Evening at the Pier

I went out to the San Clemente pier recently and took a few shots.  It had rained that morning so there were still some clouds in the sky.  That made for a more interesting sky for sunset.  All of these shots are HDR (High Dynamic Range), meaning that they are a composite of several pictures shot at different exposure settings.  That way the highlight and shadow areas are properly exposed in the final shot. 

This evening was particularly nice because it was cool but not cold.  That kept the crowd down to a minimum and made for a very comfortable and peaceful stroll along the beach.  I like the leading lines in this second picture.  It leads your eye right to the end of the pier and the setting sun.  

I like to experiment with different post processing techniques.  This next shot is an example of an artistic interpretation of the subject using HDR.  Some may consider it a bit over the top but I like the effect it has on the sky.  What do you think?  

This last picture was obviously taken from under the pier. I converted it to black and white, something that I haven't done much of in the past.  I plan on doing more of it.  Something about black and white that just cuts right to the essence of the subject.  By the way, if you want to see a larger version of any of these pictures, just click on them and you will be able see them in more detail.  If you've got a minute, be sure to leave a comment.  Let me know what you like or dislike.  Thanks.

The Beautiful Harbors of Maine

A few years ago, Vicky and I took a trip to New England.  We started out in Boston and drove north along the coastline of Maine.  As usual, we were stopping at many of the lighthouses, but we also saw numerous little seaport villages and harbors along the way.  To fully explore the jagged coastline and all of the quaint harbors of Maine would probably take months.  This area is definitely one that I want to go back to and spend more time photographing.  The photo above is a scene from Bass Harbor near Acadia N.P.  The building with the yellow roof is a restaurant called Thurston's.  This is where we had our official Maine lobster dinner.

This next photo was also taken in Bass Harbor.  Lobster traps and buoys like these were all over the place.  There was no shortage of photographic subjects in these harbors.  I can't wait to get back there one day.

Disney Concert Hall

 
Today's blog photos are of the very distinctive Disney Concert Hall in L.A.  This building has an endless supply of interesting lines and curves to capture.  On these two photos I played with the color balance on the building to warm it up.  I used my polarizing filter to reduce the glare and reflections on the shiny building, as well as, to deepen the blue sky. 

The hardest part of photographing this place for me is the drive to get there.  On most days the traffic is horrible on the highways in and around Los Angeles.  I took these on a Sunday morning when the traffic was bearable.  I plan on returning there on a day when there is a more interesting sky (i.e. white puffy clouds) to include.

Random Shot

I will be posting what I will call Random Shots from time to time.  These will represent a variety of pictures in my portfolio that I want to share.  This one is of McWay Falls, located on the Big Sur coastline.

Sparks Lane, Smokey Mountain National Park

This is one of my favorite spots in the Smokies.  It is a small lane off of the main loop road that goes through Cades Cove.  This was taken at sunrise on our first morning in the park.  In the pastures on both sides of the lane you will often see wildlife foraging for food.  On different occasions I have seen wild turkey, deer, woodpeckers and the occasional bear.  The views are spectacular in every direction.