Tag Archive for: travel photography

Netarts Bay, Oregon

Travel landscape stock photography: Netarts Bay and Cape Lookout state park, Oregon

Netarts Bay and Cape Lookout state park, Oregon

Heavy, drizzly clouds around 6am on the second morning of the trip.  Was amazingly quiet, only a few birds screeching in the distance.

Mackenzie Beach, Tofino, British Columbia

PM

Travel landscape stock photography: sunset at Mackenzie beach, Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

AM

Travel landscape stock photography: Mackenzie beach, Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Photo’s from out standing on some rocks at Mackenzie beach, a little south of Tofino, on Vancouver island, British Columbia.  You know you’re at a cool place when the signs on the beach aren’t warning  about pollution (southern California) or Waves (northern California), but of bears, mountain lions, and wolves.   My 6 and 10 stop neutral density filters were some of my best friends up in the north.

Canada and Back

For the last 10 days I was away on a road trip up to Vancouver Island, Canada.  It doesn’t look so far on a map, but it took many long days of driving to get there and home again, plus a couple detours.  Most mornings began before 5am and didn’t end until late in the night.  Made it as far north as Tofino, Vancouver island before heading back.  Weather was hit and miss, zero rain though.  I seem to have been cursed by ‘hazy blue sky’ weather lately.  While it’s nice weather to travel and ‘do stuff’ in, it is probably about the worst I can think of photographically; I even prefer fog.  A couple good sunsets presented themselves anyhow and a I spent an amazingly warm and sunny day cruising around the streets of Victoria, quite a wonderful town – which means a lot from a person who generally dislikes cities.

Most of the trip was along the coast, covering the entire coasts of Oregon and Washington, but only the northern part of California.

Landscape travel stock photography: beach at sunset cove, Central Oregon coast.

Sunset Cove, Oregon.

11:56 pm – The Road Near Kvalnes

Lofoten islands Norway landscape photography: Reflection of clouds in water, Kvalnes

Three years ago out on the coast near Kvalnes. Unsuccessfully hunting the midnight sun with a German and two Norwegian’s.  We were a day or two too late in reality, had there been no clouds.  The cool thing about this time of year in the north: you can shoot sunset, sunrise, and then go to sleep for the night and not have to worry about setting your alarm.

Storm over Selfjorden

snow covered boat shed on shore of Selfjord in winter, near Fredvang, Moskenesoy, Lofoten islands, Norway

Boat sheds on the Moskenesøya side of Selfjorden, the far shore being Flakstadøya.

Travel landscape stock photography: boat shed in winter snow storm, Selfjorden, Lofoten islands, Norway

Only 15 minutes between these photos.  I had been haunted by this storm for hours as I watched it slowly approach.  At times it would be held up by the 1000 meter high mountain peaks rising from the sea and I would escape its arrival for a precious few minutes, but once I gained exposure to the north it hit with a fury of snow and wind.  A bitter cold straight from the arctic winter, chilling me to the bone.   It was a wild ride that night, alone in my tent halfway up some mountain pass.

The Kind and the Cruel Sea

Further down highway 1 from the Redwood national park area, yet still a few hours north of San Francisco, is Salt Point state park.  The waves here crash against rocky beaches and cliffs, rising into coastal bluffs and forests.

Salt Point state park, California

silhouette of trees at sunset

Rocky coastline at sunset, Salt Point state park, California

Dead seal pup on beach, Salt Point state park, California

In the rugged beauty of places like this, one is often reminded in the frailty of the life that lives there.  While the never ending crashing of waves may look good for my photo’s, they can be deadly obstacle for a young seal pup.  I counted 4 of the little guys along the short stretch of coast I walked along at days end.  The wind was blowing so fiercely that I would only pickup the smell when walking immediately down wind.  A quick search among the boulders and the source would be found.

Tafoni eroded boulder, Salt Point state park, California

Cool looking erosion in the sandstone rocks, called Tafoni.

Tafoni eroded boulder, Salt Point state park, California

Salt Point state park, California

Gylen Castle

Gylen castle, Kerrera island, Scotland

Overlooking the Firth of Lorne, the ruins of Gylen castle sit on a cliff at the southern end of Kerrera island.  Build in 1582 by clan MacDougall, the castle met its demise in 1647 when it was burned by the Covenanters during the civil war.

Approaching Storm – Tasman Valley

Clearing storm over mountains and Tasman valley, Mount Cook national park, New Zealand

Last rays of light before several days of rain over Tasman Valley and Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand.  Another old one from April, 2006.

Tasman glacier and lake, Mount Cook national park, New Zealand

Tasman glacier and Tasman lake covered in mist.

Storm over Tasman glacier and lake, Mount Cook national park, New Zealand

Storm over Tasman glacier and lake.

Clear Night at Milford Sound

Night photography: Clear night sky over Milford sound, New Zealand

A cloudless sky is a pretty rare sight at Milford Sound, a place with an average of 6.8 meters – 22 feet of rain per year.

Old photo from March 2006.  June Gloom has been in full effect these last weeks here in Santa Barbara and I haven’t been out shooting much lately.  I figure I’ll just post some old stuff that has never seen the light of day before…

Justadtind

Justadtind, The prominent mountain toward the left of both photos.

Justadtind and mountains of Vestvagoy rise from sea fjord, viewed from near Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

Justadtind and mountains of Vestvagoy rise from sea fjord, viewed from near Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway