My Best Nature, Landscape and Cityscape images of 2017

I thought this was a good time to share some of my best  Not every image was captured in 2017 - some were newly found and edited in 2017.  The things that made these the best for me were the lighting and composition.  Some amazing places like Yosemite (ok, quite a few were from there!), Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Park, Proxy Falls waterfall in Oregon, Amsterdam and Singapore.
I hope you enjoy these and feel free to share.

My Best Nature and Landscape Fine Art Photographs for 2017:

"Daybreak at Natural Bridges"  Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz, California
Seabirds enjoy the reflections on the tides washing over the sand at daybreak.  My favorite image for 2017!   The full size image can be seen here.  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Landscapes/Yosemite-Bay-Area-2018-Calendar/n-2kcj7j/i-LfvRDLs

"Sentinel Rock in Winter in Yosemite National Park"
The last light of the day was hitting Sentinel Rock while I was hiking around the valley floor.  The snow on the peaks above dusted the trees and granite cliffs lit by the sun.  A beautiful cloud started to come up over the ridge.  Someday I'll have to figure out how to rock climb and get to the top of Sentinel Rock in Yosemite National Park.  The full size image can be seen here.  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Landscapes/Yosemite-Bay-Area-2018-Calendar/n-2kcj7j/i-gZBTMLL

"Autumn Splendor"
A radiant yet delicate umbrella of leaves clings to the branches for a few more weeks of Fall at the Portland Japanese Gardens.  The full size image can be seen here.  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Portfolio/Landscape-PhotographyPortfolio/i-XQC9LM3

"Horsetail Falls at Sunset in Yosemite National Park"
An updated capture of this natural beauty of Horsetail Falls in Yosemite National Park in Winter at Sunset.  This ephemeral falls is just a wonder when the right conditions occur.  My "Nature's FireFalls" image was my previous attempt at capturing this years ago alone in Yosemite National Park in Winter.  Now it has become a national phenomenon as thousands of spectators and photographers set out to capture this wonder.  I am so glad I can remember the days when I was alone in the woods shooting this!  This year was exciting though as everyone was there to view this little ephemeral waterfall coming over the edge of El Capitan as the sunlight hits the waterfall just perfectly.  The full size image can be seen here.  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Portfolio/Landscape-PhotographyPortfolio/i-QcjmFSC

"Along the Northern California Coastline and Bixby Bridge"
Full size image can be seen here:  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Portfolio/Landscape-PhotographyPortfolio/i-nDxhTQ9

"Illuminated Falls" shows the beauty of Proxy Falls waterfall in Oregon during the summer. Such a peaceful setting while listening to the soft, silky falls surrounded by lush green moss and trees. The water flowing down the moss staircase and under the tree is a visual delight. I could sit here for hours! This image will look fantastic on your wall as a canvas print or framed HD Face-mounted Acrylic image. Let me know if I can assist you with a print for your home or office.

This is captured with my Nikon D810, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at f/11 and 18mm. Gitzo GT3541 XLS Carbon Fiber Tripod and Archtech ballhead. This was captured on a shoot with Mark Metternich and processed with techniques also from Mark.

The full size image can be seen here:  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Portfolio/Landscape-PhotographyPortfolio/i-Zg2gzqM

"Fern Springs Flowing" Yosemite National Park.

One of my favorite Yosemite waterfalls with the smooth texture of the water flowing over the moss covered rocks. Could sit here for hours!   The full size image can be seen here. http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Landscapes/Yosemite-National-Park-A/i-gkLQqTN

"Eclipse with Love 2017"

My Best Cityscape Fine Art Photographs for 2017:

“Along the Canals in Amsterdam at Night”. Amsterdam is such an amazing place! The canals and waterways cutting through the entire city with bikes and walkers zooming around you! Watch out for the those bikes! This is one of my favorite intersections with the lights over the bridges and lights just coming on in the windows of the houses. I could sit here for hours! Anyone else been to Amsterdam or have a favorite spot!? The full size image can be seen here:  http://www.jharrisonphoto.com/Portfolio/Landscape-PhotographyPortfolio/i-NWBhZ9D

"Marina Bay Sands Light Show at Night" 

"Marina Bay Sands Light Show at Night" Awesome view from 1-Altitude of the Marina Bay Sands Wonder Full Light show and Singapore Flyer at night. Those light beams and lasers into the air and the colorful lights of the city below. A beautiful night walking around #singapore last week! 

Beer Garden in the German Alps, Lake Königsee in the Berchtesgaden

"Beer Garden in the German Alps" I am back from another adventure in Germany. This time I headed to Lake Königsee in the Berchtesgaden area near the Salzburg and the German/Austrian Border. This image is from Mount Jenner above Lake Königsee. A 30 minute cable-car ride up to the top gives you fantastic views! Another 30-45 hike takes you to the Gipfel summit with amazing views!

I have decided my favorite part of being in the German Alps are the Beer Gardens!! There is nothing more rewarding after a hike to then hang out and have a beer and food! This particular weekend was 40 degrees C (100+ Fahrenheit!) and even though it was a short hike, it seemed like it was straight up with my 30 pound camera pack). Really some amazing views that I will post. The wildflowers were quite nice and tall mountains everywhere followed by the view of Lake Königsee below. Another place to definately get to when over in Europe.

"Mist in Cooks Meadow" Yosemite National Park, California in Fall.

"Mist in Cooks Meadow" Yosemite National Park, California in Fall. Visiting Yosemite when the valley is full of fall colors is one of my favorite things to do. This image captured in Cooks Meadow has the fall colors and backlit leaves as the sun was rising over the peak. The mist in Cooks Meadow together with the fall colors were just tranquil and peaceful! I found the backlit leaves and curvy branches twisting with the leaves just captivating and spent about a hour with these branches just looking for the right composition. Did you find the hidden treasure in the top left of the photo?! Half Dome is tucked in the trees. Enjoy! John Copyright John Harrison Photography

"Winter Sunset at Valley View in Yosemite National Park"
Copyright John Harrison Photography

"Winter Sunset at Valley View in Yosemite National Park"

I captured this image in February a few years ago in similar conditions as the weather is there currently in Yosemite - rain and clouds down in the valley with snow at the higher elevations.  This day we headed out thinking that it was raining and no chance of a sunset.  As we headed out the clouds started to clear with the sun poking through.  Each minute just started to get better and better!   Like a symphony unfolding in mother nature's concert hall - the drama and excitement changing each minute in Yosemite. El Capitan totally covered in clouds one minute, wide open the next.  No sun one minute, orange, pink and blue the next!   What an amazing time.  Hoping to head up to Yosemite and catch another clearing storm!  The great thing about taking photographs in Yosemite is the weather, clouds and lighting creates totally conditions so that image you capture won't look like anyone else!  Go to Yosemite and take lots of pictures! 

Perfect Gift for a Photographer - a "Nifty Fifty" - a 50mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.4 lens

"Russian Blue at Christmas" Looking for a gift for a photographer?! Consider a 'nifty fifty' - a 50mm Lens that has a f1/8 or f/1.4 aperture. There are four great things about these f/1.8 and f/1.4 lenses 1) They let LOTS more light in allowing you to take pictures indoors without a flash. Kit lenses are usually f/3.5 to f/5.6!!! The f/1.8 lens lets in considerably more light allowing pictures to be captured indoors without a flash. 2) If you are using a kit lens, you have quickly figured out your pictures still may not have that soft blur, or bokeh, in the background like the attached image. The face of the cat is nice and sharp and the lights from the Christmas tree are all blurry. You will get this with a 50mm f/1.8 lens. - One note - this is called a shallow depth of field and shooting at f/1.8 can cause subjects eyes to be in focus but their ears and everything else are out of focus! Experiment and understand what these can do before you are shooting those once in a lifetime images! 3) These lenses can be very inexpensive. The f/1.8 can be found for ~$100 new or used. The f/1.4 runs from $250 to 400. You can find them here: f/1.8 http://amzn.to/JoNYMs (Nikon) http://amzn.to/1ffEfm4 (Canon) or f/1.4 http://amzn.to/1kN5UvY (Nikon) or http://amzn.to/18Pbvj8 (Canon). You can also pick them up used on Craigslist quote often. 4) The last benefit of these lenses is they are super sharp! - especially for the $$. You will really be amazed what you can do with one of these lenses! One other option is to get a 35mm lens. With the crop factor on the sensors - the 'zoom factor' of 1.4x or 1.5x may bring you closer than you want. Nikon has this great 35mm f/1.8 lens that is very reasonably priced! http://amzn.to/19LXsIi (Nikon) or http://amzn.to/1bIMYMP for the Canon 35mm f/2 lens. Give them a try and consider it a great holiday present for yourself, a budding photographer or person with only the kit lens for their DSLR. 

Fall Colors and Leaves from the SF Bay Area!

Fall Colors! While there is snow and ice in many places in the country, we still have some fall colors around here. This is from last weekend amongst the Redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains near Boulder Creek/Big Basin and Castle Rock State Park. The marble treatment on this image gives a holiday ornament feel to it imho. Let me know if you like it! Kudos to Claudia Welsh for turning me onto the MarbleCam app! Free for iphone here! http://bit.ly/1d3MO1B  — at Redwoods near Big Basin and Castle Rock State Park

San Francisco Transamerica Pyramid and Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Sunset

"San Francisco Transamerica Pyramid and Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Sunset" One of those clear days from Alcatraz Island with the sun lighting up the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Transamerica Pyramid. It took me three trips over to Alcatraz to get a clear view of the city. One trip was so fogged in you could not even see the city!  Nothing like weather in San Francisco, California.   Copyright John Harrison Photography 
— in San Francisco, CA.

Yosemite Winter Photography Workshop - Horsetail Falls 2014

"Yosemite Winter" Photo Workshop 2014!  Many of you have been asking - now is your chance!  - I'll be assisting on a Photo workshop in February 2014 with a Yosemite workshop from Muench Workshops run by Mark Muench and Andy Williams. This particular workshop will have Dave Porter as the lead pro and I'll be there assisting.  Dave and I will have some great things planned!  Winter is a fun time to hang out in Yosemite and the best part is there aren't many people there!  There are lots of places within Yosemite to shoot during the winter so come up and join us.  From El Capitan to Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Gates of the Valley, or shooting along the Merced to attempting to capture Horsetail Falls off of El Capitan at Sunset, there are some great locations!  You can find our more about the workshop and signup here: http://bit.ly/16Ymh56    

"Night Sky over the Lick Observatory" - Night Photography and Perseid Meteor Shower

"Night Sky over the Lick Observatory" I was chasing the Perseid meteor shower, but didn't end up with meteors! I did come away with some shots of the night sky and Milky Way above the Lick Observatory! With San Jose and Silicon Valley down below there is quite a bit of light around as you can see in the bottom right hand corner of the image. I saw a few super bright meteors but of course my camera was pointed in wrong place. I kept asking them to fly in front of me, but they just weren't listening! Wish I was in Yosemite watching them overhead!

America's Cup AC72 Racing Boat Oracle USA Catamaran Racing

"Americas Cup Oracle USA" The Americas Cup race is coming to SAN FRANCISCO this summer. I caught one of the yachts out on a practice run shooting from the helicopter. It was flying! Great to see it closeup from above! You can find out more about the Americas cup races on their website here: http://www.americascup.com/en/sanfrancisco Enjoy! — in San Francisco, CA.  These
AC72 sailboats just FLY across the water!