Phil Colla

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Venus, Milky Way and Arch Rock at Astronomical Twilight, Joshua Tree National Park

Things are always better at astronomical twilight. Venus was often referred to as the “Morning Star” by ancient civilizations (and as the “Evening Star” as well). On this day, it was indeed the morning star, rising just moments before astronomical twilight began. This allowed for a very brief window of…

Phil CollaApril 11, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla

Scripps Pier, Clouds and Surf, Black and White, La Jolla, California

Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California. Cloudy day and small surf. This image was photographed with the relatively new Sony A7R camera. I am really impressed with this camera. If you follow my photography you may know I am not a black and white art photographer, but in this case it…

Phil CollaMarch 22, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

High Resolution Panorama of San Diego City Skyline and San Diego Bay

Here is another recent panoramic photo of San Diego, photographed on a beautiful spring afternoon. This one spans nearly the entire width of the bay, and includes the yacht marinas of Shelter Island in the foreground. I photographed this with a top quality 300mm f/2.8 lens and high resolution camera,…

Phil CollaMarch 20, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

San Diego City Skyline, Full Moon Rising, Sunset

A new photograph of the full moon, just rising over the mountains behind downtown San Diego, with the San Diego County Administration Building seen lit in the foreground. This is actually just a small portion (about 5%) of a huge panorama stretching the entire length of the San Diego City…

Phil CollaMarch 19, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California San Diego

Full Moon Rising over Downtown San Diego, Sunset

A new photograph of the full moon, rising at dusk over a view of downtown San Diego and its beautiful harbor front and city skyline, viewed from Point Loma, California. I have recently made a nice series of new images of the San Diego city skyline, harbor and rising full…

Phil CollaMarch 18, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Dawn at the Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego

I recently sold a beautiful 60" print of "Dawn at the Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego" for display in a client's home. I've had images presented in quite a few print publications, museums, aquariums, etc. but the most rewarding sale is to a client who wishes to include my photography…

Phil CollaMarch 14, 2014

Panoramas

Three Panoramas – Yosemite, Mount Rainier and Torrey Pines

A client approached me recently to request several photos for their website, including three panoramic images (which lend themselves well to banners at the top of web pages). The three selected he just happened to be among of my all-time favorites and it will be great to see them together…

Phil CollaMarch 9, 2014

Surf

Eric’s New Board

My friend Eric had a couple of my wave photos laminated onto his custom new board. Eric brought it by this morning before he waxed it so we could get a look at how the images came out. The board looks awesome. The bottom image will end up being mostly…

Phil CollaMarch 7, 2014

Sea Lion Sea of Cortez Underwater Life Underwater Photography

California Sea Lions at Los Islotes, Baja California, Mexico

Los Islotes, the small island just off the northern end of Espiritu Santo in the Sea of Cortez, is my favorite place in the world for photographing California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus). These wonderful pinnipeds are very comfortable with the presence of, and famous for the willingness to interact with,…

Phil CollaMarch 3, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego California

Oceanside Pier Photos

The Oceanside Municipal Pier is located at the end of Mission Avenue in Oceanside, California. The area has a bit of a gritty look to it but don't let that dissuade you from visiting, the Oceanside Pier is frequented by families, surfers, dog walkers, locals, fishermen and tourists day and…

Phil CollaMarch 1, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Sierra Nevada

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California. I made this image several years ago but neglected to share any images from that evening's photographic efforts on my blog. I have made many visits to the Volcanic Tablelands, at all times of day, to explore the rocks, admire…

Phil CollaFebruary 27, 2014

Islas Coronado Mexico Underwater Life

Whales at the Coronado Islands, Mexico

Whales visit the Coronado Islands in Mexico throughout the year. During winter months, gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) pass by the islands, first southbound and a few months later traveling north, during their annual migration between Baja California and the Bering Sea. Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)…

Phil CollaFebruary 12, 2014

Islas Coronado Mexico Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Garibaldi Fish, Coronado Islands, Mexico

The most easily recognized, and typically the most prolific, fish at Mexico's Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado) is the brilliant orange Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus). Some underwater areas of the Coronado Islands are urchin barrens (reef areas taken over by fields of sea urchins and devoid of most other marine life) so…

Phil CollaFebruary 10, 2014

Aerial Photography Islas Coronado Mexico

Aerial Photos of Islas Coronado, the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico

Aerial Photos of the Coronado Islands, Baja California, Mexico These new aerial photos of the three main islands in Las Islas Coronado, offshore of Baja California not far from Tijuana (Mexico) and San Diego, came from a nice flight a few weeks ago during a high pressure system, which calmed…

Phil CollaFebruary 8, 2014

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Panoramas

Aerial Panoramas of La Jolla and San Diego

Flying recently while a winter high pressure system hung over Southern California, I was able to take advantage of clear dry air to shoot several aerial panoramic photos of the La Jolla and northern San Diego coastline. These are technically very difficult to realize, both in capturing the source images…

Phil CollaFebruary 7, 2014

Aerial Photography

Gray Whale Aerial Photos, Eschrichtius robustus, California

Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrate from the Bering Sea in Alaska down the west coast of the United States to the "calving lagoons" of Baja California. (A small number of grays whales also live in the extreme western Pacific.) This migration is considered the longest of any mammal. Calves are…

Phil CollaJanuary 27, 2014

Galapagos Diaries Marine Life Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Sea Turtle, Galapagos, Black and White

I have made a lot of dives in the Galapagos Islands, and one of my favorite creatures to see underwater is the sea turtle. The ungainly-looking animals are actually quite hydrodynamic and can navigate the surge, currents and waves to graze on algae along the reef. These two turtles were…

Phil CollaJanuary 25, 2014

Mexico Sea of Cortez

Medano Beach Sunrise, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Medano Beach, the beautiful long sand beach fronting the bay of Cabo San Lucas, can be crowded and busy with tourists, but I found that it was peaceful and quiet each morning. Sunrise on Medano Beach, on the coast of Cabo San Lucas, MexicoImage ID: 28948Location: Cabo San Lucas, Baja…

Phil CollaJanuary 24, 2014

New Work

New Work – January 2014

October 2013 through January 2014 took my cameras and me around San Diego for sunrise scenes as well as up into the sky around Cabo San Lucas and over gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) during their southern migration off the coast of Southern California. Below are a few of my favorites…

Phil CollaJanuary 23, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelicans, Winter Plumage, La Jolla

The plumage of La Jolla's California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) has been especially striking this year, it seems there are more really red throats and deep brown necked adult brown pelicans on the bluffs than usual. I also find it interesting how much color variation there is in the bills…

Phil CollaJanuary 20, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

La Jolla Bluffs, Gulls, Cormorants and Pelicans

I have not been down to the La Jolla bluffs for a couple weeks to see my favorite seabirds, the California race of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), so I thought I would take a look this morning. I had hoped the projected swell would be up this morning, allowing…

Phil CollaJanuary 18, 2014

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Torrey Pines Sunrise in San Diego Magazine

One of my favorite shots from 2013 was featured as a nice-looking spread in the January issue of San Diego Magazine: Torrey Pines State Reserve's famous "Broken Hill" at sunrise, with La Jolla and the Pacific in the background. (Here is a link to the full-width pano: Torrey Pines Broken…

Phil CollaJanuary 17, 2014

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelicans in Flight, La Jolla, California

The morning light along our coast has been very nice lately, not to mention our temps have been balmy while the rest of the country is in deep freeze. I've had a couple nice morning sessions photographing my favorite seabirds, the California race of the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), including…

Phil CollaJanuary 6, 2014

Environmental Problems Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Seabird Entanglement in Monofilament Fishing Line

Unfortunately, I have another image of wildlife entanglement to share, this time a California brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) entangled in monofilament fishing line. This seabird appeared to me to have ingested a hook or lure, so that one end of the monofilament fishing line was down its throat while the…

Phil CollaJanuary 2, 2014

Abstract Birds

Ghost Cormorant

A cormorant speeds home to its nest in the La Jolla seacliffs, flying just above the waves. Shot long before sunrise, this image is blurred from the long time the shutter was open.

Phil CollaJanuary 1, 2014

Best Photographs of the Year

Natural History Photography – Best Images of 2013

My Best Natural History Photos of 2013 Once again the end of the year is upon us and I look back at my photographic works of the preceding 12 months. I did not produce as many new images as in years past but I did manage to create some notable…

Phil CollaDecember 31, 2013

Mexico Sea of Cortez

Aerial Photos of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico

We celebrated the Christmas holiday in Cabo San Lucas. I had hoped to perhaps make a few good images of pristine, lonely, white-sand beaches, the ones I recall from my last visit to Cabo San Lucas in 1985. Alas, resort development has taken over the coastline. So I hired an…

Phil CollaDecember 29, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Seascapes

Spectacular Sunrise in La Jolla

We've had some great sunrises and sunsets lately, thanks to weather patterns in Southern California that provide high clouds and open horizons to let the light reach the undersides of the clouds just at the edge of each day. A few days ago I was photographing the full moon over…

Phil CollaDecember 19, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego Seascapes

Moonlight Waves

I once shot photographs of waves by the light of phytoplankton during a major red tide event. That worked out pretty well, although it was pushing the cameras to the limits of what they could record. However, this time I'm not sure what I was thinking: I got up at…

Phil CollaDecember 18, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Starlight and Moonlight on Little Corona, Newport Beach

When I was a kid growing up in Newport Beach, we would often visit Little Corona beach and see tons of black abalone. They would be clinging to the rocks, and empty ab shells would be hidden in the all the tidepools and pockets of water. The abalone are long…

Phil CollaDecember 17, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Moonlight on Seal Rock, Laguna Beach, California

Seal Rock, a short distance offshore of Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, is typically covered with many cormorants and at least a few California sea lions. I've made a number of dives at Seal Rock but had never made any effort to photograph it topside. Garry McCarthy and I did…

Phil CollaDecember 16, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Big Corona Beach at Night, Corona Del Mar State Beach, Newport Beach

When I grew up in Newport Beach, I spent a lot of time at "Big Corona", aka, Corona Del Mar State Beach. Because this is a great place to take the kids, bodyboard and kick back in the sun, this beach gets crowded. Yachts sail by in and out of…

Phil CollaDecember 15, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego Panoramas San Diego

San Diego Awakens, Sunrise over the San Diego City Skyline

This was the scene that greeted my camera on a recently cold winter morning, as dawn crept in from the east and the nighttime lights of downtown San Diego gave way to morning. Cheers and thanks for looking! Sunrise over the San Diego City Skyline Image ID: 28858 Location: San…

Phil CollaDecember 14, 2013

Tear Sheets

Scuba Diver (Korea) Pictorial

Scuba Diver Korea is one beautiful diving magazine! The print quality is excellent and each thick issue is as heavy as a brick. I was recently introduced to Scuba Diver Korea by Kevin Lee. Kevin, a top marine photographer who has photographed underwater on all seven continents, kindly introduced me…

Phil CollaDecember 13, 2013

General

A Look Back at the Natural History Photography Blog

1000 blog posts and 9 blog years and 17 website years later... I am a natural history photographer with a bias towards the ocean and marine-related subjects. I have one marketing channel: my own hand-coded, self-designed web site. In 1997 it was one of the first entirely database-driven, keyword-searchable stock…

Phil CollaDecember 12, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Seascapes

La Jolla Cove at Dawn, La Jolla, California

One of my favorite times to photograph in La Jolla is when night is just transitioning to dawn. Sunrise is till 45 minutes or an hour away. In December it can be chilly at this hour, but it is also quiet and, usually, still. The only people I see are…

Phil CollaDecember 11, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Encinitas Sign over Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, California

California has many funky beach towns, and Encinitas is one of my favorites. Swami's, Moonlight, Stone Steps, D Street. My kids are lucky to spend their summers on the beach in Encinitas. In the middle of town, a vintage-looking ENCINITAS sign arches over the Coast Highway 101, a landmark in…

Phil CollaDecember 10, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes

VLBA Radio Telescope at Night under the Milky Way Galaxy, Owens Valley, California

The Owens Valley is home to a variety of radio telescopes. This particular radio telescope, photographed with the Milky Way galaxy rising above it in the night sky, is part of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a system of ten widely spaced radio telescopes that make certain forms of…

Phil CollaDecember 9, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego Panoramas San Diego

Panorama of San Diego City Skyline at Dawn, Storm Clouds and City Lights

I arrived very early one morning at one of my favorite spots from which to photograph America's Finest City, only to find the sky engulfed with thick storm clouds. However, as my eyes adjusted to the dark and I could see the pastel colors that spread outward from the city…

Phil CollaDecember 8, 2013

Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Seascapes

Hospital Point Sunrise, Reef and Waves, La Jolla

Pre-dawn color is splashed across the clouds as small waves break over Hospital Point's distinctive sandstone reefs. A very long exposure makes the water look silky and blurred as it breaks over the rocks and flows back out to sea. Cheers and thanks for looking! Sunrise Clouds and Surf, Hospital…

Phil CollaDecember 7, 2013

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