Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
Carrizo Plain
Montana De Oro Wildflowers
Montana De Oro Wildflowers
Montana De Oro Wildflowers
Montana De Oro Wildflowers
Montana De Oro Wildflowers
MMontana De Oro Sandstone
Montana De Oro Cave and Anemones
Montana De Oro Sandstone
I have been sharing my work for a number of years, but have slowed down significantly in the last several. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been working on the craft though 🙂 Just have much less time to finish and share as I have in years past.
Here’s a set of videos I made in 2023. I hope to share more, and some images too, in the near future. As always, would love to hear your thoughts and any constructive criticism.
Click “Open in App” or watch directly in YouTube (not in a Facebook or other browser) for the best quality. If not already selected, choose 4K HDR (Be sure to watch on an HDR display (e.g., Pixel 7/8, iPhone 14/15, Samsung S23/24, or an M1 Mac)).
Things change, the world goes on. Even just a few minutes (and different capture and editing techniques) can make the same scene look and feel vastly different. Do you have a preference between these three?
Shooting & sharing has certainly decreased since I moved to California, but I sense that will be changing soon. I will have more to share shortly 🙂 In the meantime, a teaser from Davenport, CA, a location I like to go to as it’s only an hour from where I live.
A few days into the new year, I ventured back to the coast for sunset. It did not disappoint! As the light faded away, I found the right composition for the water levels and view to the start.
I also captured some drone footage of the amazing sunset that directly preceded this beautiful twilight. I’m still working out the kinks of how to capture and process…some jerkiness but bear with me. But hopefully you get the jist 🙂
Since we moved to California in April of 2017, I hadn’t had a chance to visit the world renowned park which is nearly in my backyard (if you consider 4 hours drive your backyard 🙂 ).
I spent 3 nights in and around Yosemite mostly scouting an area I have never been to. Much more to see and photograph, but here are a few to start. Aerials coming soon 🙂
Multiple exposures near twilight at Tunnel View, Yosemite
A classic view of the reflection of late evening light over Half Dome
A serene cloudless morning at Lundy Canyon
An elevated view into the valley exposes layers of aspens, pines, and granite rock in late morning light
The full moon shines light on granite under the blue, early night sky filled with stars
The sun sinks beneath high peaks and casts color across the valley
Light peeks through clouds and on high crags near Yosemite
Last month we went back to Hawaii – this time the island of Maui. A relaxing trip for sure. But since I was still on Pacific time, I was waking up around 5a every morning. So I spent my time exploring and photographing nearby. A few shots to keep me going, but I hope to have more time to devote to photography…
A blast of color at sunset under the crescent moon at Lahaina, Maui
Striations and patterns carved in lava rock
Rough seas cut through lava rock at Ironwoods beach, Maui
Bright lights and fast water converge in an abstract representation
The sun rises above the shooting seawater of Nakalele Blowhole
An abstract from the color and movement of the sky and water
Last week, I took a trip back to Shark Fin Cove which has been an early favorite for me along the Norcal coast. I find myself returning again and again to the coast for my evening shoots – an hour drive away from the suburban bustle of Silicon Valley.
This time though, I got a chance to experiment with a new toy, a DJI Mavic Air. I wasn’t convinced that videography is for me for so long, but I am happy I finally made the leap. The technology itself is worth the experience. It’s really crazy how much smarts are packed into this small device, as well as ability to capture a compelling image. I have some ideas in mind to experiement with different types of photography/videography with the Mavic… hope you’ll stay tuned.
In the meantime, I’ll give you the clip from my maiden shoot. A little rough on the edges, but still a lot of fun. Oh, and also some still images I had to capture at lands end.
Intense waves crash up the coast at sunset at Shark Fin Cove
The namesake sea stack of Shark Fin Cove reflects in tide pools at the shore at sunset
Last week, I shot sunset over Pacifica and Mori Point. The sea stacks of Sharp Park beach are awesome, and this vantage point would especially be nice during wildflower season. After the cloudless sunset, Venus and early evening stars began shining brightly — mimicking the formation of the 3 large sea stacks in the ocean.
Sea stacks dance with Venus and early evening stars over the rough Pacific
We visited Monterey and Big Sur over the weekend, and finally traveled down to Bixby bridge and McWay Falls! Just before sunset, dappled light hit the cliffs and made for a very peaceful scene
Dappled light over the cliffs over fields of flowers at the coast near Big Sur
Things have been super busy since we moved to California in April of last year. But now, we are finally settling into our new home and I was able to spend some time continuing to explore the coast. I know I promised I would move away from coastal photography, but I couldn’t resist.
A blast of color through rough surf during an otherwise gray evening at Shark Fin Cove near Davenport, CA
Another coastal shot! Made it out to natural bridges state park just north of Santa Cruz. Cold water but I quickly got acclimated to it as I stood waist deep to get some good wave action…with another earth, sea, sky shot — maybe time to explore a little inland.
Strong currents and soft light at sunset at Natural Bridges State Park, California
In the 6+ months we have lived in the Bay Area, shooting opportunities have been very few. Recently though we took a trip to Lake Tahoe and I had a business trip to San Diego. I did my best to get back out there and in the elements.
Finally I feel like I’m starting to explore this beautiful state we live in!
Lake Tahoe Sunrise
A peaceful sunrise after snowfall at the north shore of Tahoe
Crashing Waves at Tahoe
La Jolla Sunset
La Jolla Sunset
La Jolla Sunset
It’s been so long but getting back to the swing of things. My first trip up to SF for sunrise. No clouds – all good. 2 hour commute back to South bay – all bad
Crashing waves at Marshall’s Beach
I took a few hours to check out an amazing celestial display in the solar eclipse. The experience was really amazing even as I did not witness “totality”. Maybe in 2024 🙂
The moon shrouds the sun over the Diablo range
A dark filter reflects the hills of Walnut Creek under the solar eclipse
Last evening, storm clouds caught some nice color at sunset. A long exposure streaked the clouds and calmed the water over the Jefferson memorial and still peaking blossoms
A long exposure streaks clouds during a colorful sunset at the Tidal Basin
Pinks and blues over the city and cherry blossoms below at the Washington Monument
Over the weekend, we hit peak of cherry blossoms. After a warm winter followed by a cold spell while the blossoms were partially exposed, many were worried if we would see Cherry Blossoms as we are accustomed to. I think the bloom is actually really nice! I personally can’t tell a difference between this and previous years. This morning was a beautiful calm fog over the scene, which allowed some beautiful blue tones in the clouds with the pink of the blossoms and allowed for a peaceful mood.
Cherry blossoms line the Tidal Basin during a foggy sunrise
Cherry Blossoms and fog surround the Jefferson Memorial
Cherry blossoms line the Tidal Basin during a foggy sunrise
Cherry Blossoms and fog surround the Jefferson Memorial
This morning, I was hoping for a little more photogenic and more snow than what we got. But I made the most of it while touring the Tidal Basin. The blossoms were covered in ice while still delicately blooming. Here’s hoping they will last…
Jefferson Memorial Frozen Blossoms
Washington Monument Frozen Blossoms
Last week I returned to Iceland after an amazing trip in October left me wanting more. For this trip, my goal was to capture winter scenes, in particular ice caves and hopefully some aurora. As it turns out, the rainy weather I witnessed in October stayed for the months I was away, and Iceland is continuing to go through a wet and warm winter. There was no snow on the ground when I arrived and in fact the ice caves were in jeopardy of melting due to intense rainfall. We were not even sure if we could visit as we had hoped. Ultimately, we lucked out on one day where we had no rain and less wind which allowed us to hike 10 miles up and down the glacier, capturing photos and flying the drone all the way! Thanks to my new friend Stephan Mantler, who leads amazing small group hikes here. My short trip was highlighted by that arduous and sometimes intimidating trek — where a slip here or there could mean real trouble and a possible slide all the way down the glacier. My friend Bernard Chen, a very good photographer and videographer, documented our hike below. Besides that hike, I also visited Gulfoss, Vik, and some mountain scenes near Pingvellir. Another nice, short trip to Iceland and I appreciate your thoughts on my work!
Gulfoss Abstract – The most violent section of the Gulfoss waterfall captured under overcast skies
Edge of the Glacier – Glacial streams and massive shapes take form at the edge of one of the fingers of the Vatnajökull glacier
Edge of the Glacier Panoramic – Massive shapes at the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier trail far into the valley during a somber sunset
Here on we started our trip up the glacier! Here’s the documentary our trip up via Bernard Chen and his DJI Mavic Pro.
Call of the North from Bernard Chen on Vimeo.
Ice Hills – Undulating hills fade into the distance atop the Vatnajökull glacier
Ice Canyon – A closeup of an ice canyon crevasse atop the Vatnajökull glacier
Shark Fins – An abstract of the sheer shapes of the Vatnajökull glacier
Ice Land – Late afternoon light hits rolling hills of ice atop the Vatnajökull glacier
What Lies Beneath – A massive crevasse canyon created by meltwater on top of the Vatnajökull glacier
Glacier Lake Reflection – The still glacier lagoon reflects light and the distant glacier and mountains at Vatnajökull
Under the Cave – Melting water rushes out from the glacier into the lagoon under a translucent ceiling of glacier ice
Stained Glass – Light streams through cyan ice that resembles stained glass in a massive ice cave under the Vatnajökull glacier
Glass and Ice – Clouds and the sun reflect in the calm glacier lagoon at sunset in front of the Vatnajökull glacier
The next day after our hike, we headed back east towards Vik. While in Reynisfjara, I finally was able to scamper over the rocks during low tide and get a full-on view of the impressive sea stacks (the second shot in these two):
Shimmer Beach – Sunlight reflects the shadows of Vik’s sea stacks and bright sparkles of shimmering volcanic rocks that make up the black beach
Enter Darkness – A long exposure at sunrise creates a moody scene upon full view of the impressive sea stacks at Reynisfjara beach
On our way to Pingvellir, I noticed these massive mountains that were partially reflected in a frozen lake. It was an impressive show of size even in grand Iceland:
Moody Mountaintops – Overcast skies cover the peeks of massive mountains above a frozen lake in east Iceland
This morning I led a very cold workshop at the Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials. Not a cloud in the sky and 20-ish degrees, but still a beautiful sight!
A clear and cold sunrise at the Vietnam Memorial
Sunrise on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial
Another year in review! I’m actually surprised at the amount of shots I captured this year, given that next year’s resolution is to shoot more. Here are my fav 10…Which one is your favorite?
Snow and the surrounding American flags fly towards the Washington Monument during the first night of the 2016 blizzard in Washington DC
The late winter’s “snow moon” rises over the Memorial Bridge, Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial
Washington DC Cherry Blossoms 2016
Rain and mist in the high mountains off of ring road in southern Iceland
A long exposure as the tide creeps on the Stokksnes beach before the Vesturhorn mountain
Light shines through the violent waves and translucent icebergs of the ice beach
An abstract of light and color turns to sensual lines at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Wildflowers rise from a rocky hillside in the badlands of Twenty Mule Team Canyon
Stars shine brightly over a pathway of cracked mud at Panamint Playa
Vibrant flowering trees and calla lillies line the architecture of Oia, Santorini as the sun warms the sky and landscape
Last night I spent some time down by the memorials. I wanted to get a shot of the wreaths against the Vietnam memorial, but the beautiful clouds started gathering more westward. I did a few long exposures facing the Lincoln Memorial before turning back east to the Washington Monument where the sky had turned a deep pink. A pretty nice and unique sunset despite the cold!
Long Exposure Lincoln Memorial Sunset
Pink Sunset at the Reflecting Pool
As we finally are seeing cold weather we regularly expect in late November, the autumn leaves — several weeks later than normal, are finally falling off of the trees. This past Saturday was a particularly amazing day. It started at 70 degrees on an afternoon we decided to take our baby to the zoo. By 3pm, a cold front arrived with 40 degree weather and crazy wind! Leaves of all shapes and colors flew across the sky. We may have a week or so left to witness the fall color. I’ll perhaps have a little more to share, but here are a few from the past two weeks:
Great Falls Autumn Panorama
Lower Senate Park in Autumn
Lower Senate Park in Autumn
This evening, we saw an amazing supermoon rise over Washington DC. We chose the Constitution Gardens to allow us a view eastward to the rising moon while also seeing the peaking fall foliage. Enjoy!
The stunning supermoon rises over a cloudless pink and blue sky at the Constitution Gardens of Washington DC
The stunning supermoon rises over a cloudless pink and blue sky at the Constitution Gardens of Washington DC
Autumn Panorama at the Constitution Gardens
Happy Veterans Day on this beautiful fall morning… As shown by some amazing color at the Air Force Memorial this week
Air Force Memorial in the Fall
Air Force Memorial in the Fall
I was lucky to spend 3 amazing nights in Iceland. Though there was a lot of rain, I made the best of the situation and had a great time. I will be updating this page with details of my trip!
Icebergs line the shore of the black sand beach near Jökulsárlón
Violent waves smash icebergs around and apart during a seredepitous and rare moment during my trip when the sun peeked through the clouds to color the scene
Being constantly barraged by water, Icebergs form beautiful shapes during a gorgeous sunrise at the black sand beach
Light shines through the violent waves and translucent icebergs of the ice beach
The moon peaks through clouds at sunrise at Jökulsárlón
A short break between storms allows beautiful light on the Vatnajökull ice cap of iceland
Rain and mist in the high mountains off of ring road in southern Iceland
A long exposure as the tide creeps on the Stokksnes beach before the Vesturhorn mountain
A moment of color at sunset at Vesturhorn mountain
Peaks and waves rise in the distance at Vesturhorn mountain
As the tide rises up the beach, the sun sets creating a moody scene at Vesturhorn mountain
A seagull soars across the massive Skógafoss waterfall in search of food
Huge waves crash towards the shore over misty skies and dramatic seastacks at Vik
Basalt columns wind in beautiful shapes at the shores of Vik
Basalt columns, soaring birds, crashing waves, and dramatic seastacks make the signature of Reynisfjara beach in Vik
A long exposure at the beaches of Vik highlight the dramatic shapes of volcanic rocks and seastacks
This past weekend, the family and I went to check out the fall foliage at Blackwater Falls State Park. It has become a little tradition for us! Some locales were past peak, and others hadn’t quite reached peak. An interesting year for sure as leaves are usually fully peak by the end of September. Here are the few images I captured from this year
Fall Foliage in the Canyon
Autumn leaves, dramatic clouds and mountains in a back country road in West Virginia
Sunset at Lindy Point
Sunset at Lindy Point
Last week, the Air Force Memorial celebrated its 10 year anniversary and I had the honor of photographing the event. The event included an amazing performance by the Air Force Memorial Band, a former American Idol contestant, speeches by distinguished guests, two flyovers, and a video presentation by former President George Bush. Also, Deborah James, the Secretary of the Air Force, was named an honorary Tuskeegee Airman for her role in supporting the group’s objectives. It was a really good time, and I was glad I was there to capture it for this important memorial.
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
Air Force Memorial 10 Year Anniversary
On Sunday night, I captured the rising full moon as it rose beautifully over the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I used the lit path to lead the viewer into the image and used two exposures to capture the foreground and moon.
The full moon rises over the African American History Museum in Washington DC
Last night I met up with the IGDC crew for the first time! Nice to finally meet some of the photogs I had been following on Instagram. The sunset wasn’t too bad either. I tried some new angles and some other more traditional ones… hope you enjoy!
An ND filter warms colors and softens textures at sunset at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool
Cool and warm tones at sunset at the World War II Memorial
Late evening sun illuminates the pillars of the Jefferson Memorial
Yesterday’s Sunset may not have been much compared to the previous days, but still was beautiful and serene as seen from great falls
Peaceful colors over a tranquil section of the Maryland side of Great Falls
We recently returned from a family trip to Seattle! This makes two years in a row that we have traveled for my mom’s bday! We had a blast and have this takeaway from a late afternoon visit to Kerry Park. A gorgeous view to Mt. Rainer, surreal like the mountain is superimposed over a picture of the city! The park was kind of small, but sissy and I had fun pretending we were kids. Till next time…
Late afternoon sun illuminates Mt. Rainer as seen from Kerry Park in Seattle, Washington
Last week, I met up with friend and photographer Angela Pan and two new photog friends Dave an Zack at Union Station! After checking out the sunset from the parking rooftop, after Dave asked for it, we were granted access to a cool perspective from behind the statues that adorn the elegant and historic transportation depot. I captured a straight on view to the U.S. Capitol and toyed with the intersection of lines in the ceiling of Union Station. Hope you enjoy em…
Union Station Washington DC
Union Station Washington DC
Union Station Washington DC
Last night I went shooting with my friend Angela Pan to capture storm photography near the city.The storms arrived right around sunset, which allowed for some nice light and color as the bolts struck. After the sun set, continuous bolts highlighted clouds behind the Air Force Memorial. While I would have loved to see some fork-like bolts, it still was a nice sight to see.
The moon peeks through clouds right before a torrential thunderstorm in Washington DC
Lightning strikes over the U.S. Capitol and Jefferson Memorial in this composite of several lightning strike images
Lightning strikes behind dark clouds, revealing their shape and color over the Air Force Memorial
Tonight I met up with my friend and photographer/workshop extraordinaire, Michael Chinnici of Photo Workshop Adventures. After hanging for a bit, we headed to shoot sunset at the White House and Washington Monument. Just past sunset, some interesting clouds rolled in while subtle pinks took towards the horizon. A center comp seemed to be in order.
Enjoy the rest of summer!
Cumulus clouds surround the Washington Monument during a classic summer sunset
A long exposure at as sun basks the Washington Monument from the Vietnam Memorial
I had planned this shot for a while and finally went out to capture it. Usually this is a spot for sunrise but I was looking for the monument to be basked in light and looked to use the crowd to add mood. Might try this one again still.
In Living Memory
In June, we went on vacation to Greece. This was a leisurely trip to Greek Islands Mykonos and Santorini and a stop over in Athens before flying home. Through 8 nights, the trip proved to be a fair amount of time spent traveling. If I were to do it again, I’d maybe cut out Athens or spend more time overall.
During vacations, I don’t usually spend much time photographing. I like to keep photography trips and vacations with family as separate as possible. They have such different daily routines and sights to see, that I find it to be hard to concentrate on both. But, I bring my camera along nonetheless and see if there are opportunities to add to the portfolio.
During this trip, I took mostly portraits of us having fun. I mixed that in with a little shooting in Santorini –sunrise and midnight shoots in Oia, where we were lucky enough to stay, and some shots from the boat tour of the Aegean Sea from Santorini. Ultimately, I only have landscape shots from Santorini – and more than I thought I would come away with! Hope you enjoy them and my views from a beautiful island destination.
Vibrant flowering trees and calla lillies line the architecture of Oia, Santorini as the sun warms the sky and landscape
The sun rises over a cloudless landscape from Oia in Santorini, Greece
A panoramic shows the layers of cave houses as they wrap around the ends of the island of Santorini at sunrise
Rows of cavehouses bathed in early morning light as seen from a view also including church bells and docked boats
A panoramic of early light streaming onto the cliffs of Oia, Santorini
Flowers adorn the edges of the walls near a church in Santorini
An unassuming corner is adorned with vibrant orange paint and blooming, flowering trees
The moon rises over the twilight landscape of Oia, Santorini
The rows of cave houses as seen from the tip of Oia at midnight
Light reflected from rock shines in the Aegean Sea off of the coast of Sanorini
Light reflected from rock shines in the Aegean Sea off of the coast of Sanorini
A sailboat full of people witnessing the cloudless sunset in Santorini
A pan motion of a speeding sailboat just after sunset in Santorini
A classic Santorini sunset with a twist. This is a blended image of one exposure for the sun and another, pan motion shot to create a interesting texture in the water
A preview from Greece… more to come 🙂
The sun rises over a cloudless landscape from Oia in Santorini, Greece
#fbf to a more attractive Capitol dome under post sunset pinks and reds. Restoration should be finishing soon, thank God. Definitely less nice than the monument scaffolding froma few years ago. I right now I avoid shooting the Capitol like the plague
#washingtondc #dcweather #dcfocused #focused #exposeddc #igdc #dctography #instantdc #instagood #dccool #mydccool #uscapitol #dc #monuments #acreativedc
A spotlight illuminates the U.S. Capitol under pink and purple post-sunset clouds