Category Archives: photography

Wyland Whaling Wall

Posted on by

“I pretend like I’m painting
the whales as they swim by.
I’ve studied whales since I was a child,
so it’s all in my mind.”
Robert Wyland

wyland-whaling-wall

One of Redondo Beaches most famous landmarks is the large mural created by world-famous Laguna Beach artist Wyland. He painted the mural for free back in 1991 in hopes the mural would inspire everyone to make ocean conservation an issue to be examined.

This 87′ x 622′ mural depicting 12 California gray whales can be viewed on the exterior wall of the AES Redondo Generating Station, 1100 North Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, California. The mural is #31 of the artist’s largest and most extraordinary works created as a series of 100 life-size murals in 100 different cities around the world.

The mural illustrates the annual 10,000-mile round-trip migration of the Pacific Gray Whale from the Bering Sea to the warm lagoons of Baja California and back again to the arctic circle, with their newborn babies alongside. This migration happens every winter and brings the whales close to Redondo Beach’s shoreline.

I feel so fortunate to have witnessed hundreds of whales these past years making their yearly Baja trip. If you too have seen whales in their natural habitat, you know what an emotional experience it can be. We need to be reminded of our beautiful oceans and the precious cargo it is home to everyday.

The following 1991 video about Wyland and his passion for whales, also shows the painting on the Wyland Whaling Wall.

Shine On

Beachin’ Cobra

Posted on by

“I’ve always been asked,
what is my favorite car?
And I’ve always said,
the next one”
Carroll Shelby

 

Cobra at The Beach

My admiration for the automobile began at a young age. I guess it began when my younger brother started collecting those famous “Matchbox” cars. We would play with them and admire the detail and beauty of each car. My favorites Matchbox cars were the ones with hinged doors, hoods and trunks.

My first car was a $100, 1962 Ford Falcon station wagon with faux leather, mustang patterned seats. Not my dream car by any means, but, on a good day, it did get me to where I needed to be. Except for the occasional California rainy day. The brakes never worked in the rain, so I was not allowed to drive the Falcon when it rained.

Whenever I see a unique or beautiful car, I usually take a photo. Today I spotted a black beauty I’ve seen over the years on the Esplanade. I approached the owner and complimented him on his wheels. Knowing well that this car is worth in the tens of millions of dollars, I just had to ask the burning question….I asked him if it was real? His response was, “close enough”. I gave him a thumbs up and thought to myself. Original or a knock-off, that car was one beachin’ Cobra.

Shine On

Hopes, Dreams & Good Wishes

Posted on by

“Sunrise sunset, sunrise sunset
Swiftly flow the years
One season following the other
Laden with happiness and tears…”
Sheldon Harnick

Redondo Sunsets.png

Sunsets have always represented beauty, mystery, romantics of life as well as a completion of a journey. A journey of life itself. Whereas a sunrise marks the beginning of a brand-new day. A day which we can start something great and new.

I’ve always been a night person. Loved the energy and magic I felt at night. Often watching sunsets with the ones, I love. I especially have enjoyed photographing sunsets.

Redondo Beach has dramatic sunsets. As the sun begins to set in Redondo, it’s a magical time of day because people line up on the Esplanade to capture and experience these breathtaking beach sunsets.

For more than a decade, I’ve photographed daily sunsets each year. Every one of these sunsets are unique. When I look back at these sunset photos, some will remind me of the events that unfolded that particular day. Most are good memories. Some, not so good.

Now in the twilight of life, I’ve shifted from an evening person to a morning person and discovered the appeal of sunrises.

When I rise in the early morning hours, I’ll watch the sun slowly appear. The sky turns from a spectacular bright red to a cooler orange hue as the sun begins to peek through the California palm trees.

After watching the first 2020 sunrises this past week, I suddenly realized, I don’t have a single photo I’ve taken in my life of a sunrise. How can that be? Well, I plan to rectify that. This year I plan to add more shots of sunrises to my photo album.

I’ve concluded, I need to appreciate these sunrises. Getting older, we begin to see how precious are sunrises. Because, sunrises give us what we all could use more of in our lives these days.  Hopes, dreams and good wishes.

Shine On

 

Captivating Chronophotos

Posted on by

“There are always two people in every picture:
the photographer and the viewer.”
Ansel Adams

Stunning Chronophotos

Photo by Chen Chengguang

 

All my life I have loved photography. I appreciate talent when I see it. That’s why I wanted to share this image I recently came across. It was taken by photographer, Chen Chengguang at  Joinus12345.

Some of you bloggers that are also photographers may have heard of a photography technique known as, Chronophotography. It’s a techniques that was a predecessor to cinematography and moving film. This antique photographic technique from the Victorian era, originally was created and used for the scientific study of movement. It captures movement in several frames of print. The prints can then be arranged like animation cels or layered in a single frame. The_Horse_in_Motion_high_res

The most famous chronophoto was created by Eadward Muybridge. Back in 1872, Muybridge worked with the former governor of California, Leland Stanford to create the famous first moving picture, THE HORSE IN MOTION. The debated question of the day was, whether all four feet of a horse were off the ground at the same time while trotting. THE HORSE IN MOTION proved they were.

All of Chen’s photographs displayed on his Instagram account are breathtaking.  His talent for capturing birds and other creatures using this antiquated form of photography, makes for captivating Chronophotos.

Shine On