Steve & His Camera: March 2014

Boats on Morro Bay

Taken a few minutes apart from a kayak on Morro Bay. I like them both, perhaps the kayak photo a tad better -- the sunlight is a little softer.

I'm still processing photos from my Central Coast sojourn a couple weeks back. This one is the result of shooting the sand spit that divides Morro Bay and the Pacific Ocean at ground level.

Another from my recent trip to the California Central Coast. San Simeon Pier, long-exposure.

The photos were taken about a a very short time apart, with slightly different compositions and processing. Not sure which I like best. Both are long exposures courtesy of a neutral density filter on my Nikon D5100 + Nikon 10-24mm wide angle lens.

Moody long exposure on a semi-cloudy morning at the beach in Cambria.

Sunset as seen from Fiscalini Ranch in Cambria.

View from Bluff Trail at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria.

Bluff Trail boardwalk at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria, California.

Fiscalini Park Preserve is a very pretty park along the coast in Cambria. I recommend the Bluff Trail for the obvious reasons shown above.

We had turned onto Highway 46 near Cambria looking for green hills to photograph. That's when my partner noticed a large bird on a rock. A really large bird. With a big ol' beak.

Horse in meadow along Santa Rosa Creek Road near Cambria.

Yeah, I know. The horse is supposed to be headed into the frame according to most compositional enthusiasts. Oh well, rules are made to be broken.

There's a lot of elephant seals along the Central Coast. Most people see them at the large viewing area near San Simeon, but the seals are found on other beaches.

A cattle ranch near Cambria on California's Central Coast after recent rains.

The green hills were just begging to be photographed. It was really just a matter of finding a good spot off the road -- and without telephone poles in the way.

Not sure I'm done processing this set of photos yet -- there's a bit of work to be done. But they're close enough to post.

That's Morro Rock, the 576-foot-tall volcanic remnant that sits adjacent to Morro Bay on California's Central Coast. All were taken this past Saturday afternoon from a variety of locations.

Wrapping up a few days on California's Central Coast. Grabbed both of the above shots of an egret in Morro Bay from a kayak using my Nikon D5100 and Nikon 70-300mm telephoto lens.

A little bit of cropping on both photos -- the egret will only allow kayakers to get so close. Didn't quite position myself correctly in case the bird took flight; I was a little in back and needed to be more on the bird's front side. But I'll take it.

A little slow lately, so a couple more recent pics of Sammy. I'm pleased with both -- but still working on best ways to increase the bokeh. Sammy is how I practice portraits.

I'm still playing around with the NIK software as part of a free demo. The top photo was edited with Silver Efex Pro, which I really like. I used the VSCO film presets on the bottom one. Both photos taken with my Nikon D5100.

Please check out my SmugMug site with all my pics.

--S.H.