Monthly Archives

May 2007

Photo of the Day

Last Fractal

Ok, here's a last fractal (for now). I'm just completing a set of fractal images for printing 6'x6' (that's big!) and will finish off this month's blog by showing you just one more: Detail within the Mandelbrot set fractal. This detail is found by zooming in on the overall Mandelbrot…
May 31, 2007
Photo of the Day

Fractal of the Day

Whoa, here's another crazy fractal from the Mandelbrot set. When I was setting the colors on this one it sort of reminded me of the trippy hippy art of the '70's. Right on man. The Mandelbrot Fractal. Fractals are complex geometric shapes that exhibit repeating patterns typified by self-similarity, or…
May 30, 2007
Photo of the Day

Mandelbrot Fractal Picture

Fractal 'o' the day, from the classic Mandelbrot family of inequalities: Detail within the Mandelbrot set fractal. This detail is found by zooming in on the overall Mandelbrot set image, finding edges and buds with interesting features. Fractals are complex geometric shapes that exhibit repeating patterns typified by self-similarity, or…
May 29, 2007
Photo of the Day

Julia Set Fractal

Today's fractal picture is: Fractal design. Fractals are complex geometric shapes that exhibit repeating patterns typified by self-similarity, or the tendency for the details of a shape to appear similar to the shape itself. Often these shapes resemble patterns occurring naturally in the physical world, such as spiraling leaves, seemingly…
May 28, 2007
Photo of the Day

Fractal Picture

Here's another example of detail within the Mandelbrot fractal set, illustrated by assigning color to the number of iterations required for the expression to explode: The Mandelbrot Fractal. Fractals are complex geometric shapes that exhibit repeating patterns typified by self-similarity, or the tendency for the details of a shape to…
May 27, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Temple of Hatshepsut

The Temple of Hatshepsut is the mortuary temple for Pharoah Hatshepsut, one of the rulers of the 18th Dynasty of ancient Egypt and one of the most successful female pharoahs in history. The Temple of Hatshepsut is located at Deir el-Bahri, near the Valley of the Kings, across the Nile…
May 26, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Ramesseum

The Ramesseum is the mortuary temple for one of the greatest rulers the world has ever known: Pharoah Ramesses II. Also known as Ramesses the Great, Ramesses II was a 19th Dynasty pharaoh who ruled for 67 years during the 13th century B.C. The Ramesseum is part of the ancient…
May 25, 2007
CaliforniaDesertThe American Southwest

Photo of 17 Palms Oasis

17 Palms Oasis is located in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, several miles down the lunar-looking Arroyo Salado wash. The drive along Arroyo Salado is fun and relatively simple, although a four-wheel drive car is recommended. Seventeen Palms Oasis, consisting of (not surprisingly) 17 palms, appears out of nowhere as you…
May 23, 2007
Photo of the Day

Sunset Colors

Over the years I have had the good fortune to spend many weeks on liveaboard boats, in remote locations, diving and shooting photos. Typical trips will schedule some night dives, however we are not hard core on the diving and usually prefer to stay dry in favor of happy hour…
May 22, 2007
AbstractBahamasUnderwater Photography

Underwater Light

Much of my time underwater is spent looking for simple, available light photographs. These are not sexy photos, but they tend to sell well and are typically used as backgrounds or screened back with text or inset photos laid over the top. The best part is they are simple to…
May 21, 2007
EgyptIconsPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Egyptian Pyramids

We wrapped up our stay in Egypt with some time at my brother's house in Cairo, touring the older parts of the city and seeing some off-the-beaten-path markets, mosques, and other amazing stuff. One highlight of our time in Cairo was a day at the Giza necropololis to see the…
May 20, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of Egyptian Hieroglyphics

Everywhere we went in Egypt, we saw hieroglyphics. I never got tired of looking at them. The richest area for seeing hieroglyphic carvings was in the necropolis of ancient Thebes, most notably the Luxor and Karnak Temple complexes, Ramesseum and at Medinet Habu. We also saw some hieroglyphic carvings in…
May 19, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Valley of the Kings

While we were in Luxor, we spent an afternoon visiting the Valley of the Kings, site of the tombs of the New Kingdom pharoahs from the 16th to 11th centuries BC, including the most famous one of all, that of Tutankhamun. The valley itself is quite stark and barren, with…
May 18, 2007
HawaiiPhoto of the Day

Molokai Reflections

For those winters I worked with Dan Salden and his whale research team in Maui, I stayed with my friend Skip at his surf pad, a quiet condo just yards from the water on Honokeana Cove, in Napili, not far from Kapalua. Most mornings before we drove into town to…
May 17, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of Karnak Temple

The Karnak Temple complex is part of the necropolis of ancient Thebes, across the Nile River from what is now Luxor, Egypt. Built over a period of 1300 years, Karnak is actually a group of ancient temples and buildings, the assemblage of which is the largest example of a single-location…
May 16, 2007
HawaiiPhoto of the Day

Photo of the West Maui Mountains

We spent a good part of seven winters working with Dan Salden, studying humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the basin and channels between Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe islands, occasionally visiting the weather side of Lanai or the rugged, waterfall-laden backside of Molokai. Each morning we would set out from…
May 15, 2007
Photo of the Day

Underwater Photos of Roatan, Honduras

Some years ago I spent two weeks diving on the Honduran island of Roatan with some friends, checking out the corals and walls and just relaxing. The diving was pretty tame, with not much going on underwater. The place was nice for Caribbean corals, with lots of healthy displays of…
May 14, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Mosque of Ibn Tulun

The Mosque of Ibn Tulun was built in 879 by Ahmad ibn Tulun who, though born the son of a Turkish slave, rose to become the independent governor of Egypt and whose family continued to rule until 905. The mosque bears design elements of his childhood home of Samarra. Unusual…
May 13, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of the Hand of Ozymandias

The classic sonnet "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley has within it two stark ironies. Can you discern them both? I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, Half sunk, a shatter'd visage…
May 12, 2007
EgyptPhoto of the Day

Photo of The Citadel, Cairo, Egypt

The Citadel, also referred to as the Saladin Citadel or Mohamed Ali Citadel, is one of the principal attractions of Cairo, Egypt. Originally built by Saladin in the late 1100's for protection against invading Crusaders, the Citadel is located on a spur of limestone that is now detached from its…
May 10, 2007
CaliforniaPhoto of the DayWildlife

Bad Hair Day

This double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is displaying typical winter mating plumage. Sweet do. Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), mating plumage.Image ID: 18549Species: Double-crested cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritusLocation: La Jolla, California, USA
May 7, 2007
Skip's Trips

Kayaking in Thailand

More from Skip: Before our 12 day Ocean Rover diving trip a few of us did a custom 8-day kayaking, jungle hiking trip with Paddle Asia to Khao Sok National Park (remarkably biting insect free!) and to Phang Nga Bay. The former is a vast 165 square kilometers lake created…
May 6, 2007
Skip's Trips

Skip Stubbs in Thailand (2007)

This just in from my good friend and diving partner Skip Stubbs, who has just returned from another of his excellent dive expeditions, this time to Thailand: We are just back from 12 great days on the Ocean Rover out of Phuket Thailand. This liveaboard diving vessel is in my…
May 5, 2007
Photo of the Day

Photo of Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, California

Bixby Bridge is perhaps Big Sur's most recognizable manmade landmark. It crosses Bixby Canyon where Bixby Creek exits the Santa Lucia Mountains and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Built as part of the massive Coast Highway public works project of the Great Depression, Bixby Bridge was completed in 1932 with…
May 1, 2007