Harold Davis's Blog, page 95

Two from the Western Slope

Here are two images from my visit to the Western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in November (click each image to view them larger).

Red Dragon Sunset © Harold Davis

Western Slope of the Sierras © Harold Davis

Marin Coast with old gun emplacement

The Marin Coast is astoundingly beautiful for being so near a major city (San Francisco). We are lucky that much of it remains undeveloped, and that environmentalists won the battles of the 1960s that would have turned it into subdivisions, shopping malls, and four-leaf clover overpasses. In my experience, this is one of the most remarkable coastlines anywhere in the world.

Marin Coast with old gun emplacement © Harold Davis

The photo is looking north up the Marin Headlands at sunset. In the foreground it shows and old pillbox and gun emplacement, dating from the World War II era when a Japanese invasion was feared. When the military pulled out of the area, they didn’t do a very good job of cleaning up, and structures like this one can be found dotting the Headlands.

From this location, facing south instead of north, one can see Point Bonita and its lighthouse.

Malta Destination Photo Workshop: Early-Bird Discount Ends Dec 31, 2017

Please consider joining us! Save $500 if you register by Jan 1, 2018. Click here for more info, and here for the trip Reservation form.

Point Bonita

At dusk the outer cliffs of the Headlands become shrouded in mystery. Point Bonita Lighthouse guards the approach to the Golden Gate, as it has since the days of steamships. A formidable approach indeed, who is to know from the rugged coast that the way is open to a vast inland bay?

Point Bonita in Black and White © Harold Davis

Point Bonita Lighthouse © Harold Davis

Photographing Flowers for Transparency with Harold Davis: Registration opens Jan 1, 2018

This will be only session of the Photographing Flowers for Transparency with Harold Davis workshop in calendar 2018 anywhere in the world. Info and registration via Meetup (enrollment opens 1/1/18).

Night Photography Workshop: Registration Opens Jan 1, 2018

More info and registration via Meetup (enrollment opens 1/1/18)

Destination Photo Workshop to Malta in November, 2018

Please consider joining me to explore an incredible destination!

Info: https://www.digitalfieldguide.com/learning/workshops-events/2018-malta

Reservation Form: https://www.digitalfieldguide.com/pdf/2018-Reservation-Form-Malta-Harold_Davis.pdf

Malta

Please consider joining me to explore an incredible destination! Info: https://www.digitalfieldguide.com/learning/workshops-events/2018-malta

So it begins

That Embarcadero Center and those back stairs get my juices flowing every time. This one is based on a single, handheld exposure using the Zeiss Milvius 25mm f/1.4, exposed at 125 of a second, f/1.4, and ISO 1250.

So it begins © Harold Davis

Some related images: Spirals, Endless Stair, and Calling Alice. By coincidence, in a life cycle spiral, I had my oldest son Julian with me yesterday when I made this photo, just as I did many years ago for the earlier versions.

Amaryllis Unfurling

I photographed this white Amaryllis unfurling using dappled and diffused sunlight for illumination, and a black velvet cloth for the background.

Amaryllis Unfurling © Harold Davis

The image is comprised of three exposures, each using the Lensbaby 85mm f/1.6 and an extension tube, with my camera mounted on a tripod. I varied the aperture (and adjusted the shutter speed to compensate) to take advantage of the different effects this lens has depending upon how wide open or shut down it is. The exposure at f/1.6 yielded the bright sunlit areas on the upper right, the exposure at f/4 covers most of the mid-tones, and the exposure at f/16 sharpened the inner unfurling.