Creative Nature and Seascape Photography

_MG_4201-2 Cambria Waves, Cambria, CA

_MG_4202-2 Cambria Waves, Cambria, CA

Using a slow shutter speed, aka as “dragging the shutter,”  is a great way to shoot ocean waves and achieve a creative blur in nature and seascape photography.   There are many ways to shoot creative photography, and this is just one of them.  These images were shot early in the morning when I was shooting sunrise near the beautiful coastal town of Cambria on the Central Coast of California.  I focused on the rocks in the foreground.  Using a slow shutter speed, any movement will blur.   I like to use the lowest ISO possible.  On the Canon 5D,MII, it goes down to 50.   For these images, I used a tripod.   The aperture was at F14 and exposure at 1/6 sec.    Using a tripod is a must and a mirror lock up is very helpful to avoid camera shake.  It’s really fun because you never know exactly what the water will be like – sometimes silky, sometimes sharp and frozen.  Use different shutter speeds and see what you can come up with.  Living on the California Central Coast we have plenty of opportunity to shoot amazing nature and seascape photography with opportunities everywhere.

_MG_4144-2 Cambria Waves, Cambria,

This image  shot for 1 sec at F22 creates the look of more wispy waves as opposed to the sharp edged ones above.

 

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashala

 

 

Nature and Seascape Photography is Full of Surprises

_MG_4795-2 Sunset at Pismo Pier

(To view these images in full size, click on image)

In nature photography, you never really know what the conditions will be for a shoot.  You can plan and plan, but when it comes right down to it, you never know what the universe will hand you in terms of light.   The other night I headed for Pismo Beach thinking that, since I was in the area, it might be a chance for a great sunset.   When I arrived I was greeted with a rather drab sky and the sun about to set in 10 minutes.  I almost did not take equipment out of the car thinking it would be a waste of time.

I saw some surfers out in the water and thought maybe I could get a good sillhouette shot.  I proceeded to schlep my equipment down to the waters edge.  And as the sun was setting the most amazing sunset and colors happened.  All I could say was “Oh, My God, Oh, My God.”   When I saw the Christmas tree light up at the end of the pier, it turned out to be an exceptional day of shooting.  I am not sure where all the photographers were, but there was not another soul with a camera on the beach but myself.  Maybe they all thought it would be a drab sunset, too.

I took a lot of time exposures as it got darker and when the water finally started creeping up and covering the soles of my shoes I decided it was time to pack it up.  Am so grateful for a great night of shooting an awesome sunset on the California Central Coast.  Nature and seascape photography never ceases to amaze me.

_MG_4804-2 Christmas on Pismo Pier

_MG_4808-2 Christmas on Pismo Pier

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashala

 

 

Seascape Photography on the Central Coast of California

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL.  WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE GRATEFUL FOR.

_MG_4718-2 Morro Rock, Morro Bay, CA

You never know what Mother Nature will hand you in nature and landscape photography.  Last night I raced to one of my favorite spots when I saw the cloud formations as I was sure it would be those great reds and oranges from the winter sky.  The sun came and went very rapidly with only a hint of color.  Not to be deterred since I was all set up and ready to go, I looked down and saw the most amazing reflections in the water.  After the sun had so quickly disappeared, I pulled out the flash and shot until dark.   Flash photography is perfect for a low light evening to bring out those water reflections.

We have so much to be grateful for, with so much beauty around us here on the California Central Coast, when we take the time to look at what is right in front of us.  It may not always be what we expect, but there is always something of beauty to be found.

_MG_4724-2 Morro Bay Reflections

_MG_4724-2 Morro Bay Reflections

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashala

(To view these images in full size, click on image)

Night Shooting on the California Central Coast

 

_MG_4279-2 Cayucos Sunset

I love wintertime when the sky is filled with clouds, which can be a recipe for AWESOME sunsets.  I raced over to the small beach town of Cayucos from Paso Robles, 1/2 hour away, when I saw the clouds in the sky.    I was too late to watch the sun disappear, but the drama, as usual, was after the sun set.  The sky was aglow with color. Cayucos, a beautiful little beach town on Highway 1, a surfing community and a throwback to the 50’s, is great for shooting.   I was nearly alone on the beach except for a few people around a beach campfire.  Using my trusty 5DMII, which is my go-to camera for landscape photography, I decided to try some night shooting from the beach.

_MG_4306-2 Cayucos Pier

 

Night shooting is a simple process and fun as you never know what you will get.  Since night shooting calls for slow shutter speeds, a tripod is a necessity, as is a remote shutter release.

Use the bulb setting and try different time exposures to find what works.   Using the AV setting, gives you the ability to choose the aperture and to see if the shutter speed is long enough.   If it is not long enough, raise the ISO.  100-400 ISO works just fine at night.   I started with 10 seconds, viewed the image;  went to 20 seconds, viewed; then 30 seconds, until I found what worked.   Use of a remote shutter release will minimize camera shake.  It is also needed if you shoot longer than 30 seconds.

For night landscape or seascape photography, bring a flashlight, tripod, remote shutter release, warm clothes, experiment, and just have fun … and stay warm in the winter weather.

 

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashala

(To view these images in full size, click on image)

 

Shooting Fall Colors in the California Vineyards

 

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashala

(To view these images in full size, click on image)

 

 

 

 

 

_MG_3092 Hot Air Balloon over Paso Robles Vineyards

Here on the California Central Coast we do not have the trees full of fall colors like on the East Coast and other parts of the U.S., but what we do have are rows and rows of vineyards which provide a taste of that fall color and plenty of opportunity for landscape photography.  I set out very early to to shoot the fall colors.  I drove around Paso Robles and saw a likely vineyard for shooting.   I asked permission, and was granted, to shoot in the vineyards at Summerwood Vineyards by a kind gentleman standing inside the vineyard waiting for the workers to arrive.  Being able to get in the gate and in the vineyards afforded me the opportunity to get up high on the vineyard road and shoot down the rows and rows of color.

It proved to be a great day for shooting as that was harvest day and the workers were out picking grapes providing the opportunity for action shots.

After awhile I became bored with the usual vineyard shots and decided to try something different.  I had already shot low, shot high, large aperature, small aperature.  I took the 100-400 and set to 400 mm, focused, and then with a slow shutter speed, manual focus, rapidly brought the barrel towards me.  That was really fun to do and fun to see what I ended up with each time.

_MG_4034-2 Paso Robles Vineyard Row

_MG_3908-2_Paso Robles Grapes

_MG_3991-2 Paso Robles Vineyard

Other times, I focused the camera and with a slow shutter speed, pushed the shutter and rapidly turned the camera 90 degrees.  More fun stuff.  It is always fun to step out of the box and see what can be created.

As far as the hot air balloon, I was shooting a few weeks ago in a vineyard and happened to look up and saw approaching a large hot air balloon.  Life is always interesting.  You never know what to expect.  When out shooting, be ready for anything it hands you, like a great big, colorful hot air balloon flying overhead and camera in hand, and a great opportunity for landscape photography.  It was a good day…

Let Nature Come to You – a Zen-Like Experience in the World of Macro Photography

 

 

For copies or use of these and other images, email:   ashala7@gmail.com

View my website:  www.ashalaTylor.com

(To view these images in full size, click on image)

 

 

_MG_0320 Cormorant in Flight

 

I was at Santa Margarita Lake in Santa Margarita, CA the other morning doing nature photography, shooting egrets, cormorants and other large waterfowl.
After a few hours of shooting the “big” birds by driving around, stopping; driving around, stopping, I was walking back to my car and noticed some butterflies in the tall grass and weeds.  After a long morning of shooting, I decided to sit and watch the butterflies.   I sat on a rock and proceeded to watch a very small area directly in front of me teaming with activity.  I marveled at the activity in that one small area.   It had been a long time since I had just sat and watched this small natural world as opposed to driving around the lake following the  large waterfowl.   What I realized was if I just sat there quietly in the moment, watching this world unfold before me, that nature would come to me – a zen-like experience, for sure.

_MG_0437 Egret

The first attention grabber was the butterfly with the bright, vivid colors.  Great shooting with the morning light.  The butterfly went from flower to flower endlessly.  Then there were the busy bees flitting from flower to flower.  Then there was the moth…  At this point I pulled out the 100-400mm and proceeded to do some hand-held macro shots.  I had not taken the time to shoot macro in a long time.  What an amazing world there is in such a small area right in front of me.  No need to drive around – just sit and wait and let nature come to me.  No need for extension tubes or a macro lens – although those would have been nice – just the 100-400 mm and my rock to sit on.  What a great way to pass the morning, just sitting and watching nature come to me… I could have set up the tripod, but didn’t want to ruin the moment.  With the 100-400 mm handheld, I was able to easily follow my tiny subjects as they flitted from flower to flower as we shared our morning.  I love the world of nature photography, and the addition of macro photography opens up a whole new world.

_MG_0393 Egret

_MG_0694 Butterfly

_MG_0592 Bee

_MG_0666 Butterfly