{"id":4137,"date":"2018-10-06T19:21:24","date_gmt":"2018-10-07T03:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/?p=4137"},"modified":"2018-10-10T13:41:13","modified_gmt":"2018-10-10T21:41:13","slug":"photographing-the-california-central-coast-day-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/2018\/10\/06\/photographing-the-california-central-coast-day-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographing the California Central Coast – Day 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m continuing a three-day photography scouting trip along California\u2019s Central Coast. \u00a0I\u2019m preparing to lead a group here in November for the 2018 Central Coast and Napa Valley workshop<\/a>. \u00a0In the previous post (Photographing the California Central Coast – Day 1<\/a>), I was joined by a friend and we covered the north end of the Sonoma Coast.<\/p>\n

Today is the second day and I\u2019m on my own.\u00a0 I enjoyed the company yesterday but today will be a more typical experience.<\/p>\n

I started out by sleeping in. \u00a0It was almost 8:00 when I finally rolled out of my sleeping bag and emerged from my tent to a blue sky. \u00a0 After yesterday\u2019s overcast and foggy start, this was good news. \u00a0 A quick breakfast and a hot shower and I was ready to go. \u00a0This day was going to cover more mileage than the day before but with fewer stops.<\/p>\n

Gleason Beach was the first.<\/p>\n

\"Gleason<\/p>\n

There were some sea stacks at this stop but they didn\u2019t stand out. \u00a0The severe gash in the cliff that led down to the cluster of sea stacks just off shore, however, was far more interesting. I timed the shot to get two concentric rings of surf which added the grace of curved lines to an overall rugged composition.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

By the way, it\u2019s also worth mentioning that in all of these seascapes where the ocean is visible, the horizon is flat. \u00a0If I didn\u2019t get it in the camera, I made sure that I straightened it in Lightroom.<\/p>\n

\"Arched<\/p>\n

Continuing down the road I came to another arched rock, this one much more impressive than the one we found yesterday. \u00a0And the composition was made more interesting with two smaller sea stacks framing the arch. \u00a0I chose a composition that included the rocky coast and a hint of the coastal mountains in the distance – context. \u00a0I think a tight shot of the arch itself with a good splash would also make a great shot.<\/p>\n

Down the coast from here is Bodega Bay and the impressive Bodega Head, a huge peninsula that creates the bay. \u00a0It\u2019s large, not only in size but in elevation. \u00a0From the main parking area are two beautiful vistas – up and down the coast.<\/p>\n

\"Bodega<\/p>\n

I cropped the first image, the one looking up the coast. \u00a0There was a field of boulders in the foreground that I didn\u2019t think added anything. \u00a0The photograph is more focused without them. \u00a0It\u2019s really about the large foreground rocks, the cove and the surf.<\/p>\n

The second photograph looks down the coast. \u00a0It\u2019s a wonderful view of the sea stacks from the headland high above. \u00a0Instead of trying to capture a good splash from such a distance I opted for the patterns created by the white surf aftermath that encircled the rocks.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a wonderful trail on Bodega Head what I indulged in. \u00a0At the far south end is an incredible view of Bodega Bay in the foreground and mouth of Tomales Bay and the northern tip of Point Reyes in the far distance. \u00a0And I was delighted with the curved lines of foam that stretched across the water.<\/p>\n

\"Bodega<\/p>\n

The next stop was quite a ways down the road. \u00a0Where I was headed was beyond the mouth of Tomales Bay. \u00a0I knew about this place but wasn\u2019t planning on stop[Ing. \u00a0But when I drove by, I just had to check it out. \u00a0What place? \u00a0Hog Island Oyster Company. \u00a0Oh boy! \u00a0Fresh oysters still in the shell, served on ice to keep them fresh. \u00a0I found a picnic table and set about shucking my own oysters. Before I knew it, I had inhaled a dozen. \u00a0Delicious.<\/p>\n

\"Hog<\/p>\n

Next to the oyster factory was a row of buildings, perched over the bay on stilts. \u00a0This was one of those moments one could not ignore.<\/p>\n

\"Marshall,<\/p>\n

I found so much to like about this photograph and still do – the structures on stilts, the colorful paint jobs, the graceful curve in the water with the reflections, the line of trees coming down to the water and the border of rocks on the bottom., \u00a0Everything was just right, \u00a0With a happy stomach and a beautiful photograph in my camera, this unplanned stop turned out be doubly rewarding.<\/p>\n

From here, I was headed to Point Reyes. \u00a0The road took me all the way to the southern tip of Tomales Bay and then doubled back along the opposite side before heading the 15 miles out to the tip of Point Reyes. \u00a0I was planning on making three stops. \u00a0The first was the lifeboat cemetery. \u00a0The lifeboat crews were housed in the shelter of Drakes Bay and braved stormy seas to rescue sailors who\u2019s ship was wrecked on the treacherous rocks of Point Reyes. \u00a0It\u2019s inconceivable for us to imagine what deadly perils they faced. When other sailors were in distress, out they rowed in their small boats.<\/p>\n

\"Lifeboat<\/p>\n

It was inevitable that some would give up their lives in their heroic attempt to save others. \u00a0And to honor them they were laid to rest in this beautiful grove of eucalyptus trees at the top knoll overlooking Drake\u2019s Bay. \u00a0There isn\u2019t anything that calls attention to the cemetery other than a small sign on the main road, \u00a0You pretty much have to figure out where it is from that. \u00a0But you can see that it is a peaceful, fitting place where these brave souls are at rest.<\/p>\n

The next planned stop was a lane lined by giant cypress trees, leading back to an imposing white structure.<\/p>\n

\"Cypress<\/p>\n

You may think these photographs are of two different tunnels but they are the same. \u00a0In fact, they both have exactly the same number\u00a0of trees. \u00a0So what\u2019s the difference? \u00a0Well, I couldn\u2019t resist playing with focal length and the effect it has on perspective. \u00a0The photograph on the left is with a moderately long telephoto lens (105 mm focal length). \u00a0This type of lens compresses distance and draws more attention to distant objects, in this case, the white structure at the end of the lane. \u00a0The photograph on the right was taken with a wide-angle lens (24 mm focal length), \u00a0This emphasizes the foreground and renders the distant background \u00a0virtually insignificant. \u00a0So the telephoto lens compresses the lane while the wide-angle lens stretches it. \u00a0It\u2019s fun to play around like this.<\/p>\n

The building at the end of the road was a very important communications center known as the \u2018Wireless Giant of the Pacific.\u201d \u00a0It was developed and run by RCA (Radio Corp[oration of America) and provided wireless ship-to-shore Morris Code communication all across the Pacific Ocean from 1946 to 1999. \u00a0While much of the infrastructure has been dismantled, some remains. \u00a0Other wireless stations that were created have long since been demolished, but this last remaining station is still manned by a group of volunteers and in operations every Saturday. \u00a0What a fascinating history.<\/p>\n

The next stop was not planned. \u00a0The drive out the Point Reyes peninsula is a long one and passes by a number of historic ranches that are still in operation. \u00a0This next photograph was one of those where you are driving by, see something, slam on the brakes, jump out and grab the shot.<\/p>\n

\"Central<\/p>\n

This is one of those moments when everything fell into exactly the right place. \u00a0The rolling hills, fences, pond and bay are set off by the late afternoon sun. The scene is in perfect harmony and balance. \u00a0It was a wonderful moment for me and I\u2019m happy I was passing by at just the right time.<\/p>\n

The third and final planned stop was at the southernmost tip of Point Reyes on a peninsula that defines the western edge of Drake\u2019s Bay. \u00a0There is a spot where you can see both sides, the seaward side with it\u2019s tall cliffs carved by the relentless action of the sea and the more gentle side above the bay.<\/p>\n

\"Point<\/p>\n

The contrast between the two sides is truly remarkable. \u00a0On the bay side, you can see the pier from which the lifeboat crews launched their boats. On the sea side you can see the treacherous coast they had to navigate in the teeth of violent storms and raging seas. \u00a0This tells the story of their heroism with unflinching intensity, \u00a0It was a powerful way to end the day.<\/p>\n

With these thoughts, I walked back to my car and headed back to my campsite, tent and sleeping bag. \u00a0There would be one more exciting day tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Continue with Day 3.<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

I\u2019ll be back with a group in November, 2018. \u00a0Come join us. \u00a0Click here to check it out<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(75)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tag a long on a scouting expedition of the California Central Coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[363],"tags":[32,112,1441,302,1439,295,785,1415,199,1262,1442,1440,1358],"class_list":["post-4137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-workflow-2","tag-california","tag-canon","tag-canon-5d-mark-iv","tag-central-california-coast","tag-central-coast","tag-journal-2","tag-pacific-ocean","tag-photograhy","tag-photography-workshops","tag-seascape","tag-seascape-photography","tag-sonoma-county","tag-workshops"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Nl7-14J","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4137"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4170,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4137\/revisions\/4170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ralphnordstromphotography.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}