Life in Black & White: The Cliffs of Reynisfjara Beach

Black Sand Beach Part II: The sharp ridges, edges, and textures of the cliffs come alive on this day as we battle against wind and rain.

The gloomy overcast sky surprisingly creates the ideal atmosphere. 

Featured in Flickr's Explore. 

Crashing Onto Shore: The Black Sand Beach

Black Sand Beach Part I: It's like straight out of a black and white movie. 

You don't exactly think of going to a beach on a grey, dreary, drizzling afternoon. But the black sand and cliffs create such a moody, evocative contrast against the white sky as the strong waves crash onto shore. 

The Dramatic Cliffside Views of Montara State Beach

There are some breathtaking cliffs at Montara State Beach. 

The sharp ridges, uneven textures, multicolor tones, and asymmetrical shapes create stunning one-of-a-kind cliffs surrounding the beach, making it an awe-inspiring walk across the sandy seashore. 

Over the Edge: Cliffs + Beaches + Water Views

Came across this absolutely beautiful view of the edges of northern San Francisco during a weekend hike and had to stop to capture it. The bright green grass, turquoise-blue waters, cliffside views of the nearby beaches and Presidio park created this picture-perfect moment. 

Sunset Skies: In the Sand and Mountains

Such a marvelous contrast with the palm trees in this direct point of view. 

Part of the palm trees are out there against the open sky, whereas the other portion sits nicely in front of the mountains. 

Featured in Flickr's Explore.

The Santa Ynez Mountains at Sunset

Clear blue skies on a breezy day with one of the most calming sunset walks ever. The golden hour casted this bright glow on the mountains and created subtle reflections at the beach. 

Soft Pastel Summer Vibes: Sandy Beaches and Waves

 A tranquil scene in a chaotic world. 

I love this view of the waves crashing into the shore in the later afternoon, where you see the sunlight directly reflecting on the water, creating these cool textures and effects, making it look 3D almost. 

I wanted to give this a soft, pastel feel where it feels light and airy like summer and in the comforting light turquoise and pinkish beige hues, so I adjusted the colors a bit giving it a more warmer tone. 

Glow in the Dark: Sandy Mountains in Nature

A perfect capture of the surrounding sandy dunes and greenery at the beach. 

I really liked how this image looked and was amazed by the texture and the variety of hues within all the green--so I decided to alter the image a bit giving it a more green-blue glow and adding some light purple colors to the sky. It has this nice glow in the dark look and feel while still letting the specific parts of the mountain park stand out on its own. 

Escape to Land's End: Labyrinth and Bridge Views

That perfect escape. Wandering around the edges of Land's End exploring the hidden unknowns, a labyrinth, long, scenic trails, and epic views of the famous Golden Gate Bridge! 

Soft Pastel Waves: The Gradient Effect

Going to the beach an hour or so before sunset is one of my favorite times to capture photos of the water, especially since you get so many different ranges of hues and textures from the direct reflections right off the sky.

I wanted to experiment more with this beach photo by adding a soft gradient touch to it--the result is a calming water pic with peach, pink and turquoise strokes of color and light.

La Jolla Cove's Descending Sun and Clouds

La Jolla Cove Part IV: A mix of cumulus clouds turned altocirrus clouds continue to swift through the sky and descend into the waters as the sun slowly sets.

Such a serene, classic view that has become one of my favorite days ever.

The Amazing Cliffs and Beaches of Torrey Pines State Park

On a practically cloudless blue sky day, we explored the spectacular Torrey Pines State Reserve park and beach. I loved the cliffs and all the awesome rock formations of this. Look closely and you can see all the intricate details of it!