July 2015

Kenya Maasai Mara

The Marsh Pride of Lions, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Of all the animals we saw during our safari in Kenya, the most fulfilling were the lions of the Maasai Mara. I say "fulfilling" because seeing these lions came at the end of 120 years (cumulatively, for my mom and I) of pondering Africa -- reading Edgar Rice Burroughs, watching…

Phil CollaJuly 30, 2015

California Underwater Photography

SCUBA Diving Beneath Oil Rigs Eureka, Ellen and Elly in Long Beach, California

I recently made a few dives underneath the oil rigs "Eureka", "Ellen" and "Elly", about 8 miles off Long Beach, California. Oil rig Eureka is located in about 700' of water, so from the perspective of recreational divers it is a bottomless dive. Ellen and Elly are in shallower water,…

Phil CollaJuly 28, 2015

Landscape Panoramas Trees

Beautiful Oaks and Perfect Sunrise at Oak Alley Plantation

Oak Alley Plantation, with its remarkable double row of 300-year-old southern live oaks (Quercus virginiana) is, I imagine, a near-ideal vision of what the old South once was. I photographed this amazing tunnel of oaks at both dusk and dawn and, after contemplating the images for a few weeks, have…

Phil CollaJuly 8, 2015

La Jolla Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Photographing Macrocystis in La Jolla’s Beautiful Forests of Giant Kelp

I have been photographing kelp forests in California with a passion for 25 years, from the Mexican border on up to Monterey including all the Channel Islands. Usually when I go diving in kelp its to San Clemente Island, which arguably has the most beautiful underwater scenery anywhere in California.…

Phil CollaJuly 6, 2015

Landscape Panoramas Trees

Oak Alley Plantation and Its Famous Tunnel of Old Oak Trees, Vacherie, Louisiana

While in New Orleans recently, I made a side-trip to visit Oak Alley Plantation. I love ancient, huge and gnarly trees, and when it comes to oak trees -- specifically the southern live oak, Quercus virginiana -- Oak Alley Plantation has some of the most photogenic in the South. Oak…

Phil CollaJuly 4, 2015

California San Diego

San Diego County Fair at Night, Del Mar, California

The Del Mar Fair -- or, for noobs, the "San Diego County Fair" -- has some great lights at night. My favorites are the ferris wheels and whirling rides. This year I added a new image to my collection, one in which the full moon is rising above the fairgrounds.…

Phil CollaJuly 3, 2015