High Tide

This rock along the Pacific coastline in Redwood National Park shows its wear from repeated tidal cycles.  It's taken on a surprisingly large variation in color!

Redwoods

My artistic interpretation of the Redwoods.  I like it for a couple of reasons.  First, it captured the color of the Redwoods closest to how they actually look.  I really struggled with color balance in these woods, and this mix of colors came out just right!  And second, it retained a feeling of bark grain, which I think is really cool.  I was panning over a really long shutter speed (1/8 sec.) so I wasn't expecting to see so much grainy detail. 

High Tide at Klamath Cove

The weather was slightly overcast just before sunset last night at the Pacific shoreline in Redwood National Park.  It was pretty wavy too, with a good amount of sea spray in the air.  But there were so many rocks in the cove that patches of calm tide pools developed.  

I liked how the weak sunlight was reflected in the gray water.

Klamath River Overlook

This is the third and final sunset photo in the series I started on September 28th.  It just shows the range of light color in the final hour of sunlight, I think.  This one is probably my least favorite.  I'm not liking the wide-angle view in general right now, and even though I really had to use it here, I just don't care for the effect.  Also I think the photo looks crooked.  I almost always shoot with my camera tipped a little to the left, and if there is an obvious horizon line, then I have to straighten the photo.  I did that here, but the fence post tilts to the right, and the land looks like it's heading uphill because of the angle, so the whole photo just doesn't square up to me.  This is a wide-angle problem, but I think it's really exaggerated here.  And also I was hoping for a brighter cloud color, especially given the range of color in the previous shots.  I really rushed to get up to this overlook, and I ended up not staying here very long.

Silver Sunset

I caught the sunset coming along a stretch of Highway 101 between Crescent City and Eureka.  I believe the beach is called Fake Klamath Cove.  This was probably an hour before sunset, and the light was sort of silvery then.  Over the next hour I shot a lot of photos, and as the sun sank lower in the sky the color really changed.  This is the first in a series of three sunset photos with a nice progression of light.  Perfect, because I'm really in a beachy mood right now. 

Feeling Connected

One of the interesting things about these Redwood forests is how they seem to break down social barriers.  Usually passing hikers just nod or say hello, but here it seems like we had a conversation with everyone we met.  I think we were all in awe of how magnificent this place is, and everyone just naturally had this connection.  And even though we all look like ants next to these giant Redwoods, I don't think they make you feel small.  There's a sense of permanence and stability here that is really comforting.  I don't want to sound overly religious or cosmic or something, but walking in these woods is a very reassuring thing, and being here really did make me feel more grounded and connected. 

World's Tallest Trees

Definitely the highlight of our detour was visiting Redwood National Park.  Coast Redwoods grow to 370 ft. which is really hard to imagine.  They are taller than a football field is long!  I really struggled with how to capture this in a photo.  This was probably my best angle, but it doesn't do these trees justice.  I wish I had more time to explore here and try photographing in lots of different light.  This is someplace I definitely want to visit again!

Weary Traveler

2000 miles later, and I'm home from my trip to Seattle.  Exhausted, but full of great memories from a fun drive.  We opted for the scenic route, so I'll have many photos to share.  For today this one fits my mood best.  Taken yesterday at a beach in Redwood National Park.