Uploads from Darvin Atkeson

Winter Magic - Yosemite National Park, California

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:30:12 -0700

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Well it looks like I will be moving out of the Bay Area and it's looking more and more likely I will be returning to the foothills near Yosemite. We are excited about it but man I hate moving so I decided to bum this one back up on my photostream. This is one of my first and still most popular shots. Can't wait to be back in the woods.

If you have chosen to enter Yosemite from the south entrance along Highway 41 you will first get a few fleeting glimpses around the bends of the Valley that will cause you to wonder if what you just saw was real. It seems too big, too distant. Surely your eyes are just playing tricks on you. The trees will quickly obscure your view and you will drive along directly into the face of the mountains via Yosemite's longest tunnel. Because it's such a long tunnel and you may begin to relax but grip the wheel tight as you approach the exit for the view you are about to see will wrench your eyes from the road in disbelief!

There is good reason for the flashing yellow light warning you to slow. Suddenly before you lies an impossibly massive scene of snow topped granite towers, soaring waterfalls and pristine forests. Possibly the most photographed icon of nature lies before you an impossible view simply called Inspiration Point though some refer to it as the tunnel view. A "U" shaped glacier valley lies a thousand feet below you. To the left of the image, the impressive, largest single piece of exposed granite called El Capitan is the most dominate object in Yosemite Valley. Early explorers, unable to believe their eyes, estimated the rock at only 900ft above the valley floor. They simply could not fathom it's real height. Modern measurements eventually put it well over three times that height at nearly 3000 feet above Yosemite Valley. To the right, a towering waterfall whipped by the blowing winds in the narrow canyon appropriately named Bridal Veil Falls. While not the tallest, it is definitely one of the more beautiful waterfalls in Yosemite. In the far distance, another seemingly impossible large chunk of granite cut in half by the glaciers appropriately named Half Dome rises above the valley. But it's not over yet, you have only begun the start of a dream like drive that will take you all the way up the valley past numerous waterfalls, the meandering Merced River and lead you to Yosemite Falls which will makes Bridal Veil Falls look like a tiny trickle of water. If you are a photographer, you could easily spend your day at the entrance as the scene will change by the minute, especially in winter, but push on, as there is much to see.

Winter and early spring in Yosemite are a quiet time and possibly the best for photography if you don't mind driving on cliff walls in the snow. The summer crowds have yet to arrive. The campgrounds are empty and except for a few cars driving though the valley the roads are clear. And though you may stick to the outhouse seats there are few drawbacks to visiting during this time of year provided you bring the proper gear for you and your car. If you can, plan your visits to coincide with the breaking of a winter storm. Yosemite staff are good at keeping the roads open and you have a good chance of getting the proper conditions for some stunning photography as the clouds break. I spent 5 years of my life living just outside the park. My only regret is that digital photography was only in its infancy at the time.

Darv

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Nuclear Powered Sunset - Rancho Seco

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:55:22 -0700

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When you think about it, every sunset is technically nuclear powered so the title would fit almost any sunset. Granted this is a fission reaction and the sun fusion reaction. Without nuclear power, the Earth wouldn't be the paradise we currently enjoy.

We were returning from a shoot in the Sierra when I first glimpsed the towers. We were miles away but they were still massive in the sky and towered above the rolling hills of ranchland and vineyards. Few manmade objects really get my attention but there is something a little more than unnerving about the ominous towering structures that clearly define a nuclear reactor. Especially when one of the first things you notice is the massive World War II era air raid sirens you encounter long before even seeing the famous Rancho Seco reactor site. As we approached the road took a turn directly toward the site and I realized we would pass right next to the cooling towers. The towers loomed ever larger with each mile till the road once again turned right along the base of the towers. When you look at the safety rail across the walkway atop the towers it reveals the true height.

In March of 1978 the plant experienced a very serious power outage that disabled much of its instrumentation resulting in the steam generator running dry. This would be the third most serious safety related event in the United States just behind Three Mile Island. Though there was no release of radiation from the plant, the event sparked protests and the place was eventually shut down by SMUD following a vote to shut down the facility. To cope with the loss in power for the city of Sacramento, SMUD planted over half a million trees that now blanket Sacramento in shade. SMUD also has built a modern solar plant on the Rancho Seco site. The surrounding area became a recreational park, vineyards and ranchland. Though the facility still retains its low energy fuel rods under tight security, the plant is much more open to the public than similar site. The massive cleanup cost of nearly half a billion dollars hopefully will make us think before we decide on how we wish to generate the energy we consume and hopefully consume it more wisely.

Personally I have always been fascinated by nuclear power. It may someday be made fully safe and cost effective but when you consider the massive cost of cleaning up such a site, you realize there is little room for nuclear power with our current technical levels. We can even agree on what to do with the spent fuel rods. For now it acts as a landmark to remind us that we need to use our energy with care and knowledge about the long term effects and costs involved.

But the old plant, the only one decommissioned in the US, sure makes for a beautiful photo op with a glowing Sierra Nevada sunset as the backdrop.

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Concord Valley Sunset - Panorama

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:21:39 -0700

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A spectacular sunset appears over the city of Concord California as seen from the grass covered slopes of Mulligan Hill. This is possibly my largest panorama is massive.

The sun sets through the Carquinez Straight on the far right with the Oakland Hills on the horizon to the left. In the valley lies the largest town in Contra Coasta County named Concord.

Had it not been for prohibition, this might very well be the Napa Valley of California but as a result of prohibition many of the grape vines were removed and other more valuable crops planted. Ironically after prohibition, California's vineyards would once again become highly valued but by then much of the farmland had been replanted with walnut trees and other crops.

In the foreground lies a remnants of the World War II era Concord Naval Weapons Station which was devastated by a massive explosion as the result of a massive accident that occurred while loading ships during the war. If not for the Naval Station, this area would likely be covered with homes which have been slowly covering the hills to the south and the view obstructed.

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California Gold Rush

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:52:55 -0700

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Within a few short days, maybe a week or two at most, the rain dries up and there is a rush of Summer Gold as it spreads across the foothills that make up California Coastal Mountain Range across and to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Since moving to the Bay Area one thing that always stood out was the deep rich greens of the California Oaks against the light tan two foot high grass that covers the hills from late to early spring like a golden shag carpet. The grass is only greener here for a very short time during early spring. A few streaks of green can be seen in the pasture as it gives way to golden fields that will remain for the rest of the year. In a few short days, that bit of green will be gone.

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Glorious Sunset - Concord, California

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:24:58 -0700

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Over the previous week it looked as though summer had set in to Northern California with temperatures in San Francisco hitting the upper 80s but seemingly overnight the winds turned cool and thunderstorms rolled in off the Pacific. Looking for a good vantage point to view the sunset we headed up a little known road that crosses the foothills between Concord and the Sacramento River Delta. Near the top the rolling hills gave way to the Benicia Straight where the sun would set perfectly through the gap of the hills. From this vantage you can see Concord, Martinez, Benicia and even Vallejo where the delta turns in to the San Francisco Bay. The sunset was no wimp showing off yellows, deep oranges, lavenders with a sky of crystal blues. The grassy foothills of the Concord Naval center can be seen in the foreground, in the distance just below the sunset you can make out the Martinez refinery. At the full 36 Megapixel resolution you can even make out the Carquinez Suspension Bridge just to the left of the sunset.

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Lilies of the Beach - Big Sur California

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:42:43 -0700

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Standing in a thousand chest high white calla lilies with massive surf rolling in off the Pacific Ocean is nothing short of spectacular. The couple standing on the beach in the distance give only a small sense of the sheer size of the wave rolling toward them and yet they are about as far away from the wave as I was from them. The stunning white lilies grow wild along a small creek that runs down from the Carmel Highlands in to the Pacific Ocean just north of Big Sur. Wild flowers and ice plant cover the hills during springtime and are gone within a couple of weeks. California's Northern coastline is filled with some of the most incredible scenes and finding these little jewels can be a real challenge. This one is hidden just below California's scenic Highway One which along the coast.

The parking area has a main trail that leads you down to a stunning beach with great wave action. Naturally most people take the trail straight to the beach, however I you take the side trail that runs along the cliffs above the ocean you come to a small canyon and the trail descends steeply down to the creek below. Soon you are waist high or deeper in lush green leaves and beautiful white flowers (spathe) up to 10 inches wide with their bright yellow centers (spadix) protruding just above the crest of the flower. Spectacular in floral arrangements they are incredible when you see them growing wild in contrast with the bright luminescent waves of
California's coastal waters.

If you are coming from San Francisco take the time to make the trip along the coast which will include a number of equally incredible sites and vistas including Pigeon Point, Natural Bridges, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Pebble Beach, 17 Mile Drive, and Big Sur. You will find this little gem hidden not long after you pass though the Carmel Highlands and are entering the Big Sur area. Your trip will be nothing short of incredible and well worth the time spent.

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Secret Cove - Big Sur California

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 14:42:07 -0700

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A kelp filled wave crashes against aged and cracked rocks along the coast just north of Big Sur California. A small rock balances, teetering on the edge of a sea stack. In the far distance the Rocky Creek Bridge which is often mistaken and labeled as the Bixby Bridge due to similar arched construction. However the Bixby Bridge is further south along Highway One and considerably bigger. This section of the California coast is worth visiting just to see the wide variety of blue the Pacific Ocean produces in pristine waters. It's a painters delight or dilemma when considering what colors to mix to get the perfect mix that you see here so easily generated by nature. A kelp forest just beyond the waves can be seen and with a pair of binoculars you can see the rangers of the kelp forest, the California Sea Otters, continually protecting the kelp from sea urchins that feed on the roots of the plants.

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Evening at Lovers Point

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:23:19 -0700

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There is nothing quite as serene as sitting alongside Lovers Point along the Monterey Bay watching the sunset as the surf rolls in. The sound of waves crashing upon the ageless rocky coastline as seagulls call to each other as they soar in the light breeze. This little park lies just west of Monterey in the small seaside village of Pacific Grove at the very tip of the Monterey Peninsula. The small path that runs alongside the rocky shore makes the perfect romantic setting as couple walk slowly hand in hand pausing often to gaze out over the bay to watch the otters play in the kelp or the occasional gray whale swim by. If I were to recommend a honeymoon location to anyone, this would be the spot. The road that runs around the peninsula is lined with quaint inns, bed and breakfasts, summer rentals, numerous paths, a small lighthouse and all within walking distance of the famous Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you're in love, it's the perfect place to share your time together. It is something you will always remember fondly.

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Carmel by the Sea

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:58:35 -0700

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Nestled in the coastal foothills of the Monterey Bay is the small but famous town of Carmel by the Sea, most often simply called Carmel. The town is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, and tiny but expensive homes. It's been made famous by a number of artist, writers, poets and actors who have made Carmel their home. It's sandy white beaches give way to a rocky coastline with pristine waters and dramatic views. Fog moves in and out of the area minute by minute and it's sometimes a frustrating place to photograph. However on this day we lucked out and were able to get a small opening near one of my favorite locations where the land is pen to the public with great view of the crashing waves below. Wildflowers grow during the spring months right up to the edge of cliffs that slowly crumble in to the Pacific below.

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Lightning - Golden Gate Bridge

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:10:15 -0700

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A Pacific Storm blows in to the Bay Area bring rain, thunder and lightning above the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Below the world famous Golden Gate Bridge stands a relic of the Civil War appropriately named Fort Point. Coming in from the Pacific and wrapping around the tip of the San Francisco peninsula a wave curls and crashes upon the rocks and sea walls that protect the small strip of land from erosion. This area is often popular with local surfers who ride these wave and bail in the last few seconds as the waves crash near the rocks. In the distance the Marin Headland stand behind the bridge and disappear in the stormy weather along the horizon.

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Bay Blues - Missing San Francisco already.

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:57:38 -0700

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The sun had just set and the Bay Bridge lights came on while there was still a good amount of light in the sky. I was a little worried the LEDs light sculpture on the bridge would not show up well against the bright backdrop of bright clouds and light from the Port of Oakland but the Bay Bridge lights were bright enough to cast shimmering reflections of light upon the waters next to the Embarcadero in San Francisco. With the aperture still wide open (f/2.8) I took the first few shots thinking a smaller aperture and longer exposure time which would blur the water and the reflections but upon looking at my images I much prefer the colorful sparkles the fast exposure left on the water moving water. While it had been a stormy night, the wind was light and the smell of San Francisco's finest restaurants filled the air making the wife and I quite hungry and eager to get to dinner but the light was so fantastic we stayed till the skies darkened and the stars came out from behind the clouds. Then rushed to get dinner before the restaurants closed. What a fantastic night in the city.

This may be one of my last shots of San Francisco as we expect to be moving soon though I do hope to make a few more trips. We are not sure exactly where we will end up but currently on the list are:

The Southern Oregon Coastline.
North Western Arizona.
The Sierra Nevada foothills near Yosemite.

Each should offer some new and very different landscape photography
opportunities. Given the choices, which would you choose?

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San Francisco - Bay Lights at Twilight (Panorama)

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:30:58 -0700

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A cloudy stormy night made for a perfect backdrop to the Bay Lights display that is running on the San Francisco Bay Bridge for the next two years. The skies were still pretty bright when the lights came on and turned out perfect as we had a storm clouds still making for a perfect backdrop. The glowing lights from the Port of Oakland illuminated the sky below the bridge and turned the low clouds yellow, orange and pink. The Bay Lights Project further illuminated the skyline with dancing lights and patterns strewn across the beautiful Bay Bridge's full length. Too bad these 25,000 LEDs are temporary though we should get some stunning imagery for the next two years while the show runs. If you can make it down to the Embarcadero on a stormy winter night, you should be treated to a special show of lights.

Bay Lights is the name of the project that arranged for 25,000 bright white LED lights to be mounted on the Golden Gate Bridge's sister bridge, the not so well known (San Francisco / Oakland Bay Bridge) usually just called the Bay Bridge by locals. The Bay Bridge is celebrating a huge year. 2013 is its 75th anniversary since opening and then this Labor Day, the new section on the other side of Yerba Buena island (left) will be opened to the public under a fabulous fireworks show. 250,000 people are expected to walk across the bridge from Oakland to Yerba Buena. The new bridge replaces the cantilever section that failed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that wracked the Bay Area in destruction. Seems somehow fitting that it is all wrapped up on the bridges 75th anniversary. Of note is that the Golden Gate Bridge just finished its 75th anniversary celebration with a fireworks and light show fitting of the beautiful structure. It's been a photographers delight!

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Bay Glow - San Francisco Bay Bridge 75th Anniversary

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:40:48 -0700

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Bay Lights is the project that illuminates the entire western span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge to celebrate its 75th anniversary. Lit by 25,000 super bright white LED lights. The image is a bit deceiving as the 25,000 lights dance and produce moving patterns that reflect on the waters of the San Francisco bay. Tonight started out with stormy skies and as I had hoped the towers of the bridge illuminated the low fog that moves in following most warm storms causing the skies and water to dance with light.

As the stormy night started to break and blue skies cleared just behind the soft fog that hung over the bridge. This scene dominates the shoreline of San Francisco in stunning fashion as it changes from glittering lights a seemingly endless pattern of dancing lights and moving patterns that go from one end of the bridge to the other then back again. If you can catch this show for an hour or two you will see but a small selection of the patterns shown. Don't worry though, you have two years to catch the show as the lights will remain lit making it well worth a trip to San Francisco.

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Golden Gate Sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:29:26 -0700

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The sun rises above the Oakland Foothills to illuminate the top of a dense layer of fog that covers the deck of the Golden Gate Bridge. The burst of sunlight paints the top layers of the blue fog in golden hues fitting of the name of the area. It may look cold, but above the fog it was quite warm and comfortable. Below, it was damp, cold and windy. We only get a few of these perfect sunrises each year and they are highly sought out by photographers and artist and for good reason. There have been many, many times I have sought the low level fog only to be thwarted by the unpredictability of the height of the fog. Often it extends well past the tops of the towers and often even above this location on the hill above or it totally fools you by appearing in the local webcams only to blow out by the time you arrive. I've spent many mornings in dense fog waiting for it to break and reveal the city only to find myself headed home with no pictures to speak of. Persistence and a love of early mornings is key.

To give you some scope of the height of the fog, the bridge is 746 feet high (227 Meters). On this day, the fog just barely covered the roadway which is about 220 feet (67) meters above the waterline at high tide. The ideal situation is when the fog just barely covers the deck and the lights that run along the sidewalks illuminate the fog from beneath. The towers actually do lean outward slightly to help support the weight. There are just over 1.2 million rivets holding the span together. The main cables are made of wires about the thickness of a pencil. If extended they would cover 80,000 miles (129,000 km). The Golden Gate Bridge is the most photographed bridge in the world, due in part to its art deco design, the many angles of which the bridge can be filmed and the number of visitors to the city each year.

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Walking Amongst Giants

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:06:56 -0700

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Muir Woods National Monument is a small growth of Coastal Redwoods that lies at the bottom of a steep ravine that saved it from early logging allowing it to be preserved much as it was hundreds of years ago. The area used to be covered with similar groves and Muir Woods stands as one of the few groves left in a pristine state. The little park lies at the northern part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is a true gem of the Bay Area.

Often over crowded with visitors the best times to visit are early morning in the middle of winter. Here a recent but all to brief storm had blown though knocking down limbs and pine needles that covered the trials and kept visitors to a minimum. Still by mid morning the parking lot was full of tour buses and cars.

The hike though Muir Woods is an easy trail a little over a mile and quite flat though you do have the option of heading off the paved section of trail and up the sides of the hills to view the trees from above. Several small streams feed the larger creek at the bottom of the ravine which is a natural spawning ground of Pacific Salmon each fall. The creek flows on down to a small but beautiful Muir Beach. The beach has recently been landscaped to return it to an earlier state and facilitated the migration of the salmon up the creek. It will be a while before the area recovers. However the beach is still worth visiting and trails head south in to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area with some stunning views from the cliffs above.

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The San Francisco Treat

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:03:03 -0700

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Dawn breaks over the fog blanketed Golden Gate as San Francisco peeks through in the distance as another workday in the Bay Area begins.

I had been up late the night before catching the PanSTARRS comet event and woke up just a couple of hours after going to bed. The fog had cleared out the night before but some fellow photographers had indicated it should move back in. It was difficult to tell on the various webcams but it appeared they were right. I was in a fog myself from lack of sleep and that may have helped make the decision to drive the 40+ miles back in to the place I had just left a few hours earlier.

The fog was thick everywhere and the commute in to the city was slow. Arriving at the Golden Gate Bridge I knew I was going to finally see one of the things that had eluded me for so long. I had seen pictures of it but never gotten to see a low fog illuminated by the orange lights of the Golden Gate Bridge right at dawn. Then there it was. We were thrilled as we jumped out of the car to park among the many other photographers that had lined up to view the sunrise. It was oddly warm and there was hardly any breeze. The fog below was slowly moving out of the bay and swirling back in near the south tower.

If you inspect the image closely you will not the Bay Bridge towers illuminated just above the fog. The Transamerica tower is clearly visible and the large building with all the lights is the Bank of America Tower. A distant jet leaves for some distant place and leaves a streak of light across the sky. Below, the fog parts to reveal the beach at Kirby Cove.

It doesn't get much better.

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San Francisco Cotton Candy Sunset

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 00:38:41 -0700

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On our way to shoot the Pan-STARR comet from Hawk Hill, we were treated to a most magnificent sunset over the foggy city of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge was kind enough to make an appearance through the fog and the deep pink skies over Oakland gave the scene a feel of cotton candy colors. Later we would cross through the tunnel and watch the crescent Moon and the Pan-STARR comet set on the Pacific Ocean in a stellar sunset that will long be remembered.

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Comet Pan-STARRS Shoots the Moon

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:40:59 -0700

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A night chasing the comet.

We started early with the idea of capturing Comet Pan-STARRS behind the Pigeon Point Lighthouse but upon arrival at the Lighthouse the fog had moved in and you could barely make out the top of the lighthouse. We continued heading up the coast towards San Francisco not knowing where we might end up. Upon passing over the Golden Gate Bridge we looked up and saw sky as we passed under the North Tower. Taking the first exit we headed up to Hawk Hill and burst in to clear skies halfway up the hill. The view of the bridge was stunning but the big question was could we see the Comet pass by the Moon. We walked thought he tunnel at the top of the hill and found a number of people looking for the comet and it looked like a no show for both the Moon and the comet. Someone was smart enough to bring a telescope and with his help everyone suddenly caught sight of the Moon. It was just a matter of time till the sunset died down sufficiently for the comet to make its appearance. Swirling clouds filled the sky as the sunset dimmed and the comet became more and more apparent. We sat and watched till the comet and Moon slowly faded from sight half an hour or so later.

The comet will continue to climb into the sky through March moving lightly towards the North and away from the rising Moon. It will dim as it goes but should be visible for some time in the northern skies. Later this year we should be treated to even more comets with the best one showing up in the winter skies of November. 2013 should prove to be one of the more memorable years for night photographers and astronomers.

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Reflections - John Muir National Monument

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:22:11 -0800

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Morning light breaks through the canopy and bathes the redwood covered hillside in golden light which was nicely reflected in the creek that runs though John Muir National Monument just outside of San Francisco. The unusually calm waters made for a near perfect reflection of the towering trees. The forest was pristine and washed clean by a predawn rainstorm which helped to create deep rich saturated colors in the early morning light. Ferns span a fallen tree that spans the small creek while others are coated in a thick layer of bright green moss.

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Morning Light - Muir Woods

nobody@flickr.com (Darvin Atkeson) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:00:41 -0800

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A morning run to the Golden Gate Bridge to film the sunrise didn't work out as hoped. It was cold, windy and the clouds all exited (oddly stage left) just as the sun was rising. But a descent down the hills into Muir Woods turned in to a peaceful quiet morning with very few visitors which is quite rare for the little park near the sea. As the morning light peeked over the top of the ridge it began to illuminate the ferns and dance in reflections on the stream. Sandwiched between Highway 101 and Highway 1 you can hardly tell you are near one of the bigger metropolitan areas in California . The soft sounds of the babbling creek and singing birds fill the morning air making for one of the most serene scenes in all the Bay Area. One particular bird seemed set on filling the air with his extremely loud song causing us to stop to try and spot him. Expecting to find a large song bird sitting atop one of the redwoods we were stunned and a bit amused to find it was a tiny finch sitting atop the bushes near the stream.

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