Happy Holidays - Lighting of Sante Fe Square

I was able to get away from work to visit my mother this Thanksgiving in New Mexico. She took me on a wonderful trip to Sante Fe over the holiday weekend. We stayed at the beautiful La Fonda hotel on the town square and it was an opportune stroke of luck that the holiday lighting ceremony was the night we were staying in town. I took my Canon 50D and tripod out as dark set in and braved the huge crowds and very cold temperatures to do some nighttime shooting. I had a lot of fun and it was a magical time to behold. The trees were full of lights, and the sidewalks and buildings decorated with lighted luminaries. I finally called it a night when my fingers would no longer work anymore due to the cold night air. Taken at F 20, 25 seconds, ISO 100, 18mm on a 12-24mm Tokina lens.

Happy Holidays - Sante Fe Holiday Lights

Another shot of the town square. The La Fonda hotel where I stayed is on the corner to the right. At the end of the street is one of Sante Fe's old mission church buildings. Taken with 50d on tripod, F 22, 20 seconds, ISO 100, 24 mm .

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

Pictured here is the Christmas Tree at the Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach framed by stately royal palms. Rhonda and I took a quick stroll through the mall prior to heading down to the harbor to watch the annual Holiday boat parade. Taken with Canon G10, F 3.2, 1/5 second, ISO 200.

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

A gigantic present at the foot of the Newport Beach tree. Of course, my wife thinks it is for her! Taken with G10, F 8.0, .8 second, ISO 200.

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

One of the big traditions along the harbors of the Southern CA coast is the holiday boat parade. And one of the biggest parades occurs in Newport Beach. Rhonda and I enjoyed this particular parade from the deck of one of our Coast Guard patrol boats stationed in the harbor. The parade was very enjoyable, and the participants really go crazy decorating their boats. Some boats were definitely over the top, a combination of Clark Griswold from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Rodney Dangerfield from Caddyshack. I particularly liked this sailboat, which had a simple but quite pleasing arrangement of holiday lights strong from their rigging.

Happy Holidays - Union Square

Last year we took a quick trip to San Francisco in the days leading up to Christmas. We stayed serveral blocks from Union Square, which really get decked out for the Christmas season. Here are a few photos I took while we were there. This photo features the Union Square Christmas tree, which must have been at least 100 feet tall, with some of the local stores and hotels lit up behind it. At the foot of the tree, was an outdoor ice skating rink. Taken with my Canon G10, F 2.8, 1/2 second.

Happy Holidays - Wreathes of Light Suspended From the Heavens!

One of the shopping malls on Market Street in San Francisco not far from Union Square featured a very large open air atrium with an amazing display of lighted holiday wreathes suspended from the domed ceiling. I thought it made an interesting picture as well as an amazing holiday scene! Taken with the Canon G10, F 8.0, .6 seconds.

Happy Holidays - San Francisco Elegance

I don't remember which hotel featured this dining hall, but it was quite an elegant sight to behold between the marble columns, ornate arched dome roof, stately chandliers and christmas tree. Not seen in this picture is the arched doorway to the dining hall guarded by two six foot tall nutcracker figures. Taken with the G10, F 2.8, 1/6 second.

Evening Rush on the Vincent Thomas

I decided I wanted a shot of the VT Bridge lit up with lights from traffic. After searching around for a while, I found a location with the right vantage point on a hill with the help of a zoom lens to get me closer to the action. Taken with my Canon 50D on a tripod, at F 20, 30 seconds, ISO 100, 90 mm.

Sea Lions in the Port

We often have sea lions making themselves at home on our Coast Guard boat docks at Terminal Island down in the port. I decided to take their picture one day while leaving work to head home. We have a raised pier next to some floating docks. The sea lions love the floating docks, and the raised pier makes for a close vantage point without getting too close. The sea lion photos were all taken handheld with the Canon 50D and 100-400 mm Tokina Telezoom lens. This closeup of the sea lions show them all bunched together like a log jam, growling and barking at each other inccessantly. Taken at F 5.6, 1/200 second, ISO 250, 160mm.

Sea lions in Love?

Sea lions in love? You decide...

A neat photo moment captured on film. Taken at F 6.3, 1/500 second, ISO 250, 280 mm.

What are YOU looking at?

They guys have a lot of character, and are not afraid to show it...

Taken at F 5.6, 1/125 second, ISO 250, 210 mm.

Do Sea Lions Dream?

Asleep at the Flipper? This sea lion was slowly gliding by effortlessly on the surface in what appeared to be blissful slumber, nearly motionless and not having a care in the world.

Taken at F 5.6, 1/200 second, ISO 250, 90 mm.

Cranes at Morning Light

I was driving into work one October morning when I saw a spectacular sunrise breaking. I could not help but stop, jump out of the car, and take a few quick shots. Glad I did, it was an amazing sight. I had seen this setting play out before on other days, but this time I had a camera with me in the car! The cranes in the background are from the APM and APL terminals in LA Harbor, and boats in the foreground are moored in what is locally known as "fish harbor".

Taken from South Seaside Ave on Terminal Island a few blocks from the CG base with Canon G10, F 3.5, 1/3 second, ISO 80.

Fountain at the Port of LA

I spent Sunday evening of Memorial Day weekend taking some pictures at the Port of LA's fountain and reflection pool. My ultimate goal was to get a few pictures of the reflecting pool and palm trees with the Vincent Thomas Bridge lit up in blue in the background. I also wanted to get the bridge lights reflecting in the fountain pool. I had a great time, however, it probably wasn't best night to shoot photos at this site. There were hundreds of families gathered to watch the fountain light show, and people freqently walked through the photos. There were also some foggy marine layer-like clouds behind the bridge, which added some atmosphere. Shot with 50D, F 10, 30 sec, ISO 100, 18 mm on Tokina 12-24 lens.

Now Add a Little Water Action!

I was pleased with this timed exposure which enabled me to add the fountain to the same shooting location. Shot with 50D, F14, 30 sec, ISO 100, 18mm with Tokina 12-24 lens. The fountain show lasts maybe ten minutes and has both music, lights and lots of splashing water!

Walking on Water

One interesting feature of the reflecting pool is a walkway right through the middle of it, with water falling down both sides and under the walkway. When viewing from the side and at a distance, it looks like the people in the walkway are standing in the middle of the fountain. This picture captures a little of the light and water show. In this photo you can see some kids in the walkway who have discovered "the spot" where the wind is blowing all the water spray, giving them a non-stop shower. Kids will be kids! You probably have to click the large version of the photo to see them clearly. You can also see wet footprints going across the wallkway. Shot with 50D, F 10, 13 seconds, ISO 100, 18mm on Tokina 12-24 lens. Not the greatest photo, but lots of action!

Vincent Thomas Bridge

I decided to take a few shots of the VT bridge while I was at the reflecting pool. There is a nice walkway that goes from the fountain area to the foot of the bridge. This photo was taken along that walkway. Taken with the 50D, F 10, 25 seconds, ISO 100, 41mm on Canon 28-135 lens. I switched the white balance to daylight and got a nice warm reddish glow to the photo which I thought made for an interesting atmosphere. I also liked how all the blue lights on the bridge had a star effect to the them, and there was a very colorful mix of light reflecting in the water below. A series of palm trees line the walkway below the bridge.

Merchant Marine Memorial

I recently was invited to be a guest speaker at a National Maritime Day (May 22) Ceremony at the American Veterans Merchant Marine Memorial in San Pedro. I decided to visit the Memorial a day early. The Memorial consists of a series of walls inscribed with all the names of the Merchant Mariners who have died in the line of duty during WWII and later, and a large sculpture/water fountain called the Jacob's Ladder. The sculpture features a mariner reaching down to help pull another mariner out of the water, both hanging from a jacob's ladder dangling from an unseen ship. The light wasn't the greatest, but I took a few pictures anyway. Here is a "Memorial Day" photo with old Glory lit up by the sun behind a siloheutte of the Jacob's Ladder. Taken with my 50D, F 6.3, 1/100, ISO 100, 35mm with my Canon 28-135 lens. Taking pictures at this spot is challenging, lots of background clutter, and the sun set behind the buildings nearby, blocking out the warm light of the sunset on the sculpture.

The Jacob's Ladder

Here is the Jacob's Ladder from a different perspective backlight by the setting sun. Taken with my 50D, F 6.3, 1/200, ISO 100, 20mm with the Tokina 12-24 lens.