stop ND grad rotated during exposure The water here can come out overexposed. By rotating ND filters this can be minimized. Another technique is to simply block the light using an opaque object.
"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.
Crashing Waves
Location: Garrapata State Park, Monterey, California, Map The relentless forces of nature beat down on these two very famous and often photographed sea stacks of the Garrapata coastline. The stacks were once part of the coastline that once existed several miles into the ocean but has been gradually claimed by the sea. The best way to witness these natural forces in action is to see it in person and hear the thundering roar of crashing waves first hand. These two sea stacks make for a very good composition. It is not unusual to find a photographer or two at this spot anytime you visit. I made this image at sunrise on a February morning when the sun directly lit the stacks against background fog. I have been to this spot several times since then but always felt that I would never be able to able to replicate this image... sometimes you only get one chance to make an image and I was glad to have clicked at the right time. Tech Info and Tip: Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @70mm Camera: Canon 30D Exposure: 1sec at f/8.0 and ISO 100 Filters: Solid Hoya ND filter with 8 stops of light reduction to allow 1sec long exposure. This image is the result of so-called continuous shooting. I realized that it was terribly difficult to press the shutter button right at the moment when a wave would hit the stacks. Fortunately today's SLR's have continuous shooting mode where a burst of images can be shot allowing for one of them to have all the right elements in place. Garrapata state park is one of the most photographed locations on the California coast. People are drawn to this spot due to the rugged coastline and its famous sea stacks. Just south of Monterey, California it is one of the best places to see waves crashing against the rugged coastline.
"The Beginning" Location: Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, California. This is the last natural bridge standing along the shores of Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. I have been photographing at this spot for years and what I found most difficult was to get a good combination of evening light and radiating clouds that would complement this natural wonder. On this particular day the clouds were spectacular. I further emphasized the mood of the scene using slightly long exposure to capture motion of the receding waves. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @ 17mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 1sec at f/13 and ISO 100 Filters: LEE ND Grads 0.9 and 0.6 soft edge Naturally formed bridges along the coastline of California are truly works of art by the erosive forces of water and wind. One of the best natural bridge exists on the aptly named Natural Bridges State Beach at Santa Cruz. These bridges form because crashing waves converge at a point and slowly erode away the rock creating a passageway. The erosion eventually destroys the bridge but new ones keep forming over a geologic time span of hundreds and thousands of years. In that sense these are transients, and like everything else that is beautiful in nature, these exist only for a short time... Go see them today!
"Pier View" Location: Pier 7 at Embarcadero, San Francisco, California. Seafront area on Embarcadero has fine seafood restaurants, local bookshops, bakeries and coffee shops. Many of these places have fantastic ocean views and the ambiance is very lively. During summer months it is a perfect escape from the heat of the bay area since city is foggy and cool most of the days. A walk on pier 7 offers fantastic views of the ocean but what I like even more is the view looking towards the city. Tech Info: Lens: Canon 17-40mm f/4L @31mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 70sec at f/16 and ISO 50 Filters: No filters
"Painted Ladies" Location: Alamo Square, San Francisco, California. Photographing San Francisco is never complete without capturing an image of these victorian style homes, called as painted ladies. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 97mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 93sec at f/18 at ISO 50 Filters: No filters
"Cypress Grove" Location: Presidio, San Francisco. I have always loved the calm feeling of early morning hours among fog shrouded cypress trees. It's been a while since I was thinking of photographing here, so I was happy to be able to spend some time here and get this image. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/4L IS @ 93mm Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk II Exposure: 0.4sec at f/18 and ISO 160 Pano: Three horizontal images stitched in PS.
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.
"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.
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 polarizer The 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.
Pacific Sunset
Location: Graywhale Cove, San Mateo County, California, Map California coastline is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world and what better time to hit the coast other than at sunsets. I have been on this beach several times but it is always a unique experience to photograph it. That is because the sand is constantly changing, sometimes exposing and sometimes covering these rocks. On this particular day everything came together well. I was lucky to get the water motion that spread out from the center and resembled the clouds in the sky. The light was very good and created warm tones that I love to capture. It was a very rewarding experience and hope you enjoyed this image too. Tech Info: Lens: Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L @20mm Camera: Canon 5D Mk II Exposure: 1sec at f/13 and ISO 50 (1 sec exposure gives nice water motion lines) Filters: Singh-Ray 2-stop ND Grad to balance lighting in the sky and the foreground. One of the ways to create dynamic effects in the image is to use long exposure times. When I used a shutter speed of 1 sec for this image the water motion was captured creating a whole new dimension in the image.

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