China Beach in China Cove: Point Lobos

Okay…so yesterday I spent 4 hours back at Point Lobos. I stopped on the way down for some wildlife shots with the new PhotoScope, so it was 10:30 by the time I got there and the fog was already rolling across the point. Still, there is no such thing as a bad day at Point Lobos. It is just too scenic…too photogenic. The fog offshore and showing at any distance, certainly closing the horizons, was off set by the bright sun where it got through, lighting the foreground of shots and creating a somewhat more intimate feeling.

And, as a bonus, they have repaired the stairway down into China Cove to China Beach. This area was closed last year when I visited, so, of course, I climbed down. I have several keepers from beach level. This one, with the variety of shades and colors in the water, the fog visible against the blue sky, the stark cliffs, and the red and green vegetation, captures at least one essence, new to me, of China Cove.

Sony DSC H50 at 31mm equivalent. F5.6 @ 1/400 @ ISO 100. Programed auto.

Recovery in Lightroom to bring up detail in the fog blanket and darken the sky. A bit of Fill Light for the cliff shadows. Added Clarity and Vibrance brought up the texture, and especially the colors in the water. Sharpen landscape preset.

From Monterey Bay 09.