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[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Sequoia National Park

Just inside the south gate, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

We got quite a wide variety of different weather while we were up here for a couple of days in early Spring. As we drove up into the high country on this day we ended up in rain and hail. However the light here was sublime, and I couldn't resist pulling off the road for a shot of this vista.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

General Sherman

The largest tree in the world by volume.

Located in Sequoia National Park, this feature/location is a bit of a tourist trap. However if you can manage the crowds, or make it during a more "off season" period, it's well worth it as it is really a sight to behold.

We went in early Spring so there was more snow and weather than we were really expecting, and also more people considering the season. Regardless, it wasn't too bad (except for when my wife's boot sprung a leak and her foot got wet in the snow).

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Spring Time

Enjoying a little nature while out and about in the early spring.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

For Alyn

The northern dusty arm of the Milkyway, along side the distinctive "W" of Cassiopeia.

The great Alyn Wallace passed away today. He was the landscape astro-photographer I wish I could be, and his work will continue to inspire me for as long as I live.

As Alyn always said as he signed off from all of his videos:

"I wish you good luck, and clear skies."

I never met you, but I sure will miss you. Rest in peace.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Winter

Its actually Spring at the time of this posting, and there was quite a bit more snow on the local mountains than I was really expecting. The conditions on the ground did have an impact on my days hiking plans, but it was still a great day. I got in a couple miles in the wilderness, and while I was aiming for more, I was happy with what I got.

Let's go exploring

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

An Ongoing Homage to the Magnificence of the Eastern Sierra

Since I was deep into the backcountry of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, I felt inspired by the man himself, and went black and white at the mouth of Shadow Lake. This days hiking only totaled about 11 miles. I had planned for longer, but this was during a time when there were numerous wildfires burning across California and the Eastern Sierra. Because of air quality issues, I cut the hike from a planned 15.5 miles down to a 10.8 mile day.

I believe the peaks off in the distance there are Volcanic Ridge East and West.

Shot on my favorite hiking camera, the Lumix GX9.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Nature is Essential

I had a chance to get out and wander in the local woodlands late last week, and that was very important for me as life in general lately has been fairly stressful. I was becoming easily distracted and quick to irritation, and the opportunity to get out and go wander in the Angeles National Forest just before the most recent rains rolled thru really helped me reset my patience and focus.

The tranquility that was there to be found really spoke to me, as it isn't lost on me that time in the wilderness necessitates patience (for a slew of reasons really), and this little mental analogy between my daily struggles and my current environment helped remind me about refocusing on that in my day-to-day life.

Nature is essential.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Lough Dunlewy

Located in County Donegal in the north of the Republic, this area is absolutely jam-packed with stunningly beautiful locales that make the region a landscape/nature photographers dream.

I am quite smitten with the natural beauty of Ireland, and am looking forward to a return visit to my wife's homeland in the not too distant future.

Let's go exploring, international edition.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

L O N G I N G

I'm really pining for time in the Eastern Sierra. It's been quite a while since either I or my wife have been up in the region, and we're both feeling the siren call.

The beauty of the environment is one that never fails to absolutely blow me away. Deep forests, alpine lakes, jagged peaks, and trails aplenty; hiking, swimming, canoeing, mountain biking, skiing and snowboarding... there are so many things to excited the senses.

I can't wait to go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Road Trips

My wife and I took a little roadtrip trip up the coast for the holidays to see family.

Seeing the family was great and all (truly), but the scenery along the costal route up really was something else. This was driven mostly by some spectacular clouds from a recent storm system that had just rolled thru during the week prior.

These lenticular clouds (the higher of these sets of clouds) tend to form over mountains when very high winds are present.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

The Last Vestiges

I went out to a local wilderness spot about a week ago for a golden hour wander and was moderately surprised to discover that there was still some little patches of fall color hanging on for dear life.

In December.

But I guess that's California for you. Our winter had been relatively dry thus far, even though they keep talking about the El Nino weather event for this year. This dryness is most likely what's responsible for continuing to see little pops of Autumnal color so late in the year. It was a plesant little surprise though and not at all unwelcome.

I did do a cloud replacement on this shot. If ya do it, you should admit it.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

The Classic Costal Sunset

I recently went out to a favorite spot of mine along the local coast to wander and see what there was to see. The weather report and lingering clouds in the area a few hours before sunset lead me to believe that I'd get some great light and textures in the sky that evening, and I wasn't wrong.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Sunset and Birding at the Local Wetlands

It's been a while since I've been able to get out for a little nature photography, but my wife and I went for a nice wander out at the local wetlands a couple days ago just to stretch our legs and enjoy some birding and the sunset.

I am a generalized nature photographer as I quite enjoy a variety of genres like landscapes photography, astrophotography, and wildlife photography. Here we have the bridge leading into the wetlands being used as a leading line towards the setting sun and all of the great cloud texture and color in the sky.

Before we came across this scene we were wandering about the wetlands watching the birds and came across this very large California Brown Pelican. It would float about for a bit, then take off, fly for 20 feet and dive nose first into the water on a perpetual hunt for its dinner. Unfortunately I never caught this action, but I did get this shot of it with its nose dipped into the water, eyeballing the environment for some fish to gobble up.

I love the detail my FujiFilm camera and adapted Sigma 150-600mm lens captured, as well as its cool distorted reflection. It's sort of a contrast of texture vs texture and representational imagery vs abstraction.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Looking Towards Bray

It was a long flight.

We were exhausted after 11 hours in the air on the way to Dublin Ireland, but we knew we had to stay up and awake until our proper local time bedtime. This is crucial if you want to get a leg up on preventing jet-lag.

We landed, picked up our rental car, and drove down to Wicklow where we were staying for a couple days, but there is no doubt we were exhausted as neither one of us slept much on the flight over from California. Because of this we knew we had to get active for a bit to find our second (maybe third?) wind. The family we were staying with recommended a section of the Cliff Walk that runs along the coast for a number of miles. It was a 10 minute walk from the house, and 25-30 minutes down to the harbor. With 15 minutes of wandering about down there and, the return trip to the house, we managed to get in about an hour and 20 minutes of quality wandering to get our blood flowing to wake us up a bit.

It worked.

We were able to stay up to about 11 or so local time so we could stave off the jet-lag at the start of two weeks in Ireland.On top of being a useful little wander that served a greater purpose than to simply see the sights, the golden hour conditions and the view looking north up the coast towards Bray was sublime. The conditions contributed to a certain sense of tranquility that really helped to ease the tension from the long flight over.

Let's go exploring, international edition.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Killarney National Park

The Torc Waterfall in Ireland's Killarney National Park is quite possibly my favorite waterfall I have ever photographed.

This composition isn't the best of those I have shot of this falls; it lacks a little depth since I didn't compose it with any real foreground elements to speak of. Despite this, the natural beauty of the falls and it's environment still shines and the light was lovely.

If you get a chance to visit Ireland, I highly recommend it.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

Star Trails in the High Desert

A favorite spot of mine (and my wife) to go and sit out under the spectacular night skies and view the stars. The area has a Bortle class of 2 to 3, depending on the direction you are looking.

This is a stack of 150 frames, each 20 second at 16mm, f/2 and ISO 2000.

Let's go exploring.

[the-hikers-eye-photography]

The Basalt Columns of the Giants Causeway

Good times with my wife along the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland.

We spent a few weeks in her homeland late last year and had a chance to explore all over the country. If you ever get the chance to visit, do so and treat yourself. You won't regret it.

Let's go exploring, international edition.