Uploads from Ivan Makarov, tagged clouds, with geodata

The Arrival of the April Storm. Big Sur, California.

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:29:26 -0700

It's been the longest time since I uploaded a new photograph online, ever since I started shooting back in 2007. I've blogged about the slum on my personal blog (see the link in my profile).

Either way, it's great to be shooting again. This was taken last Sunday as the new spring storm was arriving to the West Coast. It's been wet since then. While not a new composition for me, I wanted to shoot a B&W version from here, with these heavy clouds and an opening right over these rocks.

Las Vegas Temple

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 07:53:01 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

The Arrival of Winter, Garrapata Beach

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:15:12 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

I am finally getting around the images I took in the last couple of months. This one is from an outing to my favorite Big Sur spot, Garrapata Beach, with Jim Patterson and Josh Cripps.

This was one of the first winter storms that came into the area. I think we caught the tail end of it. It was a nice gesture by nature, seeing how it rained for days before that, and I was also working really late hours for few weeks in a row.

I hope you all have a Happy New Year!

Reflections of Provo Canyon

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 08:02:05 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Here is another view from sunset un Utah on Tuesday. I wonder which one you like more - this one or the one I uploaded earlier and why?

In the distance is Provo Canyon, the city of Provo (home of Brigham Young University) and the nearby mountains of the Wasatch Range. The smoke belongs to Geneva Steel - perhaps the ugliest part of the Valley. I was very tempted to photoshop it out. But it's all part of the reality of life in this part of Utah, and I decided to keep it.

Alpenglow over Utah County

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 08:05:36 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

This is where it all began for me four years ago.

I was in Utah yesterday for work. The state recently experienced severe weather, and as I found out, the atmosphere is still trying to recover. I spent the sunrise shooting, and was lucky enough to have a short time before I had to jump on my plane to also shoot the sunset. Both were out of this world. I love stormy clouds of Northern California – but they rarely put the kind of show that we can see in high altitudes in the mountains.

In the distance are the mountains that are part of the Wasatch Range, with the famous Mt Timpanogos covered in the clouds on the right. The valley beneath is Utah County (starting with American Fork on the left, all the way to Orem/Provo on the right). The lake below is Utah Lake, third largest fresh water lake in the US west of the Great Lakes. Next to the shore are the first signs of the winter – ice! In a couple of weeks the lake will likely be frozen.

The sunrise color lasted over an hour and I’ll share some shots later. The sunset color was all over the sky and also lasted almost an hour. The crazy thing is that here I’m facing east, as the sun is setting behind me. It was just the beginning of a memorable sunset.

I used to live in this area as a college student. I wish I got into photography earlier to get more photographs during evenings like this, but it didn’t happen until I was in my last semester of school.

It was here, at Utah Lake that I fell in love with outdoor photography four years ago.

Besides seeing this with my own eyes – another positive of the evening was meeting my Flickr contact utdesertdue at the same spot, totally at random. Check out his great photostream. Very jealous of him that he lives so close to so much beauty.

Nikon D300
0.6 sec, f/16, ISO200 @ 34mm
Lee 0.9 + 0.6 filter to control the exposure

Utah County - View from the Top

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:58:47 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Yes, I'm not the most cautios parent when I'm behind a camera. Maks is only sitting on a rock at Squaw Peak with 1,000 or so feet drop off. Not right away, ok, but after few extra steps. After all, I'm the same guy who was clicking away while my son was being submerged by a big cold Pacific Ocean wave.

Mirror Lake in the Afternoon

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:47:39 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Once again, I can't stand how Flickr sometimes resizes images. Please take a minute to view it LARGE.
____

Whenever I visit Yosemite, I usually make a short hike to the Mirror Lake. In fact, this is probably the easiest hike in all of the park. It's about a mile long one way, but paved with the asphalt all the way. We haven't hiked since we had our second child last fall, but decided this hike is short and easy enough to try it with both of our kids.

I carried our older son in a backpack behind me. One thing I learned on that short hike is that I really have to start planning which lenses come with me and which stay behind. With my 30 pound son, the tripod and all my lenses, filters, the camera bag became way too heavy to carry and not think about it. Maybe I'll hire a donkey next time, like Ansel Adams did back in the day when he would hike around Yosemite with all his heavy gear.

Unfortunately, when we got there, there were several groups swimming in the lake, and I had to wait half an hour before getting a frame without random people swimming in the Tenaya Creek. The rangers are never there when you need them.

Nikon D300
20mm, f/16, 80 sec, ISO100
ND400 + Lee 0.9 ND Grad

Warm Winter at Garrapata Beach

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:03:36 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

View this one LARGE.

When I was in my junior year of college, I had to pick a location where I wanted to work and live following my graduation. I wasn't going back to Moscow where I grew up, as I decided to stay in the States for a while. I did not want to live where winters are cold either after couple of decades of Russian winters and few more in Utah. But growing up, I was always fascinated with seas and oceans. There is something about the mystery of it and the scale of things that always drew me to it. No wonder I ended up here in Northern California because winters here are now my favorite time of the year.

It's no wonder that the ocean is now one of my favorite subjects to photograph. I think it's important that we photograph what we love, otherwise why even bother spending time and money on photography?

Nikon D300
24mm, 1/8 sec, f/16, ISO 100
Lee ND 0.6 + 0.9

The Edge of the Day at Garrapata Beach

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:10:02 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Best viewed LARGE.

One of the key elements in landcape photography are the edges. The late Gallen Rowell was the first to write extensively about it in his famous "Mountain Light" book. It is usually the edges of things that are the most memorable - a clearing storm, an end of the day, an end of the land where sea begins and so forth. The way our brain processes items is that we remember the edges and extremes much better.

With this in mind, this is what drew up out to the ocean last week - the edge of the passing front was right where I been shooting recently, at Garrapata Beach. A mile north, and I was under the overcast sky. A mile south, I was under the clear sky. But this time I was lucky enough to be right where the light was clearing, and right as the day was turning into night.

Nikon D300
10mm, 1/3 sec, f/16, ISO100
Lee 0.9 + 0.6 ND grads

The Arrival

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:07:25 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

We're in the middle of winter storms here in SF Bay Area. Right now it's pouring rain out there and there are wrecks all over on freeways. I took the train to work today.

Yesterday as the day was coming to an end, there was a short break right around the sunset time. I quickly grabbed my gear and headed out of the door to the nearby park that our house is close to. The color was there, but not spectacular, since there were too many low clouds. So I decided the scene is better suited for B&W. Standing there in this weather I couldn't help but enjoy the fresh air that these storms bring. Next few weeks will also be the best time for landscape photography around here, as storms tend to clear the air and bring high clouds.

The nature is mean out there right now, but that's expected for January. Please drive safely.

Nikon D300
1/20 sec, f/16, 24mm, 100 ISO
ND Grad 0.9 (3-stop)

Over Adobe

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:00:39 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Alpenglow on Mount Timpanogos

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:27:34 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

LARGE

It was on a morning like this that I was once again reminded why I do miss living in the mountains.

I just got back from a family trip to Utah where we spent the last few days. While the trip was mostly family rather than photography oriented, I did manage to get out and shoot outdoors on a couple of occasions so I will share the photos from the trip in the next little while.

This particular image was taken on Monday at sunrise. I think I figured out an easy solution of how to get up at 5am to capture a scene like this, and it is to sleep on a couch the night before. It worked and I woke up without an alarm (sleeping on a couch is a burden) to drive up to the Provo canyon with this image in mind. I had no expectation about the great light, because recently it mostly alluded me, and I almost thought I'd have no chance for anything to happen until suddenly, after I already been around the lake for about an hour, my favorite mountain, Mt Timpanogos, began glowing with an alpenglow, which is an optical phenomenon that's sometimes seen at high altitudes when the sun is just below the horizon. It only lasts a few minutes, but luckily, I already had my camera set up in the exact spot where I wanted it and I was able to record this scene.

More to come.

Pacific Brothers

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:05:59 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

LARGE

Not sure how long these rocks have been there, but my guess is that hundreds or likely thousands of years, in the same spot, guarding the coast and one another.

I had another good outing with Jim Patterson last night in his heck of the woods (or coast, I guess), Santa Cruz shores. He introduced me to some of his favorite beaches, Panther and Hole in the Wall beaches (see his set from that area for some amazing photography) and I was not disappointing. High cliffs, out-of-worldly rock formations, long stretches of sand, big waves and no tourists with their point-and-shoots that always seem to get in a shot at the Big Sur. So much more to explore around that area.

Shooting itself was pretty difficult, however. The winds were strong, the mist was fogging up the filters and lenses almost immediately, and the rocks were slippery with unpredictable waves threatening our presence there. Sadly, a lot of the good shots I thought I made turned out to be ruined by water spots and on top of that, my sensor is now in need of serious cleaning as I am seeing too many dust spots (probably sand actually). But even then, I did get away with few frames I am happy with.

Rising Storm and the Tree

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:28:58 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

February is the time I love in San Jose. For a photographer who likes nature, San Jose has always been a challenge since the weather is mostly cloudless during the year. But the storms come in February, and it's been stormy around here for the past couple of weeks, with no forecast of rain stopping.

With the hope of catching a clearing storm, I drove to the park right behind my house and I was lucky to have clouds line up just as I wanted them to behind this favorite oak tree of mine.

Winter at Mt Timpanogos

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:34:11 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Mount Timpanogos is the second highest mountain in Utah's Wasatch Range (second to Mount Nebo). Timpanogos rises to an elevation of 11,749 feet (3,582 m) above sea level in the Uinta National Forest. The mountain towers over Utah Valley, including the cities of Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Lindon and others.

This image is taken from about 7,000 feet high, as I was standing in snow up to my waist. Luckily, I got out.

The Sun Shines On Mount Nebo

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 07:32:26 -0700

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

With the tallest peak at 11,928 feet, Mount Nebo is the highest mountain in the Wasatch Range in Utah. It is a centerpiece of the Mount Nebo Wilderness and is a part of the Uinta National Forest.

The shot is taken at 9,000 feet.

Provo Utah Temple

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:18:50 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

Respect for the Ocean - Garrapata Beach

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:56:04 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

View this one LARGE.

I'm really slow processing the photos from that night, because I'm still bitter about that evening.

The evening was going fine. Beautiful light, no wind, big waves (it was the day before the Mavericks competition took place), no one but me and a few teenagers at the beach. What could go wrong, right?

Oh, as always, many things. I left my camera bag where I thought it was safe, where the sand looked dry, almost all the way at the end of the beach by the cliffs. As I was busy shooting away, I noticed that one big wave seemed to kept going longer than all the others. But it was too late. It went straight through my opened camera bag, soaking everything inside and actually killing my laptop that was still running for whatever reason (don't you hate it when PC laptops doesn't properly shut down?). The IT guys at my work found sand and salt on the inside disk of the hard drive. I think that wave killed both the hard drive and the laptop shell.

We must respect the ocean.

With that, be careful if you're going out to the coast tonight. The tsunami that resulted from the 8.8 earthquake in Chile last night is scheduled to hit California coast right in late afternoon, according to this map.

Nikon D300
24mm, f/16, 1/20 s, ISO100
Lee ND Grad 0.6 + 0.9

Basic Elements, Garrapata Beach

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:34:50 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

I do recommend LARGE.

I do love this time of the year. Here in this part of California we can wait for months in the summer for the weather like we've having right now, but the winters here are beautiful. It's warm, stormy, and all kinds of clouds pass through. On this particular day, the end of the passing front was right where my favorite beach is located - at Garrapata State Beach. You might have noticed that I've been going there quite a bit recently. My goal is to build up a collection of images from this winter into a separate portfolio that I will call "Winter at the Big Sur" or something like this. I thought it would be a fun idea to build a new set like this every winter.

Anyway. This time around there was no one at this half-a-mile beach but me, big rocks and the big waves. The one in the background is about 15 feet tall. In fact, this weekend we're experiencing perhaps the biggest waves of all year, and today the world famous big wave surfing competition Mavericks is taking place in Half Moon Bay.

Nikon D300
29mm, f/16, 1/8 sec, ISO100
Lee 0.9 + 0.6 ND Grads

Serenity

nobody@flickr.com (Ivan Makarov) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:39:41 -0800

Ivan Makarov posted a photo:

"My life is full of memories of experiences that are of greater importance to me that the mere recollection of things and happenings. Unless I reacted to the mood of this place with some intensity of feeling, I would have found it a difficult and shallow undertaking to attempt a photograph." -- Ansel Adams.

Driving by Kaneohe Bay one afternoon I saw this boat parked in the ocean, and I knew right away I wanted to come back in the morning and capture an image of it during glorious Hawaiian sunrise. In fact, I find Hawaiian sunrises at least as exciting as apline glow in the mountains. With exactly this photograph in mind, I had no difficulty getting up early the next morning and driving back to this spot.