Uploads from Willie Huang Photo, tagged scenic

Purple Magic

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:54:49 -0700

This is from one of my recent solo shoots. It’s been a while since I’ve shot solo, but it was a very peaceful and mind-freeing trip to be out by myself.

I have seen fields of yellow, green, and brown, but this was the first time I have seen a field of purple. According to experts, these lupine fields peak simultaneously only once every 5-10 years. The last time such a peaking of the bloom occurred was in 2008 and this year is turning out better.

I spent a few hours scouting around looking for various patches and compositions but was drawn most to this scene. This patch had the dense growth of lupines along with a photogenic tree in the background. On top of that, I found this S-shaped log lying within the field for the perfect foreground element. High thin wispy clouds remained in the area the entire day and they produced quite a nice sunset. As the colors in the sky erupted, the color of the lupine field intensified, picking up an almost ethereal glow.

May the spring colors be with you.

P.S. – Some of you may have already seen this photo as it was selected as the Outdoor Photographer Wildflower Assignment winner.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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The Divide

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:55:15 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

All day, the clouds looked promising across the Bay Area and hence I met up with Jave for a shoot. Not knowing where the light would be best, we debated over various locations we could possibly shoot. Looking east the clouds were amazing high clouds with patches of blue and breaks within them. The clouds to the west did not look as promising: thick, dark, and ominous. Despite the high possibility of getting skunked, we decided to head down towards the Santa Cruz coastline and look for area with highest potential for epic light.

By the time we arrived at Santa Cruz driving north on Hwy 1, we saw an opening on the horizon looking to the west. Though small, the opening offered the only potential for sunset light as the remainder of the horizon was blocked by thick grey clouds. We were torn between which beach to head to so Jave resorted to flipping a coin. Tails it was – Davenport Beach.

At Davenport, we ran into fellow local photographers James and Yan. I was surprised to see only the four of us at Davenport Beach. After chatting for some time, we all prepared for the sunset shoot. Jave, James, and Yan all chose to shoot near the finger-like rock formations by the sea stack whereas I decided to shoot the famous Davenport crack. The tide was perfect for the crack and the sea spray was minimal. As sunset neared, the gap on the horizon increased in size. The sun then burst through and lit up the sky.

It was difficult to choose which photo I liked most. Although the post-sunset shot had a beautifully lit sky, I ended up choosing this shot with the sun star as it looked more dynamic and has warmth on the rocks. Hope you enjoy.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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Guardian of the Hill

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 05:59:21 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

With 80 degree temperature the previous day, I was hoping for some low fog and high cloud action by the Golden Gate Bridge. To my dismay, the fog level was a bit too high due to the temperature plummet overnight. Instead, I embarked on plan B with Jave to a local spot we had scouted the previous evening.

Shockingly, Alan even left his beloved San Francisco and wandered his way down to meet us for sunrise. When we arrived at our spot, the field of flowers was flawless and the air was perfectly still. The sky looked a bit too cloudy without any gaps towards the horizon. With his typical pessimism, Alan kept yelling out “Skunk city” while he wandered the flower patch for his composition. Then all of a sudden pink began appearing on the horizon. Within a minute or two the pink swath spread across the eastern sky. The colors dispersed almost as fast as it came but that time was all I needed to capture my scene.

Yellows, pinks, and greens: spring does not get any better.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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Eureka Tessellation

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 06:03:11 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

The Eureka Dunes was on our Day 2 itinerary for the Eastern Sierras trip along with Alan and Aaron. These dunes are some of the tallest sand dunes in the US and also has a large playa located at its base.

After shooting sunrise by some petroglyphs and resting up until midday, we headed out to Death Valley for the Eureka Dunes. Google maps said it would take us 2.5hrs yet we made it to our playground in a mere 1hr 15min. Once there, it was photography heaven. There were no other people and no other photographers at the playa. It was the extreme opposite of our previous weekend in Yosemite where there was a photographer every 5 feet. We had the entire playa to ourselves as we set about exploring all the various patterns it had to offer. It had large and small mud cracks as well as a few series of coyote tracks created last when the playa was wet.

The clouds looked great all day as a result of an incoming storm system that covered across all of California. The sunset was looking like it would be spectacular with clouds 360 degrees around. These clouds were of all types: high thins mixed with altocumulus and even some lenticulars over the mountain tops. However, our great expectations began diminishing about a half hour before sunset. The clouds to the west appeared to grow thicker. To our dismay the sky never really lit up but the patterns and the textured sky were all I needed for a black and white photo. Until next time.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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The Veiled City

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 05:53:06 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

The recent heat wave in the Bay Area brought along some interesting weather patterns including this morning of low fog. In fact this was the rare occurrence of the first of two straight days of low fog.

I met up with Alan and Aaron up at Hawk Hill and saw the mesmerizing scene. The fog was quite low just above the deck. The fog also spread far into the bay engulfing much of the city with only the tip tops of skyscrapers peeking out above the fog. As blue hour approached the fog lowered itself and opened a gap to reveal the deck lights at the northern end of the bridge.

I shot both panoramic stitches as well as one-shot images. In the end I preferred this one-shot image as it included multiple layers starting from the silhouetted Marin Headlands to the smooth fog and finally to the sky.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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Paradise Cove

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:58:35 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

With spring around the corner Jave and I headed to the coast in search of some wildflowers. Having shot this scene last year, I wanted to return during the peak bloom and when the sun would set straight down the valley. The clouds by the Bay Area looked dull and drab the entire day, resembling an endless sheet of grey. I felt there was a chance of breaks further south. Much to our luck the weather cooperated.

Upon arrival, the sky looked ideal for blowing up. With time to kill, we scouted for the best spot and framing. It was surprising how long it took us to setup and to achieve our framing. We ducked our heads for a solid hour before lifting them and checking out the sky. In that time, the partly cloudy skies transformed to more of a thick mass on the horizon. I thought it was a marine layer but as sunset neared it was evident the clouds were just a band of high thins. The thin highs managed to diffuse the sun as it set and the clouds glowed blood orange. I waited until the sun sat just above the horizon for my shot.

Hope you enjoy and may the light be with you.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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Morning Whispers

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 05:51:37 -0700

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

I wasn’t expecting much for the last morning of my Eastern Sierra – Death Valley weekend tour with Alan and Aaron. Having gotten great light the previous morning, getting a last good sunrise would just be the icing on the cake. The weather reports all showed considerable clouds rolling into the area but we held out hope for some break in the storm. As the alarm went off early in the morning, Alan took the liberty to look outside. His report: patchy clouds with stars visible in the sky. I really thought Alan’s Pinocchio nose had just grown longer but surprisingly it was the first truth he told all weekend.

We headed out to our previously scouted spot along the Owens River and waited for the sun to rise. To our luck, there was a gap in the storm with a front stopped right at the edge of the mountains engulfing the summits of the surrounding peaks of Mt. Tom. Basked in warm light and glow, the scene was simply scintillating. What a way to cap off an amazing weekend.

P.S. Due to a previous unfavorable experience, Alan kept talking about a Mt. Whitney omelette every time we were near the Owens River.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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Revelations

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:57:01 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

Just some ancient artwork coupled with one of the best sunrises I’ve seen. The edge of a storm arrived at the perfect timing to light the sky up 360. I’ll let the petroglyphs do the remaining of the storytelling.

May the light be with you.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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S.A.L.T. (Sunset Above Lake Top)

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:58:04 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

With my last few posts all being seascapes, I figured I’d change it up with a landscape shot taken last year in the salt flat from the Bay Area. The rare Bay Area summer drought created some unearthly landscapes ranging from dry lake beds to this salt flat.

Despite having shot this on two previous occasions, the draw of Badwater-like textures was too good to pass up. I brought along Jave and Rich to experience this Bay Area treat and mother nature did not disappoint. Looking westward, the sky erupted in burning orange while eastward, clouds resembling Medusa’s head flared in brilliant pinks.

Out of curiosity, I headed back here two weeks ago to assess the current conditions and to scout for possible new compositions. As expected, this salt flat is completely submerged under several feet of water without a trace it even ever existed.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 17-40mm f/4L

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Feel the Rush

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 05:53:29 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

Rule #1: There is always good light on Fridays.
Rule #2: Always check the satellite imagery no matter the weather forecast.

Luckily I followed these rules in the nick of time to catch this sunset. It was clear all day until midafternoon when a swatch of cloud appeared out of nowhere to blanket the Bay Area. I was about to embark on an errand run when I saw the clouds moving in. I grabbed my gear and headed to a spot where I had wanted to shoot: old pier pylons along the beach.

It has been a while since I had done a solo shoot. These clouds had caught most people flat footed. On the bright side, I had the entire place to myself: no photowalk frame bangs jostling for positions or lining up single file to get the exact same shots. To my surprise, the clouds remained static for the hour I waited for sunset. They did not move one bit but only dithered slightly above the coastline. Then came the sunset and it was surely a memorable one. The clouds were full of texture and lit up in flamingo pinks mixed with fiery yellow-orange near the horizon. With the perfect tide, everything came together.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II

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The Waterfall Effect

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 05:58:12 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

This little waterfall along the SF coastline had been on my list for some time. After staring at cloudless skies for the past week, I was pleasantly pleased to see the return of clouds to the Bay Area. Initially, I was hesitant to make the trip out to shoot but ultimately decided that it would be sinful to miss another potentially glorious sunset.

When I arrived on location, the clouds were perfect: thin, high wispy clouds blanketed the sky. Further south was nothing but clear, empty skies. The conditions appeared to be the jackpot for what I wanted to shoot with high tide and high surf. At game time, the sky exploded into oranges and pinks as the waterfall flowed with force.

For the entire shoot, I somehow managed to stay relatively dry. Sure there was the splash here and there but waterproof pants and Gore-tex shoes shielded me from the larger waves. However, just as I completed the shoot and was preparing to head to higher ground, a large wave caught me napping. Oh well, it was all worth it.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 17-40mm f/4L

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Golden Arch

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 06:58:26 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

It is by time I headed back down to Big Sur to photograph the coastline. With high surf and clouds in the forecast, I met up with Alan and caravanned down towards the central coast. This sea arch in Garrapata State Park has been on my list for quite some time. With the southerly setting sun, it was ideal to shoot this scene close to winter solstice.

An hour before sunset, the skies remained mostly clear but to our luck, a large swath of clouds rolled in from the north and positioned itself perfectly shortly before sunset. With golden rays hitting the rocky walls, I opted for a vertical composition to include the foreground rock shelf as well as the large patch of glowing clouds.

This shot was taken approximately 10 minutes before sunset with the scene bathed in warmth. Much to our dismay, 90% of the clouds fizzled away in the 10 minutes prior to sunset. Though not the blazing pinks and reds I had hoped for, I am still quite happy with this golden yellow shot I came away with.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 17-40mm f/4L

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Moonrise Tunnel View

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 05:55:45 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

Getting a full moonrise over Yosemite Valley had been on my bucket list but had eluded me for some time. My original plan for the day was to shoot the full moon rising over the Painted Ladies with the San Francisco skyline during blue hour. However, the forecasted clearing storm in Yosemite was too promising to pass up.

While shooting sunset at Tunnel View, I was so engulfed watching the epic conditions unfold I nearly forgot about the moonrise. Once the sunset show was over, all the photographers began chattering about the impending full moon rise.

Somehow, no one seemed to know where or when exactly the moonrise was to occur. Figuring that we had already driven 4 hours to Yosemite, Alan, Aaron, and I decided to wait it out. Twilight began kicking in and all of a sudden, the moon appeared on the horizon north of Cloud’s Rest. At that moment, the entire crowd of photographers flocked southward at the Tunnel View overlook.

Initially I focused on shooting the moon using my tele lens in hopes of getting a giant moon framed with Half Dome. However, the moon’s position had too much spread from Half Dome and the wider angle shot seemed more optimal. For my last shot, I threw on my 24-70 lens for a midrange shot with hopes of a light star from the moon. I really did not expect much out of the shot but was pleasantly surprised with the result. It was an evening worthy to remember: an epic sunset followed by a full moon rise over Yosemite Valley.

Popular Photography Magazine Your Best Shot finalist for January 2013.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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Winter Symphony

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:13:23 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

It is always a pleasure to when all the proper conditions meld together for the shot you envision. I have always dreamt of capturing Tunnel View bathed in snow, clouds, and the last sunlight beaming onto El Capitan and Half Dome. During this trip, it became reality.

The recent winter storm Euclid had just dumped considerable snow in Yosemite and the weather forecast showed the storm would break in the afternoon. Alan, Aaron, and I decided to give it a go and hope for Mother Nature’s cooperation. Just as we were about to leave the Bay Area, Alan reported that the clouds had disappeared and Yosemite had nothing but clear skies. Alan felt demoralized and was on the brink of bailing to return home and play video games all day but luckily Aaron and I convinced him it was worth the trip even with clear skies to see Yosemite covered in snow.

When we arrived early afternoon, there was a large cloud mass sitting just west of Yosemite. We scouted out several locations before eventually settling on the iconic Tunnel View. Much to our luck, that cloud massed had moved east and was over most of Yosemite Valley. With such promising conditions, there was no shortage of photographers lining up at Tunnel View. Tripods and cameras galore, Mother Nature then began putting on the show. The sun peaked through gaps in the clouds casting strips of light across El Capitan while clouds played hide-and-seek with Half Dome in the distance. Just as the sun was about to set, everything came together. There was a beam of red filtered sunlight hit El Capitan, glow on Half Dome, fog in the valley, and low clouds lighting up in pink. I could not have asked for any better conditions.

Shortly after sunset, we all prepared for the full moon rise over Tunnel View. Stay tuned for that shot. Happy New Year to all and may the light be with you!

Yosemite Conservancy Photo of the Month - January 2013.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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Deuce of Hearts

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:56:48 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

It’s funny how this was my first photo visit to Sutro Baths. Despite shooting various other locations in San Francisco, I never made my way here for coastal shooting.

This evening, I again met up with Alan as the cloud coverage was looking very promising. With low tide, Sutro Baths had a plethora of compositions. The low tide exposed many rocks covered with mussels (tasty) as well as other sea critters such as starfish.

As the light began to glow, I noticed the interesting shape of the main cloud. It resembled a nebulous mass in the shape of a heart. To further complement it, the heart-shaped cloud was above the heart-shaped portal. Not bad I thought: one shot, two hearts.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 17-40mm f/4L

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Illuminations

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:55:49 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

I met up with Alan again in an attempt to try something new with the holiday lights and Transamerica Beacon turned on. Having never been to this East Bay spot, I was not sure what to expect. I parked, got out, and looked around. There was a gravel lookout, a bench carved out of a giant tree trunk, and……..a bra. According to Alan, this is quite the popular make out spot.

Anyways, onto the photo at hand: the storm was clearing and the clouds were primed for some nice light action. The sunset ended up being pretty good, but it was the light beams that stole the show 15 minutes before sunset. Cast across the bay and over the SF skyline, it was a spectacle to see. Hope you enjoy and the night version is coming soon.

Canon 7D
EF 70-200 f/.8L IS II
EF 1.4x III

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Jordan Pond

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:55:49 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

Back in mid-October, I headed to the east coast for the first time in almost 2 years. Having lived most of my life on the east coast, I sorely missed the changing of seasons and the fall foliage.

This shot was taken at Jordan Pond, a classical spot in Acadia National Park. To my luck, a beaver had chomped on and taken down two beautiful trees the night before. Both trees ended up toppling over with some of their branches submerging near the edge of the pond. Upon seeing the branches earlier in the day, I knew I wanted them as my foreground element with their yellow and red leaves.

Come sunset, it looked promising but the sky colors never quite materialized. I’ve lived on the west coast for the last 4.5 years and have almost forgotten about the volatile east coast weather. There are stretches when the sky is nothing but cloudy and/or rainy. At the last moment, thick clouds rolled in to ruin the show but I did catch some subtle light on the high clouds. Nonetheless, the fall colors as well as this surprising foreground made up for the lack of colors in the sky.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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The Last Stop

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 06:04:48 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

No trip to Zion is complete without a trip to the Subway. Located in the backcountry, the hike to the Subway is intense yet rewarding. Although I had already been there, the thought of emerald pools, glowing walls, and waterfalls was too tempting to pass up another opportunity. After hiking the Narrows the previous day, Aaron, Yan, and I hiked to and from the Subway as part of day 3 of our southwest tour.

Upon arriving at the parking lot, we were stunned to see so many cars already there. We thought we were pretty early, but surely not the case. As a result of our tardiness, we hiked at a blistering pace eventually overtaking all but one group. When we started the hike, the sky was clear but halfway through, a large mass of clouds began rolling in. By the time we reached the Subway, the sky was completely overcast. Although great for shooting Archangel Falls and the crack, cloudy skies are not ideal for getting the Subway glow.

After shooting Archangel and the crack, the three of us headed for the Subway. Much to my delight, the main emerald pool had swirling leaves. Last year, the water flow through the pools was not right and hence the leaves would not swirl properly. I admit, shooting the Subway under cloudy skies was rather drab. The lack of glow took out the punch in the scene. We ended up hanging out in the Subway for an hour hoping the light would improve. Our persistence paid off as there was a break in the clouds and sunlight burst through giving us a glow for several minutes.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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The Eternal Angel

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 05:56:18 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

On our last day of our southwest tour, we had half a day’s time for some last bit of shooting before heading home. Without a cloud in the sky, Aaron, Yan, and I skipped sunrise and headed to Lower Antelope Canyon. My first visit to Antelope Canyon was over a year ago and I admit that back then I didn’t know what I was really doing. Fast forward one year, I was well prepared for round 2.

Being the early birds we are, we arrived 15 minutes before anyone had opened the gate to the entrance. On the bright side, we were first in line to pay the fees and to enter the canyon. I must say it was pretty sweet being the first ones into the canyon. As soon as I descended I bolted for the lady, my favorite scene in the canyon. Once there, I again was mesmerized by the sweeping lines of canyon walls and the epic glow from the reflected sunlight.

Much to my surprise, we had half an hour to shoot unhindered before other groups began walking through the canyon. So much beauty and glorious glow - may the light be with you.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

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The Wave

nobody@flickr.com (Willie Huang Photo) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 06:27:39 -0800

Willie Huang Photo posted a photo:

On the 4th day of my SW tour with Aaron and Yan, we visited one of the most highly sought after natural wonder by both hikers and photographers: The Wave in Coyote Buttes. Upon seeing a photo of the Wave several years ago, I was determined to see it in person at least once in my lifetime. Having planned this part of the trip months in advance, we were really hoping Mother Nature would cooperate and give us sunshine with blue skies.

While heading out for this trip, the forecast looked dire for our Wave expedition. Weather forecasts predicted a storm rolling through the weekend with mostly cloudy skies. Having to cancel our previous day’s plans, we were really hoping the weather would clear up for the Wave. The night before, we incessantly checked every weather forecast every hour in hopes of seeing auspicious changes in the forecasted cloud coverage. When we woke up in the morning, we were glad to see partly cloudy skies with the storm clouds breaking up.

The weather ended up cooperating and remained partly cloudy with patch thunderstorms throughout the day. The hike to the Wave was something special. With no real trail, we were hiking through the wilderness guided by maps and my GPS unit. The path leading up to the Wave was stunning. There were tons of sandstone cone formations as well as layers and patterns of sandstone all around. With such beauty around us, the hike was highly scenic and enjoyable.

After hiking for 1.5 hours, we finally arrived at the Wave. The Wave really is as spectacular as people say. Words and pictures cannot fully describe how amazing this place is and how uniquely it was formed. Like everyone else, I liked the classic view the most showing the undulating sandstone with patchy blue skies above. We spent several hours at the Wave shooting it from various angles and exploring the surrounding sandstone formations. Though only a several hour excursion, it will live forever in my memory.

P.S. – Phill Monson was supposed to meet up with us for the weekend to shoot the Wave and head over the Page, AZ. Instead, he decided to cancel the day before and opted to watch Skyfall at the theater and relinquish the opportunity to hike the Wave.

Canon 5D Mark II
EF 17-40mm f/4L

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