I’ve added a new batch of photos to my galleries, featuring pictures of dogs, Half Moon Bay (CA), and some miscellaneous images.
Dogs
I had the chance to photograph our dogs in a variety of locations, including the Sierra Nevada, the beach near Half Moon Bay, and in our backyard during a surprise snow storm this winter. The beach and snow were firsts for our newest dog Jasper, and it was a delight watching him excitedly zoom around digging and pouncing in sand and snow. He never did figure out not to drink the salty sea water, though. He’s still young.
Dog (golden retriever) running on the beach, Montera State Beach, California
Dogs (golden retrievers) playing at the beach, California
Half Moon Bay
We made several trips to Half Moon Bay, and I spent some time at Pillar Point Harbor photographing fishing boats adorned with Christmas lights. Decorating the fishing boats at Christmas is a tradition in Half Moon Bay, and I’m hoping to use some of these images to create some unique Christmas cards for next year.
I also made my way down to Pigeon Point Lighthouse near Pescadero for some classic sunset photos. At 115-feet high, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one of the tallest in America. The lighthouse was made operational in 1872, and has been aiding ship navigation ever since.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse at Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park at dusk near Pescadero, California
On a particularly overcast morning I quietly parked myself on the beach near Pillar Point and tried getting some good photos of shorebirds. I spent most of the morning with a group of Sanderlings, who made challenging subjects as they darted up and down the beach with the waves, foraging for invertebrates.
Sanderling (Calidris alba) running on the beach, Half Moon Bay, California
Spending just a little time trying to photograph birds gives you a real appreciation for masters such as Arthur Morris and Tim Fitzharris — it ain’t all just big lenses.
coupled with a 
. This combo gets me very close, but gives me adequate working distance between the subject and lens (so I don’t accidentally knock those dew drops off the branch). It also provides more flexibility in framing and composition compared to a fixed focal length lens. Once I position the camera in range I can use the zoom to make minor adjustments in framing, which is much easier than trying to carefully move the tripod forward ¼ in over rough ground.
, which is what I cut my teeth on.