Early on a recent afternoon in Pacific Grove, I saw a striking pattern of cirrus clouds over the ocean, so I grabbed my camera and headed to Ocean View Blvd. to look for a foreground. I knew about this gazebo, so I headed there first.
I then walked a short distance to this spot overlooking the rocky shoreline—same cloudscape, different foreground.
While trying to find a composition with these strongly lit rocks, a line of pelicans flew by, and I snapped a photo. Lines of pelicans are a common sight along this stretch of coastline.
On the next day, I was in Monterey, heading down Fisherman’s Wharf. Lit up by the sun in the east, Harbor House is at the entrance to the wharf.
Boats in the harbor can be just a clutter of masts, so I tried to find a clear subject to put under these wispy, high-altitude clouds.
Whenever I see good clouds, I put an orange or red filter on my film camera and venture out to shoot them in black and white. If I can find a good foreground, cloudscapes always make a good subject.
