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! 

"Above the Fog" The Golden Gate Bridge in Fog and the San Francisco Cityscape from the Marin Headlands

"Above the Fog" I love shots of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge but never had gotten the perfect shot with the Golden Gate Bridge poking through the fog. I saw the weather report at 11:30pm the evening before saying "your commute will be slow in the morning with low lying fog across the Golden Gate Bridge" I thought PERFECT! I'll head up in a few hours! I set out in the dark for the drive up to San Francisco to shoot from the Marin Headlands.

The hike up the hill in the dark and the fog with too much camera gear (30 pounds!) gave me a great early morning workout!  I arrived just as the sky was starting to have an amazing glow and the fog was swirling beneath the bridge. I decided to go for a longer exposure to capture the lights of the cars heading to the Golden Gate Bridge. On the right side of the photo you can see some cars heading along Conzelman Road.  I just love the curves and swirling fog together with the bumps in the hillside.   There were quite a few other photographers there including +Jim Patterson +Aaron Meyers +Joe Azure +Alan Chan +jared ropelato +Andrew Gilbert as well and I had an awesome time shooting and bonding while shooting!  It only took me a month to process my image :-)

The glow of the San Francisco lights, Car lights and Golden Gate Bridge and colors in the sky balanced with the greens of the hill and fog are what caught my eye. I went for a 1:2 panorama format for this which will look great above a fireplace, couch or in an executive boardroom printed 30" x 60" or larger!

This a single shot from the Nikon D800, Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8 lens (28mm), 30 seconds, f/13 and ISO 200.  This is processed in Lightroom 4 and post processing in Adobe Photoshop CS6.  I did not bring my Singh-ray neutral density filters on this trip but used the awesome digital ND filters in LR4 - my favorite feature of LR4! 

It is always a crap shoot as it can be clear in the Southbay down in Sunnyvale where I live and how the fog is in San Francisco.  Sometimes the fog is higher up and obscures everything and never clears!   I actually met +Jim Goldstein   the first time years ago hoping for a Golden Gate Bridge fog picture and we waited for hours enveloped in fog!!  Both of us were just waiting and waiting while his dog was hanging out.  That is part of the joy, frustration and chase of great photographs  - the weather and lighting will NEVER be the same!!!  (but meeting cool people when you are out is another great benefit!)

I'll be showing this print at my open house coming up May 11th and 12th in Sunnyvale.  Contact me for more information!!    Copyright John Harrison Photography  www.jharrisonphoto.com  +John Harrison  You can also find me over on Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yosemite-and-Bay-Area-Nature-Photography-by-John-Harrison/190152125697



#sunrise #fog #goldengatebridge #sanfrancisco #cityscape #Nikond800 #panorama #longexposure 

Learn about HDR Photography create the perfect Yosemite sunset shot!

Have you ever had that photo you had taken of a sunset on a beach have the sky all white and washed out?  Or maybe the sky is exposed properly but the foreground is all dark.   Whether it is a Yosemite sunset, or Lake Tahoe sunrise, there is more 'dynamic range' than your camera can see.  Yes, even for those $5000 DSLR cameras, your naked eye can see more range of light than the cameras.  You need to learn about using High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography to merge together images.





This is a great source of learning about HDR Photography and blending those landscape images to make the perfect photos!   I use some of these techniques to process my images and get the best of the skies and and foreground all in sync.  StuckinCustoms has excellent HDR tutorials from Trey Ratliff and will get you up and going.  Good luck and let me know if you have any questions about the tutorials !  John





disclaimer:  I do make a small commission on the posts in this blog.  This helps support my postings and photography and is a small way you can give back to support me and my photo adventures!

Camera Gadget of the Month - The Hoodman LCD Viewfinder Loupe / Scope

Photo gadget of the month - The Hoodman LCD Viewfinder Loupe / Scope. One very useful tools/toys I use is a loupe for looking at the back of the LCD screen on the camera. The scope/loupe covers the screen and magnifies what you see on the LCD so you can better ensure the perfect exposure.  This works great for liveview focusing to make sure you have a nice sharp focus and also to make sure you have filled the frame and don't have any distracting elements in your image.  It is pretty inexpensive as camera gadgets go and I just wear it around my neck to give a quick check of an image.  Getting back home and finding you didn't quite nail the shot or focus can really be frustrating.  This tool helps get it right the first time.

 

Incredible Yosemite Timelapse and Photography

If you haven't already seen it, check out the great timelapse photos and video in Yosemite.  Captured by Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty.  I met Colin online from Planet Granite where he climbs and have been following his images for quite a while.  Breathtaking scenes of Half Dome, Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows, Tunnel View of El Capitan and more.  Nice motion moves from their Dynamic Perception gear for timelapse motion.   Crank up the sound and watch it in HD in full screen mode!  Let me know what you think!

Above Frozen Lake Tenaya Tioga Pass Yosemite Video

This year Tioga Pass has been open later than it normally is (usually closes ~ November) but since we haven't had much snow/rain this year it is still open. This is a video from Beth Pratt above Tenaya Lake with a beautiful view and also shows skaters down below on the lake! I sure would love to be there! Thanks Beth!! Enjoy! John

 

 

 

Click here to view more details on Trey Ratcliff's HDR Tutorial Bundle

Sony NEX-5N vs Panasonic Lumix GF3 vs Leica M9 vs Nikon 1 J1

These are some of my first thoughts (not a thorough review) on the small but high-quality cameras currently out.  The Sony NEX-5N vs Lumix GF2 or Lumix GF3 vs Leica M9 (grins!) vs Nikon 1 J1.  Let me know what YOU think!

I have been looking for a small, high quality, low noise camera.  I originally had the Panasonic Lumix GF-1 with the Pancake 17mm f/1.7 lens.  The GF1 is a really nice small package. I love the shutter with the nice solid -'click'.  Image quality for photos and videos were good... but not great.   There was quite a bit of noise even at low ISO.  I sold the GF1 via craigslist and have moved on to find the next best camera!  The Lumix GF2 was to improve that a little - mostly on the video side.  Image quality was only supposed to improve slightly.  The Lumix GF3 looks to be interesting but the sensor comparison to the NEX-5N still isn't there. I hope to get my hands on one to play with.  The Lumix series is a micro 4/3 meaning any of the Olympus or Panasonic Lumix lenses will work with it as well as take adaptors to manually use other lenses.   

I think the Sony NEX-5N looks great!  It uses an APS-C sensor, which is the same size as most Nikon, Canon and Sony DSLRs.   The NEX-5N adds the new 16 megapixel sensor that is found on the Nikon D7000 and new Sony Alpha DSLRs.  High ISO and low noise (up to ISO 12,800) images.  Video up to 1080p with 60fps or 24fps for cool cinematic quality.  The 16mm f/2.8 lens is a nice small combination.  This one looks great!   If you couple that with the Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 lens, then that will be one HECK of a package!  The only down side to the Sony is the funky styling (I like it) together with a lack of lenses. Since this isn't true micro 4/3, there are only a limited amount of lenses available.  

The folks over at DPreview give it a really good review! I think I'll have to check it out - all the quality of the Nikon D7000 in a nice little package.  The fact that the sensor in the NEX-5N is the same as the awesome sensor in the Nikon D7000 (I believe Sony made it) and the reviews of that camera are fantastic - high iso/low noise - great image quality.  I can also use my Nikon lenses on the Sony if needed with an inexpensive adapter.

Note - The Sony NEX-7 looks REALLY nice, but currently it isn't available due to flooding at the plant in Thailand.  24 Megapixel sensor that is on the Alpha 77 looks fantastic!!  ISO and noise aren't quite as good as the NEX-5N since you are packing more pixels in the same sensor, but wow -- that will be an awesome camera!   Unfortunately, Amazon has taken the Sony NEX-7 off of the price list for now!

Ok, the Leica M9 is in a class of its own!  With a full-frame sensor in that small package, there is no comparison!  I just wish I had $7000 sitting around to purchase it! 

The new Nikon 1 V1 looks like an interesting idea, but I think Nikon really missed out here.  Rather than take the existing sensor in the D5100 or D7000, they created another smaller sensor and put it in the Nikon 1 V1. What does that mean?  Smaller, lower quality, higher noise images.  I am sure they are fine on their own, but considering the quality of images coming out of the wildly successful Sony NEX line of cameras, Nikon is starting poorly out of the gate.

So how do some of these sensors compare?  Here is the DXO mark comparison of the 3 cameras -Sony NEX-5N, Lumix GF-1 and Leica M9-P for grins!

http://bit.ly/qtZg43

So, which one am I going to purchase?!  I think I will got with the Sony NEX-5N for now and wait for the Sony NEX-7 to come out. 

Stay tuned and I'll keep you posted or let me know which one you have tried and prefer!!

Yosemite solo free climbing on 60 minutes - Incredible views!

I watched 60 Minutes in awe Sunday night as they featured solo free climber (ie. - no ropes!), Alex Honnold scaling El Cap and Sentinel around Yosemite Valley.  If you missed, it check it out here.



There is also the behind the scenes footage that is equally impressive.  Personally, I think free climbing is crazy and stupid as all it takes is one mistake to no longer have this incredible climber with.  I don't think anyone can be perfect all the time.  You can see the behind the scenes footage here.



No Big Deal for Alex!  The laid back dude.

Inflatable Kayaks and Canoes for outdoor Adventures

One of the best ways to see nature can be to get right in the middle of it with an inflatable Kayak or Canoe.  We ended up purchasing two inflatable Kayaks based on the awesome reviews from Allison over at Inflatable Kayak World.   She has a ton of great write-ups and info on the different models and helpful info on all the accessories like PFD Life-jackets and reviews on what to look for for women as well.  We purchased the Sea Eagle SE-330 as well as the Clear Blue Hawaii.   Both were really fantastic although we should have purchased the larger Sea Eagle 370 to fit 3 of us in there! 

Kudos to Allison and her great reviews!  Check them out over at Inflatable Kayak World and get an inflatable Kayak to get closer to nature.

Yosemite Lodge at the Falls and Places to Stay in Yosemite National Park

If you are looking for accommodations IN the park, the Yosemite website is the place to start. I noticed some Curry Village openings @ end of August!  Lots of places outside the park as well. NOTE - Some places advertise "Yosemite" but are an hour from the park entrance!  It can take ~45 mins from the park entrance to get to the valley floor, so you are now an hour and half or MORE to the Yosemite Valley Floor!!  Where is your favorite place to stay or camp?!   

I always recommend starting with the Yosemite NPS website here.

 

(Image copyright John Harrison Photography)

 Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

There is quite a wide array of places to stay in Yosemite National Park.  We normally stay at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls (formerly the Yosemite Lodge) when I am with the whole family.  It is right next to Yosemite Falls, has quite a wide array of lodging options, has Wifi for you folks that can't be without, has a few food options right onsite and lots of parking.  There is nothing like waking up in the morning to the sound of Yosemite Falls!  It is definitely NOT roughing it!  Unfortunately, it has gotten quite pricey over the last few years!

Rooms at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

The Lodge has a few different room types.  The "Green Rooms" has recently been updated to include quite a few energy efficiency and green upgrades.  You can read more about those here.

The "Standard Rooms" are their main rooms.  They also have "Family Rooms" for large families and my favorite are the Lodge Rooms. The Lodge Rooms often has balconies and are set further away from the main hotel. Some back onto meadows or into the woods.  Definitely a nicer option if you can find it.

Food at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

Food at the Lodge is pretty simple.  The ever faithful "Food Court" which has a variety of hot meals, grill, Pasta Bar (the kids favorite) and pizza.  It can be quite full but they cover the bases. 
Two other options include the amazing Mountain Room and the Mountain Room Lounge.  The Mountain Room includes fine dining surrounded by images from Charlie Cramer and Michael Frye (both of whom I have studied under) as well as other amazing photographers (note - they need to add a John Harrison Photography image!!).   Prime Rib, Steaks, Fish, Pasta and fantastic deserts!  You can check out a sample menu here.   

The Mountain Room Lounge (the bar next to the Mountain Room Restaurant) can be another option for food as they serve a small array or appetizers and food especially when you come in from a late night of shooting!

The Yosemite Falls at the Lodge website has a photo gallery showing more of the rooms and dining places here!

Here is one of my pictures of Yosemite Falls with the Upper and Lower Falls along the walkways.  Even though it is PACKED in the summer, there is one secret solution!.....  go out early!  I had the place to myself around 7am!

Bear Cub in Yosemite National Park

A bear cub walking in Yosemite! Not the best picture since I was hiding behind the tree watching him walk along. Any good bear encounters to share?!