"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.
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.
