Tag: #sun

The Sunstar at Naples Pier

We arrived at Naples Pier about 10 minutes before sunset. My friend Marjorie warned me, “It’s going to go fast,” and she was right. We needed to pick a spot for a sunset photo quickly among scores of others who were on the beach for the very same reason, to witness the sunset and preserve the memories with photography.

I realized that the sun was going to slip behind the pavilions at the end of the pier, creating an opportunity to photograph the sun as a sunstar with rays. When the sun or other bright light source is clipped by a foreground object, you can create this type of image by stopping your lens down to f/16. (This assumes you know how to manually set your camera!) If not, no worries. Just enjoy this image of a beautiful end of an equally beautiful day.

#pier, #naplespier, #naplesfl, #sunset, #sunstar, #gulfcoast, #blessing, #peace, #sun,
What a blessing to share this moment of peace and wonder with dozens of other respectful visitors at Naples Pier on the Gulf coast of Florida.

Click on the image to enlarge. Need a print? Please visit my website anytime.

White Pelicans Foraging

Two Great White Pelicans foraging in Ding Darling National Wildlife Preserve. Got one!

Low tide is the perfect time to observe White Pelicans, Brown Pelicans, Great Egrets, Blue Heron and Ibis foraging on Sanibel Island. If you are lucky, you might even see some Roseate Spoonbills. Dozens of these beautiful birds crowded an area where the fish seemed to be concentrated.

The White Pelicans are literally “snow birds” who have flown south to Florida from the northern reaches of the United States for a respite from winter.

At 10:30am, the sun was high in the sky, but the light illuminated the throat pouches on these Great White Pelicans.

Great Ball of Fire

The last few minutes before the sunset pass so quickly and quietly. In Rookery Bay surrounded by water and mangrove, it is especially peaceful. While peaceful, the moment is also filled with drama — the brilliance of the sun, the vibrant color of the sky and the quickening darkness. Nature gave us a magnificent show.

#orange, #sunset, #rookerybay, #florida, #swflorida, #kayak, #dayisdone, #nature, #landscape, #humanelement
Sunset from Rookery Bay, south of Naples Florida.

Do you love Pittsburgh?

Pittsburghers are crazy in love with their sports teams, but we are pumped about the vitality of our city as a whole too. On a sunny summer day, you will find boats in the three rivers, families enjoying Point State Park near the fountain, and restaurants buzzing with activity. You can take in an aerial view without a drone from the lookout on Mount Washington, where I shot this photo.

#pittsburgh, #skyline, #mountwashington, #circular, #art, #print, #sunnyday, #photograpy
My own artistic interpretation of the Pittsburgh skyline, as seen from Mount Washington.

If you would like a print of this image, leave me a message in the comment section, and be sure to include your email address. The Sheraton Station Square might like to see themselves at the center of the universe!

Be sure to tune in tonight to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins battle for Stanley Cup: Game 6!

This work has been registered with the U. S. Copyright Office. No reproduction unless by the author/creator of the image.

 

 

 

Two Suns in Maui

As the fiery orange sun was moments away from dipping into the Pacific, just below the distant rain clouds, sunbeams also appeared high in the sky.  It almost seemed as if the afternoon sun was peaking through that opening in the clouds! Sure enough, blue sky, golden light and a brightening of the ocean’s surface right below created a unique illusion.

#maui, #sunset, #sky, #beready, #sun, #clouds, #lava
Rain clouds parted just before sunset to let the evening sun reach the viewer from two directions. High in the sky, there appears an illusion of a second sun.

Haleakula sunrise

Rainy and humid Maui cut us a break this morning. While two other photo shoots have been rained out yesterday and today, the location we woke up at 3 am for, worked out — mercifully.

You have to set the alarm for 3 to drive the windy roads from sea level up at Napili Shores to 10,023 feet above sea level to the summit of Maui’s volcano in time for sunrise. I was pretty surprised to see a nearly full parking lot and about 100 other people crazy enough to be doing the same thing! The park rangers were helping us park, as if we were crowding into a lot for major league baseball or football back at home. After parking, we hiked up a pretty steep trail to this location, breathing pretty hard in the thin air.

Here is one of my favorite images from today’s early photo shoot. I used by Nikon D800 camera mounted on a Really Right Stuff tripod with the wide angle 14-24 mm Nikon lens and a Singh Ray graduated neutral density filter. I shot at ISO 100 to give me maximum ability to make a large highly detailed print later if I wish.

#haleakula, #volcano, #maui, #crater, #sunrise, #clouds, #nature, #landscape
Take a look into the crater from the summit of Haleakala at sunrise today.

Look how the curves in the composition take your eye into the crater and back up the ridge into the clouds to the sun. Haleakala means, “house of the sun.”