Yet another sunset view of Shoreline Lake in Mountain View, CA. At 1/160s, you can see the ripples across the surface of the lake. If I used an ND filter, I could have used a longer shutter, but the ducks would have ended up blurry or ghosted.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture: 24mm
Shutter: 1/160s

When I think of sunsets, I picture the brilliant, orange sun dropping into the ocean or falling behind a mountain range. However, instead of facing the sun, look away from the sun and see the pink and purple pastels lighting up the sky. These gentle colors just fill me with happiness. How can you not smile when greeted with such a sight?

Seeing these wonderful colors reflected off the still waters of Shoreline Lake was an even greater treat.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter: 1/3s

I saw another gorgeous sunset this evening in the middle of winter. The Nikkor 24-70mm lens is a great low-light lens. I like it much better than the all-purpose 28-300mm lens for one reason. When faced with low light, Live View is still usable with the Nikkor 24-70mm lens at f/2.8. With the Nikkor 28-300mm lens, Live View can become quite pixelated.

I usually focus at f/2.8, then change around the aperture and shutter speed to suit. In this case, I wanted to quiet the surface of the lake with a longer shutter speed. However, at f/18, any dust on the sensor becomes quite obvious. An ND filter may be the preferred solution since I can skip cleaning up the image in post-processing by photographing with a large aperture and long shutter speed. I didn’t think I would need one at dusk, but will keep this in mind the next time I am out.

Nikon D800, Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 100, 36mm, f/18, 1.0s

Tonight was almost perfect. By the time I had arrived at the Baylands, the sun had already set. The last traces of warm sunlight glowed behind the mountain range in a distance. The City of Mountain View really lived up to its name.

I said “almost” because I had the wrong lens and no tripod. I love the 105mm macro lens, but it is a poor match for landscape photography. The field of view is too narrow. Despite these mishaps, the sunset was too attractive to dismiss. So, with only a table-top tripod in hand, I parked myself at some benches to see what I could conjure.

The water was absolutely gorgeous as it reflected the colors of the skies above. The red dot in the foothills is the Stanford Dish.

Nikon D800, AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/10s

During a walk past Shoreline Lake, I spotted this Great Blue Heron. Most of the time, I see egrets, so this heron really stood out. However, it was dusk and I only had the Really Right Stuff Pocket ‘Pod with me. I wasn’t sure if the thin railing was stable enough. Additionally, while the bird appeared to be still, at 2.5 seconds, any movement would result in motion blur.

Got lucky on this one.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: Nikkor AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 300mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Shutter: 2.5s

I had woken up early in Cusco to explore the Plaza de Armas. The previous night, this square was bustling with people coming and going to restaurants and nightclubs. Surrounding the historical center of Cusco, the homes on the foothills were glistening like Christmas lights strung around the city. The experience was absolutely magical.

This morning, the city was quiet and contemplative. At first, the sky was a rich, dark blue. As the last traces of night ebbed into day, the sky lightened. A touch of lingering sunlight illuminated the clouds with yellow and orange hues. A new day had begun.

The clock on the cathedral wall was pointing at 6 o’clock. Most of the city was still asleep, but I was in the square soaking up the radiance of the morning light.

It’s been two years since I first (and last) saw the Milky Way. I miss it. I’m sure I’ll have another opportunity, but I’m not exactly sure when. It’s certainly a lot closer than traveling to Paris or Venice, but heading out to a remote part of the world requires some coordination of schedules. At times, I’m a bit envious of those who can step out into their backyard and view the Milky Way or an Aurora Borealis.

I was out in the Palo Alto Baylands around sunset taking photos near the Lucy Evans Badlands Nature Interpretive Center. By pure happenstance, I followed a trail around the bay that took me to this view of the Palo Alto airport. At first, I was focused on the sunset. However, I thought it would be neat to capture a plane landing in front of the setting sun.

This vista would probably be even more glorious at high tide. Thursday, November 27 looks good. 4:17 PM high tide with a 4:51 PM sunset. Unfortunately, that’s Thanksgiving day. Maybe in December.

Nikon D800, AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/1,000s

We had a touch of rain in the last 24 hours, but far from enough to call an end to the drought. At noon, I checked the weather before heading out. Since the skies were full of voluminous (and ominous) clouds, I turned to the Weather Channel, which reported dry skies for the rest of the day. Good enough for me. I promptly headed out with camera in hand.

From Vista Slope, I could see broad swaths of trees changing colors with the Fall season. I love the fall palette of yellows, oranges and reds filling the trees with a last burst of color. The field below is a private soccer field for Google employees.

Nikon D800, Nikkor AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, 98mm, f/5.6, 1/500s