Blue Whale Aerial Photo. Two blue whales, a mother and her calf, swim through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The calf is blowing (spouting, exhaling) with a powerful column of spray. Balaenoptera musculus.
Breaking wave, fast motion and blur. The Wedge, Newport Beach.
Half Dome and storm clouds at sunset, viewed from Sentinel Bridge.
Breaking wave, Moonlight Beach, Encinitas, morning, barrel shaped surf, California.
Cresting wave and morning sun, Carlsbad, California.
Brown pelican in flight at sunrise, La Jolla, Pelecanus occidentalis
Sunrise glints yellow on breaking wave at the Wedge
Giant kelp frond showing pneumatocysts which make the algae bouyant. Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island, California
A kelp forest with sunbeams passing through kelp fronds. Macrocystis pyrifera, San Clemente Island, California.
Vernal Falls at peak flow in late spring, with a rainbow appearing in the spray of the falls. Yosemite National Park.
Yosemite Valley Tunnel View, Storm clouds at sunset, Yosemite National Park
Oceanside Pier at dusk, sunset, night. Oceanside.
Yosemite Falls at peak flow in late spring, viewed from Cooks Meadow.
Golden barrel
Sunrise breaking wave, dawn surf.
Twiggy Baker, finals, Mavericks Surf Contest, 2006, Half Moon Bay, California.
Aspen trees display Eastern Sierra fall colors, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek Canyon.
Yosemite Falls and star trails, at night, viewed from Cook's Meadow, illuminated by the light of the full moon.
Breaking wave, morning, barrel shaped surf, California.
Bristlecone pine displays its characteristic gnarled, twisted form as it rises above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
Townsley Lake (10396'), a beautiful alpine lake sitting below blue sky, clouds and Fletcher Peak (right), lies amid the Cathedral Range of glacier-sculpted granite peaks in Yosemite's high country, near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp.
The Milky Way arches over Half Dome, and the Yosemite High Country, Yosemite National Park
Aerial photo of a blue whale. Blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive, aerial photo taken off the coast of California.
San Diego Bay and Skyline at sunset, viewed from Point Loma, panoramic photograph
Dune Evening Primrose bloom in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, during the 2017 Superbloom
Sky Rock Petroglyphs at Dawn, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California.
San Diego city skyline at sunset, showing the buildings of downtown San Diego rising above San Diego Harbor, viewed from Harbor Island. A panoramic photograph, composite of thirteen separate images.
Yosemite Falls and rainbow, Half Dome in distance, viewed from the Yosemite Falls trail, spring.
Childrens Pool Reef Exposed at Extreme Low Tide, La Jolla, California. Aerial panoramic photograph.
Approaching sunrise and star trails over the San Diego Downtown City Skyline. In this 60 minute exposure, stars create trails through the night sky over downtown San Diego.
Ancient bristlecone pine trees at night, under a clear night sky full of stars, lit by a full moon, near Patriarch Grove.
Stars and the Milky Way rise above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age.
San Diego Bay and Downtown City Skyline at Dawn, spectacular clouds light up over the city. Mount San Miguel in the distance.
San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, showing geologic terracing, underwater reefs and giant kelp forests
Half Dome and Clouds Rest, Sunset, Yosemite National Park
Ancient bristlecone pine trees at night, under a clear night sky full of stars, lit by a full moon, near Patriarch Grove.
Cathedral Range peaks reflected in the still waters of Townsley Lake at sunrise, high country near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp, Yosemite National Park.
The Milky Way at Night over Sky Rock. Sky Rock petroglyphs near Bishop, California. Hidden atop an enormous boulder in the Volcanic Tablelands lies Sky Rock, a set of petroglyphs that face the sky. These superb examples of native American petroglyph artwork are thought to be Paiute in origin, but little is known about them.
Supermoon Eclipse at Moonrise over San Diego, September 27 2015
Red Gorgonians form a lush colorful garden below a submarine arch, while two scuba divers pass through the opening to the cavern.
Red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Gorgonians are typically oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
The Kelp Forest and Rocky Reef of San Clemente Island. Giant kelp grows rapidly, up to 2' per day, from the rocky reef on the ocean bottom to which it is anchored, toward the ocean surface where it spreads to form a thick canopy. Myriad species of fishes, mammals and invertebrates form a rich community in the kelp forest. Lush forests of kelp are found throughout California's Southern Channel Islands
Wildflowers bloom across Carrizo Plains National Monument, during the 2017 Superbloom
The Kelp Forest and Rocky Reef of San Clemente Island. Giant kelp grows rapidly, up to 2' per day, from the rocky reef on the ocean bottom to which it is anchored, toward the ocean surface where it spreads to form a thick canopy. Myriad species of fishes, mammals and invertebrates form a rich community in the kelp forest. Lush forests of kelp are found throughout California's Southern Channel Islands
Rainbow and clearing storm clouds, sunrise light on Manly Beacon, Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.
Parasitic zoanthid anemones cover, encrust and overwhelm a golden gorgonian. The gorgonian on the left has been completely parasitized by zoanthid anemones, while the gorgonian to the right remains free of zoanthids (for now). A garibaldi swims below the two sea fans. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Panoramic photograph of Broken Hill and La Jolla from Torrey Pines at sunrise
Male elephant seal with considerable scarring from fighting other males for territory and mates. Central California. Mirounga angustirostris.
Downtown Los Angeles at night, street lights, buildings light up the night.
San Clemente Island aerial photo, Pyramid Head and Balanced Rock (China Hat) at the southern end of the island. San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, the distinctive pyramid shaped southern end of the island, exhibits distinctive geologic terracing, underwater reefs and giant kelp forests
Sunset light on Half Dome and Clouds Rest, Yosemite National Park
South Casa Cove and Childrens Pool sea wall, with tourist crowds at sunset on a low tide, La Jolla
Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe, aerial panoramic photo of the mouth of the bay, early morning
Sunrise over The Mount Soledad Cross, a landmark in La Jolla, California. The Mount Soledad Cross is a 29-foot-tall cross erected in 1954. Aerial photo
North Peak (12,242') rises over lower Conness Lake, its water colored deep blue-green by glacier runoff. Mount Conness (12,589') towers in the upper left. Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest
Mother and calf gray whale, aerial photo, embryonic folds visible on the very young calf
Cholla cactus, brittlebush, ocotillo and various cacti and wildflowers color the sides of Glorietta Canyon. Heavy winter rains led to a historic springtime bloom in 2005, carpeting the entire desert in vegetation and color for months.
Batiquitos Lagoon and Ponto, stormy sunset, aerial panoramic photograph.
Aspen trees cover Bishop Creek Canyon above Aspendel.
Clearing storm clouds over Broken Hill, overlooking La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean, Torrey Pines State Reserve
Owens Valley Radiotelescope Observatory 40 Meter Telescope and Milky Way, Night Panorama
Half Dome and sunset clouds, evening.
San Diego city skyline, dusk, clearing storm clouds.
Breaking wave, morning, barrel shaped surf, California.
El Capitan reflected in Merced River, Yosemite National Park. Seriously, take a close look, the image as presented here is upside down!
Waves rush in at sunset, Carlsbad beach sunset and ocean waves, seascape, dusk, summer.
Aerial photo of the San Diego Coronado Bridge, which links San Diego with Coronado Island.
Seacliffs, Torrey Pines State Reserve, La Jolla, aerial photo.
Aerial photo of the West End of Catalina Island
Bryozoan grows on a red gorgonian on rocky reef, below kelp forest, underwater. The red gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Lophogorgia chilensis, California.
Hotel del Coronado, Coronado Island, aerial photo.
Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status. In winter months, breeding adults assume a dramatic plumage.
Quarter Moon over Broken Hill, Torrey Pines State Reserve
Sailing stone on the Racetrack Playa. The sliding rocks, or sailing stones, move across the mud flats of the Racetrack Playa, leaving trails behind in the mud. The explanation for their movement is not known with certainty, but many believe wind pushes the rocks over wet and perhaps icy mud in winter
Mobius Arch in the Alabama Hills, seen here at night with swirling star trails formed in the sky above due to a long time exposure.
Vogelsang Peak (11516') at sunset, reflected in a small creek near Vogelsang High Sierra Camp in Yosemite's high country.
Milky Way over Tioga Lake, Yosemite National Park
Torrey Pines State Beach at Sunset, La Jolla, Mount Soledad and Blacks Beach in the distance
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Tree, storm front passing over White Mountains, sunset, panorama
The Wedge, Newport Beach, California.
Panoramic Photo of San Clemente Island, Sunrise, Pyramid Head
Two surfers at sunset, blood red dusk, Encinitas.
Upper Yosemite Falls and lunar rainbow, moonbow. A lunar rainbow (moonbow) can be seen to the left of Yosemite Falls, where the moon illuminates the spray of the falls.
Sunset at San Clemente Island, south end showing Pyramid Head. Panoramic photo.
New Point Loma Lighthouse, situated on the tip of Point Loma Peninsula, marks the entrance to San Diego Bay. The lighthouse rises 70' and was built in 1891 to replace the ""old"" Point Loma Lighthouse which was often shrouded in fog.
Red gorgonian and California golden gorgonian on underwater rocky reef, San Clemente Island. The golden gorgonian is a filter-feeding temperate colonial species that lives on the rocky bottom at depths between 50 to 200 feet deep. Each individual polyp is a distinct animal, together they secrete calcium that forms the structure of the colony. Gorgonians are oriented at right angles to prevailing water currents to capture plankton drifting by.
Aerial photo of Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach.
Eureka Valley Dune Evening Primrose. A federally endangered plant, Oenothera californica eurekensis is a perennial herb that produces white flowers from April to June. These flowers turn red as they age. The Eureka Dunes evening-primrose is found only in the southern portion of Eureka Valley Sand Dunes system in Indigo County, California.
Sunset on the Last Chance Mountain Range, seen from Eureka Valley Sand Dunes.
San Diego City Skyline at Sunrise
Sunrise in Joshua Tree National Park.
Mobius Arch at sunrise, with Mount Whitney (the tallest peak in the continental United States), Lone Pine Peak and snow-covered Sierra Nevada Range framed within the arch. Mobius Arch is a 17-foot-wide natural rock arch in the scenic Alabama Hills Recreational Area near Lone Pine, California.
The Botanical Building in Balboa Park, San Diego. The Botanical Building, at 250 feet long by 75 feet wide and 60 feet tall, was the largest wood lath structure in the world when it was built in 1915 for the Panama-California Exposition. The Botanical Building, located on the Prado, west of the Museum of Art, contains about 2,100 permanent tropical plants along with changing seasonal flowers. The Lily Pond, just south of the Botanical Building, is an eloquent example of the use of reflecting pools to enhance architecture. The 193' by 43' foot pond and smaller companion pool were originally referred to as Las Lagunas de las Flores (The Lakes of the Flowers) and were designed as aquatic gardens. The pools contain exotic water lilies and lotus which bloom spring through fall
Downtown Los Angeles at night, street lights, buildings light up the night.
Hospital Point, La Jolla, dawn, sunrise light and approaching storm clouds.
Cormorants and sea lions on Seal Rock, at night, waves lit by full moon.
A fiery sunrise explodes over the La Jolla coastline.
Aerial Photo of Point La Jolla and Scripps Park, La Jolla Coastline
La Jolla Sunset
Ancient bristlecone pine tree, rising above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level, along the Methuselah Walk. The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
Underwater sand and boulders, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Split view of Trees and Underwater Boulders, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Split view of Trees and Underwater Boulders, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Underwater Light and Sand, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Wildflowers bloom across Carrizo Plains National Monument, during the 2017 Superbloom
Wildflowers bloom across Carrizo Plains National Monument, during the 2017 Superbloom
Laguna Beach Coastline including Views South to Three Arch Bay, Aerial Photo
Torrey Pines Golf Course over looking Blacks Beach and the Pacific Ocean, south course, summer, afternoon.
Goldfish Point and La Jolla Caves aerial photograph, La Jolla.
Del Mar Beach at Sunset, northern San Diego County
El Capitan reflection mirrored in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park
Coastal Redwoods, Northern California
Mount Conness (12,589') over Lower Conness Lake, Hoover Wilderness
Sunset and boulders, Joshua Tree National Park, panorama.
Black oaks in autumn in Yosemite National Park, fall colors, Quercus kelloggii
Stone Steps Beach at Sunset, Aerial Panorama, Encinitas, California
Surfers at La Jolla Shores Beach, aerial photo
Very Long Baseline Array Radiotelescope and Milky Way, Owens Valley, California
Roosevelt elk, adult bull male with large antlers. This bull elk has recently shed the velvet that covers its antlers. While an antler is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone; once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler, which is itself shed after each mating season. Roosevelt elk grow to 10' and 1300 lb, eating grasses, sedges and various berries, inhabiting the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Ancient bristlecone pine trees in Patriarch Grove, display characteristic gnarled, twisted form as it rises above the arid, dolomite-rich slopes of the White Mountains at 11000-foot elevation. Patriarch Grove, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
Sunrise Clouds and Surf, Hospital Point, La Jolla
Broken Hill and view to La Jolla, panoramic photograph, from Torrey Pines State Reserve, sunrise
Childrens Pool Reef Exposed at Extreme Low Tide, Aerial View, La Jolla, California. Aerial panoramic photograph.
Boulders and sunset in Joshua Tree National Park. The warm sunlight gently lights unusual boulder formations at Jumbo Rocks in Joshua Tree National Park, California.
Racetrack Playa, an ancient lake now dried and covered with dessicated mud.
San Diego Sheraton Hotel on San Diego Bay, at dawn
Joshua Trees silhouetted against predawn sunrise light.
Joshua Tree National Park, Milky Way and Moon, Shooting Star, Comet Panstarrs, Impending Dawn.
The Milky Way Galaxy shines in the night sky with a Joshua Tree silhouetted in the foreground.
Live Oak and Milky Way, rocks and stars, Joshua Tree National Park at night
Blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive, aerial photo. Redondo Beach, California. Balaenoptera musculus.
Eureka Dunes. The Eureka Valley Sand Dunes are California's tallest sand dunes, and one of the tallest in the United States. Rising 680' above the floor of the Eureka Valley, the Eureka sand dunes are home to several endangered species, as well as ""singing sand"" that makes strange sounds when it shifts. Located in the remote northern portion of Death Valley National Park, the Eureka Dunes see very few visitors.
Star trails and Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park
Lophogorgia chilensis, red gorgonian, grows below a towering forest of giant kelp, San Clemente Island, California.
Kelp fronds and pneumatocysts. Pneumatocysts, gas-filled bladders, float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface and sunlight, where the leaf-like blades and stipes of the kelp plant grow fastest. Giant kelp can grow up to 2' in a single day given optimal conditions. Epic submarine forests of kelp grow throughout California's Southern Channel Islands.
Half Dome and the Glacier Point Road, Yosemite National Park
The Milky Way galaxy arcs above Arch Rock in Joshua Tree National Park in this high resolution panoramic photograph.
Roosevelt elk, adult bull male with large antlers. This bull elk has recently shed the velvet that covers its antlers. While an antler is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone; once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler, which is itself shed after each mating season. Roosevelt elk grow to 10' and 1300 lb, eating grasses, sedges and various berries, inhabiting the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
A sliding rock of the Racetrack Playa. The sliding rocks, or sailing stones, move across the mud flats of the Racetrack Playa, leaving trails behind in the mud. The explanation for their movement is not known with certainty, but many believe wind pushes the rocks over wet and perhaps icy mud in winter.
Waves rush in at sunset, Carlsbad beach sunset and ocean waves, seascape, dusk, summer.
Paraglider soaring at Torrey Pines Gliderport, sunset, flying over the Pacific Ocean.
Greenstone Lake and North Peak, Hoover Wilderness
Blacks Beach and Mushroom House, aerial photo
Childrens Pool Reef Exposed at Extreme Low King Tide, La Jolla, California. Aerial panoramic photograph.
Los Penasquitos Lagoon and Torrey Pines State Beach, aerial photo
Del Mar Beach at Sunset, northern San Diego County
Parry's Nolina, Nolina parryi, Joshua Tree National Park.
Sunset light on the face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
Surf breaks in shallow water, Carlsbad
California Poppies, Elsinore
Laguna Beach Coastline including Views South to Three Arch Bay, Aerial Photo
Boulders underwater, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Fletcher Cove and Solana Beach Aerial Photo, aerial panorama of Pillbox and Solana Beach coastline
Aerial Photo of Point La Jolla and Scripps Park, La Jolla Coastline
La Jolla Caves and Coastline, Goldfish Point, Aerial Panoramic Photo
Sunlight and sand ripples, Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe
Milky Way over Tenaya Lake, Polly Dome (left), Tenaya Peak (center), Yosemite National Park
Aerial photo of blue whale, Los Angeles, California.
Milky Way over Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Inyo National Forest
Milky Way over Ancient Bristlecone Pine Trees, Inyo National Forest
Balboa Pier, sunrise
Full Moon rising over San Diego City Skyline, viewed from Harbor Island
Abalone Point and Cameo Cove, Laguna Beach, Aerial Photo
Gray whale blowing at the ocean surface, exhaling and breathing as it prepares to dive underwater.
Black oaks in autumn in Yosemite National Park, fall colors, Quercus kelloggii
Oceanside Pier at Dawn
La Quinta and Coachella Valley, aerial view, panorama
Boat Horizon at San Clemente Island
Swamis Reef viewed from above, Encinitas, California
Boat Horizon at San Clemente Island
Solana Beach and Del Mar dog beach, aerial panoramic photo
Boat Horizon at San Clemente Island, anchored near Balanced Rock and Pyramid Cove point
San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina, and Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel (left) viewed from the San Diego Embarcadero Marine Park, sunrise
Amtrak train over San Elijo Lagoon, Encinitas
Cascade Lake near Lake Tahoe, aerial photo
San Elijo Lagoon aerial photo, panorama
Sunrise over The Mount Soledad Cross, a landmark in La Jolla, California. The Mount Soledad Cross is a 29-foot-tall cross erected in 1954. Aerial photo.
Fletcher Cove and Pillbox Beach at sunset, panoramic aerial photograph
Sunset and King Tide on Del Mar Beach, Dog Beach, Solana Beach, looking north into North County San Diego
Brown pelican. This large seabird has a wingspan over 7 feet wide. The California race of the brown pelican holds endangered species status, due largely to predation in the early 1900s and to decades of poor reproduction caused by DDT poisoning. In winter months, breeding adults assume a dramatic plumage with brown neck, yellow and white head and bright red gular throat pouch.
Milky Way over Joshua Tree National Park
San Diego Bay and City Skyline at Sunrise, Mount San Miguel, viewed from Point Loma
Eureka Dunes. The Eureka Valley Sand Dunes are California's tallest sand dunes, and one of the tallest in the United States. Rising 680' above the floor of the Eureka Valley, the Eureka sand dunes are home to several endangered species, as well as ""singing sand"" that makes strange sounds when it shifts. Located in the remote northern portion of Death Valley National Park, the Eureka Dunes see very few visitors.
The Grizzly Giant Sequoia Tree in Yosemite. Giant sequoia trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum), roots spreading outward at the base of each massive tree, rise from the shaded forest floor. Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park.
Children's Pool and Lifeguard Station, at dawn with Torrey Pines in the distance
Milky Way over Joshua Tree National Park at Astronomical Twilight
Tufa and Stars at Night, Milky Way galaxy
Brittlebush at sunrise, dawn, springtime bloom, Palm Canyon, Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Cathedral Rocks is reflected at sunrise in a sidewater of the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California.
Sunrise in Joshua Tree National Park, Yucca brevifolia.
A freediving underwater photographer hovers above jellyfish Phacellophora camtschatica and salp chain Cyclosalpa affinis, drifting in the open ocean, San Diego, California.
Vernal Falls and Merced River in complete spring flood, heavy flow due to snow melt in the high country above Yosemite Valley.
Jumbo Rocks, boulders, Joshua Tree National Park.
Marble boulders and fading light, sunset.
Pacific harbor seal on wet sandy beach.
Gray whale, blow.
Salt polygons. After winter flooding, the salt on the Badwater Basin playa dries into geometric polygonal shapes.
Dried mud, arid land, Eureka Valley.
The International Space Station flys over Death Valley shortly after sunset.
California sea lion hauled out on rocks beside the ocean.
Mammoth Peak over Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park
Racetrack Playa, an ancient lake now dried and covered with dessicated mud.
Half Dome reflected in the Merced River
Sunset over the Racetrack Playa. The Cottonwood Mountains rise above the flat, dry, ancient lake bed.
A hiker admires an ancient bristlecone pine tree, on the Methuselah Walk in the Schulman Grove in the White Mountains at an elevation of 9500 above sea level. The oldest bristlecone pines in the world are found in the Schulman Grove, some of them over 4700 years old. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
Milky Way at Night over Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park
Racetrack sailing stone and star trails. A sliding rock of the Racetrack Playa. The sliding rocks, or sailing stones, move across the mud flats of the Racetrack Playa, leaving trails behind in the mud. The explanation for their movement is not known with certainty, but many believe wind pushes the rocks over wet and perhaps icy mud in winter
Stone Steps Beach at Sunset, Aerial Panorama, Encinitas, California
Star trails appear over Yosemite Falls in this 40 minute time exposure, Yosemite Valley, California.
Upper Yosemite Falls is reflected in a flooded meadow created by heavy spring water levels in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California.
Mount Conness and North Peak over middle Conness Lake, Hoover Wilderness
Sunrise, Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia
Freediving photographer in a cloud of salps, gelatinous zooplankton that drifts with open ocean currents.
A sea otter, resting on its back, holding its paw out of the water for warmth. While the sea otter has extremely dense fur on its body, the fur is less dense on its head, arms and paws so it will hold these out of the cold water to conserve body heat.
Juniper and star trails.
Paraglider soaring at Torrey Pines Gliderport, sunset, flying over the Pacific Ocean.
Mammoth Peak (12,117') reflected in small tarn pond at sunrise, viewed from meadows near Tioga Pass.
Dune primrose (white) and sand verbena (purple) bloom in spring in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, mixing in a rich display of desert color. Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Zabriskie Point, sunrise. Manly Beacon rises in the center of an eroded, curiously banded area of sedimentary rock, with the Panamint Mountains visible in the distance.
A view of an underwater forest of giant kelp. Giant kelp grows rapidly, up to 2' per day, from the rocky reef on the ocean bottom to which it is anchored, toward the ocean surface where it spreads to form a thick canopy. Myriad species of fishes, mammals and invertebrates form a rich community in the kelp forest. Lush forests of kelp are found through California's Southern Channel Islands.
Oceanside Pier at Dawn
Barrel cactus, brittlebush and wildflowers color the sides of Glorietta Canyon. Heavy winter rains led to a historic springtime bloom in 2005, carpeting the entire desert in vegetation and color for months.
Falling bluffs and reinforcements, buttressing, Encinitas and Leucadia. These bluffs are coming down, its only a matter of time, but residents spend to prop up the bluffs and keep their homes from falling into the ocean.
Cathedral Rocks at sunrise, reflected in a spring meadow flooded by the Merced River.
Red barrel flower bloom, cactus detail, spines and flower on top of the cactus, Glorietta Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Brittlebush, ocotillo and various cacti and wildflowers color the sides of Glorietta Canyon. Heavy winter rains led to a historic springtime bloom in 2005, carpeting the entire desert in vegetation and color for months.
San Elijo Lagoon Aerial Photo, Encinitas, California
California Poppies, Rancho La Costa, Carlsbad
Manhattan Beach Pier at sunset
A giant sequoia tree soars skyward from the forest floor. Sequoiadendron giganteum. Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park.
Sandstone cliffs rise above the beach at Torrey Pines State Reserve.
Unicorn Peak at sunset, seen from Tuolumne Meadows. Cockscomb Peak rises in the distance.
Joshua Tree at night with full moon.
Camp Pendleton, Pacific coastline, north of San Diego county and the city of Oceanside. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Evening light and clouds over ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, some exceeding 4000 years in age.
Stars, moonlit clouds and the Milky Way over ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, some exceeding 4000 years in age.
Arid and barren mud flats, dried mud, with the tall Eureka Dunes in the distance.
Full Moon Rising over Hotel del Coronado, known affectionately as the Hotel Del. It was once the largest hotel in the world, and is one of the few remaining wooden Victorian beach resorts. It sits on the beach on Coronado Island, seen here with downtown San Diego in the distance. It is widely considered to be one of Americas most beautiful and classic hotels. Built in 1888, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.
Mammoth Peak and alpine meadows in the High Sierra are reflected in Tioga Lake at sunrise. This spectacular location is just a short walk from the Tioga Pass road. Near Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite National Park.
Three Arch Bay, Mussel Cove and Three Arch Rock, Laguna Beach Coastline, Aerial Photo
Sky Rock Petroglyphs, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California.
Eureka Dunes. The Eureka Dunes are California's tallest sand dunes, and one of the tallest in the United States. Rising 680' above the floor of the Eureka Valley, the Eureka sand dunes are home to several endangered species, as well as ""singing sand"" that makes strange sounds when it shifts.
Lonely road, Death Valley.
Eroded hillsides near Zabriskie Point and Gower Wash.
Mammoth Peak over Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park
Sunrise at Zabriskie Point, Manly Beacon is lit by the morning sun while dark clouds lie on the horizon.
Sunset on North Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada, autumn.
Gray whales traveling south to Mexico during their winter migration. The annual migration of the California gray whale is the longest known migration of any mammal, 10,000 to 12,000 miles from the Bering Sea to Baja California.
Ferns grow below coastal redwood and Douglas Fir trees, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park. The coastal redwood, or simply 'redwood', is the tallest tree on Earth, reaching a height of 379' and living 3500 years or more. It is native to coastal California and the southwestern corner of Oregon within the United States, but most concentrated in Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, found close to the coast where moisture and soil conditions can support its unique size and growth requirements.
Convict Lake sunrise reflection, Sierra Nevada mountains.
Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skims the ocean surface.
Dune primrose (white) and sand verbena (purple) bloom in spring in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, mixing in a rich display of desert color. Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Giant redwood, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park. The coastal redwood, or simply 'redwood', is the tallest tree on Earth, reaching a height of 379' and living 3500 years or more. It is native to coastal California and the southwestern corner of Oregon within the United States, but most concentrated in Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, found close to the coast where moisture and soil conditions can support its unique size and growth requirements.
Fletcher Peak is reflected in Vogelsang Lake at sunset viewed from near summit of Vogelsang Peak.
San Clemente Island, aerial photo, steep cliffs and mountainous terrain on the south eastern shore of the island.
Tufa and Stars at Night, Milky Way galaxy
The Bachelor and Three Graces. Giant sequoia trees (Sequoiadendron giganteum), roots spreading outward at the base of each massive tree, rise from the shaded forest floor. Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park.
Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Projects, moving turbines lit by the rising sun,
Balboa Pier, sunrise
Wind turbines, rise above the flat floor of the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs, with snow covered Mount San Jacinto in the background, provide electricity to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley.
Yucca brevifolia.
Devil's Postpile, a spectacular example of columnar basalt. Once molten and under great pressure underground, the lava that makes up Devil's Postpile cooled evenly and slowly, contracting and fracturing into polygonal-sided columns. The age of the formation is estimated between 100 and 700 thousand years old. Sometime after the basalt columns formed, a glacier passed over the formation, cutting and polishing the tops of the columns. The columns have from three to seven sides, varying because of differences in how quickly portions of the lava cooled.
Stars trails above ancient bristlecone pine trees, in the White Mountains at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age.
A walking path through Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park. The coastal redwood, or simply 'redwood', is the tallest tree on Earth, reaching a height of 379' and living 3500 years or more. It is native to coastal California and the southwestern corner of Oregon within the United States, but most concentrated in Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, found close to the coast where moisture and soil conditions can support its unique size and growth requirements.
Mammoth Peak over Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass, Yosemite National Park
North Lake alpenglow sunrise, Autumn, panorama, Bishop Creek Canyon, California, USA
Sunrise and storm clouds over Convict Lake and Laurel Mountain, Eastern Sierra Nevada, California.
The La Jolla Coast, sometimes referred to as the Riviera of San Diego, is some of the most beautiful residental coastline in all of Southern California.
Black Oaks below El Capitan, Quercus kelloggii, El Capitan meadow, Yosemite Valley
Tenaya Peak and Tenaya Lake lie below spring clouds in Yosemite National Park's high country. Yosemite National Park.
Black Oaks below El Capitan, Quercus kelloggii, El Capitan meadow, Yosemite Valley
The Milky Way galaxy above Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, night star field exposure.
Explosion of California Poppies, San Diego.
Main Street buildings, Dechambeau Hotel (left) and I.O.O.F. Hall (right).
Sunset and boulders, Joshua Tree National Park. Sunset lights the giant boulders and rock formations near Jumbo Rocks in Joshua Tree N.P.
Coast Highway 101, looking south from Del Mar, with Los Penasquitos Marsh on the left and the cliffs of Torrey Pines State Reserve and La Jolla in the distance.
Angel Moroni trumpeting atop the San Diego California Temple, the Mormon Temple in La Jolla, California.
View from Summit of Mount Hoffmann, Ten Lakes Basin at lower left, looking northeast toward remote northern reaches of Yosemite National Park, panorama
Point Loma peninsula, with scalloped sandstone cliffs edging the Pacific Ocean, looking south. Navy facilities are scattered along this section of Point Loma.
Mount Whitney, this highest point in the contiguous United States (14,505').
Aerial Photo of Avalon and Catalina Island.
Roosevelt elk, adult bull male with large antlers. Roosevelt elk grow to 10' and 1300 lb, eating grasses, sedges and various berries, inhabiting the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Crystal Pier with holiday decorations at sunset, Pacific Beach, California
Wildflowers bloom across Carrizo Plains National Monument, during the 2017 Superbloom
Wildflowers along the La Jolla Cove cliffs, sunrise
San Clemente Island Pyramid Head, the distinctive pyramid shaped southern end of the island.
Torrey Pines State Reserve, Broken Hill at Dawn
Los Angeles Convention Center, south hall, interior design exhibiting exposed space frame steel beams and glass enclosure.
Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs reflected in the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River, Yosemite National Park, California.
Joshua tree and stars, moonlit night. The Joshua Tree is a species of yucca common in the lower Colorado desert and upper Mojave desert ecosystems.
UCSD Library glows at sunset (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library).
Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Projects, moving turbines lit by the rising sun,
Sage brush and aspen trees, autumn, in the shade of Bishop Creek Canyon in the Sierra Nevada.
Ocotillo Wind Energy Turbines, at night with stars and the Milky Way in the sky above, the moving turbine blades illuminated by a small flashlight.
Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Projects, moving turbines lit by the rising sun,
The Morro Bay Power Plant, with its distinctive three stacks, rises above fishing boats in Morro Bay harbor. Morro Bay, California.
Ancient bristlecone pine trees in the White Mountains, at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age.
Ancient bristlecone pine tree in the White Mountains, at an elevation of 10,000' above sea level. These are some of the oldest trees in the world, reaching 4000 years in age.
Merced River reflections and textures, Yosemite Valley.
Sunrise lights Telescope Peak as it rises over the salt flats of Badwater, Death Valley. At 11,049 feet, Telescope Peak is the highest peak in the Panamint Range as well as the highest point in Death Valley National Park. At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater is the lowest point in North America.
A large natural sea cave lies below a sandstone bluff in La Jolla at sunrise with a pink sky, Black's Beach in the distant.
A double rainbow forms in storm clouds over Swall Meadows and Round Valley, at sunrise in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, California.
Lathe Arch and Lone Pine Peak, sunrise.
UCSD Library glows with light in this night time exposure (Geisel Library, UCSD Central Library).
Sunrise at Zabriskie Point, Manly Beacon is lit by the morning sun while clouds from a clearing storm pass by.
Clusters of desert poppy climb the steep sides of the Borrego Valley. Heavy winter rains led to a historic springtime bloom in 2005, carpeting the entire desert in vegetation and color for months.
Barber shop, front porch and facade, Main Street.
Wagon and interior of County Barn, Brown House and Moyle House in distance.
North Peak (12242', center), Mount Conness (left, 12589') and Conness Lake with its green glacial meltwater, Hoover Wilderness
Tenaya Lake in Yosemite National Park's high country, with Pywiack Dome, Medlicott Dome and Mount Conness in the distance.
Cholla cactus, sunrise, dawn, Palm Canyon, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Devils Golf Course, California. Evaporated salt has formed into gnarled, complex crystalline shapes in on the salt pan of Death Valley National Park, one of the largest salt pans in the world. The shapes are constantly evolving as occasional floods submerge the salt concretions before receding and depositing more salt.
Dune primrose blooms in spring following winter rains. Dune primrose is a common ephemeral wildflower on the Colorado Desert, growing on dunes. Its blooms open in the evening and last through midmorning. Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Downtown Los Angeles at night, street lights, buildings light up the night.
Torrey Pines seacliffs, rising up to 300 feet above the ocean, stretch from Del Mar to La Jolla. On the mesa atop the bluffs are found Torrey pine trees, one of the rare species of pines in the world.
Star trails over Yosemite Valley, viewed from Tunnel View, the floor of Yosemite Valley illuminated by a full moon. El Capitan on left, Bridalveil Falls on right, Half Dome in distant center.
A Sierra Nevada Peak reflected in small tarn (pond), near Tioga Pass. Yosemite National Park.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography research pier is 1090 feet long and was built of reinforced concrete in 1988, replacing the original wooden pier built in 1915. The Scripps Pier is home to a variety of sensing equipment above and below water that collects various oceanographic data. The Scripps research diving facility is located at the foot of the pier. Fresh seawater is pumped from the pier to the many tanks and facilities of SIO, including the Birch Aquarium. The Scripps Pier is named in honor of Ellen Browning Scripps, the most significant donor and benefactor of the Institution.
Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River, near Tioga Pass.
Sand Dunes, California. Near Stovepipe Wells lies a region of sand dunes, some of them hundreds of feet tall.
Ripples in sand dunes at sunset, California. Winds reshape the dunes each day. Early morning walks among the dunes can yield a look at sidewinder and kangaroo rats tracks the nocturnal desert animals leave behind.
Tufa towers rise from Mono Lake. Tufa towers are formed when underwater springs rich in calcium mix with lakewater rich in carbonates, forming calcium carbonate (limestone) structures below the surface of the lake. The towers were eventually revealed when the water level in the lake was lowered starting in 1941. South tufa grove, Navy Beach.
Morro Rock and Morro Bay.
Giant redwood, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park. The coastal redwood, or simply 'redwood', is the tallest tree on Earth, reaching a height of 379' and living 3500 years or more. It is native to coastal California and the southwestern corner of Oregon within the United States, but most concentrated in Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California, found close to the coast where moisture and soil conditions can support its unique size and growth requirements.
Torrey Pines Golf Course, the North course, with the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
Torrey Pines seacliffs, rising up to 300 feet above the ocean, stretch from Del Mar to La Jolla. On the mesa atop the bluffs are found Torrey pine trees, one of the rare species of pines in the world.
Sunset, planet Venus and stars over Sky Rock. Sky Rock petroglyphs near Bishop, California. Hidden atop an enormous boulder in the Volcanic Tablelands lies Sky Rock, a set of petroglyphs that face the sky. These superb examples of native American petroglyph artwork are thought to be Paiute in origin, but little is known about them.
San Diego Skyline at sunset, North Harbor Drive running along the waterfront, high rise office buildings, with cruise ship terminal (right).
Camp Pendleton boat basin and coastline, viewed looking north. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Catalina Island and mountainous terrain on the weather (southeast) side of the island.
Pacific Beach, Crystal Pier and Mission Bay, looking south. Downtown San Diego is seen in the distance.
Interstate 805, rushhour traffic at sunset, looking north with the hills of Camp Pendleton and Oceanside in the distance.
Golden Gate Bridge, viewed from the Marin Headlands with the city of San Francisco in the distance. Late afternoon.
Giant Sequoia tree.
Downtown San Diego bayfront, Marina District, with the USS Midway Navy aircraft carrier (right), cruise ship terminal (left) and high rise office buildings towering over North Harbor Drive along San Diego Bay.
Piedras Blancas lighthouse. Completed in 1875, the 115-foot-tall Piedras Blancas lighthouse is one of the few tall-style lighthouses on the West Coast of the United States. Piedras Blancas, named for a group of three white rocks just offshore, is north of San Simeon, California very close to Hearst Castle.