June 2012

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Trees White Mountains

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Pinus longaeva, White Mountains, Inyo National Forest Ancient Bristlecone pine trees (Pinus longaeva) live in a relatively restricted area of eastern California, Nevada and Utah, typically at altitudes above 9500'. The ancient bristlecone pine tree is considered to be the world's oldest species of tree (and…

Phil CollaJune 12, 2012

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina Panorama

This is a panoramic photo of the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina viewed from North Embarcadero Park along San Diego Bay's beautiful waterfront. The Marriott Hotel is the pair of curved glass-covered buildings rising directly ahead. Between and below them is Roy's Restaurant. The Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel is…

Phil CollaJune 9, 2012

Icons Wisdom

The World’s Greatest Photo Subjects

The World's Greatest Photo Subjects. I'm going big with this blog entry! After 20 years of making photographs, I realized I have had the good fortune of seeing some of Earth's greatest natural history spectacles with my own eyes. I looked back and made a list of eleven of the…

Phil CollaJune 8, 2012

Surf

New Surf Photos?

I've decided to renew my surf photography efforts this year, using the new Canon 5D Mark III camera as the workhorse. I am having my surf housing retooled to work with this camera, along with the 15mm fisheye and 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom, and will have it fitted with flash capability…

Phil CollaJune 6, 2012

Yosemite

Yosemite Falls and Merced River in Spring, Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Falls and the Merced River I'm hooked on water in the Sierra Nevada and constantly try to find ways to include water in my images whenever possible. The Merced River, one of the major waterways flowing through the watershed of the western Sierra Nevada, usually flows quite high in…

Phil CollaJune 5, 2012

Yosemite

Sunrise over Half Dome from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park

Half Dome Sunrise, from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park I was alone on Glacier Point on the morning I made this photograph. Temperatures were cool but not as chilly as I expected it to be given the altitude, season and exposure of this dramatic viewpoint. The air was clear and…

Phil CollaJune 4, 2012

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Yosemite

Yosemite Falls and Star Trails at Night

Yosemite Falls at Night, with Star Trails and Polaris Yosemite Falls is easily the one waterfall near which I have spent the most time over the course of my life. I am in Yosemite often, especially in spring which is my favorite season to be in Yosemite National Park, and…

Phil CollaJune 1, 2012