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Purisima Creek Redwood Sunset (Photo of the week)

The sun sets over the Pacific Ocean beyond green hills, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
The sun sets over the Pacific Ocean beyond green hills, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve

While one of the main draws is its old-growth and second-growth redwoods forests, Purisima Creek Redwoods just west of Redwood City also offers expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. I took this photo earlier this month, on a hike meant to capture some shots of the park’s redwoods and creek. However, if the weather was right, I thought it might be a nice opportunity for a good sunset.

I was toward the bottom of the park, trying to get some panoramas of redwood trunks shrouded in fog when I realized I only had 20 minutes to get back up the trail to the spot I had picked on the way down. I ran up the trail as fast as I could, climbing a good 700 feet in elevation, just in time to see the once-hidden sun peek out from beneath a thick cloud bank. I set up my tripod, threw the camera on, and started capturing images. This was one of my favorites due to the great blues reflecting off the bottom of the clouds which offset the warm tones of the sunset.

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Twin Giants (Photo of the week)

Twin redwoods stretch toward the forest's upper canopy, Muir Woods National Monument
Twin redwoods stretch toward the forest's upper canopy, Muir Woods National Monument

This photo was taken last week on a quick visit to Muir Woods National Monument, a short drive north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate bridge. The trails of Muir Woods merge with those in Mt. Tamalpias State Park, giving visitors many miles of hiking full of beautiful old growth coastal redwoods and stunning vistas of San Francisco and the surrounding coast line.

Although you can’t tell from this photo, it can be quite dark at the forest floor, requiring long shutter speeds (which means tripods are essential). Also essential (or at least highly desirable) in forest scenes is the polarized filter. While there may be no water to reflect or sky to darken anywhere in sight, the forest vegetation itself can reflect a lot of light, especially any plants with a waxy surface. Using a circular polarizer brings out their true green color and makes them pop.

The two trees in this photo were huge specimens, stretching side by side to disappear into the upper canopy of the redwoods and Douglas fir.

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Starfish and Mussels (Photo of the week)

A starfish sits among clustered mussels, Moss Beach, California
A starfish sits among clustered mussels, Moss Beach, California

Photographing tide pools can be a lot of fun, especially if you are stuck with an overcast day when the scenery is less than dynamic. This starfish was photographed at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach, just north of Half Moon Bay. Make sure to check a tide chart to see when there will be a low tide, giving you much more access to the pools. Required equipment for this type of outing includes a tripod for long exposures (this shot was 1.6 seconds) and a polarized filter to cut the reflections so you can actually see what lives in the tide pools. The photo below was taken on the same day, and is a good example of why polarized filters are necessary.

A starfish sits in a tide pool with anemones, Moss Beach, California
A starfish sits in a tide pool with anemones, Moss Beach, California
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Point Reyes Coastal Colors (Photo of the week)

Wildflowers and multi-colored coastal grasses adorn the hills of Point Reyes National Seashore
Wildflowers and multi-colored coastal grasses adorn the hills of Point Reyes National Seashore

Late fall is a great time to visit Point Reyes National Seashore. Wildlife is active most of the day, and the coastal plants and grasses that adorn the seaside dunes start to turn their many colors in preparation for the winter. It is only an hour north of San Francisco, and features a historic light house, miles of protected beach, and opportunities for long hikes and overnight backpacking.