#bald_eagle #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#bald_eagle #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Un des sites les plus célèbres de Guadeloupe, à l’extrémité est de Grande-Terre peu avant le lever de soleil.

A gauche, l'île de la Désirade.

Nikon D800E + Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm F3,5 ZF.2

Lee foundation kit + GND Lee 0.75xHE

Trépied Gitzo Mountaineer 6X + rotule Markins Q3 Emille

18mm, f/11, 20s

1 RAW (no HDR)

Capture One

All rights reserved

Thanks a lot for your views, comments and favs :-)

#bald_eagle #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#little_blue_heron #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#cormorant #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

High Fens on a cold afternoon.

Motorcycle racer

#brown_pelican #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#sanderling #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#great_blue_heron #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#osprey #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#moorhen #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#tree swallow #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#royal_tern #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

I may have mentioned once or twice on my recent uploads that we shot long exposures at Sand Harbor during the day.

Well, we did. And here is one of the shots as the clouds flew by around 1:45pm. This is one of my first shots as I didn't want to disturb the ripples in the sand. Later, I donned the boots and waded further out, but in the end, I think I like this shot for its simpler foreground.

Nikon D300

Nikkor 12-24mm @ 14mm

70sec @ f13, ISO 200

Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

B+W ND 3.0 (10 stop ND filter)

Lee .75 Soft GND filter

#roseate_spoonbill #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#red_shoulder_hawk #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

Back in July, I mentioned some good news about an image possibly getting into National Geographic. Well, the day has come, the issue arrived yesterday and the NGM website has been updated. I am excited to say the least, and want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support. Flickr has helped me get inspired about photography and get out of the house and visit the great landscapes that surround us.

This is another image from my brief visit to Joshua Tree National Park back in December. This unique rock formation is just past the arch rock and deserving some fave time with the ol' camera and lens.

Nikon D300

Tokina 10-17mm fisheye @ 14mm

30 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200

White LED flashlight for light painting

#osprey #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

Here's another shot from my recent trip to Death Valley. Before that epic sunrise at Badwater, Kendra and I had an amazing light show on New Year's Eve at the Racetrack.

The Racetrack is an old lake bed, a playa, long since dried up. The road here is, well, it's interesting. So much has been said about the road to the Racetrack. "You need 4WD", "you need high clearance". Well, not really. If you have plenty of time, you could make the drive in a Yugo. The washboard sections sucked, but if you watch your speed and don't drive like an idiot, you should be fine. Speaking of idiots, I couldn't believe how many people were tempting fate driving much faster than their beat up 1989 sedan should be going on such a road. Whoever you were, I hope you made it out ok.

The ranger at the visitor center said we'd have no problem in my truck and he kindly asked us not to walk on the playa if it had recently rained. Footprints last for years, and we did see a few trails made by humans once we got there. Bad tourists! Speaking of bad tourists...well, let's just say it was a trend. I've got plenty of "bad tourist" stories for anyone who's interested.

We spent our afternoon walking from the south end up to the Grandstand, a large dark rock formation. It seemes so close, but damn if that playa didn't seem to go on forever. We made our way back towards the south end for sunset. I found an area with two different rock/trail patterns I liked and settled in for quite the light shot.

Not a bad way to end 2009!

Nikon D300

Nikkor 12-24mm @ 15mm

30sec @ f13, ISO 100

Singh Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

Singh-Ray 3 Stop Reverse GND fillter

Lee .6 Hard Stop GND Filter

#osprey #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#white_tail_deer #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#red_shoulder_haswk #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

Sometimes, it is worth getting up in the morning. This morning was a prime example.

After getting about 2.5 hours sleep the previous night, I still set my alarm to catch sunrise, even if it wasn't somewhere all too exciting. This is the beach in front of the little tourist town of Capitola, 1.5 miles from my house taken this morning.

A simple sunrise on Sunday.

Nikon D300

Tokina 11-16mm @ 11mm

0.6sec @ f10, ISO 100

Singh-Ray 3-Stop Reverse GND Filter

Na een lange tijd de camera weer eens tevoorschijn getoverd. Was even zoeken naar alle knopjes 😄.

#royal_tern #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#hutchinsonislandsunrise #florida #sunrise #waterscape #landscape #nature #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#osprey #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

As is often the case when out shooting landscapes, whether by land or by sea, the sun can play hide-n-seek with us hapless photographers. Some of the best moments occur during those brief glimpses when the sun does make an appearance.

Nikon D300

Nikkor 12-24mm @ 12mm

2.5sec @ f22, ISO 160

Singh Ray 3 stop reverse GND filter

Lee .9 Soft GND filter

#cormorant #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#anhinga #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

I get this email from Patrick Smith. "Yo, Jim, the storm could break at sunset. Get your butt up to San Francisco."

I look out my window and it's raining. I think "Yeah, right! Drive for almost two hours for this?!?!"

But it's Patrick Smith, landscaper extraordinaire, so I give it some more thought. What the heck, I'm heading to San Francisco!

As I'm leaving town, I call Steve Landeros, aka maxxsmart. I shot with him on Thursday, and his cell number was sitting at the top of my phone. "Yo, Steve, the storm could break at sunset. Patrick Smith says so."

Steve replies "Yeah, right!"

I convince him otherwise, and we meet above Marshall's Beach, south of the Golden Gate bridge. It's now 4pm and sunset is less than an hour away. Golden beams of light are breaking through the clouds off shore. My photographic juices are flowin' big time. I'm thinking, "Let's go!" Steve is casually discussing the options in detail, showing me sunset angles, azimuths, latitudes, longitudes on his fancy iPhone.

I point to the golden sunbeams, and say "those look good". Steve agrees, and off to Rodeo Beach north of the Golden Gate we go.

We hustle out to the beach, I rip off my shoes and socks, going full "toes to the sand" style. We set up, just as the sun is dipping below one cloud bank to the next. Three minutes into the shoot, I get this shot. Truly, living in the moment.

Nikon D300

Nikkor 12-24mm @ 13mm

1 sec @ f22, ISO 100

Singh-Ray 3-stop Reverse GND Filter

Lee. 6 Hard Stop GND Filter

#osprey #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#little_blue_heron #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#sunset #florida #sunset #waterscape #landscape #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

One of only a few shot's I managed to get, on what looked like a promising afternoon. Had difficulty with a Markins ball head and abandoned any idea of getting something decent, but its a location I will be back to again...and again.

#red_shoulder_hawk #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Nikon D800E + Carl Zeiss Distagon 15mm F2.8 ZF.2

Lee foundation kit + GND Lee 0.75xHE

Trépied Gitzo Mountaineer 6X + rotule Markins Q3 Emille

15mm, f/16

Capture One

All rights reserved

Thanks a lot for your views, comments and favs :-)

#royal_tern #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#roseate_spoonbill #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#great_blue_heron #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#juvenile_bald_eagle #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#Roseate_Spoonbill #florida_birds #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sonyalpha #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo

#osprey #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#great_blue_heron #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #sony #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

#terns #florida #best_birds_planet #planet_birds #birdbrilliance #birdphotography #nature #wildlifephotography #birdextreme #bestbirdshots #discovertheworld #nature_perfection #wildlifeperfection #gregorymountainpacks #canon #gitzo #leofotousa #markins #manfrotto #TKpanel #luminarneo #adobe_LR_PS #nikcollection #topaz #dxo #capture_1 #rrs

Portfolio & Services

For years, I resisted ever taking a vacation unless it focused on nothing but SCUBA diving. How things have changed.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Kendra and I decided on a long weekend up around Lake Tahoe. The cheap lodging and easy access to several different shooting locations helped play a part in our decision. Being close to casinos and a multitude of Safeways, Subways, and Starbucks was an unexpected surprise.

For our first day, we got up at 6am to finish packing and get to Tahoe by lunch time, thus allowing ourselves plenty of time to scout out and find Bonsai Rock. It seemed like a good place to start as the weather forecast called for worsening wind and potential snow showers as the weekend progressed. Stephen Oachs had mentioned something about reflections and wind, and yeah they don't mix.

Kendra is the GPS queen, and she loaded up a bunch of spots for us to check out. As we drove around the lake, she would randomly tell me how fast I was driving by looking at her GPS. As we passed Sand Harbor, I knew Bonsai Rock was close and told Kendra to look out the window for it as it is down a relatively steep incline from the highway.

"But the GPS says we have four more miles", she said. "No", I replied,"it's only about half a mile or so from Sand Harbor". At that instant, I hear "there it is!" and the GPS chimes in that we had reached our destination. Funny how four miles can be covered in 30 seconds. Good job GPS.

So this is my reflections shot, you won't see many more reflections from me out of this trip. The weather forecasters were pretty accurate.

I did pick up a couple new toys before the trip. One being a Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue polarizer. This polarizer is like giving a drug addict an unlimited supply of funds and making them immune to the legal system. I rarely took this filter off as it was a great opportunity to see what it could do. I felt I needed this little "preface" in order to help explain some of the far out and whacky colors that I will be posting over the next week or two. And if you don't know about the Gold-N-Blue polarizer by Singh-Ray, read more here.

I hope everyone had a great long weekend, and I will be slowly catching up with you all over the next few days!

Nikon D300

Nikkor 12-24mm @ 12mm

15sec @ f14, ISO 100

Singh-Ray Gold-N-Blue Polarizer

Lee .9 and .6 Soft GND Filters

©Lela Bouse-McCracken :::

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