Northern Elephant Seals at San Simeon

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This past weekend I rented the Nikon 200-400mm f/4 lens and drove a couple hours up the coast to the San Simeon area along highway 1 to photograph the Northern Elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), which are now on the beaches in good numbers while moulting.  The weather was quite dissapointing with rain on Friday and thick fog (typical for the area, but I’m often lucky and have clear skies) on Saturday and Sunday.  The fog lifted from time to time, but for the most part, it was so thick that even being no more than 5-10 meters from the seals a visible haze would be present between the animals and myself.  And not much chance of any landscape type shots of the seal covered beaches.  Though as long as I was pretty close, the fog provided a nice soft light, like a giant soft box in the sky (and I got pretty sunburnt as well).   I’ll also say that I’m glad that wildlife photography doesn’t interest me all that much, as I would hate to have to carry a lens like that on a regular basis.  Totally defeats my ideas of traveling “fast and light.”  Though the lens is beautifully sharp and a pleasure to work with, just not carry.

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

As the seals are mostly quite still while sleeping I tried throwing on a 6 stop neutral density filter to get some blur in the water and see how things looked.  A few of the seals moved a bit, but for the most part they remained still for the 8 second exposure.  Just wish it hadn’t been so foggy.  The seals will be around for another month of so, so maybe I’ll go back again, with a better weather forecast.

Northern elephant seals - Mirounga angustirostris - on beach at Piedras Blancas north of San Simeon, California. Cody Duncan photography

California

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Back home in sunny foggy Santa Barbara now.  Arrived around midnight Tuesday night after an uneventful, but long day of travel.  For some reason while flying, I always get stuck next to the person with some awful cough.  The 11 hour flight from Munich to San Francisco was no different, with the guy sitting across the isle from me with a horrible cough at a regular 2-3 minute interval.   Anyone have any suggestions on what strange disease I should go get tested for?

Flew into San Franscisco International airport, which I greatly prefer to the mess of chaos and disorder which they call LAX (Los Angeles International), especially when flying in from abroad.  Arriving around 7:00pm, the airport was a near ghost town.  No lines for Immigration/Passport control, customs, baggage transfer, or security screening.  Actually seemed more like some small regional airport it was so empty.  I then had about 3 hours of boredom till the quick hop down to SB.

The Last German Spring

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On my last Sunday in Germany we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and take one last tour of the Franconian countryside.  First stop was to Walberla and then we made our way to Hohenstein for one last Windbeutel.

Germany travel stock photography: Cherry tree blossom in spring, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Germany travel stock photography: farm field in spring, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Germany travel stock photography: farm field in spring, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Homeward

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On Tuesday afternoon I’ll be walking onto a plane in Munich and flying 10,000km west, to California. It’s been a constant battle to stay here in Germany (the legal way, that is), but I’ve finally run out of options, for now. The last weeks have been busy while trying to take in as much of Germany as possible before heading home.  The days have been so nice lately, seems a bit of a shame to have to leave just now…

Mr. Stork arrived a few weeks back, while the Mrs. showed up a couple days ago.

Stork nest on chimney, Bavaria, Germany

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

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On Easter Sunday we took a lazy afternoon trip over to the historic city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.  It’s one of the cooler cities that I’ve been to here, and judging by the hordes of guidebook carrying tourists of all nationalities, I’m not alone in my thinking.

A cool old wall surrounds the town, which after climbing a flight of stairs, one can walk around on and enjoy a rooftop view across the city.  Anywhere one looked, cool old towers were rising into the sky.  Cobble stone streets and colorful old buildings finished up the mood.

HIstoric city Wall and guard towers, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Historic stone tower, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Cobble stone city square, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Walkway along historic stone wall, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Historic stone tower, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Cobble stone street, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany

Europa Park

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Finally made a visit to Europa Park the other week.  Sort of like Disneyland, but the park is themed after the countries of Europe; So there is a “France” region, a “Scandinavia,” an “Italy” and so forth.  Got lucky with some nice spring weather; first time I’ve put on sunblock in a long time.  Only took a few pictures as I spent most of my time standing in lines for ride.  Good times.

Europa park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Europa park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Europa park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Europa park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Days of Spring

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Spring has arrived here in the Oberpfalz. Growing up in southern California, I never knew seasons. But after a long winter here in northern Bavaria, the first leaves of spring are nothing less than magic. And by now the forests are nearly completely green, as if the winter had never existed in the first place. The days are once again long and warm; the sun rising early and staying up late. The storks are back on their chimney and song birds wake me up all too early in the morning if I forget to close the window at night. The street-side cafe’s have once again set up their chairs outside and one looks for a shady place to sit to escape the hot midday sun. These last days make the cold of winter easily forgotten. Life has returned.

Green leaf in Spring, Bavaria, Germany

Cherry tree Blossom in spring, Bavaria, Germany. Cody Duncan Photography

Cherry tree Blossom in spring, Bavaria, Germany. Cody Duncan Photography

Cherry tree Blossom in spring, Bavaria, Germany. Cody Duncan Photography

Pegnitz Highline

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My buddy Till walking the line on the outskirts of Pegnitz yesterday evening.

Cody Duncan Photography: Highline, Pegnitz, Bavaria, Germany

Cody Duncan Photography: Highline, Pegnitz, Bavaria, Germany

Cody Duncan Photography: Highline, Pegnitz, Bavaria, Germany

Cody Duncan Photography: Highline, Pegnitz, Bavaria, Germany

Lofoten Islands – An Evening Over Stamsund

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One afternoon I took a hike up one of the hills above Stamsund to watch the sunset.  Wasn’t the best light I’ve ever seen, but at least it was mostly clear and the wind was relatively calm.  It crossed my mind to wait around a few hours in hopes of some auroras, but after waiting around for a little while, I decided it was far too cold for such an idea.  Maybe I will bring a sleeping bag up nextime.

Lofoten islands winter mountain photo: shadow of hiker across snowy landscape

While the hike up the mountains was mostly deep snow, the top was windswept and icy.  I made it to the top with a little bit of sun left, casting long shadows across the winter landscape.

Lofoten islands winter panoramic photo: Justadtind mountain peak at sunset

Panoramic of the mountain Justadtind (in the center of photo). 4 photos at 31mm stitched together.

Lofoten islands winter mountain photo: sun setting over mountains, Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

In the far north, the sun never gets very high in the sky, making more of a low circle around the horizon as the day passes on.  Due to this relatively low angle of movement, the twilight time before/after sunset/rise lasts much longer up in the arctic than at milder latitudes.  In only another month in a half, the sun will set for the final time of the summer.  It’s amazing how long the days already are this early in the year.

Lofoten islands winter mountain scenic photo: Steinstind peak at sunset, Stamsund, Vestvagoy, lofoten islands, Norway

the mountain peak in the distance is Steinstind (the peak on the left is the higher one, though doesn’t appear so in the photo), the high point of the mountain ridge I was on.  this photo was from near Stamsundheia.  In summer it’s a nice easy hike along the ridge.

Lofoten islands, Norway: Person hiking along mountain ridge at sunset

panoraic photo: village of Ure and Vestfjord, Lofoten islands, Norway

View towards the village of Ure (below mountain in center of photo), with the islands and skerries off the coast of Steine on the left of the photo.

Vestfjord Morning

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This photo is the view from Stamsund across the Vestfjord (Vestfjorden).  The mountain on the far left of the photo is at the village of Henningsvær, still part of Lofoten.  The mountains in the distance are of the Norwegain mainland, some 40-60km away across the waters of the Vestfjord.  Typical sunrise with a break in the clouds near the horizon, letting a few minutes of sun through, before turning into a (mostly) gray and overcast day.

Panoramic photo: sunrise across Vestfjorden, Stamsund, Lofoten islands, Norway

Nikon 85mm tilt-shift lens: 3 photos stitched.