Coyote, Point Reyes National Seashore
A Coyote Stops on a Ranch Pasture Just Before Sunset.
This coyote was crossing a ranch pasture with his mate when he stopped and looked at me.
Tag: sunset
Corinthian Island at Twilight
Corinthian Island is one of two inhabited islands on the Tiburon Peninsula. It straddles a jurisdictional line separating Tiburon and Belvedere, California.
This photo was taken during twilight which is that time between sunset, when reds dominate, and dusk when there is no light (or color) to be seen, except to the extent the moon (or artificial light) is a factor. During twilight, blues become dominant. Twilight is sometimes referred to by photographers and painters as the blue hour or “l’heure bleue.” The length of twilight is determined by the latitude of the observer. Around the San Francisco Bay Area I think of it as lasting roughly half an hour. Twilight is also that time between dawn and sunrise. It is a great time to photograph. It’s also a great time to see wildlife. Some animals are most active during the twilight hours. They are referred to as “crepuscular.”
Next time you plan to photograph at sunrise or sunset don’t forget twilight time. For two good programs to tell you when twilight is for your area, click here and here.
Two Young Bulls Debate Who Has the Right of Way on Game Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore
Yesterday’s photo of the elk calf was taken an hour before sunset. The light was still pretty strong as you could see. This photo was taken at sunset and these young tule elk bulls are in the shade. Much nicer light and color in the shade, especially at sunset.
Each of these young bulls has five points per antler. Points are an indicator of age in elk. According to the Park Service, one-year old bulls have a single spike. Two-year olds usually have slender antlers with four to five points. Three year olds have thicker antlers with four to five points and four year old and older bulls usually have six points on each antler and they get thicker each year. Yellowstone Resources and Issues 2009 at p. 126. While the Park Service document was focusing on Rocky Mountain elk, I don’t believe there is any difference with regard to the antlers of these tule elk at Point Reyes National Seashore.
So, are these five-point elk two or three years old? I’m not sure, but I’m guessing they are three year olds. Their antlers aren’t that slender and I’ve seen bulls with skinny antlers and four or five points and they’re still hanging out with the cows and yearlings. These guys in the photo are hanging out with the big six (and seven) point bulls.
Western Bluebird at Sunset, Point Reyes National Seashore
If I like a photo enough to print or post on the web one of the first things I do to get it ready for use is a color correction step to identify any color casts. Actually, I do two steps. The first step neutralizes color casts in the blacks and whites and the second does that in the middle grays. Photos taken during normal daylight hours don’t normally have much of a color cast. However, there is usually some color cast and I almost always remove it. Of course, the time around sunrise and sunset is another story. I still do the color correction steps, but rarely remove the color cast caused by the sun being low in the horizon. To get that color cast is why we get out there so early and stay out there so late. This bluebird was photographed as the sun was disappearing below the horizon. I have not removed the color cast in the above image.
I thought it would be interesting to show what this photo looks like after neutralizing the color cast caused by the setting sun. Here’s the same photo as above, but with the color cast completely removed. The photo now looks “more normal” because we usually see bluebirds in normal daylight.
There is a third photo below. It looks more like the first photo, but it isn’t the exact same image. After I did the color correction steps described above I toggled the black and white correction and the middle gray correction on and off and found that I preferred the look of the image with black and white color corrected, but with middle gray not corrected. Note how the white breast compares in all three photos. Obviously, correcting for middle gray had the most effect. Personally, I think I prefer the third image.
Lone Tree at Sunset
I had driven by this scene a few times before I stopped to photograph it. The lower part of the tree is cut off by the hill. To order a print of this image click here.
Coyote, Point Reyes National Seashore
I took this photo about a month ago at Point Reyes. I can’t remember the exact location, but it was shot around sunset. I usually miss sunrise at Point Reyes, but I try to always be there for sunset. It’s the best of times — for light and wildlife. When the sun starts getting low my senses heighten. It’s a feeling of anticipation. Something is going to happen. Something better happen. I need a good photo. I also know that many of the animals I like to photograph, such as coyotes and bobcats, are up and beginning to hunt. It’s time to crank up the ISO. Time to be steady. 1/30th of a second time. It’s make or break time. If I get a good photo of an animal at that time the day is a success. If I don’t, the day is usually a failure. I try not to let it get to me. But it does. Some. To purchase a print of this image click here.
Coyote At Sunset
I photographed this coyote at sunset. For landscape photography, sunrise and sunset are the best of times. You go to the place you want to photograph and wait for that yellow, orange and/or red light. Sunrise and sunset are great times to photograph wildlife as well. Unfortunately, a wild animal is not always in front of you at sunrise or sunset. So, when you have an interesting animal to photograph at those times you are fortunate. That’s all it takes for me to consider the day a success.
