Fall in Alaska, Part II

After the Lights…

I left Talkeetna with a sense of accomplishment and adrenaline still rushing through my veins. I successfully viewed and captured the Northern Lights and now it was road trip time! We headed southbound to explore the Seaward Drive with a few days to kill before having to be in Homer, AK. The drive from Anchorage to the town of Seward is famous for its roadside glaciers, mountains, waterfalls and whale watching to name a few. Featured in National Geographic as a must do road trip, it did not disappoint!

Landscape Imagery

Photographically speaking, my main goal for this part of the trip was to capture scenic and wildlife images along the way. I had no shot list or specific itinerary so I was out scouting locations every morning before dawn and out shooting every night at sunset. Sometimes an entire trip revolves around an exact moment of sunlight or a single composition. I know that must sound crazy if you are not a photographer, but it’s true. In landscape photography, you often end up tripod to tripod with other photographers trying to capture a natural wonder. It’s really amazing when you get the chance to just go out in nature, find a beautiful scene and create in complete solitude. There is this stillness at dawn, with only sounds from nature and you know that there are large predators out patrolling their habitat, and you are in their world. It was an oddly familiar feeling, similar to when I am out in the ocean photographing waves.

Morning views in complete solitude.

Glacial Silt

Blue rivers winding through spruce trees with mountain backdrops straight out of a Bob Ross painting were beyond every turn, making it really difficult to not pull over at every mile marker along the way. The blue water of the Kenai River is caused by an ultra fine glacial silt in the water that sometimes took on a turquoise/greenish hue. I got hooked on photographing it!

Reflections

I have never seen water so still as the water of an Alaskan lake. This made for the most perfect mirror reflections I have ever seen. I’ll let the images below speak for themselves…

Hikes and Adventures

As we made our way through the small villages of the Kenai Peninsula we realized that other then a few restaurants, the place was shut down for the season. With no kayaks, quads, bikes, paddle boards or jet skies to rent, we were on our own in the fun and adventure department. Remember the pros and cons I talked about in Part I of this blog? Well, this was the first time we saw any of the negative effects of the late season travel, and considering that I was counting my pennies, it really was no big deal. The bulk of my budget was being consumed by the bear adventure that I had booked at the end of the trip. The one I didn’t even know if the bears would still be around for, or if the trip would get canceled due to weather…Yeah, that one.

Alaska is home to the two largest national forests in the country. Tongass National Forest and Chugach National Forest. We did quite a few hikes on this trip in the Chugach National Forest…below are a few favorites!

Portage Pass

The Portage Pass hike is located just outside of Wittier, a small town with just over 200 residents. It is an out and back trail that was about 5.4 miles round trip that leads to a gravel beach at the base of the glacier. The trail begins with a 750 feet elevation gain over fairly strenuous terrain and then levels out. From that point on, the entire trail is filled with beautiful views, small lakes, and glacier run offs that are really fun to photograph!

Winner Creek Trail

This trail was really special! The actual Winner Creek Gorge (featured below) is amazing. When you walk over the bridge, you can literally feel the thunder from the water as it forces itself through small gaps of solid rock .

The hike out to the gorge rivals the gorge itself . The lush forests and old wooden bridges are pretty cool, but, hands down, the hand tram steals the show. What’s a hand tram you ask? You come to a metal cage on a rope with instructions on how to pull yourself over a rapid glacier river! At the highest point you are suspended over one hundred feet in the air. As the cage sways back and forth, you look down below to see huge boulders and frothing rapids. It’s definitely a thrill!

Virgin Creek Falls/ Russian River Trail

Virgin Creek Falls was a fun little hike. It’s about 1 mile each way and you are rewarded with a beautiful heavily flowing and photogenic waterfall. There are a ton of compositions to play around with. You can even climb the rocks and shoot down on the falls if you want a unique angle.

The Russian River hike was also really fun! This trail is known for its salmon swim up stream. Where the salmon are, the bears are sure to follow. So we hiked out in hope of finding brown bears fishing the falls. Unfortunately, we had no luck. We did see some salmon trying to launch themselves up and over the cascades. It was definitely not as graceful as you might imagine, but it was still pretty amazing. It seemed more often then not they didn’t make the leap of faith resulting in a dramatic fall bouncing on several rocks before ending up back where they started. It’s a rough life for a salmon in Alaska!

Rock Jumps!

An unexpected adventure turned into one of the highlights of the trip for me! We were staying in a really nice cabin in the quiet town of Coopers Landing for the night. After talking to our host for a while he offered to lend us his two person canoe. We had access to the Kenai Lake directly across the street from the cabin so we gladly took him up on his offer! Truly an amazing paddle led us from one beautiful view to the next. Eventually, we ended up in a part of Kenai Lake that had calm waters and huge rock walls. In what some would call a moment of clarity, we decided to beach our canoe, climb the rocks and determine if they were jump-able . Once deciding it was a safe height, we searched the surrounding areas for rocks and checked the depth of the water, (like any responsible adult who was about to heave themselves off a 45 foot rock wall into 40 degree water would do). I learned two things that day: 1) There is more to do in Coopers Landing then fish and 2) Glacial run off is really freakin cold!

Bald Eagles

The Bald Eagle: the symbol of our nation and the reason I caught the photography bug way back in 2007. When I lived in Florida, I was fascinated by the resident bald eagles of a small state park called Lover’s Key in which I lived just outside of. I bought a DSLR camera, started documenting my sightings and next thing I knew, I dedicated an entire decade to making a career with my camera. Since moving to California in 2011, I haven’t seen many eagles. So one of my main goals was to observe and photograph as many eagles as I could!

In 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. That is pretty remarkable considering Bald Eagles were once on the edge of extinction with only 487 remaining nests. Now, in certain parts of Alaska, they are everywhere! The eagle below had built a nest near by an old boat yard in Homer, AK. This crane was its favorite perch!

Fun Fact: Bald Eagles are actually born without their signature white head and tail feathers. It takes about 5 years for their white plumage to fully come in. Make sure to look at the second image in the gallery below and you will see a juvenile eagle in mid transformation.

Did you know Bald Eagles tend to mate for life in the wild? They also share responsibilities such as incubating eggs, hunting and feeding their young. My best eagle observation of the trip was a pair of eagles working together. I laid down, set my camera up and observed for over an hour as they watched each others back in the rain. The bigger eagle in this photo is actually the female. I had a couple of hours to kill before heading out on a back country excursion. With every rain drop I grew more anxious that my excursion was going to get cancelled, but I was able to look through my telephoto lens and see every detail of these massive birds which helped to temporarily take my mind off of the possibility that something that I had worked so hard for was potentially going to get cancelled do to weather.

Shortly after I took these photos I received word from my pilot that the radar was showing a bit of a clearing in the storm and he was ready to fly me out to Lake Clark National Park for the experience of a lifetime. I can’t wait to take you all on my journey in Part III of this blog.

Fall in Alaska, Part I

“Shoulder Season”

Often times I visit bucket list destinations during the shoulder season (going at the very beginning of the season or at the tail end). The advantages include the possibility of finding cheaper flights, lodging, tours, adventures and flexibility on reservations…Most importantly, the number of tourists are way down!

This being my first time to the massive state of Alaska, I wanted to focus on a specific region. The plan was to spend a night or two north of Anchorage chasing the northern lights, then head southbound on the scenic Seaward Drive to Homer, Alaska and, finally, finish the trip with a back country bear excursion in Katmai National Park or Lake Clark National Park. So with no hotels booked or reservations tying us down, we were ready to explore the Kenia Peninsula free of obligation and a clear conscience if we were to spend time exploring a road less traveled. Although there are many advantages of the shoulder season it does not come free of vice. This hack is a bit of a gamble. Especially when your photographing nature! I “doubled down” on this trip by going late in the brown bear season to hopefully fulfill my life long dream of seeing the aurora borealis. Spoiler alert- I hit the Jackpot!!

Northern Lights

The phenomenon commonly referred to as the “northern lights” are one of the most magnificent displays of nature that I have yet to witness. Try and wrap your head around the fact that the bright lights dancing in the night are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere by solar wind. The earth's magnetic field is weaker at either pole which causes some particles to enter the earth's atmosphere and collide with gas particles. The result is something you truly have to see to believe.

Believe it or not the picture above was taken only a few hours after setting foot in Alaska for the first time.

Although tough to predict, it’s not a complete shot in the dark. The season starts in mid September and peaks in March. Also, the further north you go the better chance you have of seeing the auroras. It must be a clear night with no clouds or moonlight and far away from any city lights. This forecast provided by the University of Alaska is a very useful tool when tracking this phenomenon . Here is a link to the website: https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

I photographed this abandoned ship in Homer, AK and I combined it with a northern lights photo I took the first night of my trip to make this powerful composite image.

Prior to my trip, I mapped out some areas outside of Anchorage that looked promising to shoot the event. All day I was checking the weather/ aurora forecasts and the conditions were looking unseasonably favorable. My flight landed in Anchorage early at about 1:00 am. Hoping I could score a bonus night of shooting, I quickly got my bags, rushed to a rental car agency and got the cheapest deal I could get. I opted out of a hotel and a good nights sleep and set out to find a secluded part of the Chugach National Forest. Once I got a few miles outside of Anchorage I started to see a faint green band form across the sky. It took every bit of me to not pull of and start photographing. I knew the further away from the city I got, the better my experience would be. So I continued driving for another hour or so before eventually turning off the highway and driving down a long windy road.

At this point I hadn’t seen any green in the sky for a while and started second guessing my decision to ditch a night of sleep. Shortly there after I saw another green band form out of the dark Alaskan sky. This time way more vibrant then the one I saw in Anchorage. I pulled off to make sure I captured a few shots. Using the road as part of my composition I set up my tripod and watched in awe. Slowly but surely the band started to expand across the sky. Before I knew it, the entire night sky was illuminated and the lights began rapidly swirling around my head! I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing! The sky came alive and looked like some sort of portal into another dimension. I could have never in a million years braced my self for this experience. It was the most intense thing I’ve ever seen since I became a father…..Did I just compare the northern lights to childbirth? The point is, it was that overwhelming of an emotion and I couldn’t possibly put it into words. I spent the rest of the night looking for better foregrounds and compositions to work with and photographed all the way through sunrise.

It was a night that I’ll never forget. I remember thinking that I could drive directly back to the airport, hop on a plane and go home and it would have been one of the best photographic adventures of my life.

The next morning I met some local star gazers on a hike at Eagle River Nature Center who said it was one of the best displays of light they have ever seen. The next night would be a friendly reminder from mother nature of just how lucky I was.

The next day I explored Alaska in the daylight and day dreamed about what the night ahead would offer. With clear sky’s and a promising aurora forecast, I had my hopes up extremely high. That night I picked up my buddy from the airport at 11:00 PM after he was coming off a 48 hour shift and a full day of travel from NY. Promising him the best experience of his life, we drove a couple of hours outside of the city to watch the sky come alive. We sat there all night with out seeing a thing. It was about as entertaining as this years Superbowl, and almost a bigger disappointment then the Patriots winning.

Other then a quick day nap in my rental car at a gas station parking lot I had not slept in days. So we packed up and went back to Anchorage to find a hostel. The next day we decided to head north to better our odds of seeing the northern lights. We found an adorable little town called Talkeetna located just south of Denali National Park. We explored the town, ate some amazing food and found this beautiful view of the backside of Denali (formerly known as Mt McKinley) which is the highest mountain peak in North America. Seeing the top of the mountain is actually pretty rare.

Denali (also known as Mount McKinley, which is its former official name) is the highest mountain peak in North America

That night we set out at the mercy of mother nature. With the forecast looking less promising then the prior night. our expectations were managed a bit. To our surprise we scored an epic night of protons and electrons colliding into gas that put on a more entertaining show then David Copperfield, The Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil rolled into one. Sometimes I wonder how I was not absolutely hanging on the edge of my seat during science class as a kid. It must have been my teachers fault. It certainly could not have been the fact that my attention span was shorter than that of a squirrel monkey.

On the way back to our cabin we stopped by a little roadside eatery called Payos Thai Kitchen. By kitchen I mean a little old lady serving Thai food out of a renovated RV. Needless to say, it was amazing! After a big meal, I got the most sleep I’ve had since leaving San Diego……a full 5 hours. It was worth it and then some! Check out a few more of my favorite shots from the first leg of the trip below.

I easily could have dedicated a week to photographing the northern lights, but it was time to head south for the second leg of the trip, which I will discuss in Part II of this blog. Sign up for my email list below or make sure to check back soon to see continue reading!

Lemon Shark Aggregation in Jupiter, FL

Jupiter, FL

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, Jupiter, FL

Jupiter has quickly become one of my favorite places in the sunshine state! Due to its proximity to the gulf stream, the water is warm and teeming with wildlife.

During this quick trip, I checked a big one off my photo bucket list. I photographed the Lemon Shark Aggregation that happens every year between December and April.  Leading up to this trip, I dreamed of up-close interactions with these beauts and that's just what I got! 

Below is a portrait of a Lemon Shark as it investigated my camera. When he realized that I was not a food source, he casually turned away and glided past me!

About Lemon Sharks 

The Name: 

 The name "Lemon Shark" comes from the yellowish hue on the back. This is to help camouflage the shark when they are on the sandy ocean floor in coastal regions. 

 

 

Description:

The Average Lemon Shark is around  7-10 Ft in length.  They have short, broad snouts  and extremely long dorsal fins.  The fins are really noticeable when you are in the water with them....It actually makes them look a little clumsy at times .   

Behavior: 

Nursery sites are usually along shallow waters and in mangrove areas. The pups stay in the shallows until venturing off into deeper waters. Adult Lemon Sharks are very social and tend to be in groups of around 20 sharks. The groups are based on size and sex. Once in the water, if you pay attention you can definitely see a hierarchy among  them.  It's really amazing to see them interacting with one another and us! 

 "The brain of a lemon shark, being comparable in relative mass to that of a mammal or bird, suggests they have the ability to learn from social interactions, cooperate with other individuals, and have the potential to establish dominance hierarchies and stable social bonds. " 

Below are a few group photos! 

Feeding: 

"Lemon sharks approach their victim with speed only to brake suddenly using their pectoral fins upon contact.[15] The animal then jabs forward multiple times until it has a good grasp of its prey in its jaw and proceeds to shake its head from side to side until it tears off a chunk of flesh. A feeding frenzy, or large swarm of other sharks, then forms as the individuals sense the blood and bodily fluids released from the prey."

Electroreception is like a sixth sense for sharks.  The pores around the eyes and nose detect electrical currents that their prey puts out.  Below is a close up photo I got of a shark lunging at a chunk of fish!  Also click through to see close up pictures of the sharks electroreceptors! 

With each time I experience sharks in the wild, I grow more and more comfortable.  I have also realized that there is a worldwide community of people who regularly dive with all different species of sharks.  It is very clear that we, as humans, are not on the menu. With that being said, it is important to have respect for these animals and the ocean. At the end of the day, they are wild predators and we are in their environment. 

How to See Lemon Sharks and What to Expect 

Charter Boats and What to Expect:

There are several different charter boats in Jupiter that will take you out to experience sharks in the wild. For this trip, I free dove with Ryan Walton and Captain Tony Crumrine.   

It takes about 20 minutes, by boat, to get to the dive site off of Jupiter. Once there, the guide gets into the water and starts the processes of chumming .  This is the point where I like to hop in the water. The current is really strong, so you do  drifts.  The boat is not anchored and  floats along relatively close to the group.   On this particular trip, it took a couple of  minutes for a group of sharks to show, but I have had dives in Jupiter where I see a shark swimming the second I jump off the boat!

Throughout the year, different migratory species make there way through these warm waters.  At any given time of year,  it is possible to see several different species of shark. On this trip, we had a brief moment where a female Tiger Shark came in.  As soon as she saw humans she turned and left. I wish we got a better interaction,  but I was really happy to see my first Tiger Shark in the wild.  

Here is another one of my favorite Lemon Shark portraits. 

Getting Creative! 

This was my first time in the water with Lemon sharks. They are really docile animals, but there were so many of them that it was a little intimidating at first. I  photographed with an ultra wide angle lens, so looking through the view finder is very deceiving.  It's like looking in a rear view mirror. Objects are closer then they appear!!  It was about halfway through our drift when I got really comfortable with close shark interactions. At that point, I had achieved the shots that I envisioned prior to the trip, so I started to get creative! I focused on different parts of the shark, getting detail images, and shooting from different angles. I converted the images from this part of the dive to black and white, and I love how they turned out!!  

Overall, the trip was a blast! If you live in the U.S., it is a really easy destination to get to. Certain times of year you can really get good deals on flights, and the dives themselves are priced fairly! I can't wait to get back! It's also a great pit stop on a trip to say.. Tiger Beach? 

A shot of me getting the shot..... and the shot. 

RED TIDE

What is red tide?  

According to scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, the red tide is caused by aggregations of dinoflagellates which are well known for  bioluminescent displays with waves or movement in the water. This casues the phytoplankton to glow neon blue at night (https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/red-tide-brings-bioluminescence-san-diego-beaches). So basically, tiny little organisms out in the lineup were having chemical reactions resulting in neon blue waves. So epic!

In May of 2018,  the rare phenomenon known as the red tide hit the coast of San Diego and it was every bit as beautiful as it sounds! 

The image below was taken at Torrey Pines State Park on the second night of the algae bloom  (Tuesday May 8th, 2018)  

Photo Tip: This image was taken at 5 sec @ F8, ISO 2000, Focal length 35mm.   I shot this composition several times to capture multiple algae aggregations.  Then, I stacked the images on top of one another in post processing. 

Creating abstract images at blacks beach  

It was around 9:00 pm on Tuesday when it started to get busy.  Every person that parked along the coast road to observe the red tide would make it disappear. Their car headlights would kill the biolume. So I walked south towards blacks beach to find a dark area to create some abstract images.   I was really lucky to get great conditions.  There were no clouds, less people and I had some time to just take in this natural wonder.  I am guessing that's why the images featured below are my favorite of the entire event. 

Photography is a blessing and a curse... or more like a blessing and sometimes a slight inconvenience. My passion to create inspires me to get out and experience this type of amazingness.  It forces me to stay updated on astronomical events like meteor showers, lunar eclipses, and supermoons. Also things like weather patterns, swells, tides or random events like when the sun happens to aline perfectly under a local pier.  I'm always looking to capture mother nature being the total weirdo that she is, and I love it.  With that comes the immense amount of pressure I put on myself to create something that is awe inspiring. Shortly after my blissful experience my mind started to go into overdrive.  What else could I do that is unique? Is there another vantage point?  What hasn't been done before? and the big question...should I swim out into the dark?  With my location getting busier by the moment I created a few more images before packing up my gear and heading to a new spot.

Out of focus speed blur? Why not!  

What you're looking at (below) is the marine layer starting to roll in over downtown La Jolla with a bioluminescent wave breaking on the far right. I created this shot by making sure everything was out of focus, I then zoomed in with my telephoto lens @ F8 for 10 seconds. I was doing slight panoramic motions with my camera on a tripod to create a dramatic image. 

 The Marine layer rolled in really quick.  I did some long exposures over looking downtown La Jolla from the Torrey Pines Gliderport. The clouds absorbed  the light and it ended up reflecting the light back on to the ocean. This in itself is pretty amazing- isn't it?  Unfortunately, it had a negative effect on the amount of luminosity we were able to see. I managed to capture a few bright algae aggregations and a lot of detail in the foreground.  I love how this image came out.. it almost looks like a sunrise. 

View from the Torrey Pines Glider Port

Photo tip: This image was taken at 180 sec @ F11, ISO 2000, Focal length 14mm.  By doing long exposures, I was able to capture multiple algae aggregations in one image. I was also able to get a lot of detail in the foreground and interesting colors in the clouds.  

Quick side story... 

I had an internal debate with myself on whether or not I should put my camera in my water housing, get my wet suit on and swim out to get some photos.  There was a lot to consider and ultimately I decided to move on to a new location and try the water shot the next night...unfortunately that chance never came. I did however get to experience the biolume from the water on Monday night while out on a different assignment before most of San Diego realized we had a red tide.  

Flashback to Monday night

Considering the Biolume is unpredictable, I had no clue this was all happening. I was out late Monday night working on some images for another project I am in the middle of.  I was shooting some flash photography with a group of talented surfers in a secluded location off of La Jolla. The water was really murky but I didn't think much of it..  We photographed until dark but the algae had not yet illuminated.  On the way back I clung to a raft being towed behind a jet ski with all of my camera gear. My lower body was completely off the raft and as we drove over the massive deep water canyons off the coast of La Jolla-all me and my buddy could come up with to talk about was sharks. All of a sudden, I was distracted by the water behind the jet ski turning bright blue. We were all stoked but I don't think any of us realized how amazing this actually was.  How many people can say they have driven a jet ski through a Bioluminescent algae outbreak? My guess is not too many!  My flash kept killing the colors but I managed to get a couple shots with a lower power output on my flash.  This was actually a learning experience for me. I now have a good idea for what will work and what won't out in the the water on the next biolume. 

On the left is the last shot I took before we made the trip back. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if we photographed a half hour longer.. would we have scored the photos of a lifetime??  The shot on the right is the only shot I got with the illuminated jet ski! 

I am beyond grateful to witness such beauty in nature.  The next two nights the biolume faded significantly and the beaches were lined with spectators so I opted out of shooting.  I accomplished the shots I envisioned from the last time I saw the biolume in 2011. One thing is certain for next time. I am without hesitation swimming out and photographing from the in-water angle!

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Mist Opportunities

Mist Opportunities is a collection of images capturing the dense, unusual fog that has graced the San Diego coastline this winter.

I never thought that poor weather conditions and restricted visibility would have me jumping out of bed at 5:00 a.m. like a kid on Christmas Day. Yup, you read that right!  A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at the Earth's surface had me skipping my morning coffee and jumping in the ocean before sunrise in January. I'll add that to the list of things I never thought I would say!

This series is about finding the light in any situation and embracing opportunities when they present themselves.  What started out as an inconvenience and an excuse to sleep in a little bit longer turned into a fun little project of chasing weird weather patterns around San Diego County.

Scripps Pier on a foggy morning at dawn. 

In The Ocean 

At first I wasn't stoked on the fog; I remember a few mornings where I skipped getting in the water to photograph because the fog was so dense.  A big swell was forecasted to hit San Diego, so I free dove the La Jolla kelp beds one last time before we got some waves.   I loaded up my camera housing, mask, snorkel fins, and weights in a milk crate and strapped it to the front of my paddle board at first light.  A thin layer of fog rolled through while I was in the water and covered the coastline.  All of a sudden the ocean felt a lot bigger. The water was super dark and it was a little spooky out there so I ended up only doing a couple dives. I took this image below facing north about a 1/4 mile off the coast of La Jolla Shores. 

Surf Photography and Wave Art

Surfer Jacob Szekeley 

Over the next few days the swell filled in and we had one of the only big swells of the winter. I teamed up with surfer, Jacob "Zeke" Szekely, one morning to get some shots for Xterra Surf.  When we got to the beach at dawn, we couldn't see the water, but we could hear the waves. We knew that there was still plenty of swell. We suited up and jumped in despite the low visibility. The sun came up and the fog was patchy, which created some clear pockets with really amazing lighting. We scored a handful of surf shots and I got a couple of really interesting images in between sets.

That day inspired me to get back out in the water with the dense fog to create a few mystical wave images! 

Below are some images from a few foggy mornings in the water. 

Mount Soledad 

After the swell died out, I knew that I wanted to keep photographing the fog and create a series. The images I had already created inspired me to take this project to the next step. I had several places to check off my list and I started with Mount Soledad.

If you're ever heading South on Highway 101 and see the view pictured below, definitely take a quick cruise to Mount Soledad.  You will not regret it!  Mountains and city buildings emerging from the clouds offer up some really great photographic opportunities. There is a lot of motion in the clouds making it really fun for long exposures and night photography.  

View looking south bound at Torrey Pines State Beach

The gallery below features a subset of images that I've taken from this historic landmark on hazy days. 

 

One night when I was shooting up on the mountain, the fog rolled in thick. I did a long exposure hoping to catch some motion in the clouds with the cross in my frame.  There were car headlights on the other side of the memorial which added additional lighting and created shadows in the mist that was now covering the entire mountain.  It was such an intense moment when I first reviewed the image on my camera's LCD screen. I am still not entirely sure what made the figures in the light next to the cross, but there was a light directly behind me on an upward angle so I think I somehow casted my own shadow in the mist. The lighting drastically  changed once the  car left so this was just a one time shot with a little bit of luck!  I love when a unique photo happens by chance.   

Canyons and Parks

I drove around several mornings just bouncing to different locations for fun. I had no plan, just cruising with a coffee and some tunes, photographing whatever I wanted.  I love when something unexpected gets the creative juices flowing!

Before I became a full-time photographer, I watched so many killer sunrises while heading east on Highway 52 during my morning commute. So days like these,  where I can just go out and shoot, are so amazing to me. I don't take a second of it for granted! 

The abstract image below is one of my favorite shots of the entire series. It reminds me of a modern fine art painting. 

I did some abstract shots of the trees in La Jolla, off of La Jolla Shores Drive by UCSD . I used different focal lengths, shutter speed, and panning techniques to achieve different effects. I figured I would explain to any non-photographers (and to all the photographers reading this who are interested in my camera settings) how the image above is actually a single image- not just some Instagram filter or Photoshop rendering.  Below is a quick progression line showing how I achieved the final image. 

A morning hike in Rose Canyon led to some pretty interesting shots.  My sister was visiting from Florida around the time the fog was rolling in heavy.  She chased fog around San Diego County with me several mornings.  I know what a host, huh? We did however make up for the lack of sunshine by eating Mexican food and having margaritas every night!  

Below are a few shots from Rose Canyon at dawn. 

Architecture

I enjoy doing Real Estate Photography for work, but I rarely photograph architecture  for creativity.  I loved going outside of my comfort zone for this part of the series!

I am really excited to keep moving forward with this collection. To Be Continued...

Virtual mock-up of a motion blur abstract image of some trees in the fog. 

Apex Predators, Gentle Giants, Turtles and Tulum

                          San Diego, CA - Jupiter, FL- Quintana Roo, Mexico.    

My trip started with a day of free diving off the coast of Jupiter, FL and ended with a day of free diving off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico.  It wasn't without a few bumps in the road, but all in all, it was an epic trip traveling solo, exploring, photographing, meeting new people and enjoying nature.

A shy Sandbar shark finally got close enough to me and the surface so I could achieve this split panel shot. This was an image I really wanted to execute! 

A rocky start led to a rewarding and exciting experience! 

Jupiter, Florida

Traveling on a budget and being a dedicated father meant that I only had about a week to do this entire trip. So, I basically planned an extended layover in Florida so I could squeeze in a day of freediving with apex predators in the Gulf Stream off of Jupiter, Florida.   I took the red-eye flight from San Diego, CA into Ft Lauderdale, FL and arrived at 5 a.m.. I grabbed my gear and hopped on a train to West Palm Beach.  Eager to touch base with my dive guide, I opened up my email only to find that my dive had been cancelled due to an injury that one of the crewmates sustained.  My heart skipped a beat! I was there for one reason, and only one day! It wasn't like I could just reschedule. I had to quickly change my plans- I got off of the train, went back to the airport and rented a car.  Then, I drove up to Jupiter to go to the only other shark dive operation I knew of. I pleaded my case, in person, to the owner of the company, which didn't go over well. They were completely booked and on the way to the dock already. So as I sat there in my rental car in an empty parking lot, after a long night of traveling and no sleep, trying to research anyone else I could go dive with, I thought all hope was lost! Unexpectedly, my wife called and suggested Ryan Walton, the previous owner of  a scuba dive charter boat. It turns out that he was on his way out that afternoon on a private boat with a group of people to do some cageless shark diving and had a spot open. Boom! My mood completely shifted as I rushed to the boat launch as fast as I could!    

The second I got on Ryan's boat, I got a second wind! Ryan gave us a safety briefing on the way out to the dive site. It was a perfect day on the water and the water visibility was amazing. It wasn't until we stopped the boat and started chumming the waters that my adrenaline kicked in. What I did't mention thus far is that I also had a last minute mishap with a  piece of missing equipment right before my flight that sent me on a goose chase (that's a really long story short!!).  With all of that running around like a maniac the past 24 hours, I guess I kinda forgot that I was about to jump off a boat surrounded by several species of large sharks.  Within 2 minutes of chumming, we had sharks around the boat! With no time to second guess myself, I put on my fins, weights, mask and snorkel and jumped in!  Here are a few pictures of the set up and what you see when you get into the water! 

Open ocean, a professional shark handler, bits of fish floating around and of course beautiful animals!! 

It's kind of hard to explain, but I wasn't scared. Instead, I was very alert. I also felt a rush of excitement, but I did not feel in danger. Don't get me wrong, I know that I am swimming with predators in the open ocean and that there are risks involved. With that being said, it is a lot more controlled then you might think.  This was not my first time in the water with sharks and it's far from my last.  It's nature at its finest! Raw, powerful and beautiful all at the same time.  Honestly, the first time seeing a bull shark glide through the water beneath me was easily comparable to seeing Half Dome for the first time or standing at the base of a Giant Sequoia tree and looking up. It's pretty amazing.  I have a tremendous amount of respect for the ocean and the marine life with in it. I consider my self so lucky to be submerged in different bodies of water as often as I am.  

In one day, I swam with four different species of shark. Here are a few of my favorite images from the day!

After the dive, I stayed the night with my good friend and local artist Ben Heller in Boca Raton. The next morning, I got up early to photograph long exposures of the Deerfield Beach Pier before my flight to Cancun, Mexico. I'm not a fan of the humidity in South Florida, but I absolutely love the crazy weather patterns that come with it! Here is a shot of the sunrise from Deerfield Beach!

Sunrise at the Deerfield Beach Pier. 

Part Two- Quintana Roo, Mexico

My flight from Ft Lauderdale to Cancun was only $100 and was 1.5 hours long.  I hired  airport transportation for the 1 hour drive to Akumal.  It is a pretty easy travel day if you're a Floridian looking for an easy trip to paradise! 

Akumal, Mexico

For the next four days, I stayed in Akumal mainly because it was  centrally located between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum. Everything that  I wanted to photograph was within that area. My hotel was in North Akumal near the Yal Ku Lagoon. It was about one mile outside of the village and it was a really quiet, safe  and beautiful area to stay.  The closest restaurant to me was called La Buena Vida and it had an amazing atmosphere. It was an open-air tiki bar located directly on the beach.  It was the perfect place to have a beer but did not have the local cuisine I was craving there!

A few snaps I took around the village of Akumal!

Turtles of Akumal

The small village of Akumal is located east of Highway 307.  Akumal Bay is a feeding ground for Green Sea Turtles.  It's a beautiful beach but it is very busy and the Green Sea Turtle Dive Guides are pretty aggressive.  There were several rules for swimming in the main feeding ground with the sea turtles: 1) you must swim with a tour guide, 2) you must wear a life jacket and 3) you may not bring dive fins into the water. I think that the regulations on wildlife interactions are a good thing; however, this was not going to work for me! I knew that I wasn't going to be part of that chaos in anyway but I definitely didn't want to break any rules, so I stayed away from that area and photographed elsewhere. 

The area where most of the turtles congregate is buoyed off. It's easy to spot once you get down to the beach. I walked about 3/4 mile south of the marked area  to an area of water where you are allowed to snorkel, swim, and dive as you please.  I went out by myself at sunrise- the visibility was amazing and, believe it or not, there are sea turtles outside of the buoys! I swam to the North End of the bay and free dove all along the way.  I saw Spotted Eagle Rays, Sting Rays, Barracuda, Green Sea Turtles and all sorts of other fish. It was really beautiful and peaceful.

Here are a few of my favorite Sea Turtle and Sting Ray photos!

Colectivos and Transportation

I used the colectivos when adventuring outside of Akumal, which are one of the cheapest and quickest forms of transportation available.  You can take a colectivo from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum. It's shared transportation and only available for pick up or drop off on the side of HWY 307 . 

Each day I rode my bike over one mile with all of my camera and dive gear in a milk crate strapped to the bike handle bars. Then, I would lock the bike up in town, hike to HWY 307 and wave down a colectivo. The weather was really hot and often times raining. Everyday I felt so bad as I got into the van completely drenched with sweat with all my camera and dive gear as I'd squeeze between two locals on their way to or from work. Still, I ended up using these everyday. By the end of my stay in Akumal, I actually really liked them! I would practice my Spanish and ask people about things to do and see. I also met a lot of other travelers doing the same things I was.  After getting off of the Colectivo, I would either hike or wave down a taxi to my final destination. 

Would it be easier to bounce around to all of these areas with all of my gear if I rented my own car?  Yes, probably but, I, personally, don't like driving in Mexico. I had a sketchy experience with the Mexican police in Northern Baja and, while it wasn't enough to stop me from exploring this beautiful country, it was enough to make me uncomfortable driving. Now, I stick to local ways of transportation. 

*A quick tip for when using taxis is always establish how much your fee is before you are driving to your destination. Sometimes the drivers will take advantage of tourists and overcharge.  

Collectivo

The Tulum Ruins

If you are traveling with children be sure to stop by the ruins, its loaded with wild iguanas! 

These Mayan Ruins are a must see! What is left of the walled city is pretty spectacular. The Mayans used this location as a major crossroads of trade for importing and exporting goods from Central and South America into  and out of the Yucatan Peninsula . The main structure "El Castillo" was used as a lighthouse at the Tulum settlement. It's built on the bluff facing east with a beautiful view of the ocean and coast.  Exploring around the broken down structures and reading about the history was a pretty incredible experience. Not to mention, the location is one of the most beautiful ocean views I've ever seen!  

Here are a few of my favorite images of the Tulum Ruins. 

Riviera Maya Cenotes

Cenotes are basically underground sinkholes filled with crystal clear, blue water. It was incredibly difficult to photograph underwater in the Cenotes. The light dramatically changed as I explored around caves and open pools. I used my underwater housing with no flash. I had such a blast in these waters. There are an estimated 7,000 cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula. After my first experience, I've decided that someday I want to dedicate an entire trip to diving and photographing these amazing geological formations! Did I mention that there are fresh water turtles swimming around in there?! 

Check out a few of my favorite shots from the Cenotes! 

Last but not least...

Isla Mujeres

 I arranged for transportation from Akumal to the ferry just outside of Cancun. The ferry ride over to the Isla Mujeres could not have been any more beautiful. Do yourself a favor and sit on the top deck if you ever take this boat- it's outside and there was a musician up their jamming away . The view was pretty epic too! 

Pamaramic image of a dock on Playa Norte 

I stayed downtown on the west side of Isla Mujeres. I was only there for a couple of days but I really loved it. I spent most of my time at the beach in Playa Norte. The water is very shallow for a very long distance and an amazing turquoise color! 

The cross roads that run east and west connect from one side of the island to the other. A lot of people rent golf carts to get around the island, but I was running tight on my budget by the end so I was just hoofing it around town. I easily walked from one side of the island to the other. The center streets were filled with local shops, restaurants  and markets.  I loved walking around photographing the island. There was a ton of truly unique artwork painted on buildings all around the island. 

Here are some shots I took while walking around looking for Queso Fondido!

The beaches were pretty remarkable. The island has both beautiful sunrises and sunsets and, during the day, Playa Norte is hard to beat! 

My last full day and I was trying my best to manage my expectations...

The Whale Sharks

Okay! It was finally time to dive with the Whale Sharks! This is one of the main reasons I came to this part of the world.  When your goal is to photograph wildlife in nature you never truly know what to expect. It was the tail end of the migration of sharks in this area and a lot of effort went into saving, planning and traveling all for this moment.  I always put an immense amount of pressure on myself to get the shot I am looking for. It was a long 2 hour boat ride to get to the location where the sharks are feeding. The whole time I was just hoping to get one chance to execute my vision. 

From the research I did beforehand, I knew that you have to wear a life vest unless you had a wet suit. So I was prepared with my own suit, fins, snorkel and mask.  A guide always has to be in the water and only two swimmers are allowed in the water at a time.

Here is a quote from a recent Q&A I did with Xterra Surf about my experience diving with whale sharks and I figured I would share it here because it depicts my adventure perfectly.

"I have swam with these gentle giants before and I know that even when they are swimming effortlessly it can be difficult to keep up, especially while trying to capture a photo. All of a sudden, a massive whale shark appeared and the captain told me to jump off. I was so caught in the moment and so focused on getting my shot. I yelled at him to drive a little further up and to drop me off so I could position myself in the sharks path to get my shot (all of a sudden I thought I was an expert haha). He said "No! You're going to miss it!" So I jumped off the boat as the shark was coming towards me and it suddenly just went completely vertical and just started hovering there sucking in mass amounts of water. I was so close I could see the water going in the mouth and coming out of the gills. I stopped swimming and just drifted right over the mouth. It was so surreal. I got back on the boat and everyone laughed at me for questioning the captain. I had to eat my words and caught a much deserved hard time. It was epic. " ..............True story! 

Just when we were ready to head out another whale shark came really close to us and I asked the guide, who had been swimming the entire time, if I could get back in one more time. Of course then everyone wanted to go back in! He was so exhausted from the session that he jokingly said "You can take em in two at a time." I completely rolled with it, picked two guests and told them to hop in with me. He let it slide and I ended up taking the whole group two at a time for one more dive! It was definitely an experience I'll never forget!!  

Here are some of my favorite images of the biggest fish in the sea!! 

What a way to end an awesome trip! When you achieve a shot you had in mind, it makes all of the long travel days, planning and hard work well worth it! 

After more than a full week of diving with apex predators, turtles, cenotes, ruins and behemoths, I was more then ready to get home to my beautiful family in San Diego!  Traveling solo with a bunch of expensive, fragile gear is no easy task- especially when bouncing around from place to place. 

Viva Baja Del Norte! Tacos, Tubos And Tres Amigos…

As a native east coaster from New York, enduring a long, flat summer here in Southern California made watching all of my friends and family back on Long Island score an all time September hurricane swell season all the more brutal. The only time I got back home to New York was at the tail end of the Hurricane Maria swell, for a wedding.

Click the link below to read the full story on Eastern Surf 

Behind the Lens with Lee Bertrand

When the swell fills in, you are guaranteed to see some incredible photos from the day captured by XTERRA SURF staff photographer Lee Bertrand. Between chasing swells, swimming with sharks and playing with his daughter, Lee has become a staple in the San Diego surf scene. We were able to catch up with Lee for a little Q&A to get to know the man behind the lens. 

Click the link below to read the full Q&A