Fiery Sunset, Mount Baldy, The Sun Valley, ID

What a great sunset tonight in Sun Valley, ID. Since arriving I have been hoping for a great sunset here. Living in Florida, I guess we are used to them. Living in the mountains it’s more hit and miss.

This Sunset tonight almost looked like the Forest on the other side was on Fire. The intense glow, the clouds, The golden cast it placed on everything, WOW!. My Favorite Sunset since arriving here.

This shot from Dollar Road near city hall in Sun Valley is looking west towards Mount Baldy, the main Ski Area in Ketchum.

Official Sun Valley, Idaho Web Site:
http://www.sunvalley.com/SunValley/Index.aspx

Date Taken: 11-18-07  5:13PM Sunset
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/5 F-Stop:f5.6 ISO:100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

Santa Monica Mountains – Coral Canyon Drive – Post Fire Moonscape and The Green Flash…

Day Off, My first thought is were is the nearest State or National Park. The closest of both is the Santa Monica Mountains, north of Malibu, Ca. NPS Map of area:
http://www.nps.gov/archive/samo/maps/maps.htm

This Famous area has too many points of interest to list here. I do plan to explore every inch of this marvelous Mountain Range. It is a conglomeration of many State and Federal Parks, plus Mulholland Highway, the westernmost extension of Mulholland Drive, it runs right thru the middle. What a fun drive! Picture this, mountain roads, Hard left, hard right, tires squealing, Motorcycles passing you at breakneck speed, scenery that makes your Jaws drop. Pictures to follow, this time I had too much fun just driving…

This trip, our mission was to go to this legendary Place, Solstice Canyon. Right in Malibu.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/samo/maps/solstice.htm . So…

We did our drive down Mulholland, turned onto Malibu Canyon drive and headed into Malibu. Turned on PCH, the Pacific Coast highway, Heading north, turning left at the 76 gas station, Coral Canyon Drive. we did not know it but Solstice canyon is closed till March, 2008 due to the horrific fires that destroyed 49 homes. Tragedy stuck this awesome, beautiful scenic area. I guess some careless idiots, started a forest fire:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fire25nov25,0,1465891.story?coll=la-home-center

So, I drove up Coral Canyon Drive, the road that parallels Solstice canyon, Wow what a drive and the fire also struck here, they were very lucky. We came around this one turn near the top and saw this moonscape scene above. Nothing can prepare you for the smell and the utter barrenness. It looks just like a Moonscape, less the astronauts…

After a scenic ride thru Malibu and the PCH, we saw the sun setting and stopped for a Shoot. Just seconds After the sun set…
I caught my first Elusive post sunset Green Flash on Film… Below.

Top Photo Taken on: 03-25-07 3:30PM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/125th Second F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length:11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

Bottom Photo Taken on: 03-25-07 4:47PM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/320th Second F-Stop:f16 ISO:400
Focal length:200mm Lens: Nikon 70 – 300mm VR

Click on Image to view full size image:

Sunset by the Dunes – Florida’s Forgotten Coast

Florida’s Dunes, Very beautiful, Picturesque, Mystical, and are just plain fun to be around. They are a Perfect and completely natural way for protecting Florida’s coasts from erosion and the tropical storm season. We need to restore and protect all of them.

While meandering along Florida’s Forgotten Coast we came across these awesome dunes at The Mexico City Beach, FL.

This weekend, a storm front had just passed before Sunset. In this panoramic photo you can see the front, to the left of the Sun. The clouds were of the billowy, stringy, Brightly colored variety. The Sea oats were waffling back and forth in the Breeze. Perfect for a relaxing sunset with mother nature. This particular night also had an eclipse of the Moon.

So we sat back in awe of the Dunes and Sunset, Then we turned around and watched the eclipse of the Moon from in front of the dunes…

Top Photo of Dunes : Date Taken: 03-02-07 Sunset
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:N/A F-Stop:f5.6 ISO:125
Focal length:11mm Lens:Tamron 11-18 Wide Angle

Bottom Photo of Moon : Date Taken: 03-02-07 Moonlight
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/10s F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length:200mm Lens: Nikon 18-200mm Wide Angle

The Mexico City Beach web site, a great place to visit:
http://www.mexicobeach.com/cdc/

You can read my first Dunes Story and Photograph here:
http://www.awesomephotographyblog.com/travel/dunes-lone-survivor-floridas-forgotten-coast/

This Photographer at Half Dome -  admiring the Awesomeness of the view during the Fog – Yosemite National Park, CA

It was Ansel Adams who first inspired the world to see Half-Dome and Visit Yosemite. We have all looked at his famous Photographs of this place. If you have never been to Yosemite, you truly cannot grasp the unfathomable beauty and Awesomeness of this place. No matter how many photographs you have seen.

There is one thing that is an Absolute. Yosemite is unique in all the world, Just like America the Beautiful. Both, places like no other. We are fortunate to live in this great land were our ancestors had the foresight to save such a place for all of posterity and to those who have served in our Armed Forces, who fought, so we all can enjoy such a place in Freedom. A place all of humanity can enjoy.

On this Veterans day, We thank all of those who have sacrificed for our Great Nation. To all who serve or have served our great nation, Thank You…

This Photograph is for You!

This Photograph Courtesy of Ann Ogden. Northwest, NJ

Date Taken: 10-02-06 12:25PM High Noon dense fog
Model:Nikon D50 Shutter Speed:Aperture Mode F-Stop:f10.0 ISO:200
Focal length:55mm Lens:Nikon 55-200mm

Gateway to Yosemite Valley during Twilight in Heavy Fog after all night Storm- Yosemite National Park, CA

There are times in you life when you are at the right place at the right time. I have had a love for Twilight photography since my Trip to Alaska last year. Where ever I travel I always have to squeeze in a twilight shoot.

I captured this photograph on a Fall trip to the Yosemite National park, my first time visiting. I did all the touristy stuff. Then after a foggy stormy night, I arose to this incredible Foggy Twilight scene. I quickly grabbed my camera gear and headed onto the rocks in the middle of the Merced river and set up for the shot.

This Photograph of the Gateway to the Yosemite Valley with El Capitan, Bridelveil Falls and Half Dome all encased in Fog with the first hints of sunlight peaking thru on the mountain tops and in the center of the valley left me speechless. In foreground is the Merced River that flows thru the Yosemite Valley, with these little tuffs of long grass everywhere.

I was moved that such a beautiful place exists and that we were there to witness this magical scene.

This is my Favorite, Personal Fog shot of all time. Tomorrow is a Fog shot commemorating Veterans Day and My Favorite Fog shot of all time.

Taken at 6:48AM Pacific Time on 10/01/06

Date Taken: 10-01-06 6:48AM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 2.50 seconds F-Stop:f5.6 ISO:400
Focal length:18mm Lens:Tamron 11-18mm

Keywords: Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, El Capitan in the Fog, Merced River in Fog, Gateway to Yosemite in the Fog, Yosemite Valley in Twilight, Fog Photography