Featured Photos & Videos: Tracing Light Photography

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:26:59 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:10:55 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:06:00 GMT

Petra Jordan

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:15:54 GMT

Approaching Al Khazneh or The Treasury at Petra, Jordan. As we hiked through the sandstone gorge in Petra, we rounded a corner and got our first glimpse of The Treasury, an impressive facade carved into the cliffs. Then out of nowhere this kid on a donkey came riding through the narrow passage to complete the scene. Quite a few films have been filmed here, including the last scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:00:03 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:16:24 GMT

Painted Sand: Pre-Dawn Colors on Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:49:54 GMT

Pre-dawn colors painting the desert sand dunes in Death Valley. This photo is from the western end of Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park, CA.

Mesquite Dunes - Death Valley

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:50:04 GMT

These are the Mesquite Flat Dunes near Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park. This photo was taken from the top of the highest dune looking northeast towards the rest of the dunes. The eastern part of Mesquite Dunes is the best place to go for photography since those dunes don't get as many footprints from visitors.

Hagia Sophia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:32:37 GMT

With this interior photo of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey I tried to capture the scale of this gigantic structure. But even with my wide-angle lens, you're only seeing a small corner of this remarkable building. The Hagia Sophia is an interesting mix of Christian and Muslim art and architecture since it was first a Byzantine church, then an Ottoman mosque, and now a museum, and has been rebuilt multiple times.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:27:45 GMT

Istanbul

The Mud Death Star

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:01:38 GMT

This is a big (around 1 foot in diameter) mud bubble captured at mid-burst using a fast shutter speed. This was part of a much bigger bubbling mud pit outside of Rotorua, New Zealand (Wai-O-Tapu geothermal park).

Palais de l'Isle

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:38:25 GMT

This medieval building in the main canal of Annecy, France was built to look like the prow of a galley anchored in the river. It was originally a palace and then was used for various functions including a prison for quite a while, and now is a museum.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:14:12 GMT

Balmoral Hotel Clock Tower, Edinburgh Princes Street

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:12:45 GMT

There is something magical about Edinburgh, Scotland which I hope is captured in this photo. This is the view of Princes Street from Calton Hill featuring the impressive Balmoral Hotel Clock Tower.

The Quiraing - Isle of Skye, Scotland

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:28:34 GMT

This is the beautiful Quiraing mountain range on the Isle of Skye in northwestern Scotland. You can see the grooved pathways in the grass created by sheep as they graze on these hillsides.

Amsterdam Canals: Herengracht & Brouwersgracht

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:47:28 GMT

This is one of the many canal intersections in Amsterdam, Netherlands just after sunset. This was my favorite section of Amsterdam canals because they were narrow, lined with interesting buildings and house boats, and had cool bridges across them as you see here. The streaks of light in the water are from a boat that passed by while I was taking photos. This is the intersection of Brouwersgracht and Herengracht canals (don't ask me how to pronounce them), just west of Amsterdam Centraal train station in the Jordaan section of Amsterdam. The Herengracht canal is one of the 4 main concentric half-circle canals that circle the center of the city. Brouwersgracht means "brewers' canal," so named because this canal used to have many breweries along it, most of which have now been converted into trendy warehouse apartments.

Road to Convict Lake, Eastern Sierras, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:04:44 GMT

Dramatic clouds and lighting on the road to Convict Lake in the Eastern Sierras of California.

Casa de Balboa - Balboa Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:47:35 GMT

The moon above the Casa de Balboa Building in Balboa Park, San Diego. This building houses the San Diego History Center, Model Railroad Museum, and Museum of Photographic Arts.

House of Hospitality - Balboa Park, San Diego

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:25:42 GMT

I love Balboa Park in San Diego, and it's especially great at night for photography. This is a hidden doorway at the House of Hospitality at one end of the courtyard near The Prado Restaurant.

Queenstown View - New Zealand

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:05:46 GMT

This was our view from Queenstown one evening as rays of light danced in the sky across Lake Wakatipu. Queenstown quickly became our favorite town in New Zealand due to its small size and spectacular location on the South Island.

Franz Josef Glacial Valley

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:36:26 GMT

Green & red lichen covering the rocks below a waterfall on the south island of New Zealand. You might be surprised that within a mile of this green, temperate rainforest is the edge of Franz Josef Glacier. The western coast of the south island of New Zealand is unique in that you have glaciers next to rain forest, not too far from sea level. Part of the reason that the ice gets so low is that the mountains are so steep and the glacier moves so fast that it gets quite far into warmer climate before melting.

Uluru Sunset Glow

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:04:26 GMT

Uluru (Ayers Rock) at sunset, showing the famous red glow. This is of course the defining monolith of the red center of Australia and the largest found anywhere in the world. You're only seeing about 1/4 of the visible rock in this close-up photo, but I wanted to show the unique textures on the rock face. Tomorrow I'll post a photo showing all of Uluru.

Textures of the Fire Rock - Uluru Up Close

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:02:43 GMT

Up close to Uluru (Ayers Rock). The textures and flowing lines of the red rock in contrast with the green trees of the foreground and a great blue sky is what drew me to this scene.

Uluru Sunset - Ayers Rock, Red Center, Australia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:57:20 GMT

Uluru (Ayers Rock) at sunset. This of course is the classic shot that every tourist to the red center of Australia takes. I tried to find an interesting foreground to add a bit of context to the location. I feel like no photo of Uluru really does it justice, but this is better than nothing I suppose.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 19:12:23 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:11:27 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:12:57 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:02:48 GMT

Cathedral Cove Beach Sunrise Starburst - New Zealand

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:35:29 GMT

Sunrise on the beach at Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula of the northern island of New Zealand. I hiked in the dark about 30 minutes or so to get here just as the sun was rising.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:37:15 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:15:05 GMT

Sydney Seascape at Dawn - Turimetta Beach, NSW Australia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:06:47 GMT

This is Turimetta Beach (north of Sydney) before sunrise. The purple in the sky only lasted about 10 minutes before the sun rose behind the clouds this chilly morning. It was a privilege to see this green moss on these rocks as it only shows up at certain times of the year.

Uluru (Ayers Rock) Time-lapse: Sunrise, Sunset & Full Moon Moonrise

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:10:02 GMT

Uluru (Ayers Rock). First scene is sunrise and the second scene is sunset followed by the full moon rising. The waves of changing color at sunset were due to the sun going behind the thing clouds behind.

Sydney Circular Quay CBD Panorama

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 10:57:02 GMT

Standing next to the Sydney Opera House looking back towards Circular Quay and the CBD (Central Business District). The after-sunset glow in the sky was amazing this evening.

Double Bay Sydney Harbour - Light before the Storm

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:44:36 GMT

My father-in-law likes to go exploring in a new place like I do, so when he was visiting Sydney we hopped on a ferry from Circular Quay for the sole purpose of finding out where it went. We ended up here at Double Bay with nice evening light as a storm was brewing. I took this photo from the ferry as we left for the next bay: Rose Bay. I continue to be amazed at how expansive and beautiful this harbour is.

Guillaume at Bennelong Restaurant HDR at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 23:54:13 GMT

The Sydney Opera House is really 3 matching buildings, and this is the smallest one which is the Bennelong Restaurant where one of Australia's most popular and celebrated chefs, Guillaume Brahimi makes his home.

My goal in this photo was to give a view inside the structure to point out how it complements the unique exterior design.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Australian Meat Pies

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:04:25 GMT

This is the famous Harry's Cafe de Wheels, the home of the best meat pies in Sydney. Or maybe in all of Australia? I haven't tried enough to know. But they were really good. Lots of famous people have eaten the pies here, including Colonel Sanders of KFC fame. Check out the inset image for a closeup of the classic "Tiger Pie" on the left which has mashed potatoes, and the "Pie & Peas" on the right. Both feature mushy peas, which aren't as bad as they sound. There are many other varieties available as well.

Opera Bar Panorama - Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:04:25 GMT

The Opera Bar was surprisingly quiet this evening when I stayed out past sunset for some photography. This panorama shows the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the left and the Opera House on the right. The panorama is from 2 images, each of them bracketed and merged slightly to preserve the highlights & shadows.

Shimmering Opera House - Sydney, Australia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:23:30 GMT

It seems I will never tire of shooting the Sydney Opera House due to its interesting shapes and the way it catches the sunlight. There is always a new angle or different light to capture. The sun was bursting through the clouds this particular day. Shot from one of the Sydney ferries as we took our usual trip to Circular Quay from Milsons Point.

Sydney Harbour on Blue - Sydney Opera House & CBD

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:42:18 GMT

Soon after sunset is my favorite time to gaze out at Sydney Harbour with the Opera House and CBD (Central Business District) skyscrapers. I took this photo while we finished up our dinner down by the water this evening. I like how the sky & water match in color.

Portrait of a Papuan Boy - Black & White

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 02:57:32 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 02:40:33 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:57:35 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:51:12 GMT

Portrait of a Papuan Grandma

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 03:30:35 GMT

This grandmother was sitting on the porch of the house she lives in with her son and grandchildren. Her face and pose caught my attention as I walked through the village. I never got a chance to talk to her, but after I took this photo she smiled and turned away as if shy. Her son was pleased that I took her photo and proudly explained that this was his mother. This photo was taken in Papua, Indonesia.

Singapore Marina Bay: Helix Bridge, Marina Bay Sands, ArtScience Museum

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:59:34 GMT

Marina Bay in Singapore features some of the newest development in the city, and certainly some unique and modern architecture.

The bridge on the left is The Helix Bridge (or Double Helix Bridge), a cool pedestrian bridge with multiple lookout points which you can see in this photo.

This leads across the bay to the 55-story Marina Bay Sands: a casino, mall, and hotel which features 3 towers and a 1,100 ft long rooftop garden, infinity pool, and lookout point which you can see on top. This is currently the world's most expensive casino with 2,561 hotel rooms, a gigantic shopping mall, 2 theaters, an ice skating rink, and the world's largest atrium casino. An interesting fact about the casino is that Singaporeans have to pay S$100 to enter, but foreigners can enter for free. I'm assuming this is the nanny state's attempt to curb gambling addiction among its residents.

The lotus-shaped structure to the right is the ArtScience Museum. Its roof is retractable, providing a waterfall through the roof of collected rainwater when closed in the day.

Almost all of this area is reclaimed land that used to be ocean.

Deserted Island Paradise - Papua, Indonesia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:13:28 GMT

This tiny sand spit looks like a great place to hang out for the day, but perhaps not such a good place to be marooned. I imagine the snorkeling and scuba diving around this tiny island would be spectacular. This is one of the many islands near the bigger island of Yapen in Papua, Indonesia as seen from the air. It looks like it's on its way to becoming an atoll.

Never Never Land - Rainbow in the Rain Forest

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:07:19 GMT

This rainbow was God's gift to our group after we finished hiking up a landslide in the rain at the highest point on Yapen Island in Papua, Indonesia. We're pretty sure this proves the discovery of Never Never Land from 'Peter Pan', though we didn't have time to hike down to check. Yes, the rainbow was this vibrant; no HDR or special effects added.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:35:37 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:35:29 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:34:37 GMT

Dusk on the Isle of Skye: The Old Man of Storr

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:45:24 GMT

This is one of the most beautiful places we have seen in Scotland: the Trotternish Peninsula of the Isle of Skye. On the horizon you can see the "Old Man of Storr", a distinct rock pinnacle. We stayed in a house next to this lake (Loch Fada), and I took this photo after the sun had already set behind the mountains (8:30pm).

Inside Glasgow Cathedral - High Kirk of Glasgow

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:34:23 GMT

Glasgow Cathedral (also known as High Kirk of Glasgow or St Kentigern's or St Mungo's Cathedral) is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Reformation intact.

Inverness Cathedral - River Ness, Scotland Highlands

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:38:49 GMT

This is Inverness Cathedral (or Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew) along River Ness in the town of Inverness (not too far from Loch Ness). There is an excellent river path on both sides of River Ness right in the heart of Inverness. We had some great walks along this river during our 3 day stay in Inverness. In the foreground you can see the colorful daffodils that seem to grow everywhere here in Scotland.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:36:58 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:32:24 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 03:50:47 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:01:09 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 16:05:49 GMT

Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery - Singapore

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:10:18 GMT

This Buddhist monastery & temple is not only the largest in Singapore, but seems to have the longest name as well: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery of Singapore. Katie and I visited this monastery in 2006 on a photojournalism trip to southeast Asia.

Field of Color in Solana Beach: Brown-Eyed Susan Flowers

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:26:57 GMT

Brown-eyed susan flowers (Rudbeckia hirta) with a field of color behind (mostly statice). No HDR or anything fancy; just nice evening light.

Early Spring - Statice Plant - Solana Beach, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 05:20:57 GMT

I took this photo along the coastline in Solana Beach, CA (north county San Diego). I liked the colors of the static plant mixed with the green background.

Double Helix Spiral Staircase - Vatican Museum

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:31:03 GMT

The beautiful spiral staircase at the Vatican Museum, from below. Designed by Giuseppe Momo in 1932, the broad steps are somewhere between a ramp and a staircase. They were designed to be wide and have a small enough amount of climb so that horses could walk up them. The stairs are actually two separate helixes, one leading up and the other leading down, that twist together in a double helix formation. I think it's really cool that this was designed many years before the discovery of the double helical DNA strand, which has now come to represent life itself.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery - Point Loma - San Diego, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:17:34 GMT

The Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on the Point Loma peninsula with the city of San Diego in the background.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 23:52:16 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 04:57:40 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 04:46:33 GMT

Buscalan Rice Terraces - Kalinga, Luzon, Philippines

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:37:59 GMT

This is the beautiful view we enjoyed while hiking through the rice terraces in Buscalan Village near Tinglayan (Cordillera Mountains), Kalinga Province of Luzon, Philippines.

Filipina Smile

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:24:40 GMT

Portrait of a Filipina smiling, taken in Bontoc, northern Philippines (island of Luzon). It seems that not everyone uses Filipina to indicate a female Filipino, but I think it's correct given the Spanish influence in the Philippines.

Bringing Home the Bacon - How to carry a live pig from a pole

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:50:14 GMT

Three men carrying a live pig hanging from a pole in Bontoc, Philippines (Luzon). This is the preferred method of transporting your pig (especially when still alive) along the edges of rice fields where there are no roads. Though the "bringing home the bacon" phrase does seem to fit, I don't remember ever eating bacon in the Philippines. Certainly we ate pork (lechon baboy), but not usually as bacon.

Broad-Billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris)

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:19:27 GMT

The lighting was perfect, and this Broad-Billed Hummingbird sat still for an unusually long time (at least a minute). Fortunately, I had my 300mm f/4 lens with 1.4x extender attached to my camera and ready to go. I took this photo at the Fanciful Flyers walk-in exhibit at The Living Desert wildlife & botanical park near Palm Springs, CA.

San Diego Sea Cave - Tunnel under Sunset Cliffs

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 18:01:24 GMT

This beautiful cove has a sea cave or tunnel which would be really fun to kayak or swim through. I used a long exposure to highlight the interesting pattern of the waves on the beach. This is along Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego, CA.

Brushstrokes of Water: Waves at Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:15:42 GMT

The moss-covered cliffs of Point Loma. These waves at Sunset Cliffs remind me of a painter's brushstrokes, as if the Creator were painting a beautiful scene with water.

Italian Man Drinking Espresso on the Narrow Streets of Como, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:44:05 GMT

This photo seems to say "I am Italian." It shows a typical scene in Italy: narrow cobblestone streets between stone buildings, the Italian flag, a man on the street drinking his espresso, and a bar. I took this photo in the town of Como at the south end of Lake Como.

I processed this photo as an HDR from a single RAW image, then converted to black & white (with some sepia), and then mixed back in some of the original colors to highlight the Italian flag, sign for the bar, and the man.

Villa del Balbianello: Luxury Villa on Lake Como, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:32:42 GMT

This amazing mansion on Lake Como, Italy is Villa del Balbianello. This villa has appeared in films including the Casino Royale Bond movie as well as Star Wars Ep 2. The villa is built on the site of a Franciscan monastery, and the two towers which can be seen in the picture are the campanili of the convent church. Part of what makes Villa del Balbianello so striking is it's location perched on a skinny peninsula of the lake. One of the things that makes Lake Como so beautiful is the steep hillsides surrounding the lake which you can see in the distance. This photo was taken a bit farther south from my previous Lake Como Villa photo in the commune of Lenno.

Storybook Land in Real Life - Lake Como Villa, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:22:51 GMT

Famed Lake Como (north of Milan in Italy) boasts amazing villas like this along its fingered shoreline. We felt like we were on the Storybook Land canal boat ride at Disneyland as we passed many luxurious Italian villas on our way to the town of Bellagio. Yes, we did see the well-known villa that belongs to George Clooney, but it didn't look as impressive from Lake Como as this one.

Shimmering Sea - Sunset from the Cliffs, Point Loma, San Diego

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:42:29 GMT

This is one of my favorite moments at sunset along the coast: when you get a glimmer on the ocean as the sun reaches the horizon. This was a long exposure (5 seconds at f/22), which gives the water a dreamy feel.

Purple Afterglow: Flat Rocks on the Beach - Sunset Cliffs, Point Loma

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 05:38:49 GMT

This cool plateau of flat rocks on the beach is found at Sunset Cliffs Park on the Point Loma Peninsula in San Diego, CA. The jigsaw pattern of cracks in the rocks reminds me of the top of Devil's Postpile near Mammoth Lakes, CA. The purple afterglow show up after the sun had already set as the sky was changing color. The color in this photo wasn't added artificially; in fact, I desaturated it a bit since it looked "too" purple in the original photo.

Man in the Market: Jerusalem Old City Arab Market or Souk

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 04:54:20 GMT

I took this photo while walking through the Arab Market (Souk) in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. The Old City of Jerusalem encompasses the original city as it was during King David's time, and is still surrounded by the city walls. No flash used in the photo; just perfect timing for this man to walk out of the shadows of the market into a small section of light.

Illuminated Lupin Flower

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:26:28 GMT

A lonely lupin flower shooting up from a field of green, illuminated from behind by the setting sun. I took this photo last night in the hills of Irvine, CA seconds before the sun dipped below the horizon.

Green Fern Shoot

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 04:02:48 GMT

A young green fern with stickers and a new bud. I photographed these green fern shoots in Sulawesi, Indonesia right after a rain storm.

Point Loma Sea Cliffs - San Diego, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:07:09 GMT

What drew me to this scene was the rock layers in the cliffs meeting the flowing ocean waves below. I feel like the scene works best as a black & white HDR to match the mood of the coastline.

Point Loma Cliffs at Sunset - Cabrillo National Monument

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:19:59 GMT

I took this photo the day after Christmas in Cabrillo National Monument on the Point Loma Peninsula. This is the "tide-pools" area of the point Loma Lighthouse Park, a short drive down the steep road to the right as you enter the park. It's crazy to think about the powerful wave that left that suspended boulder on the edge.

Blue Angels at Dusk

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 17:23:44 GMT

The awe-inspiring Blue Angels (though they don't look very blue in this photo) from the Miramar Air Show. There is something completely awesome about watching F/A-18 Hornets in action!

Portrait of an Old Woman working in Rice Fields - Philippines, Bagabag

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:30:16 GMT

Take a good look at this old Filipina's face; she has a lot to tell. No doubt she's spent years working hard in the rice fields of Bagabag, Luzon, Philippines. Along with the other women in her working group, she is picking young rice shoots, which will be later re-planted in different rice fields farther apart.

Winnowing Rice by Hand - Rice Preparation in Indonesia

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:28:44 GMT

I bet you never thought you'd see an action shot featuring rice. Here's our friend and helper Rina winnowing rice in front of our house in Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Indonesian Mini Gas Station - Coca-Cola Bottles Filled with Gasoline

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:47:00 GMT

A mother and her son wait for customers at their mini gas station in front of their house. This is a common scene in many parts of Indonesia: a tiny roadside gas station using liter Coca-Cola bottles to store the gasoline. They mostly fill up motorcycles & scooters, usually 1 liter at a time, by pouring the gasoline out of the coke bottles. I took this photo back in January 2008 while visiting my parents in Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Sunrise in the Desert - Joshua Trees, Yucca, and a Rocky Mountain

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 05:28:00 GMT

Early morning light hits a rocky hillside in Joshua Tree National Park, with Joshua Trees and Yucca plants in the foreground.

Cholla Cactus Garden - Joshua Tree National Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:40:48 GMT

This is about as close as you can get to a "teddy bear" cholla cactus without getting stuck with their stickers. This photo shows a closeup of a cholla cactus with more of the cactus garden visible behind.

Teddy Bear Cholla Cactus at Sunrise

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:34:29 GMT

Sunrise in the Cholla Cactus Garden in Joshua Tree National Park. This section of the park isn't really a garden (it wasn't intentionally planted), but it seems that way with hundreds of teddy bear cholla cactus plants growing together.

Empty Mansion on the Sea Cliffs - Corona del Mar, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:05:41 GMT

Sunset in Corona del Mar below one of the mansions along the sea cliffs. Despite the awesome location of this very expensive house, it seems like it's empty most of the time.

Frozen Wave at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:44:22 GMT

Ocean wave frozen in time at sunset. The waves at Little Corona weren't particularly big, but this rock was positioned perfectly to cause a good amount of spray. This is an HDR processed from a single RAW image outputted at multiple exposures.

Painted Sky above Catalina Island, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:25:27 GMT

Catalina Island is visible on the horizon below the incredible painted sky as seen from Corona del Mar. This sunset kept getting better and better, until this final moment before all the color faded.

Elegant Egret Silhouette at Sunset - Little Corona, Corona del Mar State Beach, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:26:48 GMT

This egret landed in front of me on a cool rock partway out into the ocean and stood there as if watching the sunset. By this point the sun had already set, but the colors kept getting more and more vibrant. This photo was taken last Sunday at Little Corona, Corona del Mar State Beach, CA.

For the photographers out there, you may be interested to note that this photo was taken at ISO 800, which to me is quite impressive considering how clean it looks. I applied a slight bit of noise reduction to the horizon, but mostly it's a testament to the awesome Canon 5D Mark II low light performance. I used a Canon 300mm f/4 lens with 1.4x extender attached at f/5.6.

Horseless Amish Buggy near Lancaster, PA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 06:09:49 GMT

This Amish buggy was parked outside a country store where we tried some yummy home-made root beer. The ever-present Amish buggies around Lancaster Pennsylvania were hard to photograph on the road, so I was happy to find this one parked in a nice location.

Mennonite / Amish Laundry: aka Big Clothesline for Black Shirts

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 04:52:32 GMT

You can't go wrong wearing mostly black, right?

You haven't seen a real clothesline until you've seen a clothesline like this. For some reason I very much enjoyed seeing these huge Amish/Mennonite clotheslines rigged up next to most homes around Lancaster, PA. They had cool pulley systems for launching the predominantly black laundry into the air. I'm not sure what exactly the Amish lady and her son thought about me taking their photo out the car window as we drove by, but I hope they weren't too upset.

Lone Windmill on the Amish Horizon - Farm Land in Lancaster, PA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 23:19:18 GMT

The sky was exceptionally dramatic and interesting this day as we drove through Amish farming country. I asked Uncle Tom to pull off the road when I saw this lone windmill in the distance with green fields in the foreground.

Civil War Cannons on Seminary Ridge, beginning of Pickett's Charge - Gettysburg

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 05:21:29 GMT

These civil war cannons on Seminary Ridge overlook the fields where Pickett's Charge took place during the Battle of Gettysburg. Off in the distance is Cemetery Hill which unfortunately is a fitting name. It was sobering to stand in this place and think about what happened here during the Civil War.

Celtic Cross in the Forest: Irish Brigade Monument, Gettysburg

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 21:23:08 GMT

This is one of my favorite monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park. The granite monument topped with a traditional Celtic cross commemorates the Irish Brigade that fought in several key Civil War battles. At the base of the cross you can see an Irish wolfhound (symbol of loyalty) waiting for his master's return.

At the start of the Gettysburg campaign, the Irish Brigade (including the 116th Pennsylvania Infantry) numbered 530 men; 198 became casualties during the battle within these woods.

"Of those who in their manhood died to blot out Slavery's stain,And rear aloft in all its pride, fair Freedom's flag again!'Tis ours to raise this cross on high above the Irish dead,Who showed mankind the way to die, when Truth and Freedom led."

-from Our Fallen Comrades, by William Collins, 1888.

Amish Farmers using a Horse-Drawn Hay Baler

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:58:32 GMT

I took this photo out the car window as we drove through Amish country near Intercourse, PA (no, I'm not making up that town name). Scenes like this are still very common in this part of the US, though I felt like I was in a different country. I find it interesting that their hay baler is horse-drawn, but the baler machine itself is automated. If you look closely you can spot their dog tagging along.

Lower Taughannock Falls looking down the Taughannock River

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:12:43 GMT

I walked partway out into the shallow Taughannock River to get this photo looking downstream at the beautiful Lower Taughannock Falls. Notice the stone bridge in the distance. The fall colors were particularly vibrant since the trees were still wet from rain, and it was early morning so the light was even. This photo was taken just downstream from the main Taughannock Falls.

Fall Colors at Taughannock Falls

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:01:18 GMT

Taughannock Falls is a spectacular 215 foot waterfall in the Finger Lakes Region of central New York just north of Ithaca. We stayed overnight down the road from Taughannock State Park at Taughannock Farms Inn. Apparently this waterfall is one of the highest east of the Rocky Mountains. The gorge is especially beautiful this time of year with the fall colors.

Double Rainbows on the Edge of Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:02:12 GMT

The weather was perfect, and 2 rainbows were visible for our short visit to Niagara Falls. This is Horseshoe Falls (or Canadian Falls) as seen from the Canada side. The rest of Niagara Falls is the American Falls which is not visible here, but is off the the left of the photo. The large Maid of the Mist tour boat gives a bit of perspective to these impressive falls.

Fall Colors from Bowman's Hill Tower near Washington Crossing, PA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 03:10:47 GMT

Just northeast of Philadelphia is Bucks County, a beautiful area along the Delaware River bordering New Jersey. The drive along Route 32 (River Road) from Washington Crossing (where George Washington so famously crossed the Delaware during the Revolutionary War) to New Hope is an excellent day trip that takes you to Bowman's Hill Tower, from which this photo was taken.

Erasing Away the Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco Bay, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:25:42 GMT

Early morning fog erases away the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay. I like the elegant beauty that this simple photo brings out of this classic Bay Area icon.
What you can't see in the photo is the intense wind that threatened to launch my tripod and camera over the edge, and the shivering photographer nearby.

McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - Big Sur, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:49:03 GMT

This is one of the most awesome coves along the CA coastline. How can you beat an 80 foot waterfall spilling right onto the beach, in a secluded cove? This is McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, CA.

The Floating Rock Island - Big Sur Coastline, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:57:42 GMT

I love how this white (no doubt due to bird droppings) rock island seems to be suspended in the air, floating amidst the fog. The coastline along Big Sur is always changing along with the dynamic fog. No fancy HDR involved this time.

The Chute - Subway Canyon in Zion National Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:02:49 GMT

Another photo from the "subway" canyon in Zion National Park. There are a couple places where the water forms narrow chutes like this which are really cool. This one is downstream from the main subway section.

Light in The Subway - Canyoneering in Zion National Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 02:31:19 GMT

I had the great privilege of canyoneering "The Subway" route in Zion National Park (Utah) for a second time last weekend. It is truly a spectacular canyon, especially this section for which it is named. The light shining through the subway leads you around the corner to the grand exit. Perhaps another time I will post a photo of that part. Oh, and I must point out that the slippery slope coming in from the left makes a great water slide.

View from the Edge of the Cliffs - Montana De Oro State Park, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:33:32 GMT

A wide ocean view from the edge of the cliff, with a cave island and a nice foreground. This is one of the best views in Montana De Oro State Park along the cliff trail. The chimney rock island that you see here has a cave or hole that goes all the way through to the other side. I used a really wide (16mm) lens to get the foreground in as much as possible.

Cherry Blossoms on Blue

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:22:39 GMT

Cherry blossoms in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Forest Light Rays - Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 13:49:18 GMT

During an early morning walk in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park we came upon this spot where beams of light were illuminating part of the path. It was a brief, but beautiful moment.

Coastal Surge - Montana De Oro State Park, San Luis Obispo Coast, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:25:08 GMT

Montana De Oro State Park near San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay boasts amazing coastline just waiting to be photographed. To capture this photo I added as many polarizers and ND filters as I could to get a slow shutter speed, since I was there in the middle of the day, but I wanted to show the movement of the ocean. I like the diagonal lines with the shape of the waves flowing over the shallow rocks.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:55:12 GMT

Waves of Green - Pismo Dunes, Oceano Dunes - Pismo Beach, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 05:48:44 GMT

The green grasses growing on the Pismo (Oceano) Dunes near Pismo Beach, CA. The low light near sunset provided for some interesting contrast between these 2 small dunes which I tried to use to my advantage in composing the photo. The grass on the hillside behind is leaning away from the ocean due to the strong winds. It almost looks like underwater soft coral.

Portal to the Sun - Sea Arch at Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:02:09 GMT

This is the portal, or sea arch rock at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, CA (Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park). I took this photo right after the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a yellow-orange glow. At high tide like this it's fun watching the waves funnel through the opening in the rock.

Mighty Coastal Redwoods - Muir Woods, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:07:38 GMT

Look up in awe at the mighty coastal redwoods with their ridged reddish bark. This photo was taken in Muir Woods, just north of the San Francisco Bay in Mill Valley. The coast redwoods thrive in places like this that often have dense fog. They are generally taller but not as thick in diameter as the related giant sequoias.

Bixby Bridge from Above - Highway 1, Big Sur, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:20:40 GMT

I climbed up to a precarious (and windy) outcropping to take this photo looking down on highway 1 in Big Sur, CA as it meets the famous Bixby Bridge. You can see the off-shore fog in the distance threatening to move inland, and the beautiful colors of the pacific ocean coastline.

Bay Bridge Sailboat Silhouette - San Francisco, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 05:02:53 GMT

The truck above and sailboat below give a sense of scale to the San Francisco Bay Bridge in this early morning silhouette.

Blue Pool Reflection - Hearst Castle Indoor Pool - Roman Pool

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 21:36:16 GMT

The spectacular azure indoor pool at Hearst Castle (Roman Pool). This is the most awesome swimming pool I have ever seen, and certainly the most beautiful pool bottom around. They show you this as the final highlight of the main tour, though they don't give you much time to take it all in.

Meeting of Sand and Sky - Pismo Dunes, Oceano Dunes - Pismo Beach, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:39:56 GMT

A brief beautiful moment at the dunes on Pismo Beach. The blue sky didn't last long.

Mission Bay Fireworks - 4th of July

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 05:29:31 GMT

This photo was taken at Mission Bay in San Diego during the annual 4th of July fireworks show

Red Sandstone Archway - Taj Mahal Jawab

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:34:23 GMT

On either side of the Taj Mahal tomb are red sandstone buildings with beautiful archways and hidden courtyards. This is the eastern building, called a jawab (answer), which seems to mostly exist to architecturally balance the building on the other side of the Taj which serves as a mosque.

Taj Mahal Reflection, Yamuna River, Textured

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:28:50 GMT

The backside of the Taj Mahal is just as stunning as the front. This Taj Mahal reflection photo was taken from the other side of the Yamuna River which almost serves as a moat to the Taj.

Face of the Taj Mahal

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:25:47 GMT

The goal of this photo is to show you the intricate details of the Taj Mahal, but at the same time give you a sense of scale to realize the incredible size of the Taj Mahal. Bonus points for those who spot the 2 people perched on high.

Bare Feet and Colorful Saris

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 03:48:15 GMT

Most visitors to the Taj Mahal go barefooted which adds to the experience since you're walking on smooth marble. This detail photo shows some women wearing their colorful saris walking in front of the main entrance to the tomb.

Flowing Color on Marble - Beneath the Taj Mahal

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:34:16 GMT

A woman and her bright sari form a perfect foreground to the exquisite Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Life at the Railway Station - New Delhi Railway Station, India

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:00:52 GMT

Four characters converge in this early morning scene from New Delhi showing movement and motionlessness.

Vespa on the Streets of Florence

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 04:54:46 GMT

An older vespa parked on the narrow streets of Florence, Italy.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:55:49 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:55:23 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:10:32 GMT

Bling-bing, or star fruit

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:08:34 GMT

Coconuts

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 01:06:22 GMT

Vancouver's West End at Night

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:56:39 GMT

This is the view from the balcony of an apartment building in Vancouver's West End. On this particular evening there were really unique cloud patterns highlighted from behind by the moon.

Reaching for the Sky

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:52:27 GMT

Another photo from BC's Sunshine Coast (north of Vancouver).

Rowing Crew at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:19:32 GMT

A beautiful time to be rowing near Vancouver amidst a spectacular sunset.

Rocky Seascape - Black & White HDR

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 18:18:31 GMT

This photo looking out at English Bay in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Gospel Rock Panorama - Gibsons Landing, Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:56:32 GMT

This epic view from Gospel Rock was the highlight of my visit to Gibsons Landing on BC's sunshine coast. A local told us the name comes from the days of pirate ships, which found shelter in this harbor. The local pastor would preach the gospel from this rock before blessing the pirate ships as they headed out to sea. I'm not sure if this is true, but it makes a good story.As a side note, if you're ever at the seaside village of Gibsons Landing and want to find Gospel Rock, don't follow the trail marked on the map as going to Gospel Rock. That's a false gospel that will lead you down the wrong path. We got lost following this trail. Follow the main road towards the west instead and you'll see the rock outcropping on the coastal side of the road at a turn in the road. Oh, and don't keep calling it Preacher's Rock like I did.Technical photo details: The full-size image is about 40 megapixels (8,174 x 4,815 pixels), combined from 4 photos, each processed from 3 exposures as an HDR in Photomatix before merging into this panorama in Photoshop CS4. Then some dodging & burning, curves, and other minor adjustments were made.

Joshua Tree

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 29 May 2010 18:11:39 GMT

There's a reason they call it Joshua Tree National Park: these unique Joshua "trees" are found only in this high desert region of California, especially within the national park.

Bamboo Bokeh

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:35:20 GMT

Because there can never be too many bamboo photos.

Strangler Fig - Banyan Tree

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 21 May 2010 04:08:29 GMT

Strangler fig trees, banyan trees, and ficus trees are the best kind of trees for tree climbing, with plenty of roots and vines to grab onto. Plus, they're just really cool even if you don't want to climb them.

Brilliant Color After Sunset - Key Largo, Florida

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:58:53 GMT

Sometimes the best part of a sunset is right after the sun disappears under the horizon. Such was the case this night in Key Largo when suddenly this brilliant color filled the sky, but only for a few moments.

Peeling Gumbo Limbo, Bathed in Light

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:38:52 GMT

A gumbo limbo tree (Bursera simaruba) bathed in evening light. The characteristic peeling bark on this gumbo limbo looks like an open 3-way hatch. The locals like to call these "tourist trees" presumably since the bark reminds them of the sunburnt skin of tourists trying to get a tan. These trees are common in Florida along the coast since they are salt tolerant.

Wekiwa Springs

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:26:38 GMT

This freshwater springs north of Orlando is a perfect place for a good swim in some cool, clean water.

Ready to be Explored - Headwaters of the Wekiwa River

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:50:17 GMT

A river is formed, ready to be explored. This is the headwaters of the Wekiwa River (some say Wekiva). Clear freshwater comes bubbling out of the ground here to form this beautiful river, which is north of Orlando, Florida.

Path to Paradise

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:20:38 GMT

I'm pretty sure there is a beach like this in heaven.
This HDR photo was taken in Key West, Florida.

Live Oak Draped in Spanish Moss

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 10 May 2010 05:37:36 GMT

Live oak draped in Spanish moss at Wekiwa Springs State Park north of Orlando, Florida.

Green Bamboo Perspective

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 03 May 2010 03:56:46 GMT

I love bamboo. It's one of the most amazing plants in creation. This bamboo grove with ferns is in Key Largo, Florida.

Stunning Sunning Anhinga

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:20:25 GMT

One of the many anhinga birds in Everglades National Park. This anhinga was drying its plumage while preening. They are sometimes called snake birds since when they're swimming only their neck appears above water, looking like a snake.

Florida Softshell Turtle - Everglades

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:30:05 GMT

The most distinct aspect of the Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox) is its snorkel-like nose which you can see prominently in this photo. It's also recognized by its flat leathery carapace (shell).

Baby Gator - Everglades National Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 02:27:25 GMT

This was one of two baby alligators (2 feet long) that we saw next to each other along the Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park. These babies were a lot more active than the adults, often lunging forward to scoop up food.

Mangroves at Sunset - Key Largo, Florida

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:23 GMT

The ubiquitous Florida mangrove trees that grow along the shallow coastlines provide an interesting foreground for this beautiful sunset in Key Largo.

Painted Desert Panorama

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 02:12:18 GMT

This continues my series of desert wildflowers, showing a panorama of the painted hillsides in Antelope Valley, CA. Notice all the sections of different colored flowers. This panorama was put together from 4 HDR photos (3 exposures each).

California Poppies: Antelope Valley

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:43:16 GMT

The California Poppies are out in full bloom on the hillsides of Antelope Valley right now, as long as you come at the right time. The poppies close up at night and don't open again until around 9 or 10 am, when the full color slowly spreads across the hillsides. It's amazing to see the gradual spread of color as the flowers open.

Desert Bloom - Antelope Valley, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:01:18 GMT

This beautiful once a year occurrence in the desert is not to be missed: splashes of orange, yellow, green, and purple appearing out of nowhere. The California Poppies tend to steal the show, but I like the mixture of color found in this field.

The Subway - Canyoneering in Zion

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:25:16 GMT

Notice the swirling water pattern visible on the right of the photo as the autumn leaves floated in the water during this long exposure. Taken in Zion National Park, Utah.

I'm an Inukshuk

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:47:08 GMT

Abandoned In The Forest

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:52:19 GMT

We came across this old, rusty car in the middle of the forest in BC far from any road. There must be a story behind this, but it remains a mystery...

I Can Fly!

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:21:20 GMT

Cherry Blossoms on Blue

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:25:58 GMT

Vancouver West End - English Bay at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:26:45 GMT

The West End in Vancouver, BC, Canada along the English Bay, just south of Stanley Park.

Safe in Mommy's Arms

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:51:22 GMT

Olympic Cauldron - Fire and Ice - Vancouver 2010 Olympics

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:25:55 GMT

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics cauldron in downtown Vancouver.

Living on Mountains of Tea - Darjeeling, India

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:58:16 GMT

Two school kids walking home in the mountainous town of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. These kids live amidst ubiquitous tea fields and beautiful himalayan peaks in the distance. The mountain visible on the horizon is Kangchendzonga (or Khangchendzonga depending on who you ask), the third tallest mountain in the world (Mount Everest is farther west). This region of India is quite distinct since it lies so close to Nepal.

A World Away - Glimpse of a Child's Life in Rural India

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:14:59 GMT

This child's life is a world away from most of us. It's hard to imagine what her days are like in rural India helping her family work in the fields.

Who needs a school bus when you can ride like this?

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:53:15 GMT

A bunch of kids piled on a cycle rickshaw on their way to school - Bihar, India.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:26:13 GMT

Cycle Rickshaw in Early Dawn - India

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 04:00:59 GMT

An Indian man and his wife returning from a trip with suitcases and travel bags, riding a cycle rickshaw from the train station to their house.

Teasing a Water Buffalo

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:08:46 GMT

Though usually slow and docile, I've seen water buffalo move quickly at times. This dynamic scene passed quickly as we drove by, so I never got a chance to see the outcome of these kids' playful river banter with one of these beasts of burden. But I'm certain this wasn't the first time they had been swimming with a water buffalo.

A House of Golden Bamboo

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:50:20 GMT

A man sitting on the "porch" of his bamboo house in the heart of India, with golden light adding to the tranquil scene.

Early Morning Chai - Darjeeling, India

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:27:46 GMT

A boy enjoying his morning Chai in chilly Darjeeling.

Point Loma Orange Cliffs at Sunset - San Diego, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:03:47 GMT

There is a small trail along these cliffs near the Point Loma Lighthouse (Cabrillo National Monument). The park was closing, and I was being chased by the park rangers who were trying to make sure everyone went home. I ran ahead and stopped briefly to fire off a couple shots here. I was bummed I couldn't stay longer for the sun to peak out.

Frozen Twin Lakes with Crystal Crag above - Mammoth Winter HDR Panorama

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:05:32 GMT

Looking up at Crystal Crag on Mammoth Crest across from Twin Lakes

Southern Channel Islands on the Horizon

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:33:21 GMT

The southern Channel Islands (from L to R: San Clemente, San Nicolas, and Santa Catalina) under a dramatic sunset.

Green Mystery

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:03:02 GMT

Ok, maybe it's not that much of a mystery, but anyone want to guess what this is a photo of, and how I took it?

Dynamic Spray - Crashing Waves at Low Tide in La Jolla, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:43:46 GMT

Low tide in La Jolla, CA with tide pools in the foreground and crashing waves in the background.

Stormy Seascape - Point Loma Peninsula, San Diego, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:21:43 GMT

I took this photo on Saturday while visiting the Cabrillo National Monument on the Point Loma peninsula. It was a stormy weekend in San Diego, and this high peninsula was a perfect place to get a view at sunset.

Winter Beauty in the High Sierra

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:30:38 GMT

Beautiful snow textures in the high Sierras. I took this photo near the side of highway 395 not too far from the turnoff for Crowley Lake on Sunday. What you can't see in this photo are my freezing feet. I waded into the deep snow wearing wet socks & sandals since I had already taken off my boots in the car, and there was a fussy baby waiting so I didn't want to take the time to put them back on.

The Final Moment - San Clemente Palms at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:28:50 GMT

The final moments of sunlight, with the sun bursting through three palm trees on the beach near San Clemente Pier.

Taking Off - San Clemente Pier at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:13:58 GMT

Two seagulls taking flight as a wave comes in next to San Clemente Pier at sunset.

Joshua Tree Rock Climbing at Sunset

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:55:25 GMT

Rock climbing in Indian Cove, Joshua Tree National Park, CA at sunset

Espresso Break on the streets of Florence

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:35:14 GMT

Two Italians taking a quick break for espresso on the streets of Florence. I like how their poses match each other and add the interest of the composition.

Resting in Corniglia - Cinque Terre, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:59:47 GMT

A man resting on the steps in the narrow streets of Corniglia in Cinque Terre, Italy. This scene is typical of what we saw in most of these small Italian towns.

River Arno Rower - Florence, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:28:26 GMT

A rower on the River Arno, with dramatic clouds behind. I grabbed this shot the second morning in Florence as we crossed the River Arno on the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge.

Pointing to the Heavens - Duomo & Bell Tower, Florence

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:20:20 GMT

Standing next to the Duomo in Florence, Italy, gazing up at the Campanile di Giotto (Giotto's Bell Tower). You can't help but notice the incredible details on the door and also the bell tower.

Piazza Del Duomo at Sunset with Baptistry: Florence, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:18:03 GMT

The beautiful Piazza Del Duomo with the baptistry, as seen at sunset from Giotto's Campanile (bell tower), beside the Duomo. I almost got locked into the bell tower while taking this photo; I didn't realize they were closing because I was so caught up in taking photos.

Fontana di Trevi - Trevi Fountain

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:37:15 GMT

The famous Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi in Italian) in Trevi Square, Rome, Italy. We were a bit surprised by the huge crowds hanging out here, even at night.

Dusty Chianti Wine Bottles - Greve in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:03:17 GMT

Old dusty bottles of chianti wine in the town of Greve in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy. We visited a giant wine tasting house (Unione Produttori Vini del Chianti) in Greve as we drove through Tuscany to Florence.

Les Jardins de l'Auberge - Restaurant on the Canal

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:47:59 GMT

This restaurant is along the main canal in Annecy, France. Annecy is described by some as the "Clean Venice", or the "Venice of France." It is certainly beautiful and clean, though not as big as Venice, Italy. This was one of the most distinct restaurants along the canal.

Balboa Park Koi Pond Reflection - San Diego, CA

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:37:02 GMT

The last golden light before sunset makes for a beautiful shot of the koi pond in Balboa Park (San Diego, CA) near the arboretum (behind me).

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:46:36 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:43:10 GMT

Fall Reflections in the Canyon - The Subway, Zion National Park

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:38:21 GMT

Tim & Aaron stand with the fall colors reflected in one of the many pools in Utah's canyon land. From here onward the canyon opens up and there are no more narrow slot canyons. The "Subway" canyon is the left fork of North Creek in Zion National Park, Utah.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:33:13 GMT

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daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:25:39 GMT

Manarola: Cinque Terre, Italy

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:05:45 GMT

Manarola is one of the 5 villages that make up Cinque Terre, a beautiful section along the western Italian coast. We hiked between the 5 villages on our recent trip to Italy.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:19:46 GMT

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daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:55:00 GMT

Color Version: Sun Rays in Stanley Park, Vancouver

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:26:59 GMT

A photo from beautiful Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC, Canada. This was on an afternoon walk with good friends we were visiting back in February.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:24:13 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:20:39 GMT

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daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:13:21 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:52:33 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:50:49 GMT

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daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:41:45 GMT

Hanging out at Dusk

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:37:54 GMT

Village kids enjoying the cool afternoon.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:34:23 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:31:23 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:29:32 GMT

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:26:42 GMT

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daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:23:40 GMT

Betel Nut Smile

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:19:53 GMT

This man's great smile reveals his red stained teeth common among people in Papua who chew betel nut: the areca palm (Areca catechu), which is chewed together with lime and betel pepper as a stimulant.

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:17:01 GMT

Soccer Team

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:14:35 GMT

These four kids played soccer every afternoon in the field next to where we stayed in the village (the only flat place around, since this is a really hilly area). Sometimes others would join them, but they seemed to be the most devoted to the sport. I asked if they'd be willing to stop for a minute for a photo and this is what I got.

Future Feast

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:09:45 GMT

Almost wild boar in its bamboo cage. These people don't usually raise livestock, but if they happen upon a young wild boar, they'll take care of it until feast time.

Aerial View of the Kitchen

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:06:26 GMT

The kitchen, with cooking fire. The platform of firewood above the fire lets the firewood dry before use, especially helpful during the rainy season. No kitchen table needed since you eat on the floor.

Papuan Boys

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:01:26 GMT

Coffee Fruit / Coffee Cherry Closeup

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:53:24 GMT

This is a close view of the coffee fruit as they appear when they have just been picked. These berries are gathered in rice sacks and then wet processed as shown in the next photo.

Coffee Bean Closeup

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:49:44 GMT

This is a closeup of the coffee beans in the drying stage as mentioned in the previous photo. These beans still have a thin sheath around them which will be removed later before the coffee is roasted.

Coffee Bean Drying

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:46:04 GMT

This is the step where the coffee beans (which have already been extracted from the fruit) are dried. In this Papuan village, the beans are often dried inside this building so they don't have to worry about rain.

Coffee Fruit Wet Processing

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:49:10 GMT

These are raw coffee fruit going through the wet processing method which is the first step in extracting the coffee bean from the fruit. Bad or unripe fruit will float and the good ripe fruit will sink. The skin of the cherry and some of the pulp is removed by pressing the fruit through this hand-crank machine in water. The bean will still have a significant amount of the pulp clinging to it that needs to be removed in a later step.

Coffee Bean Drying: Raking

daniel@tracinglight.com (Tracing Light Photography) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:33:31 GMT

The beans are raked periodically to help with the drying process and prevent them from molding in the humidity.