All Posts By

Phil Colla

AbstractLa Jolla

Layers, Abstract Photo

Another abstract cloud photo. I like using a medium telephoto lens to isolate landscape elements, and patterns in clouds are no exception. This was probably shot with a 70-200 on Velvia film, vintage. Moments after the green flash, orange skies over La Jolla. Today's abstract photo, #12 of 15. Clouds…
June 16, 2009
AbstractGalapagos Diaries

Sunset Booby, Abstract Photo

Our days at Darwin Island in the Galapagos islands have been fantastic. On each of our trips we spent several days, sometimes almost a week, at this usually spectacular, remote and wild place. The diving can be, of course, unsurpassed which is one reason that virtually all visitors to Darwin…
June 15, 2009
AbstractHawaii

Clouds on Fire, Abstract Photo

Resuming the series of abstracts (before it was so rudely interrupted with bird pics): today's abstract photo is an image of clouds on fire, taken from the lanai of Skip's seaside surf pad in Napili, looking out over Lanai and Molokai. Wow, did we ever have some epic sunsets in…
June 14, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Northern Cardinal Photo

Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). This was the other small songbird that I hoped to see in Arizona. It is very similar to the Pyrrhuloxia (see yesterday's post). In fact the female cardinal looks a lot like the male Pyrrhuloxia at first glance, although the shape of the beak (among other…
June 13, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Pyrrhuloxia Photo

Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus). This was one of the two birds I was hoping to see in Arizona. In general, we do not see small colorful birds like this in Southern California (except for escaped exotics like parrots). At first I thought Pyrrhuloxia was the latin (scientific) name for this bird,…
June 12, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Roadrunner Photo

Greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). Greater roadrunner.Image ID: 22902Species: Greater roadrunner, Geococcyx californianusLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbes' Pond at Elephant Head, which I visited and described recently.
June 11, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Gila Woodpecker Photo

A Gila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis). Gila woodpecker, female.Image ID: 22928Species: Gila woodpecker, Melanerpes uropygialisLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbes' Pond at Elephant Head, which I visited and described recently.
June 10, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Gambel’s Quail Photo

A Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii). Bill told me to expect a quail family, complete with lots of chicks, to show up about 9:30. They were right on time each morning! Gambel's quail, male.Image ID: 22925Species: Gambel's quail, Callipepla gambeliiLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Gambel's quail, chicks.Image ID: 22920Species: Gambel's quail, Callipepla…
June 9, 2009
ArizonaBirds

White-winged Dove Photo

A white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica). There were lots of these birds around Bill Forbes' pond, making their soft coo-coo sounds. I know some people hunt dove, I wonder if these white-winged doves are on their list and whether they taste any good or not? They sure are pretty but for…
June 4, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Curve-Billed Thrasher Photo

Curve-billed thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre). Wow, this guy is a THRASHER! Sounds like one serious kick-ass bird. Thrasher? If I was a bird I'd want to be called Thrasher too. Curve-billed thrasherImage ID: 22904Species: Curve-billed thrasher, Toxostoma curvirostreLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbes' Pond at Elephant Head, which I…
June 3, 2009
ArizonaBirds

House Finch Photo

You might guess, given its name, that the house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) is a common bird. Indeed, the plants around Bill's place were covered with these colorful, twittering, hyper little birds. The males had great coloration, deep reds and oranges, while the poor females had to settle for brown and…
June 2, 2009
ArizonaBirds

House Sparrow Photo

A little house sparrow (Passer domesticus), male in breeding coloration. House sparrow, breeding male.Image ID: 22945Species: House sparrow, Passer domesticusLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbes' Pond at Elephant Head, which I visited and described recently.
June 1, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Horned Lizard Photo, Horny Toad

When we were kids we loved catching what we called "horny toads." (Look, wiseguy, we were 6 years old at the time and couldn't pronounce "horned".) We would find them in chapparal and open areas in Newport Beach where I grew up. The little horned lizards (Phrynosoma) weren't particularly fast,…
May 31, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Desert Cottontail Rabbit Photo

There were a lot of little desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii) hopping about all morning and evening. They were really cute, and quite bold, coming in to drink at the pond often and sniff about looking for seed and bits of food. No babies though. Desert cottontail, or Audobon's cottontail…
May 30, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

White-sided Jackrabbit Photo

This white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) showed up briefly one morning at Bill Forbes' pond. It did not approach too closely, unfortunately, and stayed in the shadows nibbling on fresh mesquite leaves, standing tall on its hind legs to grasp to lowest branches. I was amazed at how long its ears…
May 29, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Round-tailed Ground Squirrel Photo

This little round-tailed ground squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus) showed up beside the pond only a couple times, and I really only had one good chance to get its photo. I felt sorry for the poor thing, not only is it a puny raptor-morsel, but it has a wimpy tail compared to…
May 28, 2009
ArizonaWildlife

Harris’ Antelope Squirrel Photo

This little Harris' antelope ground squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) came to the pond to sip water and look for bits of food. Check out that cool tail, I bet Fonzie would wear a tail like that if he could. I nicknamed this guy Mike Tyson. Harris' antelope squirrel.Image ID: 22900Species: Harris'…
May 27, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Mexican Jay Photo

I'm posting one last photo from Upper Madera Canyon, this time a photo of a Mexican jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina). The wanna-be tough-guys were everywhere among the trees, spooking all the smaller birds. They would only shut up and settle down when the larger ravens rolled through. They are not as…
May 26, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Acorn Woodpecker Photo

Another photo from Upper Madera Canyon, this time a photo of a male Acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). The females look very similar, with the exception that on females the white forehead is separated from the red cap by black. Acorn woodpecker, male.Image ID: 22961Species: Acorn woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorusLocation: Madera Canyon…
May 25, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Black-Headed Grosbeak Photo

This male Black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) is one of many that flitted among the trees in upper Madera Canyon. There were females too but their coloration was not as striking. Black-headed grosbeak, male.Image ID: 22911Species: Black-headed grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalusLocation: Madera Canyon Recreation Area, Green Valley, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill…
May 23, 2009
Photography

Hammerhead Shark Photo on the cover of Zoology

One of my hammerhead shark photos was chosen for the cover of Zoology to accompany the article "Response of juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks to electric stimuli" by Stephen Kajiura and Timothy Fitzgerald. See lots more scalloped hammerhead photos (Sphyrna lewini).
May 22, 2009
ArizonaBirds

Brown-Headed Cowbird Photo

The Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) is rather plain, but I really liked this image of one with the golden light of sunset illuminating the bushes behind it. Brown-headed cowbird, male.Image ID: 22916Species: Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus aterLocation: Amado, Arizona, USA Shot at Bill Forbe's Pond at Elephant Head, which I visited…
May 21, 2009
Abstract

Water and Stones, Abstract Photo

This was shot on a drizzly overcast morning at Ruby Beach in Washington's Olympic National Park. Fresh water flows over cobblestones on its way across the beach and into the sea. Today's abstract photo, #9 of 15: Water flows past beach cobblestones, blur.Image ID: 13794Location: Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park,…
May 19, 2009
Abstract

Predawn Flock of Snow Geese, Abstract Photo

Last winter I joined friends Skip Stubbs and Ken Howard for a few days of bird photography at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. I would get up early each morning to watch the enormous flocks of snow geese that overnight on the ponds take off in a massive predawn…
May 6, 2009
Wisdom

Optimal Contrast and Saturation Settings for RAW Photographers

Are you using the best in-camera settings for contrast and saturation? If you shoot RAW and think these settings don't affect you, think again. If you judge your exposure settings on whether you are clipping the highlights on your histogram, you may be underexposing unnecessarily. Here's why. Note that this…
May 5, 2009
Abstract

Sunlight in the Ocean, Abstract Photo

Another abstract photo, sunlight piercing the ocean surface. I used to shoot a lot of this stuff when I was diving in the 90's, killing time decompressing at the end of a dive. Note how elegantly the rays of the sun break apart and blend into the water. That is…
April 27, 2009
Abstract

Abstract Photo of the Ocean Surface

I have had good luck selling abstract photos the last few years. I just had another last week. Which got me pondering and ruminating (not a sight for the faint of heart). So without further ado, today begins a series of posts highlighting some of my favorite abstract images. Abstract…
April 25, 2009
AlaskaBald Eagle

Bald Eagle Catches a Fish, Alaska

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) pulls a fish from the water on the fly, leaving a splash in its wake. The fish can be seen in the eagle's talons. Bald eagle makes a splash while in flight as it takes a fish out of the water.Image ID: 22584Species: Bald eagle,…
April 21, 2009