BajaNomad

Elephant seals and nudibranchs...

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2011 at 09:51 AM

Lots of elephant seals on the San Simeon beaches. Most of the pups have been born:


Beautiful San Simeon beach:


The bulls are starting to spar as the females come into oestrus:






A female snuggling one of her twins:


This bull needs a snorkel:


Photographing the seals:


Of course we had to get wet so we did two dives in Morro Bay:




And saw some pretty critters:




Oggie - 1-8-2011 at 09:57 AM

Fantastic photos Ken! What equipment are you using?

goldhuntress - 1-8-2011 at 09:59 AM

Wow, great pics. I think I know where I'm headed on Monday:) Haven't had a chance to get up there yet this year.

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2011 at 10:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Oggie
Fantastic photos Ken! What equipment are you using?


Thanks Oggie. The topside "scenic" photos were with a Nikon D70, monopod, 3-exposure HDR (+/- 2 stops) using Photomatix to process. The elephant seal photos were with the D70 and the Nikon 80-200mm zoom. Underwater I used a Fuji S2 Pro DSLR, Nikon 60mm lens, Subal S2 aluminum housing, two Sea and Sea YS-90DX strobes.

[Edited on 1-8-2011 by Ken Bondy]

Osprey - 1-8-2011 at 10:10 AM

ken, that's some magic working there. The sky gifted you with a Withering Heights mood and you made mother nature proud of her work. Wow.

Russ - 1-8-2011 at 10:26 AM

Always look forward to your posts. Spectacular!

Trueheart - 1-8-2011 at 10:27 AM

Some really great pics. I was especially taken by the clouds in some, but all are terrific. Excellent job! Steve

SDRonni - 1-8-2011 at 10:30 AM

Once again, absolutely breathtaking!

Brian L - 1-8-2011 at 10:38 AM

Are the photos post-processed much? Or is that straight from your camera? I'm not a photography buff, but those look amazing, I could never imagine getting my shots to look like that. Those first two shots are unreal. So, is the boat in the harbor. Beautiful!

If they are post-processed (not sure if that is even a real term), isn't that faking it? Should there be disclaimers that the color has been modified to make it look better?

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2011 at 10:47 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Brian L
Are the photos post-processed much? Or is that straight from your camera? I'm not a photography buff, but those look amazing, I could never imagine getting my shots to look like that. Those first two shots are unreal. So, is the boat in the harbor. Beautiful!

If they are post-processed (not sure if that is even a real term), isn't that faking it? Should there be disclaimers that the color has been modified to make it look better?


Brian, as I said in an earlier post, the scenic images use a technique called "HDR", High Dynamic Range. It is becoming an extremely popular form of digital photography. It involves making numerous images of the same scene with different exposures. Then the multiple exposures are processed with software that combines the entire range of exposures in each pixel into one image. The resulting colors and textures are much more vibrant than what could be achieved with a single exposure. Not sure about the term "faking" but in my opinion a "moderate" HDR image approaches what the eye actually sees.

DianaT - 1-8-2011 at 10:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Brian L
Are the photos post-processed much? Or is that straight from your camera? I'm not a photography buff, but those look amazing, I could never imagine getting my shots to look like that. Those first two shots are unreal. So, is the boat in the harbor. Beautiful!

If they are post-processed (not sure if that is even a real term), isn't that faking it? Should there be disclaimers that the color has been modified to make it look better?


I see Ken posted again while I was typing, but this is my opinion---for what it is worth. :biggrin:


Brian,
All photos are post-processed just in the developing of them on a computer or from a negative to a print. And most photographers adjust their photos in some ways--color, contrast, white balance, etc.

The process that Ken used for the landscape photos is an HDR processing that combines more than one photo of the same subject shot at different exposures---and it can do a lot more----he explained what he used in his post.

The HDR processing can create a many different products, some of which some people love, and some people dislike---but it is not fake---just processing.

One professional landscape photographer who I know only shoots film --- the really large negative type and he seldom shoots just one photo. He shoot the same scene with different exposures and combines them.

Ken's photos are anything but fake --- just processed like most photos. I don't know, but it is possible that the ones he did not process with the HDR, he may have made adjustments in contrast, crop, etc. Again, not fake.

And if a disclaimer was needed, well every professional photographer would need to add a disclaimer to their work---unless they did zero processing to their photos.

And Ken, as you know, I love these photos and I agree with you that the HDR really often looks more like what the eye sees.

Combining photos, from what I have learned, has been around for a long time---

Diana

[Edited on 1-8-2011 by DianaT]

Natalie Ann - 1-8-2011 at 11:05 AM

However you post processed them, Ken, they are beautiful images!
I do believe you've outdone even yourself.;)

nena

Brian L - 1-8-2011 at 01:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Quote:
Originally posted by Brian L
Are the photos post-processed much? Or is that straight from your camera? I'm not a photography buff, but those look amazing, I could never imagine getting my shots to look like that. Those first two shots are unreal. So, is the boat in the harbor. Beautiful!

If they are post-processed (not sure if that is even a real term), isn't that faking it? Should there be disclaimers that the color has been modified to make it look better?


Brian, as I said in an earlier post, the scenic images use a technique called "HDR", High Dynamic Range. It is becoming an extremely popular form of digital photography. It involves making numerous images of the same scene with different exposures. Then the multiple exposures are processed with software that combines the entire range of exposures in each pixel into one image. The resulting colors and textures are much more vibrant than what could be achieved with a single exposure. Not sure about the term "faking" but in my opinion a "moderate" HDR image approaches what the eye actually sees.


HDR sounds great. The multiple images you took to make the one must be hard to do and get right. That is where your art shines!

Like I said, they are truly beautiful.

24baja - 1-8-2011 at 03:18 PM

Wow Ken, soo beautiful, you are taking more beautiful photo's as you progress....Thank you for posting them so we can be part of your world! All I can say is WOW!

Ken Bondy - 1-8-2011 at 04:00 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by goldhuntress
Wow, great pics. I think I know where I'm headed on Monday:) Haven't had a chance to get up there yet this year.

Thanks goldhuntress. By all means get up there and see them. Now is a very good time, but I think there will be another month of birthing, mating, sparring before the activities peak. It's an amazing sight, one of the most spectacular natural events I have ever seen.

DianaT - 1-8-2011 at 04:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Quote:
Originally posted by goldhuntress
Wow, great pics. I think I know where I'm headed on Monday:) Haven't had a chance to get up there yet this year.

Thanks goldhuntress. By all means get up there and see them. Now is a very good time, but I think there will be another month of birthing, mating, sparring before the activities peak. It's an amazing sight, one of the most spectacular natural events I have ever seen.


It is a spectacular sight and amazing to watch. I just can't help but feel for those poor females considering the difference in size between the males and the females. The females look tiny in comparison to those big brutes. :saint:

Pics

tehag - 1-8-2011 at 04:19 PM

Thanks. They are gorgeous.

Paulina - 1-8-2011 at 06:41 PM

Amazing photos Ken, thank you so much for sharing them with us. I think you've just helped me plan my day tomorrow. I haven't been up to see the seals yet this time around.

Thanks again!
P<*)))>{

DENNIS - 1-8-2011 at 06:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
Combining photos, from what I have learned, has been around for a long time---



Multiple exposure...double etc......certainly has. Most often accidently. :lol:

amirravon - 1-8-2011 at 07:01 PM

IMPRESSIVE ! Thanks for sharing

goldhuntress - 1-9-2011 at 09:40 AM

Quote:
It is a spectacular sight and amazing to watch. I just can't help but feel for those poor females considering the difference in size between the males and the females. The females look tiny in comparison to those big brutes. :saint:


DianaT- I was doing some reading and came upon this little elephant seal fact-the big difference in size between a male and female elephant seal is thought to be the greatest relative size difference between the sexes of any mammal.
Ken, FYI, The seals have single births, no documented twins. It does look like it though when they're so many on the beach.

Ken Bondy - 1-9-2011 at 09:52 AM

Quote:
Quote:
Originally posted by goldhuntress
It is a spectacular sight and amazing to watch. I just can't help but feel for those poor females considering the difference in size between the males and the females. The females look tiny in comparison to those big brutes. :saint:


DianaT- I was doing some reading and came upon this little elephant seal fact-the big difference in size between a male and female elephant seal is thought to be the greatest relative size difference between the sexes of any mammal.
Ken, FYI, The seals have single births, no documented twins. It does look like it though when they're so many on the beach.


goldhuntress
I have heard that about single births. I was also told that the apparent "twin" situations, like the one shown, are often an orphaned pup who has been accepted by another female. Those situations risk the lives of both pups because the females have limited milk and the pups must gain a tremendous amount of weight before the females leave and the pups start learning to swim (without adult help). They are truly amazing animals, they are known to feed at depths greater than 5000 ft. Imagine the physiology of that body :)

Skipjack Joe - 1-9-2011 at 09:53 AM

It's been years since we visited the elephant seals at Ano Nueva. This encourages me to get out and do so. I believe this is the time of year to do so.

Thanks for the pics.

Heathcliff

Skipjack Joe - 1-9-2011 at 11:20 AM

... would have loved your sky.

heathcliff.jpg - 41kB

Stickers - 1-10-2011 at 12:15 PM

Ken, I am stunned viewing your pictures. Conventional digital photography like with my little Cannon camera makes for brighter than life photos where everything looks a little too new and shiny.

Your HDR modified pictures put some texture and grit back into the picture so you can almost feel it.

Thanks for the lesson and now I need to go spend $2000 on a camera and learn how to use Photoshop
:(

Rick

Heather - 1-10-2011 at 01:38 PM

We stopped and visited the Elephant Seals in November on our road trip up the coast. The males were arriving from the north, but no females and not much activity on the beach! It was neat to see them struggling to get up the beach after they just arrived...rest, waddle, waddle, rest, waddle, waddle, rest...until they made it up with their buddies and really rested!

Love the sky! Thanks, Heather

willyAirstream - 1-10-2011 at 03:53 PM

Ken

*********************Terrific images*******************

Sticker - no need to but Photoshop, you can use open source software for free, does 99% of what PS does, as well as HDR. It is called Gimp.

bill erhardt - 1-11-2011 at 10:37 AM

Absolutely great photos, Ken! You are an artist indeed.

stimbo - 1-11-2011 at 02:39 PM

Nice Ken. I especially like the "painterly" feel of the harbor scene.