I think most landscape photographers as well as artists of all types understand what it's like to be lost in your photography/art. Just you, your surroundings and your imagination lost in and focused on how to show a moment so others see and feel what you do. It can be magical sometimes and incredibly frustrating at others.

Last week I had a few days for only photography along California's Big Sur coast. Over the past 15-20 years I've had many day trips, but never the gift of being there for several days and only for photography (three cheers for retirement!!). Rains had come through Northern California a couple of weeks prior and there was a marine layer along the coast that, for the entire day, turned the day's sky into an enormous soft light box. A really perfect set of circumstances that made photographing in the beautiful redwood forests of the area ideal. The waters were flowing, the wind was almost nonexistent and the light was soft. Just doesn't get better and seldom happens...

The first venue I went to was Limekiln State Park, and I stayed there almost entirely. In 2008 fires raged through this park and essentially closed it for a couple of years. Slowly, through nature and the hard work of State Park personnel, Limekiln is now even more of a jewel than ever.  So I thought some of the photos accomplished the goals of the first paragraph. I hope you can feel the beauty and become lost inside the images... 

Always drawn to views that can be taken in by just sitting on a well placed bench. This one survived the 2008 fire:

Bench View, Limekiln State Park

The waterfall through the gorgeous redwood forest. Irresistible...

Redwood Forest Waterfall, Limekiln State Park

I went down to Julia Pfiefer State Beach to watch the sun set through the hole in the rocks, but there was no sun to see! This grove was simply glowing on the way out...

Sycamores, Julia Pfiefer State Beach

On the way home the next day, I stopped in at Limekiln for one last walk. This scene struck me as a bit symbolic of what the few days there were about (rejuvenating after burn out!)...

Fire Scar

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