Kensington Sunset

Caught this colorful sunset from the top of the Kensington Hills above the East Bay. Thanks to RC Concepcion for his HDR book and inspiration. Stylized with the Nik Photography plug-ins for Photoshop. Used 7 bracketed images at 0.7 stop increments. Wire removal of overhead electrical and TV cables in PS CS6 was the only additional post processing. I think this would look great as a huge metal print hanging in a corporate boardroom, hotel lobby or high ceiling residential great room.

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From Favorites

Upper Yosemite Falls

From our June 2005 trip to Yosemite this was taken about halfway up, and slightly off, the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls.

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Half Dome

I used several tools from the Google Nik Collection to create an old timey picture postcard look. This view of Half Dome was taken on the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls in 2005.

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Natural Bonsai

An image from our 2009 trip to Yosemite. This natural Bonsai is on the trail up to Sentinel Dome. An amazing example of nature's tenacity, life always finds a way to proliferate. I wonder how many thousands of times this valiant tree has been photographed?

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Snow Plant

Maybe this should be in my Macro Photography gallery. Kind of a rare sight and very close-up. This is a minor re-edit of an image I captured back in June 2011. Kelly and I hiked in the Mt. Lassen Volcanic Park that year while they were still clearing fifty foot snow drifts off the roads. We found a few rare Snow Plant specimens just emerging above the shoreline of a lake. You can learn more about these odd creatures here - http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/sarcodes_sanguinea.shtml

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Moss Islands in a Leaf River

As with those reflective garden gazing balls, I like to use this image as a jumping off point to let my eyes lose focus and my mind meditatively wander.

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Mono Lake Cloudy Tufa

Mottled sunshine breaks through the showery clouds hanging low over Mono Lake. It rained every day during our recent brief visit to the high eastern Sierras. These dramatic Tufa towers remind me of the moon crystal growing toys we had as kids in the '60's. Many folks, especially in southern California, assume the formation of these structures are the devastating evidence and result of DWP diverting feeder streams over the years, lowering the lake level and building the encrustations from evaporation. Not true. Mono Lake is salty, super-alkaline and mineral rich because it has no natural outlet and does not get flushed. The Tufa forms under the water, as fresh water seeps in and up via underground springs and forms calcium carbonate "stalagmites", reminiscent of deep undersea volcanic formations. DWP taking too much water from the feeder streams has exposed the previously underwater formations, but not caused them. New restrictions will eventually return the lake to levels not seen in decades, re-submerging many of these amazing sights but ensuring survival of the simple but fragile surrounding ecosystem. Got a windowless room ? Get the Big Picture on paper, canvas or metal - eye opening visuals cure man cave cabin fever.

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