Golden Gate Balancing Act II

Golden Gate Balancing Act II, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I'm sure you're getting sick of my Golden Gate Bridge + sunset posts... unfortunately all the time I've had for photography recently has been shots from my roof at sunset ;-)

Fortunately, though, I have some fun shoots planned for Thanksgiving. Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates with me!

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/9, 1/400, ISO 50. No filters.

Autumn Sunset over San Francisco

Autumn Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Tonight's sunset, the end of a beautiful fall day.

Canon 5D, 100-400L

Smoking Mt. Bromo, Java, Indonesia

Smoking Mt. Bromo, Java, Indonesia, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Mt. Bromo is the probably the most visited of Indonesia's many active volcanoes. It's a breathtaking sight. Most visitors arrive while it is still pitch black, and as the light grows, this incredible landscape stretches before you. It's an unforgettable view.

I took this photo when it was still pretty dark. It's a 60-second exposure, which is why the plume from Mt. Bromo is blurred to the left.

It was a beautiful clear morning there. On many mornings, low fog fills the valley. I wish I could have stayed there for a week to shoot it in many different conditions, but I only had the one morning before continuing on to Bali.

To read more about my 3-month adventure in Southeast Asia, read my blog at:
delhi-to-bali.blogspot.com/

Canon 5D, 24-70L, f/11, 60s, ISO 50.

Golden Gate: Green Flash!

Golden Gate: Green Flash!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I was photographing the sunset behind the Golden Gate Bridge tonight and saw the green flash for the first time in my life!

I love astronomy and meteorology and so was really excited to see it. The flash was only visible for 2-3 seconds and I managed to snap one image during that time.

From Wikipedia on the green flash phenomenon:

Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or a green ray shoots up from the sunset point. Green flashes can be observed from any altitude. They are usually seen at an unobstructed horizon, such as over the ocean, but are possible over cloud-tops and mountain-tops as well.

The reason for a green flash lies in refraction of light (as in a prism) in the atmosphere: light moves more slowly in the lower, denser air than in the thinner air above, so sunlight rays follow paths that curve slightly, in the same direction as the curvature of the Earth. Higher frequency light (green/blue) curves more than lower frequency light (red/orange), so green/blue rays from the upper limb of the setting sun remain visible after the red rays are obstructed by the curvature of the earth.

Green flashes are enhanced by mirage, which increase the density gradient in the atmosphere, and therefore increase refraction. A green flash is more likely to be seen in clear air, when more of the light from the setting sun reaches the observer without being scattered. We might expect to see a blue flash, but the blue is preferentially scattered out of our line of sight and remaining light ends up looking green.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/10, 1/50, ISO 50.

Giggling Apsaras, Angkor Wat

Giggling Apsaras, Angkor Wat, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I caught these sweet apsara dancers giggling together before a dance performance in the ruins at Angkor Thom (part of the Angkor Wat region).

Apsaras, celestial dancing nymphs, are an important part of the Hindu and Buddhist mythology, and can be seen carved in bas relief in great numbers at the temples of Angkor. The traditional Khmer dance is also called "Apsara Dancing" and is a beautiful, elegant dance to watch.

[International] Orange Impression

[International] Orange Impression, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I think this might be one of my favorite photos that I've taken in awhile. I shot this as the sun sank and illuminated the hazy air with a bright orange glow. You can just make out the Golden Gate Bridge silhouette, Alcatraz, and if you look closely, a container ship passing by the bridge tower.

I'm not much of a minimalist photographer, but this works for me. Oh, and for those not from the Bay Area... "International Orange" is the official name of the Golden Gate's paint color :)

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11 @ 1/200, ISO 50.

Autumn at Valley View, Yosemite

Autumn at Valley View, Yosemite, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Valley View is always spectacular, but I couldn't resist the highlights of fall color along the Merced River. It was a perfect fall day.

Canon 5D, 24-70L, f/14, 1/15, ISO 50. Circular polarizer.

Golden Gate Balancing Act

Golden Gate Balancing Act, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I've been watching the sun move south over the past couple of weeks. Tonight it set right in the position I'd been waiting for: cradled in the span of the Golden Gate.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11, 1/100, ISO 50.

The Leaning Tree over the Merced, Yosemite

The Leaning Tree over the Merced, Yosemite, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Most people were turned the other way at Sentinel Bridge, taking the famous photo of Half Dome reflected in the river. I couldn't resist the opposite view with the magic late afternoon Yosemite light that looks like a Bierstadt painting come to life.

Autumn Reflection, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite

Autumn Reflection, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Yosemite was stunning this weekend: peak fall color and warm, 70-degree days. The waterfalls were even running, thanks to the recent storms in California.

This was taken at Valley View. I used a small aperture (f/22) and a low ISO to lengthen the exposure as much as possible to smooth the reflections.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/22, 3.2s, ISO 50.

Bay Bridge Blue Hour

Bay Bridge Blue Hour, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Shot between the Fire in the Sky and Slow Burn last Saturday night.

Heading to Yosemite this weekend for fall color... can't wait!

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/16, 37sec, ISO 50

Golden Gate Sunset

Golden Gate Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The sun will be setting behind the North Tower in just a few days! Fingers crossed for a clear evening to shoot it...

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L @ 400mm

San Francisco Stormcloud II

San Francisco Stormcloud II, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

This was taken 20 minutes after my last post: www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff/4029875749/

In that time, the bay became even more calm. Check out the reflections from the Transamerica Pyramid and the B of A Building!

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11, 30s, ISO 50.

San Francisco Storm Cloud

San Francisco Storm Cloud, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Funny weather in the Bay Area this week. Yesterday a small storm worked its way over the bay in the late afternoon, soaking Berkeley. As it cleared, the moisture in the air created a stunning quality of light as the sun started to go down, casting a golden glow on the bay. Even more amazing, the bay was incredibly still -- so still that the Transamerica Pyramid cast a reflection! I don't think I've ever seen it so still, and it was just after a storm. Amazing.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/7.1, 1/13, ISO 50.

Fire in the Sky over San Francisco

Fire in the Sky over San Francisco, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Here's a panorama of Friday evening's sunset at its brightest from the Port of Oakland. I don't think it's quite as interesting as a photograph as my previous post, but I wanted to share the brilliant sunset for those that missed it.

To see a shot of the skyline with the slow-burning sunset a bit later, click here: www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff/4020985569/

San Francisco Slow Burn

San Francisco Slow Burn, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

When I noticed the odd clouds roll in this afternoon I thought there would be a decent shot at a good sunset, so I headed down to the Port of Oakland, a location I've been meaning to check out. The sunset started out mediocre, but just when I had given up on any color the entire sky exploded in pink - it was incredible! Even more photogenic was the lingering color in the sky, visible even after it was almost completely dark. I used a long exposure to bring the colors out even more.

I like to call those kinds of sunsets "slow burn".

It's been a really long couple of weeks for me, but seeing a sunset like this over San Francisco makes all of that stress disappear. I love this city!

Canon 5D, 100-400L, f/10, ISO 50.

Evening Commute, Hoi An, Vietnam

Evening Commute, Hoi An, Vietnam, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Hoi An is an incredibly charming and photogenic city. For the better part of an afternoon I simply sat and waited for interesting things to walk by. I love this strategy in travel photography because I absorb more of the feeling of a place when I pause and watch the world go by around me.

San Francisco Bay Bridge and Skyline at Twilight

San Francisco Icon, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I finally took this iconic shot the other night, too (same evening as "San Francisco on Ice").

It was a stunning afternoon in the Bay Area - warm, still, and clear as a bell - and the perfect conditions for this shot. In order to get the bridge lights to "star", I used a small aperture combined with a long exposure (over 2 minutes).

Now that I've gotten these two out of my system, I can concentrate on more creative shots of the Bay. I have a lot of ideas I'm excited to try out.

Canon 5D, 24-70L, f/22, 121s, ISO 50. No filters.

San Francisco on Ice

San Francisco on Ice, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

So this has become a pretty popular spot for photography along the Embarcadero. I hadn't shot this yet, though, and couldn't pass up the chance... It's a pretty compelling composition, even if it is kinda obvious by now :)

I titled this "San Francisco on Ice" because the silky-smooth water reminds me of ice. I hope it never gets that cold here, though!

Canon 5D, 24-70L, f/6.3, 121s, ISO 50.

Point Bonita

Point Bonita, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Point Bonita is a wind-whipped, dramatic outcropping just outside the Golden Gate Bridge. I like the long shutter speed in this image, which I think gives it a sense of tranquility.

Canon 5D, 100-400L, f/16, 5s, ISO 50.

Wallowing Water Buffalo

Wallowing Water Buffalo, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I found this guy cooling off on a ridiculously hot day in Hoi An, Vietnam. I so wanted to jump in the water with him!

Boston Panorama

Boston Panorama, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I was looking through my files for something else and ran across this, a panorama taken in the summer of 2007. I lived in Boston for two years and really love the city. I took this panorama from the observation deck in the Prudential tower - one of my favorite views anywhere!

Blue Hour on Sydney Harbour

Blue Hour on Sydney Harbour, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I love Sydney. It's similar in a lot of ways to my native San Francisco, not least in its photogenic-ness!

This is one of my favorite views of Sydney's two most recognizable icons: the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This image was taken from Luna Park, on the north side of the city.

Canon 5D, 24-70L, f/14, 91s, ISO 50.

Woman Lighting Butter Lamps, Boudha, Nepal

Woman Lighting Butter Lamps, Boudha, Nepal, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

After the sun set, Tibetan buddhists lit yak butter candles around Bodnath stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. I loved the beautiful light they gave off.

Canon 5D, 70-200L, f/4, 1/20


See more of my photography at www.dellahuffphotography.com

The McDonald Family - Happy Anniversary!

Our good family friends celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary recently and I took a few portraits at the occasion. They even dressed up in their wedding duds! It's great to see a couple with such a great sense of humor and still so in love 40 years later. Tom and Cathy, I hope you enjoy these photos!

[click images to view larger]

The lovely couple

Members of the original wedding party

The handsome groom

The beautiful bride

With their lovely daughter, Megan

Cathy loves a man in uniform! ;)

Cathy's adorable bonnet-veil

The Golden, Foggy Gate

The Golden, Foggy Gate, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Low fog flowed through the Golden Gate last Friday evening.


The tech: Canon 5D, 100-400L, ISO 50

Violet Hour on Sausalito Harbor and San Francisco

Violet Hour on Sausalito Harbor and San Francisco, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Tonight's twilight settled in over the city with gorgeous pink and violet tones.

This was a view I'd been wanting to shoot for over a year, but the conditions (read: CLEAR) never worked out when I was near this spot. In a perfect world I would shoot this mid-winter in the middle of the week so more lights were on in the buildings in SF, but this will do for now -- I love that late-summer violet twilight color. Shot from Marin.

Techie: Canon 5D, 100-400L, f/8, 30sec, ISO 50.

Summer Stunner: Sunset Over San Francisco Bay

Summer Stunner: Sunset Over San Francisco Bay, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I'm still picking my jaw up off the floor from tonight's sunset, definitely one of the most beautiful I've ever seen over San Francisco. The color and clouds were incredible, but equally amazing was the warm, still air at sunset, which felt like being in a comfortable room, and which made the view seem even more unreal somehow.

Published! "From Delhi to Bali: Travels in Southeast Asia"

Well, self-published, anyway :) I just finished my 62-page book of photographs from my 3 months of travel in Southeast Asia. You can preview the book by clicking on the link below.

I used Blurb to put my book together and even though I haven't seen the finished product yet, I recommend them highly. I've used a couple of other self-publishing services and Blurb has the best, most user-friendly, and most versatile software that I've seen. There are virtually no limits to what you can do... just your creativity!

I can't wait to see the book in print! I'll post an update when it arrives.

If you're interested in ordering a copy of the book, let me know. I might make it "buyable" if there is enough interest.

Enjoy!

From Delhi to ...

Photography by Del...

By Della M. Huff

Book Preview

National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Entries

One of my photography-related resolutions for this year is to get proactive and enter some photography contests. I took the first step toward making good on that goal by entering National Geographic Traveler's World in Focus competition today.

I entered four images in three categories: Travel Portraits, Sense of Place, and Outdoor Scenes. Here are my entries:

http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813968
The Old Fisherman, Hoi An, Vietnam
I captured this image of an elderly fisherman in the seaside town of Hoi An, Vietnam. Though we did not share a language, we shared the universal language of smiles... and his smile was unforgettable.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813969
Taj Mahal Dawn Reflections
The night before I captured this image, a sandstorm howled in Agra, India and I was afraid the air would be choked with dust for my sunrise photo plans. The opposite turned out to be true, and the morning dawned with an incredible sky. As I was photographing, a local stopped by to say hello. He told me that clear mornings like this happen only a few days per year in Agra. It was a once in a lifetime view, and a morning I'll surely never forget.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813970
Perigee Moonrise, Joshua Tree National Park
The perigee full moon occurs when the moon is closest to Earth, and thus appears at its largest. Joshua Tree National Park was, to me, the best place to capture this special moonrise. The desert stillness and the beauty of the moon create a sense of eternal stillness and timelessness.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813971
McWay Falls Sunset
McWay Falls is one of the most beautiful places in California, and probably on Earth. McWay Creek tumbles down a granite cliff directly into a turquoise cove in the roiling Pacific. When I captured this image, I was the only person enjoying this sunset. The solitude and beauty were nearly overwhelming. If a heaven exists, I hope that it looks something like this.

San Francisco Summer Sunset

San Francisco Summer Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I watched the sunset from my deck in the Berkeley Hills this evening, watching the fog hover just beyond downtown. Lately it's been rushing in just before sunset and obscuring the whole bay, but tonight it held off just long enough to catch a gorgeous twilight settling on the City. I rushed out and took this on Grizzly Peak Road above UC Berkeley, a few minutes' drive from my house.

Canon 5D, 100-400L @ 310mm, f/18, 30sec, ISO 50.

Tree Hugger

Tree Hugger, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A fun shot from a quick trip to Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Northern California.

Fenway Park at Night - Sold!

Fenway Park at Night - Sold!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I signed and shipped a 30x40" print of this image for a client today. Usually I have my prints shipped directly to the customer, but since the client wanted the print signed, I had it sent to me first. I love seeing my prints that large :)

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I've just gotten back from 3 months in Southeast Asia - Delhi to Bali! It was the trip of a lifetime and now I have over 10,000 images to go through and process. I think this will be one of my highlight images, however, and one of my favorite moments witnessed along the entire journey.

The night before, a sandstorm howled in Agra, ruining my chances for a sunrise at the Taj Mahal -- or so I thought. The opposite actually happened, and the day dawned crystal clear with an incredible sky full of small, puffy clouds. This image was taken just after sunrise.

5D, 24-70, GND. No HDR.

My 10 Favorite Images of 2008

In no particular order, these are my top ten favorite images from 2008. Thank you to Jim Goldstein for suggesting this exercise! It was fun to go through the archives and pull out my favorites. I hope you enjoy them! To see more, please visit my website or my Flickr photostream. Happy shooting in 2009!

[Click images to view larger.]

A beautiful sunset in Pebble Beach during the last few days of 2008.
"Lone Cypress Sunset"
"Griffith Observatory Moonrise"

I'm going to count the next two as a single image, since they pair together.
"Sunset/Moonset, Golden Gate Bridge"
"Priest Valley Spring"

"Violet Fog and Golden Gate"

"Downtown Los Angeles Twilight"

This is a portrait I took of my dad in July, just a few months before he passed away in October. I'm so happy I have this photo of him.
"Griffith Observatory and Los Angeles Skyline"
"Badwater Salt Flats" - Death Valley National Park
"Baby on Board" - Capuchin Monkeys in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
I got to try my hand at wedding photography this year when my good friends Christy and Scott tied the knot!
"Christy and Scott"

And lastly, an early favorite from 2009 ;) - "Moonrise, Joshua Tree"

Lone Cypress Sunset | Pebble Beach, California

This sunset was one of the most brilliant and riveting I've ever seen on the California coast. It seemed more like a summer in Hawaii than late December in Pebble Beach.

The tree featured in these photos is the famous Lone Cypress, which is the logo of the Pebble Beach Company.

You can see more of my photographs of the California Coast here.

Canon 5D, 24-70L, ISO 50, Lee 2-stop graduated neutral density filter.

[Click images to view larger].

The View from the Top | Hollywood Sign Hike

One of my favorite hikes in LA is up the Hollyridge Trail to the Hollywood Sign. There's a great view from the top of Mount Lee, and on a clear day, you can see Griffith Observatory, Downtown, Lake Hollywood, Palos Verdes, Catalina Island, and all of the San Fernando Valley.

[Click to view larger.]

The trail we took, framed in the Hollywood "O":
Walt Disney Studios is at the bottom right in this photo:
Griffith Observatory:

Fall in Wine Country | Santa Ynez Valley, California

I stopped off in Los Olivos for a quick detour through wine country on my drive back down to Los Angeles after Thanksgiving. There was some beautiful fall color remaining in the vineyards.

Canon 5D, 70-200L
[Click images to view larger.]

Envisioning the Shot | Griffith Observatory & The Hollywood Sign

One of my favorite cityscape techniques is using a telephoto lens to juxtapose buildings or landmarks in ways that are not usually seen. Several weeks ago, I wondered if there were a vantage point from which I could juxtapose two of Los Angeles's most famous landmarks, the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign.

This past Saturday was a glorious, clear, warm day in Los Angeles, so I went out in search of the view. I was so happy to find it! In reality, the Sign and the Observatory are more than a mile apart, but from far away and with a long lens, they look like they are right next to each other.

Now that I know where the location is, I plan to go back when the season (spring) and light (likely early morning) are better.

Canon 5D, 70-200L
[Click images to view larger.]

The Dodd Family | Portraits

My colleague's kids... and Thomas the Pug! :)

Canon 5D, 24-70, f/2.8

[Click images to view larger.]

Christmas Portrait + One More

I snapped a couple of quick pictures of my cousin's family at Thanksgiving for their Christmas cards this year. You can tell that my cousin's kids are pros at having their photos taken!

Cypresses and Magic Light | Pebble Beach, California

While visiting family in Pebble Beach over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I escaped for a few minutes before sunset to take a few photos. There was a fine, hazy mist near the water which created these beautiful rays of light through the cypresses. The first shot is almost straight out of the camera -- just a little warming and sharpening. Best viewed large.

[Click images to view larger.]
Canon 5D, 70-200 f/4, f/6.3 at iso50

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm bringing my camera with me to the Bay Area and hope to do some photography while I'm home over the holiday. Til then, here's one of my favorite Autumn images, taken in Reading, Vermont.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[click image to view larger.]

Golden Gate Bridge | Sunrise, Moonrise

I grew up in Marin County, California and I took these panoramas over Easter weekend this year when I was home visiting my family. One of my favorite places in the world is the Marin Headlands, where these images were shot from. I liked the symmetry of these two together.

I'll be heading home for Thanksgiving and am hoping to get some photography in while I'm home.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[Click images to view larger.]

A Clear Day in Pasadena | The Rose Bowl

It's rare to get such a beautifully clear day in the San Fernando Valley. I felt like I could reach out and touch the San Gabriel Mountains behind the Rose Bowl.

[click image to view larger.]

Los Angeles in Infrared

I first discovered infrared film as a high school photography student and loved its surreal, beautiful, and unpredictable effects. As a digital photographer, one can't use infrared film, but there are a few other options to recreate the effect digitally.

(1) You can recreate the effect in Photoshop, though I have yet to see the effect recreated perfectly using this method. Generally this involves converting your image to black and white using mostly the 'red' channel and applying glow and grain to the image.

(2) You can replace your dSLR's sensor with an infrared sensor; however, this is expensive since you need another camera body and have its sensor swapped out. You can learn more about this process here.

(3) You can use an infrared filter. This is the method that I decided to try out, and I purchased a Hoya 72 Infrared Filter. I've tried it out a few times and haven't been too impressed with the results, but I'll keep trying to iron out the kinks. I shot the image below of the LA skyline.

[click image to view larger.]

For comparison, here is an image I shot with real infrared film on a manual SLR back in the 1990s. The filter seems to create very grainy images without the lovely soft glow of the infrared film. I'll work on recreating the true effect in Photoshop and keep you posted :)

Christy | Bridal Portraits | Balboa Park

Christy was a gorgeous bride, and I felt so lucky to photograph her. Here are a few of my favorite images from her wedding and the day after.

You can see more of Christy and Scott's wedding photos in my post here.

[click on images to view larger.]

Believe it or not, this was pretty much candid. Christy was dressed and waiting for the ceremony to begin in a few minutes.

A couple of quick, simple portraits before the ceremony began:

Hello, Vogue model!

I love her sweet expression in this one:
I love these next two, taken in the cactus garden in Balboa Park.

Los Angeles Moonrise | Griffith Observatory

The full moon is one of my favorite subjects. However, it's actually pretty boring on its own, so I always try to juxtapose it with an interesting landscape or cityscape. Here's last night's full moon rising behind Griffith Observatory. The sky was a bit hazy last night, so I was lucky to get beautiful pink sunset light.

[Click image to view larger.]

Canon 5D, 70-200 f/4, 1/6s @ f/6.3, iso200

How Many Trees Do You Have? | Sequoia National Park

This morning I was listening to NPR on my way to work and heard about an interesting study by a NASA scientist. Using satellite imagery, Nalani Nadkarni estimated that there are approximately 400 billion trees on Earth, or about 61 trees per person. The conversation that followed was about whether this was a lot of trees per person, or few? I think it's too few, especially at the rate that we consume wood-based products -- lumber for our homes, furniture, disposable chopsticks by the billions, and especially paper. As they pointed out on the show, though, trees are not like oil; they are a renewable resource. We'll have to be very careful to ensure proper conservation of the Earth's trees. Even though they are renewable, they are an invaluable resource.

Here are a couple of my very favorite trees: Sequoiadendron giganteum, or Giant Sequoias. These were taken in June in Sequoia National Park. I was there as part of a habitat restoration project so I didn't have much time for photography. When I go back, I'll look forward to shooting early in the morning or late in the day for the best light; exposure is tricky in the forest with bright shafts of light and dark shadows from the trees.

[Click images to view larger.]

Unconventional Views | The Hollywood Sign

I really enjoy shooting familiar landmarks in unconventional ways -- such as from a new angle, with a unique juxtaposition, a different time of year, or interesting light. With these images, my goal is for the viewer to think, "Wow! I haven't seen a photo quite like that one before!"

Here are a few of the iconic Hollywood Sign. Click on the images to view them larger.

With wispy clouds in summer:

Did you know that there's a vineyard in the Hollywood Hills?

Classic California.

Framed by wildflowers in summer.
Up close and personal.

Looking down on LA from behind the sign.

Bathed in sunrise light from Griffith Observatory.

"OHLLYWODO" - A strange optical illusion from the Hollyridge Trail.

More Baby Suki!

As promised, here are some new photos of Suki. It's amazing how quickly babies grow! I love Suki's soulful, dark eyes.

Baby Suki

Little Suki is the adorable baby of a coworker of mine. I took these photos a couple of months ago when she was 2 weeks old. I'm looking forward to taking more photos of her next week!

Ligonier Living: wow, look at these great pictures!

Ligonier Living: wow, look at these great pictures!

Ligonier, Pennsylvania in Autumn

Ligonier is a small town in Western Pennsylvania where my Italian great grandparents settled when they immigrated to the United States around 1912. I was finally able to visit it for the first time last weekend. It is probably the sweetest little slice of Americana that I have ever seen. The town square, called "The Diamond" has a gazebo where bands play in the summer. Surrounding the Diamond are stone churches, a brick post office and city hall, and unique little shops selling candy, apparel, and memorabilia. It was really special to see a piece of my family's history, and such a wonderful day to be there!

Boston | Black & White

Capital One Bank bought these images to display in a conference room. They were interested in square-formatted black and whites, and I thought these were great picks - a bit abstract and graphic, but undeniably "Boston".

Big Sur | Highway One

Highway One views on a gorgeous, clear, early summer day.

Christy & Scott | Wedding Portraits | Balboa Park

Christy and Scott are two of my best friends. It was an honor and a pleasure to photograph their beautiful wedding at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, San Diego. They even let me convince them to put their wedding attire back on the next day for an awesomely fun day-after session in the park! Here are a few wedding portraits of the gorgeous couple. I'll post more over the following days.

Gettin' My Kicks

A few fun photos from Route 66 in Texas, New Mexico, and California.

The Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas is so named because it is the exact geographic midpoint of Route 66 between Chicago and Santa Monica.




Fields of golden flowers near Grant, New Mexico.


Out in the California desert.


Santa Monica Pier: Route 66 ends at the Pacific Ocean.

Hollywood Sign Panorama

This image speaks for itself, since the Hollywood Sign is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. I've enjoyed shooting panoramas for some time, mainly because the format allows the photographer to portray a different viewpoint on a subject, and they're great for city skylines, which I tend to photograph often.

Here's a little history on the famous letters above tinseltown:

The sign originally read "HOLLYWOODLAND," and its purpose was to advertise a new housing development in the hills above the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. The developer contracted the Crescent Sign Company to erect thirteen letters on the hillside of Mount Lee, each facing south. The sign company owner, Thomas Fisk Goff designed the sign. Each letter of the sign was 30 feet wide and 50 feet high, and was studded with light bulbs. The sign was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923.

The sign is located on the southern side of Mount Lee in Griffith Park, north of the Mulholland Highway. Its altitude is 1,578 feet.

Click on image to view larger.

Here are a few tips on shooting panoramas:

• Make sure there is sufficient overlap between photos.
• Ideally you want about 20-30% overlap between the photos so your panorama software can accurately stitch the pano together.
• Level tripod head and camera.
• Ditto above - your pano software will have a hard time stitching your pano if your shots are not level.
  
• Manually set white balance and exposure.
• If you can, set your camera to manual exposure in order to ensure a consistent exposure across the entire panorama. Otherwise, you'll end up with weird lighter or darker patches, especially in the sky.
  
• Find an interesting view.
• While skylines are obvious (and often very common) panorama subjects, try something different, such as a vertical panorama of a tree or a horizontal crop of buildings to show abstract patterns to create visual interest.
• Use panorama editing software.
• There are many editing tools out there, and many of them are free. I tend to use the panorama tool included in Photoshop CS2 and above, but I've also had great results with AutoStitch, which is a free download.
  

Warner Bros. Water Tower Metamorphosis

My "real job" is at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA. My building is just under the famous Warner Bros. Water Tower, where Yakko, Wacko, and Dot were kept in the animated series Animaniacs (remember that show?)

The water tower was recently painted and I decided to take a photo of the paint job every day.

Click on the image to view larger.

Chinatown and Shooting at Twilight

Twilight is my favorite time to shoot cityscapes. To get that beautiful, rich blue sky, you only have about a 10-15 minute window in which to shoot, about 20 minutes after sunset. There is still enough ambient light in the sky to provide some fill light on the buildings, and you can use a long-ish exposure to blur traffic and taillights.

These photos were taken in L.A.'s Chinatown.

Chinatown

Canon 5D, Sigma 15-30, F/5, 1/10 sec, ISO 200, tripod mounted

Click on the images to view larger.

Los Angeles Moonrise

I have always loved the moon, and I love photographing it as part of a landscape. I've been waiting to take the photo below for at least a year and a half, because various factors have always gotten in the way: I wasn't in town during the full moon, it was cloudy on the night of the full moon, or it was the wrong season and the moon wasn't rising anywhere near downtown from this angle (if you haven't noticed, the location of the moonrise differs dramatically based on moon phase and season because of Earth's orbital tilt).

Anyway, I *finally* got the image I've been waiting for on Tuesday night! Unfortunately it wasn't the clearest night, but the LA smog helped paint the sky in beautiful blue and pink pastels.

I probably wouldn't hang this photo in a gallery or even on my wall at home, but it's very satisfying to finally 'get' the image I'd been imagining for such a long time.

Los Angeles Moonrise

Canon 5D, 70-200 f/4, 1/6s f/10 iso100 tripod mounted

(click on the image to view larger)

Winter in New Hampshire

I grew up along the California coast, and a snowy New England scene still seems exotic and magical to me. These images were taken around Wilton and Hollis, two tiny towns in southern New Hampshire.

See more of my photos of New England at: http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/new_england

December in Pebble Beach

Pebble Beach, California and the surrounding Monterey Peninsula is one of my most favorite places on Earth. I'm lucky to be able to visit there quite often because I have family there. On a recent visit for Christmas, I snagged a few pictures in the late afternoon of a gorgeously clear December day.

These were taken with a Canon 5D and either a 24-70L or 70-200 f/2.8L lens.

To see more of my photos of the California Coast, click here: http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/bigsur

American Apparel Spoof

Since moving to LA, one of my favorite pastimes has become people watching. Particularly watching what people wear. Sometimes I can't believe what some girls think is an acceptable, even attractive, outfit. I call this game "What is that girl wearing?!"

For Halloween I decided to spoof my hatred of all things Ugg, leggings, lamee, and big belts, and do it up blonde style. Of course, I couldn't do this without going all the way and doing a photoshoot. These are the resulting "American Apparel ad" spoofs. Enjoy!

For the technically inclined, these were shot with my Canon XT and a 24-70L lens. They were taken in my apartment with low ambient light and are primarily lit with a 550EX speedlite that was mostly bounced off the ceiling. Much of the post processing was done with Kevin Kubota's Actions.

Griffith Observatory

A clear night in LA, if you can get one, is the best time to visit the Griffith Observatory. The recently renovated art deco Observatory is beautiful, and the views of the city can't be beat.

These were shot with a Canon Rebel XT, and either Canon 24-70L or Sigma 15-30, and a tripod.

Autumn in Wine Country

There's something irresistible about wine country for me. The beautiful vineyards, the gorgeous surrounding scenery, the romance of the winemaking process... it's all captivating. Over the weekend, I went up to Santa Barbara Wine Country to taste some yummy wines and photograph the harvest season. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

To see more, click here: http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/sbwinecountry

California Sunset

There's really nothing like a California sunset. These photos were taken from a lookout off 101 just north of Santa Barbara.

4th of July in Boston

The 4th of July is one of the best times to be in Boston. It is, after all, where the American Revolution began. The city pulls out all the stops and throws a week-long party called Harborfest, which culminates in the famous Boston Pops Concert and Fireworks Spectacular along the Charles River on the night of the 4th. During the week, locals and tourists alike can go on harbor cruises, see revolution reenactments, tour historic buildings, and see parades. You can even see the Declaration of Independence read out from the balcony it was originally from in 1776.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the long weekend:

Faneuil Hall:

The beautiful Boston skyline in the late afternoon:

Another view:

The famous Swan Boats, docked for the evening:


Fenway Park:


The Middlesex Fife & Drum Chorus:

Sunrise on Boston Harbor:

Kristin & Doug's Engagement

I met up with Kristin & Doug on the steps of Trinity Church, which is where they met for their first date. We had a lot of fun walking around Boston on a beautiful summery afternoon. They have a great attitude and I got a lot of shots of them laughing at each other!

Kristin & Doug may have their reception dinner at Hampshire House, which is famous for being the facade of Cheers.


The Charles River Esplanade makes a beautiful green background.
They are thinking of using Boston's iconic gaslamps as a theme for their wedding, so we made sure to take some pictures with one:


It was easy to tell how in love these two are. They couldn't keep their lips off each other! ;)

The O'Briens

The O'Brien kids were so much fun to photograph! They were so photogenic and had great ideas for poses.

Abby, Molly, and Robby

Abby

Molly

Robby

The Mackey Twins

Beautiful Catherine and Caroline join older brothers Jack, Thomas, and Connor. These two beauties were nine weeks when I took these photos last weekend. They were absolute angels -- they might have a future in modeling! Welcome to the world, girls!

Catherine & Caroline

Catherine

Caroline

Catherine & Caroline

Caroline -- I love those big eyes!

Christy and Scott

My two roommates (and friends) recently became engaged, and I am the lucky photographer who got to shoot their engagement portraits! Not only are they adorable together, but they're wonderfully photogenic subjects, too. Scott is a talented director and Christy is talented at just about everything. I'm certain they have a bright and happy future together. Congratulations!

We shot these on a warm Saturday at El Matador Beach in Malibu. Some thin fog made for perfect, diffused light for these naturally-lit portraits.

Lots, lots more to see at http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/christy_scott

Perfume commercial, much?

I loved the wave action around the rocks and was waiting for this dramatic moment.

See, they're really just goofballs behind those model looks ;)

This is probably my favorite image from the session.

I just love sepia for engagement shots. It's timeless and warmer than black and white.

Are they cute or what?

Santa Monica

Santa Monica is one of the most popular places to visit in LA. These are a few of my favorite shots. See more at http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/santa_monica and http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/la_views.

This was taken with a very wide angle lens to create some interesting distortion on the Santa Monica Pier sign. Canon 350D, Canon 12-24mm 1/50s f/4.5 at 12.0mm iso200

I'd been envisioning this shot for awhile. I find that the shots that I envision beforehand usually turn out better than the random, grab-and-go photographs.
Canon 350D, Canon 28-105mm, 30s f/16.0 at 28.0mm iso100

This was an instance of waiting for the right light. I hung out in this location and took this panorama about 10 times over the course of an hour, but only for a minute or two did the light cooperate.
Canon 350D, Canon 24-70L, 4 horizontal images stitched in PS CS2

This was taken just after the shot above. The sun is down, but the boardwalk and sand are illuminated by some parking lot sodium lighting, which almost makes it look like it's lit by the setting sun.
Canon 350D, Sigma 15-30mm, 30s f/8.0 at 18.0mm iso100

Downtown Los Angeles with Full Moon - 5/31/07

My roommate and friend Christy was so kind to stay late at work so that I could photograph the moon rising behind the L.A. skyline from her office's roof. I was testing out my new Sigma 15-30 lens and I'm so happy with the way these shots turned out! See more at:

http://www.pbase.com/dellybean/la_views

My New Blog!

Welcome to my blog! I've decided to start posting some of my recent and favorite photos, along with some tips and tricks that I've learned. I hope you enjoy it!