Aerial Photography

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego

Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach with Holiday Christmas Lights at Night

The Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, a bit north of San Diego proper, is a beautiful old wooden pier. Originally built in 1927 and once called "Pickering's Pleasure Pier", the Crystal Pier is home to the Crystal Pier Hotel and is an icon of the San Diego coastline. Each December,…

Phil CollaJanuary 2, 2024

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla

Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier with Holiday Christmas Lights at Night

Each December, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Research Pier is adorned with holiday Christmas lights and a tree at the end of the pier. It's a beautiful display. For about as long as I have owned a drone, I have flown it at sunset to capture the lights reflected in…

Phil CollaDecember 11, 2023

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Panoramas

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Point La Jolla, Boomer Beach and Scripps Park at Sunset

Point La Jolla is the ideal place in La Jolla to watch the sunset. Flanked by Ellen Browning Scripps Park and the La Jolla Bridge Club, the point offers views north past La Jolla Shores and Torrey Pines State Reserve and west over the ocean. Sea lions are usually found…

Phil CollaNovember 2, 2022

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Panoramas

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Children’s Pool in La Jolla, California

The Children's Pool in La Jolla is one of San Diego's coastal landmarks. Also known as Casa Cove and set amidst the Gold Coast of San Diego, the Children's Pool sea wall creates a snug little sand beach protected from the elements. It was gifted to the City of San…

Phil CollaNovember 1, 2022

Aerial Photography Panoramas Utah

The Tree of Eons, A Spectacular Dendritic Erosional Pattern in the Utah Badlands

The Tree of Eons. That's the name I have bestowed upon this amazing structure found deep in the badlands of Southern Utah. To my eye it is an ancient tree, about 150 million years old. It is also similar to the dendrites found in crystals or our nervous system. A…

Phil CollaAugust 13, 2022

Aerial Photography La Jolla

Aerial Photos of Coastal Reef Systems during King Tides in California

One of my projects has been to photograph favorite spots on the coast at extreme low tide, to best depict the rocky reefs that are not normally visible. The best time to do this, of course, is during a King Tide, when the high-highs and low-lows of the tidal swing…

Phil CollaAugust 8, 2022

Aerial Photography Iceland

Aerial Photos of Iceland

Our travels in Europe were primarily a mix of volleyball, cuisine, art and history. We shoe-horned a week in Iceland between Paris and London with priority on spa selfies at the Blue Lagoon. Secondary goals were taking in the waterfalls, Icelandic horses, black sand beaches and wide-open roads of the…

Phil CollaAugust 5, 2019

Aerial Photography Fiji Vatu i Ra Passage

Fiji Islands Aerial Coral Reef Photos

During my last trip to Fiji aboard the Naia, I spent time between dives photographing the gorgeous coral reefs from the air. The most productive areas were the Vatu-i-ra Seascape and around Namena Marine Reserve. We would make 4-5 dives each day on these reefs and, as I had experienced…

Phil CollaJuly 6, 2019

Aerial Photography Islas Coronado Sea Lion Underwater Photography

California Sea Lion Pups in the Coronado Islands

In early November I spent a day diving with California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Lobster Shack at the North Island was place to be since that's where a great colony of sea lions is. Conditions were excellent, about as good as diving in the Coronados gets. Photographer friend Allison had…

Phil CollaDecember 31, 2018

Aerial Photography Mexico Revillagigedos Islands Underwater Photography

Two Days in Las Islas Revillagigedo

On the return from Clipperton Island to Cabo San Lucas, we stopped for a few days to dive at Socorro Island and San Benedicto Island, two islands in the Revillagigedos Archipelago. These stark volcanic islands offer some of the best diving in the world, with spectacular encounters with sharks, manta…

Phil CollaJuly 25, 2017

Aerial Photography Clipperton Island Underwater Life Underwater Photography

Photographs of Clipperton Island, Ile de la Passion

In May of 2017 I was fortunate to join an expedition to Clipperton Island (more info on Wikipedia's Clipperton page). Organized by Michel Labrecque and Julie Ouimet and conducted under French permit HC / 1485 / CAB with generous support from Oris Watches and many others, our two-week trip used…

Phil CollaJuly 13, 2017

Aerial Photography Mexico Sea of Cortez Video

Aerial Video of Archipelago Espiritu Santo and the Sea of Cortez

In October I was fortunate to be a guest aboard a friend's boat for 9 days, diving the islands north of La Paz, Mexico. One of our goals was to obtain visuals of the Archipelago Espiritu Santo as part of an effort to support legislative proposals seeking greater environmental protections…

Phil CollaNovember 23, 2016

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego Panoramas San Diego

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California

This past spring my daughters and I took a couple flights over San Diego to shoot panoramas while the conditions were good. This is one of my favorites, showing the beautifully scalloped coastline of Sunset Cliffs, north of Point Loma. You can even see the sandstone outcropping we jumped off…

Phil CollaAugust 5, 2015

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego

Aerial Panoramic Photo of Torrey Pines Golf Course and Black’s Beach

This aerial panorama of Torrey Pines Golf Course will print huge: up to about 4' high and 10' wide! In the center is seen Torrey Pines Golf Course south course, with the north course to the left. I played Torrey Pines often when I first moved to La Jolla and…

Phil CollaJune 1, 2015

Aerial Photography California San Clemente Island

The Disappearing Kelp Forests of San Clemente Island

I was recently diving at San Clemente Island. The profound lack of giant kelp forests was a striking contrast to what I am used to seeing over 25 years of diving at the island. Under ideal conditions, giant kelp can grow about 2' per day (the fastest growing plant on…

Phil CollaMay 30, 2015

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego Panoramas San Diego

Aerial Panorama of Point Loma, Cabrillo Monument and San Diego Bay

This is a highly detailed aerial panoramic photo of the southern end of Point Loma, with Cabrillo Monument and both old and new lighthouses visible. The original Cabrillo lighthouse is seen atop the bluff, while the new lighthouse is down near the water's edge next to the green lawns. North…

Phil CollaMay 11, 2015

Aerial Photography California Panoramas San Diego

Aerial Panorama of the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge

One of the images I wanted to add to my collection of San Diego aerial photos was a very wide, very detailed image of the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge. I could have taken a single image with a very wide lens -- such as this image taken a few…

Phil CollaMay 6, 2015

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla San Diego

Aerial Panoramic Photo of La Jolla Cove and Scripps Park, San Diego

Panoramic aerial photograph of La Jolla Cove and Scripps Parks (center), with La Jolla's Mount Soledad rising above, La Jolla Shores and La Jolla Caves to the left and the La Jolla Coast with Children's Pool (Casa Cove) to the right. The undersea reefs of Boomer Beach are seen through…

Phil CollaApril 29, 2015

Aerial Photography California La Jolla Panoramas

Aerial Panorama of Bird Rock and the La Jolla Coastline

Aerial Panorama of La Jolla's Bird Rock, with surfers in the water at lower right. Submarine reefs, characteristic of the La Jolla coast, can be seen through the clear water. Mount Soledad rises above everything. This 180-degree panorama extends from Camp Pendleton in the extreme distance to the north to…

Phil CollaApril 28, 2015

Aerial Photography California San Diego

Aerial Photographic Survey of San Diego Marine Protected Areas for Lighthawk

I recently made a special flight with my pilot friend Steve Parker in collaboration with Lighthawk. Lighthawk's mission is "to accelerate conservation success through the powerful perspective of flight". On this flight, we were trying to produce new aerial images of several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along the San Diego…

Phil CollaApril 26, 2015

Aerial Photography

Wildcoast Annual Report 2014

The Wildcoast annual report for 2014 has my aerial photograph of a mother and calf gray whale pair swimming off the coast of California on the cover. Wildcoast is a great environmental organization. Cheers and thanks for looking!

Phil CollaJanuary 11, 2015

Aerial Photography Channel Islands

Anacapa Island, Aerial Photo, Channel Islands National Park, California

This is Anacapa Island, viewed from the west with the California coastline visible in the distance. Anacapa Island is composed of three islets stretching about 6 miles long, located 11 miles off the coast. West Anacapa, seen here, is the highest of the three reaching an altitude of 930' above…

Phil CollaAugust 8, 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

Aerial Photography Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Coronado Aerial Photos

Aerial photographs of Coronado, California, including Coronado Island, the Hotel del Coronado, and the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge. These five Coronado Aerial Photographs are just a selection. If you like them, please be sure to see also my full collection of Coronado Aerial Photos and a gallery of San…

Phil CollaFebruary 12, 2013

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California GeoBlog

Blue Whale Aerial Photos

Blue whale aerial photos This blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) was photographed from the air as it surfaced off the coast of Redondo Beach (near Los Angeles, California) to exhale and take a new breath, before diving underwater to feed on krill. Blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive,…

Phil CollaOctober 21, 2010

Aerial Photography California San Clemente Island

San Clemente Island Aerial Photograph

Aerial photograph of San Clemente Island, California San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, the distinctive pyramid shaped southern end of the island. San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, showing geologic terracing, underwater reefs and giant kelp forests Image ID: 26003 Location: San Clemente Island, California, USA San Clemente Island is where I…

Phil CollaSeptember 30, 2010

Aerial Photography California Catalina

Catalina Island Aerial Photograph

Aerial photograph of Catalina Island I was very fortunate recently to have the opportunity to fly over Catalina Island, and was able to take a few photographs of the West End of the island. Growing up in Newport Beach I used to visit Catalina fairly often as a kid, and…

Phil CollaSeptember 29, 2010

Aerial Photography

Alien Spaceport Discovered In California

Last year on my flight home from Albuquerque (where I went to photograph birds at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge), our plane was driven off-course by a strange stream of magno-gravitronic pulses, and we found ourselves over an area of California not normally seen from commercial planes. The pilot…

Phil CollaAugust 1, 2009

Aerial Photography California San Diego

San Diego Pictures

My San Diego pictures are now organized into a gallery of photos of San Diego on this website. San Diego Coronado Bridge, known locally as the Coronado Bridge, links San Diego with Coronado, California. The bridge was completed in 1969 and was a toll bridge until 2002. It is 2.1…

Phil CollaJuly 30, 2009

Aerial Photography California San Diego

Hotel del Coronado, San Diego

An aerial photo of the Hotel del Coronado, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the country's few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in…

Phil CollaFebruary 7, 2009

Aerial Photography California San Diego

Crystal Pier, San Diego

Crystal Pier, a combination hotel and pier in the Pacific Beach community of San Diego, extends 872 feet out into the Pacific Ocean. A few dozen cottages sit on the pier near its base. It was built in 1925. Seen beyond Crystal Pier in this aerial photo are Mission Bay…

Phil CollaFebruary 5, 2009

Aerial Photography California San Diego

Ocean Beach Pier, San Diego

Here is a view of the Ocean Beach Pier ("OB Pier") with Sunset Cliffs and Point Loma, and even one of the Coronado Islands in the distance. Ocean Beach Pier, also known as the OB Pier or Ocean Beach Municipal Pier, is the longest concrete pier on the West Coast…

Phil CollaFebruary 3, 2009

Aerial Photography California GeoBlog Photography San Diego

Aerial Photos of San Diego

Here are a couple of new aerial photos from our recently updated collection of San Diego Photos. New Point Loma Lighthouse, situated on the tip of Point Loma Peninsula, marks the entrance to San Diego Bay. The lighthouse rises 70' and was built in 1891 to replace the "old" Point…

Phil CollaJanuary 26, 2009

Aerial Photography Islas Coronado Mexico

South Island, Coronado Islands, Mexico

Here is a shot of South Island, part of the Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado) not far from San Diego and Tijuana, just south of the border. South Coronado Island, north end viewed from the north. Image ID: 21324 Location: Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado), Baja California, Mexico

Phil CollaSeptember 17, 2008

Aerial Photography Islas Coronado Mexico

Middle Island, Coronado Islands, Mexico

Here is a shot of Middle Island, part of the Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado) not far from San Diego and Tijuana, just south of the border. Partially obscured by Middle Island is "Middle Rock", to the left and behind. Middle Coronado Island, viewed from the south. Image ID: 21322 Location:…

Phil CollaSeptember 15, 2008

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California San Diego

Aerial Photo of a Blue Whale

Here is another blue whale aerial photo shot from our recent flight over the Coronado Islands and Nine Mile Bank. More blue whale aerial photos. Blue whale. The sleek hydrodynamic shape of the enormous blue whale allows it to swim swiftly through the ocean, at times over one hundred miles…

Phil CollaSeptember 14, 2008

Aerial Photography Islas Coronado Mexico

North Island, Coronado Islands, Mexico

From a recent flight over Islas Coronados (Coronado Islands, Mexico) recently, seen here is the western exposure of North Coronado Island viewed from the southwest. Do you see the crack between the rightmost tip of the island and the main island? There is a narrow submerged passageway through that crack…

Phil CollaSeptember 12, 2008

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California Wildlife

Blue Whale Aerial Photograph

I had a chance to go flying with a pilot friend whom I had not seen in a few years, and jumped at the opportunity. Flying in small planes is a lot of fun, and it allows us to see the ocean in ways one cannot from the coast or…

Phil CollaSeptember 11, 2008

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