Winter Beach Reflections - Black and White Photography

  Pinnacle Gulch, just a short hike through a little valley with a creek below. Well worth the hike :)

Partly Cloudy - Sonoma Coast

Seems like just about any time of year I check the local webcam for the coast (Bodega Ocean Observing Node)  BOON to see the weather, it's 'partly cloudy' which can be great in the summer since where I live inland about 15 miles, we hardly see a cloud all summer.

 The diffused light is great for capturing all the great textures of this rugged coast

 It started to rain as I was out, luckily it didn't last long

Thought I would just go with the mood a little more, it can be so gloomy in a beautiful way on quiet cloudy days at the coast.

 (Nikon D7000, 18-140mm)

Coastal California

Just wanted to post these few photographs together from recent outings locally here in Sonoma and Marin County. I hope everyone is having a great weekend :)

Mossy Woods - Sonoma County California

 lovely oak and mossy rocks

 found some deer sheds in the woods, these two were only a few feet from each other when I found them, I'm guessing they were from the same deer.

interesting formations of the California Bay trees

fragrant bay laurel trees and mossy rocks, looks like a natural Japanese garden

 giant grandmother California Buckeye tree

 

had to look close to find some cladonia lichens

View of the lake after the woods....Sonoma County is so vibrant in the early spring especially this year since we have had so much rain. Being from the Pacific N.W. I savor every little bit of the winter and green while it's here for a short while before everything turns golden again.

Sonoma Coast California - Landscape Photography

little cows on a big hill on the way to the coast

trail above the sea with a view for miles in every direction

above Wrights beach campground

creek meeting the ocean

wild Yarrow on the cliffs 

The lovely Sonoma County California coast.

Recently I got a new lens, the Nikon 18-140mm. It's the first zoom I've purchased since my first kit lens 18-55mm which came with my first SLR many years ago. I generally don't use zooms and prefer a fixed lens but I would like to start capturing more birds and wildlife, so entering the zoom lens reality seems necessary. It did alot of research and considered the 2.8f stop lenses and thought those would be the best option, mostly at the recommendations from other photographer friends who mainly shoot portraits and weddings and need good low light capabilities. I shoot outdoors almost exclusively so I took a chance on the 3.5-5.6 and I have not been disappointed yet, I love this lens! 

 I also did some portrait photography recently, which was alot of fun, volunteering in Santa Rosa last month for the Help Portrait organization which was indoors and the images were great, and the focus was fast and clear.  I have mostly used the 35mm fixed lens for the last many years on my D7000 and it has been my favorite lens of all and so versatile, but now this new 18-140mm is currently living on my camera. It's a bit heavier, but so nice to use. The zoom is tight so the lens does not creep and the image quality is wonderful. I also got some macro attachments for super close ups. More of those images later :)

Sonoma County California Coast

A day at the coast recently, bright sun and so warm for this time of year.

Birds on the Wind - California Coast

A windy, misty and bright sunny day at the coast in Northern California. Huge waves rolling in, powerful just to sit and listen.

Early evening

An early evening walk in the laguna. I hope everyone has a great weekend !

Yellow Mustard Fields

Beautiful brilliant yellow mustard fields blooming again ;)