“Wood and Stones” — Cast-up driftwood, stones, and seashore detritus on coastal rocks at Point Lobos. The conditions on this mid-April visit to Point Lobos were a sort that coastal Californians recognize as summer-like: cold, windy, damp, and foggy. Ironic, no? But during the time of year when it is hot in most of California, it is frequently foggy and cool at the coast — which is part of what Californians like about the coast. As the clouds began to thin a bit on this morning at Point Lobos, the light changed from gray to the soft, slightly directional sort that is ideal for subjects like thi ..read more

“Desert Canyon, Cloud Shadows” A twisting and colorful desert canyon empties in Death Valley under the shadows of passing clouds. Light is everything when it comes to photographing the desert landscapes of Death Valley. The terrain is always impressive, but the midday light can be intense and harsh, washing out colors and muting details. But in the right light a feature that might look, well, “washed out” in that intense light can become beautiful. Add a few passing clouds to increase contrasts between light and shadow and things get even more interesting. I don’t know the name of this little ..read more

“Weathered Wall” — Abstract patterns of paint, stucco, and weathering on a wall in Orvieto, Italy There’s really no obvious way to tell from the image that it was made in Italy — though once you know that you may recognize that beautifully worn and weathered walls are part of the landscape there. I spotted this detail as we walked through the small hill town of Orvieto during the summer of 2023. While I usually prefer to think of such weathering as “picturesque,” you could be forgiven for regarding it as run-down, too. To be honest, the exteriors of buildings in big cities are not always ..read more

“Flock of Cranes” — A flock of lesser sandhill cranes feeding in an agricultural field. Unless and until I return to my old files to review them later on, this is likely this season’s last photograph of migratory birds. I photographed this group of lesser sandhill cranes in an old corn field on my final seasonal visit back in early March. By that date the departure of geese was perhaps a week away and the cranes would leave soon after that. This was nearly the last photograph of them I made this season. There is a familiar arc to “migratory bird season,” as I think of the period between about ..read more

“Desert Peak, Clearing Storm” — Clearing clouds swirl around the summit of a desert mountain following overnight snowfall. If you are unfamiliar with the place, you may be surprised that this scene is in Death Valley National Park. That desert park is famous for recording the hottest recorded temperature on planet, known for its arid playas and immense sand dunes. But there are mountains, too, some of which reach as much as 11,000′ above that dry valley. During the winter they are cold places and snow is common. In mid-March I arrived at the park at the tail end of a series of stormy days. It ..read more

“Flooded Playa” — The flooded landscape of the playa near Manly Lake, Death Valley. This is another in a series of photographs of the floor of Death Valley near Badwater, photographed from high in the Black Mountains early one morning. Following a historic storm in August of 2023, this part of the valley flooded, partially reconstituting the historic Lake Manly. There is still a lot of water, and many areas of the playa are currently inaccessible. To make these photographs I used very long focal length lenses, which allowed me to isolate small areas in this vast terrain. The formations seen he ..read more

“Pre-Dawn Clouds, Lake Manly” — Pre-dawn clouds fill the sky above the Panamint Mountains reflected in Lake Manly, Death Valley. The brief interval between darkness and the arrival of the morning sun may be my favorite time of day in the desert. Everything is still and quiet, and I’m often the only person around. The temperature is comfortable, and sometimes as close to cool as it will get. The light changes perceptibly, transitioning from deep twilight blues toward the intensely warm colors of sunrise. And I have a full day ahead of me. This time I was not completely alone, but I was close to ..read more

“Gravel Road, Carrizo Plain” — A one-lane gravel road winds across the Carrizo Plain as spring vegetation comes to life. OK, I admit it. This is a bit of a “record shot,” considering how this place can look like the peak of the spring bloom in an exceptional year. However, it does give me a chance to write a bit about the location and how I came to be here on this day. I was doing the long drive from the SF Bay Area to Death Valley from the San Francisco Bay Area. Since I had decided to stop overnight in Ridgecrest before continuing to the valley, I had a bit of extra time on the first day’s ..read more

“Ristorante-Pizzeria, Venice” — A small pizzeria at the end of a dark alley, Venice at night. We spent time in Venice during our summer 2023 travels. We had been to Italy before but — it is almost embarrassing to admit — we had bypassed Venice. We had mixed feelings: On one hand, it is notorious for the throngs of tourists that pack the place during the summer months. On the other hand, it is Venice! So we went, and we’re very glad we did. We (and by “we” I refer to Patty, who is a master planner) managed to find a wonderful little place to stay that was in a quiet corner of the city. Even du ..read more

“Desert Mountain Ridges” — Layes of desert mountain ridges stretch to the east, Death Valley National Park. “Desert Mountain Ridges” — Layes of desert mountain ridges stretch to the east, Death Valley National Park. “Desert Mountain Ridges” — Layes of desert mountain ridges stretch to the east, Death Valley National Park. This is one of those “photograph the thing you did not go for” photographs, seen while mostly focusing on an entirely different subject. I was in Death Valley partly because I go there every year at about this time, and partly to photograph the rare reappearance of Lake ..read more