Monterey Bay

[DigitalScape]

Monterey Bay is a place where photo-ops abound. Here at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford (adjacent to the Monterey bay Aquarium) I found harbor seals sunning themselves in the morning sun.



And if you are a bit lucky with the timing of the shutter release, you can catch the wave spray on the rocks

[Shadowman]

Nice capture.

[Tony M]

I always enjoy photos of the sea crashing against rocks, and #2 doesn't disappoint. Any chance you can get a shot from a lower position? And closer?

#1 is a nice composition, but to me it has too much contrast. I would like to see more detail in the shadows of the trees and the cliff.

Regards

Tony

[IzzieK]

Do you have any more of the seals in close-up? I'd like to see them...I only seen them in zoos.

[DigitalScape]

Thank you everyone for your comments.

Tony, I agree there is a lot of contrast - I'll look to see if i can tweak the processing a bit to open up the shadows a bit. I could not get any closer - the beach area was in a restricted access. I shot both of these with the camera held over a 6 foot fence (using live view to set up the composition).

Izzie, I have a few images of the seals that are so-so. I'll see what I can process and show you.

[NorthernFocus]

Awesome shot of the spray on the rocks. These images really tug at my heart. My wife and I lived just north of Portland,OR and drove down to spend Thanksgiving week in Monterey every year from 1990-98. Went back a couple times after moving away but haven't been there for years now and likely won't make it back. Just past the fence to the left(i.e. west) of where you took these shots is a bench where we sat every morning to read the paper with a cup of coffee. With 300mm lens I was able to take full frame shots of seals hauled out on rocks in the boat harbor near the pier. And back in those days (i.e. pre-911) you could walk out on the breakwater by the Coast Guard dock where the sea lions haul out by the dozens.

Thanks for sharing.

[DanK]

#2 is a striking image. Well captured. Both look a bit oversaturated to me, however (from the color of the water, particularly in the first).

[bnnrcn]

Both nice , #2 looks great though

[Wavelength]

Great images..... seals, are they afraid of us?

[IzzieK]

Great images..... seals, are they afraid of us?

No Nandy...we are afraid of them. Imagine that thing rolling on your foot -- it will be like a monster truck squashing your toes.

[Rebel]

I love #2, great shot John.