The beautiful cloudy skies of Fall

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

One of the reasons I love Spring and Fall in San Diego is the clouds. Not really the gray stratus layer that indicates rain is visiting for the whole day, but rather the cumulonimbus clouds that appear after the rain. When the light hits these big puffy marshmallow clouds just right, they are simply gorgeous. Add a little yellow from the fall’s leaves and some blue sky and this is what you get:

Big puffy white clouds after the rain in San Diego
Big puffy white clouds after the rain in San Diego

At night, clouds also make the sunset sights more interesting or even breathtaking. I love the mix of bluish grey clouds and the pink sky that often comes with a Fall sunset. These colors are look to soft to be real. Pink and gray really go well together, don’t you think?

Pink and gray sunset with clouds in San Diego
Pink and gray sunset with clouds in San Diego

As for a missed opportunity, the other day I saw something in the sky I’d never seen before. It looked like someone just took the liberty to paint the white clouds in the sky with thick brush strokes of dark gray. You could literally see the stroke marks! Unfortunately I was driving with no camera available so you’ll just have to close your eyes and imagine what it looked like. I hope I get the chance to capture such a sky one day. It would make for a very cool picture.

Zazzle 50% off coupon – today only

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Today only, until 4pm PST, you can use this coupon code 2012LASTFFHS at checkout to receive 50% off on many products in my nature photography store, including my 2013 photo calendar, posters, canvas prints and ornaments. Some of these items would make great Christmas gifts.

Zazzle displays products created by many artists, so even if you don’t buy something from me, you may find interesting items in other stores. Click on your country-specific link below to start your browsing. But remember, this coupon code is for today only!

My online stores:

– USA: http://www.zazzle.com/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Canada: http://www.zazzle.ca/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– UK: http://www.zazzle.co.uk/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Germany: http://www.zazzle.de/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– France: http://www.zazzle.fr/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Spain: http://www.zazzle.es/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Portugal: http://www.zazzle.pt/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Sweden: http://www.zazzle.se/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Netherlands: http://www.zazzle.nl/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Austria: http://www.zazzle.at/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Switzerland: http://www.zazzle.ch/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Belgium: http://www.zazzle.be/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Australia: http://www.zazzle.au/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– New Zealand: http://www.zazzle.nz/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Brazil: http://www.zazzle.br/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Japan: http://www.zazzle.jp/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

– Korea: http://www.zazzle.co.kr/photosofnature?rf=238605573727313755

WordPress weekly photo challenge: Green

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

For a nature photographer like me, green is a beautiful color, indicating vibrant life around me. Unfortunately living in Southern California means green is actually not a common sight. Any plant or grass growing in the winter starts green, only to turn yellow or brown by the time the summer sun starts its baking process. I’m lucky enough to live right by the San Diego River, which is heavily surrounded by poplars and their pretty green leaves. They’re turning yellow right now, and they’re just as pretty.

Remember you can click on most of the photos below to see a larger view of this WordPress weekly photo challenge: Green.

Here are a few examples of green I’ve encountered in Southern California. I’ll start with my very favorite, which I captured at Dos Picos State Park last spring. This green hue was so surreal, I felt I had just walked into a secret fairyland. I can’t wait to go back there next spring and hope to see similar sights. If you’re wondering what the purple blooms are in the back, it’s Ramona lilac. They make beautiful clusters of flowers, but alas no scent.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Green grass at Dos Picos State Park
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Green grass at Dos Picos State Park

I love the green lush surrounding this Stellar Jay bird, making its blue feathers stand out even more.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Green makes the blue of this Stellar Jay bird stand out
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Green makes the blue of this Stellar Jay bird stand out

Finally, you can find a lot of green in Southern California if you look by a source of water. Here are a few green plants, including ferns, that love water and shade. I took this photo in the small mountain town of Idyllwild, California, by Strawberry Creek, this past summer.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Green lush by Strawberry Creek in Idyllwild, California
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Green lush by Strawberry Creek in Idyllwild, California

Zazzle coupon code for 50% off my photo calendar – today only!

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

My 2013 12-month photo calendar is now available for sale on my Zazzle online store. Carrie at The Write Transition was my first guinea pig most appreciated customer to purchase a few of them and they arrived in her mailbox just a few days later.

Today only, Veteran’s Day, use code: 50VETDAYSALE at checkout and get my calendar for 50% off! You can also get 40% off my ornaments and 15% off on most other products. Visit my Zazzle store now.

If you’re looking to make a nice and unique gift to someone for the holidays, you’ll want to take a closer look. You can view every photo that makes up this 2013 photo calendar here.

I also sell a number of other products, including posters, mousepads, phone and Kindle cases, and coasters, so go over to check it out. This is the link for anyone located in the USA and wanted to ship any of my products within the US. If you live outside of the US, you can still view and purchase from my store by clicking on your country flag below.

Thank you for your support!

WordPress weekly photo challenge: Renewal

Zazzle online shop If you enjoy my photos and would like to purchase some, I want to thank you! Simply visit my Zazzle online shop and browse the product offerings. If there’s a photo you would like to purchase but don’t see it in my shop, please contact me by using the Contact form at the bottom of my home page and let me know which photos you are interested in purchasing, and in what format / medium.

Remember you can click on each photo below to see a larger view of it.

I find it interesting, not to say awkward, to choose “renewal” as a theme in November, when everything in nature is dying or falling asleep. So most of the photos I’m displaying here were taken at another time of the year.

Well, expect for this first one, which I took last fall after a rainstorm. The clouds were still quite grey but the sun rays did their best to light up the golden leaves of the poplars that live by the San Diego River. I love to watch the rain do its magic as it revives and replenishes the trees that have been thirsty for so long, giving them one last burst of energy before they go to sleep for the winter.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Renewal - after the rain
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Renewal – after the rain

The WordPress person who wrote the post on this weekly photo challenge suggested us to stay away from the stereotypical renewal of sunrises. Well, I love sunrises and they are inherently a sign of daily renewal. But I like moon rises  just as much, especially when they happen in the daylight. They remind us that day and night work together to bring constant renewal to the earth.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Renewal - moon rising over trees
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Renewal – moon rising over trees

I used the photo below for another photo challenge theme but I think it fits this one perfectly. This is a small pine tree growing out of the root of a seemingly dead tree. Nature knows best how to renew.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Renewal - new tree grows out of a dead tree
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Renewal – new tree grows out of a dead tree

Finally, nothing screams renewal more than brand new flowers in the spring. In this case, these are California wildflowers, which are also featured in my 2013 photo calendar.

Wordpress weekly photo challenge: Renewal - California wildflowers
WordPress weekly photo challenge: Renewal – California wildflowers

What is your idea of renewal?