Farallon Islands, photo by Harold Davis. Click to view larger version of this photo.

Considering all the rain we’ve had in the last two days, it’s easy to forget the long spell of clear and wonderful weather that preceded the rain.

This photo is from the bluffs near the Point Bonita lighthouse, taken only a couple of days ago. It’s one of the photos in the set with the sunset I posted recently.

The Farallons lie 27 miles west of the Golden Gate, across a windy, stormy stretch of open ocean–the Gulf of the Farallones. I seem to be photographing the ocean and coast surrounding the Gulf of the Farallones lately (for example, see Bolinas from Above).

These islands, actually the peaks of submerged mountains, are teaming with marine life–including, notoriously, great white sharks. It’s my plan to organize a trip out to the Farallons in the late spring or summer to photograph; but I have no desire to meet a great white (unlike some tourists who dive in shark cages just for that purpose).

Meta information: Nikon D70 Raw capture, AF-S VR-Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED at 200mm (appx 300mm 35mm equivalence); handheld using VR (vibration reduction).

Exif: ISO 200, 1/1250 second, f/3.2.

Focus: Automatic, at infinity.

Post: The Raw file for the photo was processed twice (once for the ocean and once for sky and clouds) and combined using a layer mask and a gradient. Once the layers were combined, I performed routine level adjustments and sharpening.