The International Kelp

Mexican Boys Carrying Giant Kelp Back to Tijuana, Border Field State Park, California

This is the strand of kelp featured in the previous blog post. After the kids finished looking at Brian Auer's camera, they ran over to the kelp and took it back home for a souvenir from America I suppose. I got a good laugh out of this and it is probably something I'll always be reminded of whenever I see kelp from now on.

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Border Field SP Seascape

Giant Kelp Seascape, Border Field State Park, California

It was actually a very pretty day out. The clouds were hovering off shore with clean air quality and a nice quality to the sunlight. In terms of the geological evolution of this planet, the U.S. / Mexican border situation is irrelevant; waves continue to crash, kelp washes ashore, birds migrate in winter, sand, water, clouds. All of the same stuff that was happening here before human inhabitation is still happening today.

The Tijuana Estuary is actually a pretty nice place to explore. I had photographed the Tijuana River National Wildlife Refuge almost two years ago and that is how I first found out about the Border Field State Park.

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Showing Off the Digital Camera, Border Field State Park

Photographer, Brian Auer Showing Mexican Kids Pictures on Digital Camera, Border Field State Park, California, USA

I was shooting some seascape photos of this big strand of giant kelp when Brian screamed, "Hey man turn around!" Then a split second later these Mexican kids showed up to look at his camera. I didn't see the kids come across but Brian said that they waved at him initially from the Playa de Tijuana side of the fence and when he waved back they surprised him by running over. All I know is that I turned around really fast and started shooting photos without thinking twice.

I would say that this was the lightest moment from the photo shoot.

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U.S. Border Fence

U.S. / Mexico Border, Border Field State Park, California

Border Field State Park is actually part of the Tijuana River Estuary Reserve. There are kelp strewn along the beach and a part of the beach roped off for snowy plovers. If it weren't for the complicated political situation, it would just be like any other beach.

We spoke to the border patrol agent for about a half an hour after this and he gave us the low down on what goes on here. It is true that many people trying to cross the border at night come in an attempt to provide a better life for their families but there are also a fair amount of misfits also; murderers, child rapists, Iranians, etc... I believe there was a European that waded off-shore in the ocean for hours trying to avoid getting caught. It wasn't until that he stumbled onto shore with hypothermia that he was apprehended. He was described as a normal-looking white guy but a background check revealed that the guy was wanted by Interpol in multiple countries.

Supposedly, the situation was worse a few years ago before the feds started to beef up security at Border Field State Park. Large groups in excess of 50 people would cross nightly and disperse into the neighborhoods of Imperial Beach. Once they cracked down on the illegal activities, the amount of people attempting to cross at night dwindled thus making Imperial Beach real estate values skyrocket.

The law enforcement situation was described as a cat and mouse game going on between the immigrants and the U.S. Border Patrol. When the feds seal off one area, the immigrants move onto other areas. In the news earlier this year there were even underground human smuggling tunnels in the Imperial County area.

Lost amongst all of this chaos is that there are legitimate families out there that have been split apart. I saw numerous families talking with loved ones at the fence near the parking lot. One large group even appeared to be having a family meal. I don't know what their situation is like but I couldn't help but feel a bit sad for these people as I was driving home at night on I-5.

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So Close Yet So Far, Border Field State Park

Welcome to Mexico Cell Phone Text Message

Last Saturday, La Jolla-based photographer Brian Auer and I went to photograph the U.S. border. Neither of us knew what to expect and turned out to be quite a surreal experience even while driving in.

Frustrated Mexican Man Grabbing Tijuana Mexico International Boundary Fence, Border Field State Park, California, USA

I said hello to this guy as I was standing next to the border fence then he started asking me how far San Diego was from there and then about Imperial Beach which was across the Tijuana Estuary. After I pointed out that San Diego was about 20 miles north of here, I asked him if I could take pictures of him. He agreed then instantly his previously upbeat demeanor transformed to what you see here. I wished him good luck once I finished taking my photos.

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Kiddie Rides, Santa Monica Pier

Arcade Kiddie Rides, Santa Monica Pier, California

I liked the light and contrast on the rides in front of the arcade. If I have kids someday I guess the next time I take a photo of this there will be a model-released kid on the ride. :-) Might as well get in all the photography adventures I possibly can before that day comes.

Within the next two weeks however, I should be a first-time uncle. My cousin Jackie, who just graduated from the University of Iowa this summer with a Masters in Public Health, grew up just a few miles from where I did so we were practically brothers and sisters growing up. Congrats Jackie and Antonio!

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Dinner at Sunset

Restaurants, Santa Monica Pier, California

I have a bit of a schizophrenic style of shooting pictures. Here is a good example of this. I got to Santa Monica Pier around 6:15 and was feeling weak from hunger. I walked up and down the pier twice shooting photos while looking to grab a bite before sunset at 7 p.m. By the time I got my burrito at the food stand on the bottom left corner of this picture, the sun was getting close to the horizon. I finished eating within ten minutes and ran back to my car (passing it twice because I forgot where it was) to grab a tripod. Then made it back up to the pier in time to get my sunset pictures right as the sun was setting.

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Santa Monica Pier Sunset

Tourist Watching Beach Sunset, Santa Monica Pier, Southern California

I photographed the sunset from the pier before walking up to the iconic neon entrance sign at dusk. As much as I like Northern California, I have to concede that beach weather is much more pleasant in Southern California at night.

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Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier Neon Sign Entrance, California

Yup. This is the world-famous Santa Monica Pier sign. I'd never had a chance to photograph this SoCal iconic landmark before while the neon lights were on so I took the opportunity to do so the other night since I was in Santa Monica for personal business. I have to admit that being the only photographer at such a well-worn tripod hole felt pretty satisfying.

The hard part about getting traffic light blurs was that cars would slow down for me not wanting to "ruin" my picture when in reality I wanted them to drive by really quick so I could create a sense of energy within the scene.

Santa Monica Pier was actually the furthest thing from my mind until I exhausted my other options. My intention was to shoot some more big waves at Leo Carrillo and do some sound gathering there. The tides weren't in my favor for that to happen however so not wanting to settle for pretty but run-of-the-mill seascapes, I stopped by Surfrider Beach to take a look at the Malibu Pier. I got the sense that locals were looking at me in the parking lot suspiciously (without a camera I might add) so I just went for a quick look at the beach before deciding that it wasn't worth the hassle (getting tossed into the surf by drunken celebrity-loving groupies and getting my gear smashed...) so I took off for the Santa Monica Pier just in time for a quick bite, the sunset, and to photograph an iconic landmark without any hassles.

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9-11 Memorial at Pepperdine University

American Flags 9-11 Memorial at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California

An impressive display of U.S. flags in tribute to those lost in the bombing of the Twin Towers. I caught this display on the front lawn of Pepperdine University as I was driving north on PCH so I had to stop and get my photos. I probably spent at least an hour here taking pictures.

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Gallery Slideshow

While updating my image archive today, I discovered that Photoshelter added a flash gallery slideshow feature so I put one together: Travel Gallery Slideshow

Click on the full screen tab for the best viewing experience.

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Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park

Oak Forest, Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park, California - September 8, 2008



Oak Tree Forest, Big Dalton Canyon Wilderness Park, California - July 9, 2008

I stopped by the local wilderness park on Monday night about twenty minutes before closing time just to try some sound gathering in the woods. I was pleasantly surprised to see some fall color developing. See the two pictures above for a comparison.

I was hoping to hear some animal calls because on a previous visit I saw my first black bear. I caught a glimpse of it darting across the road into the foliage as I drove by. I was also told by the ranger that someone reported a mountain lion sighting the day before that.

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Girls Having Fun, Venice Beach Drum Circle

White Girls Having Fun Dancing, Venice Beach Drum Circle, California



I went to Venice Beach again on Sunday to record some sound. The drum circle attracts a diverse group of people looking to have a good time. The two girls in the foreground were initially just dancing and playing around with the sand. Then they decided to get wild and starting putting it down each other's top.

This is what Venice Beach is really about. Not worrying about what anyone else thinks and just doing whatever the heck makes you feel good. To me this is what photography should be about.

28mm, f4.5, ISO 800, 1/50 sec.

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Griffith Observatory Planetarium

Griffith Observatory Planetarium, Los Angeles, California



There wasn't much of a view on Saturday night due to the marine layer but it was still nice to get onto the roof of Griffith Park Observatory. Judging from the long line waiting for the giant telescope, there were a lot of other people who agree.

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Public Star Party, Griffith Observatory

Saturday Night Public Star Party, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California



After last week's photo shoot at the Pasadena City Hall, I realized that words can only describe so much to the viewer. So in an effort to add to the viewer-experience on this website, I'm going to try adding ambient sound to my posts whenever possible. I picked up an Olympus DS-30 digital recorder from Radio Shack and briefly tested it at home before heading to the Griffith Observatory on Saturday night for the Los Angeles Astronomical Society Public Star Party.

I'm still experimenting to see which recording settings work best for different situations, but I got some good moments of dialogue with this astronomer explaining to me why half moon light is better for viewing details through a telescope than a full moon. The actual recording of this particular segment was nearly eight minutes long and I ended up with about six different sections that are usable. Perhaps I'll find a use for those other clips eventually.

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Pasadena City Hall Photo

Photo of U.S. Flag Hanging on Lamppost in Front of City Hall for Labor Day, Pasadena, California

I spent a lot of time in Pasadena when I was a kid because my grandparents raised my cousins and I while our parents were working. My mom and aunt worked for the city so I saw City Hall frequently. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in this country in my opinion. Judging from the amount of tourists that stop by here to take photos, I'm probably not the only one who believes this.

I've never seen it more beautiful than this past Saturday night. Since re-opening a year ago from the seismic retrofitting job, City Hall has been lit this way every night. Complimenting the scene, I could hear live salsa music playing at the Paseo Colorado outdoor mall, where they were giving the final free salsa dance lessons for the summer. Pasadena is definitely a happening place.

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Leo Carrillo SB Coastline

Wild Coastal Seascape at Leo Carrillo State Beach, Malibu, California

Water is the one subject that I never tire of photographing. It was a struggle to get sharp pictures of this scene because it was really windy combined with the long exposures. Since I don't have a cable release my options were to use my usual 10 second timer which wouldn't have worked in a situation like this were I needed precise timing, or to trip the shutter with my hands. Opting for the latter, I used "burst mode" at 0.8 sec to ensure that I got some usable frames. This was my favorite frame from this sequence and sharp I might add. My 2nd favorite was slightly blurry however.

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