Capturing Dreamscape Ocean Photos with a ND Filter in Pacific Grove California
What is a neutral density (ND) filter and why am I so excited to finally own one?? Well, it is a piece of glass that screws onto the front of a camera lens that is like a very, very dark pair of sunglasses. The ND filter greatly restricts how much light comes through the lens, onto the camera sensor. Using typical daylight or twilight camera shooting settings, the ND filter would result in just a black rectangle, totally underexposed! However, this then allows the photographer to keep the shutter open for a long time, for a long exposure photo which means, the moving ocean water becomes like cotton candy. Clouds get spread out across the sky. That is how I was able to make these photos you see here, by leaving the shutter open for 30 seconds. Without the ND filter on, the photos would just be white rectangles, totally overexposed. So I call these types of photos not merely landscape photography, but I think more descriptively, dreamscape photography. Then again, I am a daydreamer!
Sunset Fine Art Photography of Bird Rock along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach
This April evening out at Bird Rock on 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, California was a rare to the horizon sunset view. I took just my Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM lens, for a different perspective from the typical wide sunset shots. As I was letting the sun go down, I photographed these small flowers first (see the photo story). Many large rocks just off shore in this area function as bird rookeries, so I wonder why this one gets the distinction as bird rock? Maybe it was the first to be named so? As you can see in the background of some of the photos, there are lots of birds that do not get to live this close to where they go hunting during the day and have to fly further down the coastline. How did these birds get to be so lucky? All questions I ask myself!
Sassy seagull poses for my camera in Pacific Grove California
I would not normally photograph a seagull. I do not often photograph birds in general as I only have a 70-200mm lens, which is great for my commercial photography work, but not exactly the lens you would use if you are into bird photography. However, this seagull was not far from me, and seemed to be wanting me to make its photograph, so I did! Thank you for the sassy head turn seagull!
There are often weather alerts for “sneaker waves” for the Monterey Bay coast where I live. Pacific Grove is a quiet small town, right on the coast that is often full of drama. Such was the case on a recent afternoon, so I took my camera with 70-200mm lens (medium telephoto) to see what wave splashes I could capture. When I took the above shot, about 100 shots into the time I was shooting, I knew immediately it was the shot I had been looking for, and that was even before I noticed the birds in it, which just added to the shot. I took a few more photos after that, but I knew I had gotten what I envisioned before even leaving the house. This is something very satisfying and recommended for any photographer, envision what photo you want to get before going out, and then when you get it, you will know.
Bird Rock is one of the best sunset viewing spots along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach California
There are many scenic viewing points along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, California. I discovered Bird Rock because of a cycling group I was riding with stopped there one evening. Besides the great view, this lookout point has lots of parking and picnic tables and even a restroom. I decided to grab the camera and head out there, by car this time, to get a few shots of the sunset and twilightsky. It’s named Bird Rock for the big rock just offshore that is used as a rookery. Lots of birds were coming home from their day of work to spend the night on Bird Rock.
A rugged example of the beauty of Big Sur you can hike to
Driving through Big Sur there are near infinite pullouts you can stop at and enjoy the views. However, not many of them allow you to go all the way down to the ocean itself. Partington Cove is a tiny inlet that you can access down a long gravel road enjoying the changing views of it as you descend. The cove itself is all large rocks, no beach at all. It is a rugged up-close view of the Pacific Ocean that was a combination of fog and ocean mist when I visited it. I found as cozy of a spot as there is there wedged between some boulders and listened to, looked at, and felt the incoming swells roll on shore.
Sanderlings a fast running shore bird that fascinate me
I have always been very curious about these funny little birds running along the shore at Asilomar Beach in Pacific Grove, California. They search along the water’s edge for food, but seem quite adverse to the water washing over their feet, so they run at an incredible fast pace, their little legs moving like a blur, to avoid getting wet! I finally learned their name, sanderlings, and had a chance to photograph them at their eye level thanks to an unusually high sand dune.
