August 2007

Landscape Oregon Photo of the Day

Derelict Pier Pilings in Astoria

Astoria, Oregon and the communities surrounding it, at the mouth of the Columbia River, have a long maritime history (since at least the time of Lewis and Clark). It seems like there are thousands of derelict, abandoned and decaying piers all over the place. Derelict pilings, remnants of long abandoned…

Phil CollaAugust 31, 2007

Landscape Oregon Panoramas

Columbia River Viewed From Vista House

Vista House was built in 1918 as a memorial to Oregon pioneers and as a comfort station for those traveling on the Historic Columbia River Highway. The octagonal stone structure towers 733 feet above the Columbia River and provides a spectacular view. Click it to see it larger, or see…

Phil CollaAugust 30, 2007

Landscape Panoramas Washington

Photo of North Head Lighthouse, Washington

While in Astoria recently, we took a little drive across to the Washington side of the Columbia River to see North Head Lighthouse. It was overcast, sort of pre-storm looking, perfect weather for walking around a blustery promontory high above the coast and checking out an old lighthouse. Below is…

Phil CollaAugust 29, 2007

Panoramas

Lunar Eclipse Photo

I took some photos of the total lunar eclipse last night from my backyard. At the peak of the eclipse, when the moon was totally in the Earth's shadow, no direct sunlight reached the moon so it was lit only faintly by light refracting (bending) through the relatively thin layer…

Phil CollaAugust 28, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Photo of a Brown Bear Digging For Clams

One of the interesting behaviors of coastal brown bears (Ursus arctos) is their interest in eating razor clams. Negative low tides expose broad tide flats along the Cook Inlet coast. Brown bears are quite tuned to the timing of these low tides and will arrive at the beach shortly before…

Phil CollaAugust 27, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Standing Tall

This coastal brown bear sow caught the scent of an approaching adult male. Nervous for her cubs, who could be attacked by the male, she stands in the deep sedge grass to get a better look around. A brown bear mother (sow) stands in tall sedge grass to look for…

Phil CollaAugust 18, 2007

California Panoramas

Lake Tahoe Panoramic Photo

Last summer we went to Lake Tahoe for a wedding. Lake Tahoe in summer is beautiful. I found a turnout on the highway above Incline Village which offered this view. This is a panoramic photograph obtained by stitching 6 separate images together on the computer. If you like this you…

Phil CollaAugust 17, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Wildlife

Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

In 2005 I received a recommendation to visit Silver Salmon Creek Lodge to see bears. I already had a trip planned to Brooks Camp so I didn't look into SSCL for a while. A week at Brooks in July 2006, with superb weather, company and bears, helped me to realize…

Phil CollaAugust 16, 2007

Landscape Panoramas Washington

Mount St. Helens Panoramic Photo

From the 2005 archives: I left Seattle in the late afternoon and began my speed run south, home to Carlsbad. I planned to stop at three spots: Mount St. Helens, Crater Lake and Oakland. I reached the Johnston Ridge viewpoint of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (say that three…

Phil CollaAugust 15, 2007

California Landscape National Parks Panoramas Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Tenaya Lake Panoramic Photo

In late summer a few years ago we took the kids to spend a few nights in Tuolumne Meadows and then drive over Tioga Pass to see Mono Lake. We stopped at Lake Tenaya for a swim and a picnic lunch on the way to the meadows. This is a…

Phil CollaAugust 14, 2007

Aerial Photography Alaska

Aerial Photos of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

While out hiking around the Exit Glacier area I was so impressed by the weather that I decided to go to the airport and look for a pilot to take me flying. I love flying in the little planes, wheeled and float alike, in Alaska. For some reason I feel…

Phil CollaAugust 13, 2007

Photo of the Day

Le Barn Appetit, Seward, Alaska

Yvon van Driessche owns and runs Le Barn Appetit, a funky inn and delicious restaurant in Seward, Alaska. I was looking for a room in Seward and all the hotels I could find on the internet were full, but someone was kind enough to recommend Le Barn. Yup, its actually…

Phil CollaAugust 12, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Brown Bear Portrait

My goal in July was to shoot portraits of bears. I scheduled my visit before the arrival of salmon so that the bears would be in the meadows eating sedge grass and staging in the area, waiting for salmon to arrive. Next trip will be a bit later to coincide…

Phil CollaAugust 11, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Pretty Young Thing

This young female coastal brown bear (Ursus arctos) was often around when I was visiting Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. We saw her clamming on the tide flats and grazing on sedge grass in the meadows. She is a really good looking bear, with a thick blond coat and…

Phil CollaAugust 10, 2007

Panoramas Sierra Nevada

Minarets Panorama

On our way to a wedding in Tahoe last summer we stopped for a bit of fishing at Mammoth Lakes. I got up early and made a sunrise visit to the Minarets overlook, and got this view. This is a panoramic photograph, composed of 10 separate images stitched (on the…

Phil CollaAugust 9, 2007

Alaska Brown Bear Lake Clark National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Lazy Bear

On my recent trip to photograph coastal brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Lake Clark National Park, I experienced nearly perfect weather for a full week, with just one day of light drizzle and only a few overcast days. About half the time we had full sun, with hardly a cloud…

Phil CollaAugust 4, 2007

Alaska Panoramas

Exit Glacier Panoramic Photo

While visiting Kenai Fjords National Park recently, I spent the morning taking an easy hike up to the terminal end (terminus?) of Exit Glacier. This is a popular spot, since it is a gentle hike and it is the main attraction of the only road that enters the national park.…

Phil CollaAugust 3, 2007

Surf

Moonlight Morning Glass

Dropped my daughter off at junior lifeguard class this morning and got in a quick swim before starting work for the day. The skies were overcast and the waves were small, but so glassy. Combination of the flat light and glassy water made it difficult to discern swells coming in…

Phil CollaAugust 2, 2007

Grand Teton National Parks Panoramas Wyoming

Schwabacher Landing Panoramic Photograph

Schwabacher Landing is one of the "must get" spots for photographers visiting Grand Teton National Park. There is a beaver pond a short ways up a fisherman's trail in which the Teton Range is nicely reflected in a mirror-calm sidewater of the Snake River, making for a postcard view. I…

Phil CollaAugust 1, 2007

Derelict Pier Pilings in Astoria

Columbia River Viewed From Vista House

Photo of North Head Lighthouse, Washington

Lunar Eclipse Photo

Photo of a Brown Bear Digging For Clams

Standing Tall

Lake Tahoe Panoramic Photo

Silver Salmon Creek Lodge, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

Mount St. Helens Panoramic Photo

Tenaya Lake Panoramic Photo

Aerial Photos of Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Le Barn Appetit, Seward, Alaska

Brown Bear Portrait

Pretty Young Thing

Minarets Panorama

Lazy Bear

Exit Glacier Panoramic Photo

Moonlight Morning Glass

Schwabacher Landing Panoramic Photograph

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