Ivan Makarov Blog » santa teresa county park

The Peak of Light

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:58:39 +0000

This photo was taken just 6 minutes after the one I posted earlier. As I had my son with me, I couldn’t walk too far from the parking lot. I just set my tripod in the same spot, and kept turning it back. This kind of light was just about anywhere I looked.

This one was taken when color was at its peak. The sun went down right behind the oak tree, and this is where the color exploded the most or about 10 minutes after the sunset.

Nikon D300
42mm, 1/30 sec, f/16, ISO 200
No filters (silhouette was the intention)

Spring in Silicon Valley

admin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:06:51 +0000

Last Monday I got off work just in time to catch one of the more memorable sunsets I have seen here in Silicon Valley. I grabbed my son who wanted to catch some fresh air and headed for the county park behind our neighborhood. If you think you’ve seen this oak tree before, you’re right – it’s the same tree that’s located next to an important IBM R&D facility.

Even if I’ve been there many times before, this was actually the first time I shot in this park while the grass was still green. This color only happens for a few months in the winter and spring.

That’s the beauty of living in the SF Bay Area. All the big high tech companies have their headquarters in the midst of a beautiful nature and we enjoy warm weather all year around. Just last night I almost hit a coyote and two bobcats, within 30 seconds of each other, right here on the streets of San Jose.

Nikon D300
10mm, f/16, 1/15 sec, ISO200
Lee ND Grad 0.9+0.6

The Arrival

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:57:18 +0000

We’re in the middle of winter storms here in SF Bay Area.

Last week as the day was coming to an end, there was a short break right around the sunset time. I quickly grabbed my gear and headed out of the door to the nearby park that our house is close to. The color was there, but not spectacular, since there were too many low clouds. So I decided the scene is better suited for B&W. Standing there in this weather I couldn’t help but enjoy the fresh air that these storms bring. Next few weeks will also be the best time for landscape photography around here, as storms tend to clear the air and bring high clouds.

The nature is mean out there right now, but that’s expected for January. Please drive safely.

Nikon D300
1/20 sec, f/16, 24mm, 100 ISO
ND Grad 0.9 (3-stop)