California Sunset

California Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Taken a few moments before this shot, and before the mirror fell out of my 5D.

This may be one of the last images taken with that camera. I bit the bullet and ordered a 5D Mk II yesterday. I am beyond excited!

The only bummer is that I'm going to Sedona this weekend for the first time ever and will probably be without a camera. Oh well, I'll try to enjoy the beauty and ignore the "MUST PHOTOGRAPH IT" itch as much as possible :)

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/5 @ 1/25, ISO 50.

To see more, visit:
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Night Falls Over Marin

Night Falls Over Marin, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The end of last night's brief, but beautiful sunset.

I actually shot this image "blind". In the middle of shooting this sunset, I looked through the viewfinder and saw an off-kilter view. I took off the lens and looked inside and the mirror in my 5D had come loose! I took it out so that it wouldn't damage the inside of the camera, but then of course I couldn't see through the viewfinder. Supremely frustrating, especially in the middle of a gorgeous sunset.

I Googled the mirror issue and learned that it's a fortunate/unfortunate kind of situation. Unfortunate because it's a pretty common problem with the 5D, but fortunate because it's such a common problem that Canon will fix it free of charge.

The only problem is that I have to send the camera in for a couple of weeks... bummer.

I've been waiting to buy the 5D Mark II for way too long, so this may finally push me into buying it. Ironically (or appropriately?) I filed my taxes yesterday and my refund is almost exactly the cost of a Mark II. Hmmm, what to do??

Canon 5D (without mirror!), Canon 100-400L, f/5 @ 1/40s, ISO 160.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
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Soft Summer Sunset, Golden Gate Bridge

Soft Summer Sunset, Golden Gate Bridge, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I went back into the archives and edited a few more photos from the incredible summer sunset last September 2nd. Here's a view from the Berkeley Hills toward the Golden Gate with the gorgeous soft pinks and purples of a late summer sunset in the Bay Area.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/9 @ 1/10s, ISO 50

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
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Missed: Morning Rainbow Over San Francisco

I live in the Berkeley Hills, just below the Lawrence Hall of Science. Conveniently, the view from my roofdeck is nearly identical to the webcam view at the LHS, so I often check it out. The LHS webcam page also streams a timelapse of the previous day's webcam shots. Since the weather in Bay Area is different nearly every day, I love checking out the timelapse video. When I checked it a few mornings ago, I saw this captured on the LHS webcam:


A rainbow over San Francisco, just minutes before dawn. Amazing, and apparently a rare phenomenon. What a sight that would have been! Unfortunately, I was asleep and missed it... but it is still amazing to see caught on the webcam. Maybe one day...

A Walk in the Woods: Humboldt Redwoods State Park

A Walk in the Woods: Humboldt Redwoods State Park, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

One of California's most incredible natural assets is its old growth coastal redwood forests. My favorite spot to hang out in the redwoods is Humboldt Redwoods State Park. I love wandering among the big trees in my favorite groves, enjoying the lush understory of ferns, rhododendron, and wood sorrel. It seems to me a perfect place for fairies and leprechauns... I'm always half-looking for a pot of gold amongst the ferns ;-)

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
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Spring Greens, Mt. Tamalpais

Spring Greens, Mt. Tamalpais, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Bolinas Ridge is always stunning, but it's hard to beat when it's covered in a blanket of rich velvety greens in the springtime. Time for a picnic!

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/10 @ 1/40, ISO 50.


To see more, visit:
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Golden Gate Lineup: Vertical Lines

Golden Gate Lineup: Vertical Lines, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Here's another shot of the Golden Gate Bridge lineup that I shot last month on a beautiful, clear spring evening from the Marin Headlands. One of my favorite things about this image are the graphic straight lines in the bridge and in the streaming traffic lights. The Golden Gate Bridge is graceful from almost every angle, but from head on, most of its lines are at 90 degree angles and the bridge takes on a more rigid character. I also like how these rigid straight lines contrast with the wild coast just beyond the bridge.

Tomorrow morning I'll be cruising out under the Golden Gate on a whale watching excursion to the Farallon Islands. In all my life in Bay Area, I've never seen the Farallons up close. I'm excited!

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/18 @ 30s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
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Mossbrae Falls, Shasta Country

Mossbrae Falls, Shasta Country, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

On the last night of our roadtrip, Katie and I spent the night at Castle Crags State Park, a sweet little park just off I-5 near Castella, California. In addition to being a pleasant place to stay, it was also very conveniently located just a few miles south of Dunsmuir, California, home of the beautiful Mossbrae Falls.

We woke (relatively) early, packed, and left Castle Crags and after a pit stop at an adorable bakery/cafe in Dunsmuir for coffee and a pastry, we were on our way to the falls.

After a 20 minute walk in the shadow of Mt. Shasta, we arrived at Mossbrae. It is a stunning spot, and happily, we had it all to ourselves on a glorious morning.

Next time, I'm bringing a picnic :)

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/6.3 @ 1/3s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
http://www.dellahuffphotography.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff/

Bowling Ball Beach #2

Bowling Ball Beach #2, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I tried out a more minimalist composition in this image than in my first upload from Bowling Ball Beach.


Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/10 @ 30s, ISO 50. Filters: ND110 and Lee 3-stop hard GND.

To see more, visit:
http://www.dellahuffphotography.com
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Bowling Ball Beach #1

Bowling Ball Beach #1, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Just got back from a GREAT Northern California roadtrip with my friend Katie! Our goals for the trip were 1) to orient Katie to her new home in NorCal, 2) see some beautiful sights, and 3) drink some really good beer. We definitely accomplished all three activities.

It rained on us off and on Thursday morning as we headed up 101. We ducked out of the rain in Healdsburg to visit Bear Republic Brewing, home of Racer 5 IPA. We had a good chat with Ryan, the man behind the bar, and got some great recommendations on breweries further north.

The rain let up a bit as we headed out 128 toward Boonville, so we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It's so green and lush in Northern California right now! Our second stop was Anderson Valley Brewing, home of the famous Hop Ottin' IPA, my mom's favorite beer. It tastes just as good, if not better, on draft at the brewery. I also really enjoyed and highly recommend the Brother David's Double and Triple Abbey style ales, which rivaled some of the best I tried in Belgium in January. Mmmm!

When we reached the coast, we turned south to visit a place I've been wanting to visit for awhile now: Bowling Ball Beach. The weather looked iffy, with black storm clouds moving in fast, but we'd driven that far, so we decided to go for it. I was thoroughly soaked by the time we got to the Bowling Ball part of the beach, and the rain was coming down pretty hard and I didn't think I'd be able to get a shot without soaking my camera. Thankfully, the wind and rain let up just enough for me to grab a few shots after about 10 minutes. The light was weird and ghostly, glowing through the low stormclouds while some clouds remained dark and ominous. A NorCal day on the coast for sure!

Stay tuned for more images from the redwoods, mountains, and waterfalls of NorCal.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70, f/10 @ 30s, ISO 50. Filters: ND400 & Lee 3-stop hard GND. The weird color is partly due to the ND400, which has a strong magenta cast no matter what I do with the white balance.

To see more, visit:
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San Francisco Alpenglow Sunset

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

The slightly humid and hazy afternoon turned into a brief, beautiful pink sunset over the whole Bay Area. An amazing sight from the top of Mt. Tam in Marin!

This is a single shot, no HDR. There are a few minutes in each day when the light is even enough to get an exposure like this without blending.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11 @ 1s, ISO 50. No filters.

Marin Magazine Cover, April 2010

Marin Magazine Cover, April 2010, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Very excited to have one of my images on the cover of Marin Magazine this coming month!

I shot that image back in December on Bolinas Ridge, near the top of Mt. Tamalpais, as the fog poured over the hillsides.

Curtains Down on Winter -- Summer's Here!

Curtains Down on Winter -- Summer's Here!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

It's been a gorgeous week in the Bay Area. We seemed to have skipped spring and gone straight to a warm summer. The fog finally caught up with the warm weather and came pouring into the Bay yesterday evening at sunset. I caught this from my roof deck, as the low fog enveloped San Francisco and the higher fog forming over the bay made its way toward Berkeley a minute after I snapped this shot, the fog obscured the view.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/10 @ 4s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
http://www.dellahuffphotography.com
http://dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Ribbon of Light: The Richmond Bridge

Ribbon of Light: The Richmond Bridge, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

From far away and up above, the Richmond Bridge takes on a more organic character than from up close. I love the "ribbon of light" across the Bay.

Taken from the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @10s, ISO 50. No filters.

Golden Gate Bridge: Twilight Lineup

Golden Gate Bridge: Twilight Lineup, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I have been obsessed by this angle ever since I saw Harold Davis's image from the same location back in 2008.

I first visited this location about 6 months ago, on a warm afternoon over the Labor Day holiday. It was a beautiful afternoon for a hike, but a hazy afternoon for photography, so I didn't come home with any winners.

This past weekend was the first incredible spring weekend in the Bay Area, and also stunningly clear. I decided to try my luck again along the Coast Trail in the Headlands.

It was a perfect afternoon for a hike, and the hillsides were dotted with tons of wildflowers and the first spring poppies.

I arrived at The Spot a few minutes before sunset and shot for 30 minutes or so. I have a bunch of images of the lineup in various shades of twilight.

It was a perfect evening, even though it was a bit windy and my hands felt like blocks of ice! They warmed up on the TOUGH uphill hike back. Note to self: bring TWO water bottles next time!

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Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/22 @ 10s, ISO 50. No filters.
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To see more, check out:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Elysium: West Marin Hills

Elysium: West Marin Hills, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

In Greek mythology, Elysium was the final resting place for the souls of the heroic and virtuous.

If Elysium exists, I think it might look something like the rolling hills of West Marin.

This image was taken on a slightly hazy late afternoon from the summit of Mt. Tamalpais.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/5.6 @ 1/25, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more of my images, check out:
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http://www.dellahuffphotography.com

Mt. Tamalpais: The View from the Top

Mt. Tamalpais: The View from the Top, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The view from Mt. Tamalpais is, in my opinion, one of the most inspiring in the world.

I've watched the sun rise over the Himalaya, I've seen it set over the Taj Mahal, I've looked out over Yosemite from the top of Half Dome, but there's nothing that captivates me like the view from Tam.

Last night was clear and still, and a pink sunset hovered over the Bay Area before giving way to a beautiful violet twilight (which is when I shot the image above). I'll share some more pictures soon from the views in the other directions, including Mt. Diablo, the Richmond Bridge, Bolinas Ridge, the Marin Hills, and San Rafael.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11@ 25s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, please visit:
http://www.dellahuffphotography.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff/

Missed: San Francisco Dawn Rainbow

I live in the Berkeley Hills, just below the Lawrence Hall of Science. Conveniently, the view from my roofdeck is nearly identical to the webcam view at the LHS, so I often check it out. The LHS webcam page also streams a timelapse of the previous day's webcam shots. Since the weather in Bay Area is different nearly every day, I love checking out the timelapse video. When I checked it a few mornings ago, I saw this captured on the LHS webcam:


Missed: San Francisco Dawn Rainbow, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A rainbow over San Francisco, just minutes before dawn! Amazing, and apparently a rare phenomenon. What a sight that would have been! Unfortunately, I was asleep and missed it... but it is still amazing to see caught on the webcam. Maybe one day...

Richmond Bridge Panorama

Richmond Bridge Panorama, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A wider angle on Thursday night's sunset over the Bay, Richmond Bridge, and Mt. Tamalpais.

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200L, f/10 @ 25s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Amazing Blue Marble Photos from NASA

I never get tired of looking at images of Earth from above. Our home is an incredibly beautiful place! These new photos from the NOAA-NASA GOES Project show our home planet in intricate, stunning detail.


The Earth on March 6, 2010. What were you up to when this was taken?




See more pictures from the NOAA-NASA GOES Project.

I Want One of These!!

Life is pretty good if you're an Olympic photographer. Not only do you get to shoot some of the most exciting, high-profile action in the world, but you also get Canon swag! How awesome is this coffee thermos?? Well, awesome until you're getting up at 5am and pour coffee into your 70-200 f/2.8L IS... ouch. Think the Canon warranty would cover it?



From Crunchgear.

The Underappreciated Richmond Bridge

The Underappreciated Richmond Bridge, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The Richmond Bridge is kind of the redheaded stepchild of the Bay Area's three major bridges (the other two being the very much appreciated Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge). It was a low-budget affair when it was built, and as a result, it looks a bit like an erector set in the middle of the bay, especially when compared with the beauty of the other two bridges.

One benefit of the Richmond Bridge is the awesome views of San Francisco, Mt. Tam, the Bay, and glimpses of the Golden Gate. The other is that it connects the East Bay to my hometown, San Rafael.

I'd been wanting to get a shot that shows off the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in its best light for some time. I think I might have come close here, but I still want a few more shots with other sunset conditions.

Here are a few fun facts about the Bridge:

* The bridge first opened September 1, 1956
* It is officially called the John F. McCarthy Bridge, although no one calls it that
* The bridge measures 5.5 miles (29,040 feet) long. At the time it was built, it was one of the world's longest bridges
* The bridge recently underwent a retrofit to make it more earthquake-safe. The retrofit is intended to allow the two-tier bridge to withstand a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on the Hayward Fault and an 8.3 magnitude quake on the San Andreas Fault

Canon 5D, Canon 70-200L f//4, f/6.3@ 20s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Santa Monica Sunset

Santa Monica Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I spent this past weekend down in LA, my first visit back since I moved up to the Bay Area last July. It was great to see friends and visit some of my old haunts.

I'm a Bay Area native and I never want to leave again, but there is something unique about SoCal's sunsets on the beach. There's a golden quality of light that is rare here but just radiates there almost every afternoon.

I didn't take my camera out of the bag all weekend because it was raining there, so this is a photo from last year.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/9 @ 15s, ISO 50. No filters.

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To see more, visit:
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The Glowing Gate

The Glowing Gate, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Since I'm from the Marin side of the bridge, I don't have as many shots of the Golden Gate from the SF side. This is a shot I've been wanting to take for awhile, and the timing happened to work out to try it last night. Thanks to my aunt Hollis for hanging out with me while I took this!

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/16 @30s, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
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Rushing Tide, Golden Gate

Rushing Tide, Golden Gate, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The seafoam rushed in and out, making interesting patterns on the rocky shore of Marshall's Beach on a clear day back in November. I got soaked that day!

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70, f/22 @ 1/5, ISO 50. Tiffen circular polarizer.

to see more, visit:
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Global Warming is Reducing San Francisco's Fog

I read this article on the Huffington Post this morning describing the decline of California coastal fog over the past hundred years, and its possible effects on the local ecology, including serious effects on the coastal redwood forest, which depends on the fog for hydration. It made me very sad.

I consider myself an environmentalist, and I am very concerned about global warming and try to do what I can to reduce my environmental impact. Still, though, I must admit that without seeing the impact of global warming on a daily basis, sometimes it slips from the forefront of my mind. Seeing this study, which calculated San Francisco (and coastal California)'s fog loss over the past hundred years to be 30%, or 3 hours of coverage a day, makes global warming more personal. The thought of losing California's redwood forests to global warming is devastating. San Francisco losing its fog is like a part of its soul evaporating into thin air.

Can you imagine California without landscapes like these?

Yosemite Reflections, Autumn

Yosemite Reflections, Autumn, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Last fall I visited Yosemite on what must have been one of the most gorgeous weekends ever. The fall color was full on, the sky was a deep blue, and it was a balmy 70 degrees. I took this image at popular Valley View, which is stunning in all seasons and lighting conditions. I know this view has been shot to death, but I have to add one more.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/20 @ 1/13, ISO 50. Tiffen circular polarizer, Lee .9 hard GND.

To see more, visit:
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Spring Storm Over San Francisco

Spring Storm Over San Francisco, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Northern California's weather is pretty predictable, except during winter and spring storms, and especially during an El Nino year.

Huge cumulus clouds like this are a rarity over the City, so it has been pretty awesome to see them over the past couple of weeks!

Taken from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/20 @ 2s, ISO 50. Lee .9 Hard GND.

To see more, check out:

www.dellahuffphotography.com
dellahuffphoto.blogspot.com

Springtime Oak, Mt. Diablo State Park, California

Springtime Oak, Mt. Diablo State Park, California, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I *love* springtime in Northern California. The rains transform the hills into a rolling emerald landscape. It's gorgeous! It's a little early in the season for this much green, but the rain started early this year so I'm looking forward to an extended 'green season' this spring.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/8 @ 1/100, ISO 50. No filters.

To see more, visit:
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/dellahuff

Mt. Tamalpais Magic

Mt. Tamalpais Magic, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I shot this photo about 10 minutes after Mount Tamalpais Dreamscape back in December.

It had been a drizzly, gray day in San Francisco, and I took a chance on driving up to the slopes of Mt. Tam for sunset. It turned out to be a good bet... not only did the clouds break around 2,000 feet, but a gorgeous sunset was going on in the sky! It's rare to have fog and high clouds at once in the Bay Area, so this was an evening to remember.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70, f/2.8 @ 20sec, ISO 50.

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