Half Dome and the Yosemite valley from the Base of Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park, CA

Here is the follow up Photograph from Yesterdays Blog entry.

The clouds were clearing fast after a winter storm blew thru the Valley. You can see the observation bridge in the middle below were most people take their photo’s of the Falls.

To get there, you go thru the woods to the left. A very rocky path meanders it’s way up the mountain to the base of the Falls. It a fun climb but not to hard. Lots of Caves here too, I was hoping I would not wake any smokies sleeping nearby…

Photograph Taken on: 1-12-08 2:25PM Aperture Mode
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/320 Second F-Stop:f11 ISO:400
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

The Mott Adobe Ruins, Fireplace, Malibu Creek State Park

The Malibu Creek State Park has a wide and Varied History. It’s abundant water, Wildlife and Forests make it a great place to live in the relativity dry California landscape. The Native Chumash Thrived here for Millennia. In the Early 1900’s part of the present day park was purchased by a group of wealthy businessmen who built Crags Country Club. Many of these Country club members built Homes here.

Johnny Mott a famous LA attorney built his Adobe here along Malibu Creek in 1911. Here he often played host to his good friend and travel companion, President Herbert Hoover. The Mott adobe was also used in the Movie “Viva Zapata!” released in 1952, starring Marlon Brando. Here is a map of Area:
http://www.venturacountytrails.org/TrailMaps/MalibuCreek/AreaHome.html

Over the years it has fallen into disrepair and only a small part of one wall and the fireplace remain. Around the fireplace you can see stone flooring and remains of the brick mortar
foundation

On the day we were there, the sun broke thru the clouds and gave the remains an eerie glow…

Photograph Taken on: 12-08-07 2:01PM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/30th Second F-Stop:f11 ISO:400
Focal length:11mm Lens: Tamron 11 - 18mm Wide Angle

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Rock Pool, Malibu Creek State park, Santa Monica Mountains, CA

The Rock Pool has been a backdrop and featured in so many films, I will refer you too this great web page with a brief history of the Area.
http://www.venturacountytrails.org/News/0168-MalibuCreekStParkHistory/NewsPage.htm

The Rock Pool was also a famous “Hollywood” Skinny dipping spot back in the day. Picture this Crystal Clear Water, Beautiful Surroundings, rich history, All the Famous people have hung here, Many a famous Movie was filmed here, Shear Volcanic Rock Cliffs with which to Leap Off for that perfect Dive. Yeah…

Right now the Fall colors are here, So…
I Climbed the “Planet of the Apes” Rock Wall and took this shot.

Photograph Taken on: 12-08-07 3:30PM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/50th Second F-Stop:f11 ISO:400
Focal length:14mm Lens:Tamron 11 - 18mm

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Century Lake and Dam, Malibu Creek State Park, CA

The Century Lake once known as Craig’s lake after the Craig’s Country club owned by 100 or so Los Angeles Business Dammed the Malibu Creek in 1901. They made a lake for sailing, fishing and duck-hunting. They planted a grove of redwoods, which still stands. Photo’s to follow.

The property was purchased by 20th Century Fox for a remote studios in 1947 and has been the backdrop for many a famous Movie when they needed a remote place to simulate a faraway place. M*A*S*H was filmed very close to Here, near the “Rock Pool”.
Photo’s to follow.

The original Country club is but some stone foundations and the lake is now surrounded by Reeds and many hiking trails. It’s a great place to relax on the weekends, and very fun to photograph…

Here is Official Website: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=614
Map of Park: http://www.venturacountytrails.org/TrailMaps/MalibuCreek/AreaTrails.htm

Photograph Taken on: 12-08-07 3:30PM
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/40th Second F-Stop:f4.5 ISO:400
Focal length:11mm Lens:Tamron 11 - 18mm

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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, but they were very lucky, most homes were spared. 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: 12-02-07 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

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Sunset during an X-Class Solar Flare, Sunset Beach, FL

I love a Great Sunset, It’s one of the requirements of being a native Floridian. It also means I follow the weather in space, especially the goings on at our Sun.

Late December 6th, 2006, Sunspot 930 had just exploded Creating a Solar Tsunami and an X6 Class Solar Flare. See a movie of the explosion on the sun at Spaceweather.com:
http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=08&month=12&year=2006

X-class flares are big, they are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. The last time this occurred was July 14th, 2000 and it caused what was “The Bastille Day Event“.

The full effects of this Solar Flare hit earth on December 8th, 2006. I had been watching the skies since sunrise, looking for anything unusual to Photograph. Around Noon in Tampa bay, I noticed Ice halos around the sun. I placed one of those Photo’s at bottom.

So, having Never photographed a sunset during a Major Solar event I headed to Sunset Beach, FL. The Place for awesome sunsets in The Tampa Bay area. The Sun was Blasting so bright even at high apertures it completely blurred the clouds around it. Even to the Naked eye…

Here is a Photograph of the Ice Halo as seen from Pinellas Park, FL

Date Taken: 12-08-06 5:13PM Sunset / Massive X6 class Solar Flare
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/30 Aperture Priority F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

Bottom Photo Taken: 12-08-06 2:29PM Ice Halo’s Massive X6 class Solar Flare
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/500 Aperture Priority F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

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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.awesomephotograph.com/blog/moonlight-photography/dunes-lone-survivor-floridas-forgotten/

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

This Photograph is the first in my sunset series. I am going to feature my favorite sunsets from Alaska to Florida all This week.

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

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Half Dome from Glacier Point Midday Storms coming

I have always been fascinated by Half Dome and dreamed for more years than I can count about going and hanging out in front of one of Mother Natures greatest creations. When I first arrived on Glacier Point, I sat their mesmerized at the magnitude of what I was seeing. eventually I got down to taking a few shots.

The day I was there a big front was rolling in and I just kept taking pictures. Soon Half Dome was covered in clouds. I could see multiple mountain ranges and below is the Yosemite Valley.
I could of sat there forever…

Here is Great page on Glacier Point for more Info:
http://www.yosemitefun.com/glacier_point.htm

Date Taken: 10-02-06 Afternoon
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1/80 F-Stop:f8 ISO:100
Focal length:11mm Lens:Tamron 11-18mm Telephoto

The Boulder Mountains Panorama - Sawtooth National Recreational Area

I have been trying to get some good clouds on top of the Boulder Mountains
since arrivng in Sun Valley. On our trip to Stanley last Sunday, They were
perfect in the Late Morning. This shot is 5 Photographs stitched together.
To the right behind the far hill is the the Ghost town of Boulder.

I am hoping Saturday night to get the same shot in the Moonlight.

Date Taken: 10-21-07 Late Morning
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed:1Aperature Priority F-Stop:f16 ISO:100
Focal length:32mm Lens:Nikon 18-200mm Telephoto

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