My Trip to California (Lots of Pics)

[Mitsu3000gt]

Once again I decided to make my own thread rather than crowd the "Post Your Latest Picture" thread with too many pictures because I have a lot. From Feb 9-15 I was in California (San Diego and surrounding area) and I thought I'd post a random assortment of pictures now that I have started to go through them all.

For those who care, all pics taken with D300 + 70-200 VR II, 300/4, Sigma 105/2.8 Macro, and Sigma 18-50/2.8. A few taken with my Canon S95 P&S which I have labelled.

San Diego Harbor Area:

All harbor pics taken with Canon S95 except the pano

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Harbor/IMG0101/1191486861_7BcUc-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Harbor/IMG0097/1191488199_sqSr5-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Harbor/IMG0089/1191488882_JtMbv-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Harbor/IMG0084/1191491430_d8PTq-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Harbor/Harbor-Pano-1/1191496636_mJoBS-X3.jpg

Sea World:

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0075/1194530870_ZyAJf-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0218/1194547405_djGGb-XL.jpg

Apparently this is the only performing Pilot Whale in the world:
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0285/1194552288_6w98c-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0302/1194558350_c2ybZ-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0308/1194562878_ypfvt-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0329/1194564712_G77n3-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0346/1194569101_uGVuP-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0404/1194580077_WjEU7-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0426/1194584522_eq6es-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0511/1194596153_oyWEM-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0547/1194596529_GVxZb-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK9991/1194599991_PCbyk-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0029/1194605786_aLEbt-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Sea-World/NIK0074/1194608695_ZsuuF-XL.jpg

[Mitsu3000gt]

San Diego Zoo:

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1194/1191693601_i6NvU-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0593/1191694612_3ySwE-XL.jpg

Otter getting as filthy as possible:
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0607/1191697110_ZvzkX-XL.jpg

Grizzly
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0622/1191697417_fG9Nf-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0669/1191702652_RfjVM-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0685/1191703369_6T4VM-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0771/1191703717_3BVCd-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0789/1191704258_RmQ2G-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0801/1191705828_9AEeW-XL.jpg

[Mitsu3000gt]

King Cobra...(I waited so long for it to stand up but it didn't lol)
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0842/1191709117_VC6uu-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0850crop/1191709828_7Diyj-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0846/1191709888_VYVUM-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0897/1191713519_AUAWi-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0907/1191715349_VdLn2-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0904/1191715610_VHExR-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0920/1191719347_W67Hw-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0918/1191719807_nWRrf-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0928/1191721418_ukgku-XL.jpg

Humming Bird:
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN0956/1191722961_nBz24-XL.jpg

This guy was about 1.5" tall only:
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1051/1191727084_DmLKt-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1033/1191726176_NcpP3-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1094/1191729592_bkvSK-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1134/1191731536_ZoEfp-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1140/1191731431_a6Rfr-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1147/1191732800_yE42J-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/San-Diego-Zoo/NKN1165/1191734518_MhEaq-XL.jpg

[Mitsu3000gt]

Aquarium

Kinda sucks shooting through scratched plexi glass but I did what I could.

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1790/1191413987_K6ijb-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1795/1191414886_n6UdC-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1799/1191415613_Zav2e-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1816/1191416260_6oo4z-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1827/1191417069_wxGHw-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1828/1191417596_bEg7u-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1867/1191421016_Lppre-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/NKN1870/1191422006_uu4Ku-XL.jpg

Canon S95
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Aquariums/IMG0118/1191509501_bpv4h-XL.jpg

La Jolla Beach:

All pics at La Jolla taken with Canon S95.

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/La-Jolla/IMG0192/1191501433_Nm4We-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/La-Jolla/IMG0191/1191501841_WYHtx-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/La-Jolla/IMG0129/1191506940_TMwe5-XL.jpg

[Mitsu3000gt]

Air Show

We happened to be there during the biggest air show they had since 1932. It was done over the Harbor...unfortunately I had to shoot directly into the sun the entire time but it was still cool to see all the demonstrations.

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1546/1192372473_ipdho-XL.jpg

Chinook
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1585/1192375347_rc5kw-XL.jpg

Cost Guard
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1605/1192374770_DEsSe-XL.jpg

F18
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1711/1192377296_HnDuk-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1733/1192378479_xzqQL-XL.jpg

F16
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1723/1192378728_MZDTh-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1241/1192380800_XRyrT-XL.jpg

Blue Angels
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1262/1192385130_Q7AKu-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1269/1192386317_BizPs-XL.jpg

Huey
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1432/1192392344_qX4TH-XL.jpg

Re Fueling demo
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1449/1192392830_5quAp-XL.jpg

Osprey
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1466/1192394471_fmzWd-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Air-Show/NKN1514/1192395667_oFBqL-XL.jpg

[Mitsu3000gt]

USS Midway Aircraft Carrier

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1907/1192715732_fm3w9-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1909/1192717035_GP8Xt-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1915/1192718936_epRRE-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1926/1192721967_HBYQg-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1928/1192722944_yRFsL-XL.jpg

View of the Coronado bridge from the carrier:
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/USS-Midway/NKN1942/1192724341_gupxr-XL.jpg

Safari Park

Lastly I went to Safari Park...it used to be a breeding facility for the San Diego Zoo but now it's a tourist attraction. The park is absolutely massive. The "safari" is a joke (you pay like $100 to go feed giraffes out of the back of a truck) but there was still a lot of cool stuff at the park.

Small portion of the park (Canon S95)

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/Wild-Animal-Park-Pano/1191500064_sVuGV-X3.jpg

Cheetah Cub
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2148/1192683145_ejYxy-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2306/1192688567_UZuT4-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2163/1192682568_urwoa-XL.jpg

Secretary Bird
http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2174/1192684184_T7JYt-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2207/1192685503_GqaXw-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN1960/1192688505_wBFkV-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2278/1192686432_jKUxb-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2001/1192693765_ahYEb-XL.jpg

http://mschlosser.smugmug.com/California2011/Safari-Park/NKN2048/1192699188_dvFuG-XL.jpg


Thanks for looking! Comments/suggestions always welcome.

[snoop101]

Awesome pics. The fish are just amazing. :thumbsup:

[AaronK]

Great pics! Good work

[KRyn]

Thanks for sharing your pictures, they are awesome!

[Graham_A_M]

wow. Some of the shots are just stunning.

[kvg]

Wow thats some amazing photography:thumbsup:

[Zewind]

love them :thumbsup:

[adidas]

Great pics are great!

[Gibson]

Great travel pics! That first one with all the dolphins in the air is money.

I had no idea the Blue Angel F18s were still in service...I had a model of one of those when I was a little kid.

[msommers]

Mark, can you send me a hi-res of the Huey? Badass shot.

[email protected]

[89s1]

Nice, not sure what i liked more the bright coloured fish or the preying birds.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Thanks for all the comments guys, I appreciate it.

Matt - I sent you the pic.

[Speed_69]

Amazing Photos! :thumbsup:

[aypi]

great pictures mark. i hope we have that kind of weather here in Calgary. :(

[Aniki]

Great pictures dude. The picture's of the snakes gave me the fucking creeps, I hate snakes!

[Kobe]

Originally posted by Aniki
Great pictures dude. The picture's of the snakes gave me the fucking creeps, I hate snakes!

X2

I scolled as quick as possible when i saw snakes haha

[CUG]

You're a wicked photographer. Cool photos man.

[arian_ma]

Wow man your camera takes awesome pics!!!
:D kidding, those S-95 pics came out really great though, I am thinking about picking up something similar.

I love that shot of the Falcon. The hummingbird ones are amazing too!

[screw_loose]

Like the photos. Just want to point out that before anybody supports a place like sea world please please please watch the movie called, "The Cove". You will find it incredibly hard to support them after seeing that movie.

[n1zm0]

nice pics! lucky you got to see the airshow, it was the 100 years of u.s naval aviation, thats why its mostly USMC stuff.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Thanks guys.


Originally posted by arian_ma
Wow man your camera takes awesome pics!!!
:D kidding, those S-95 pics came out really great though, I am thinking about picking up something similar.

I love that shot of the Falcon. The hummingbird ones are amazing too!

Yeah this is the first time I've actually used the S95, as opposed to just shooting around my house to try it out. I was very pleased with it, and surprised at how good of a result you can get even at higher ISO's using the RAW files. I definitely got pictures I wouldn't have got with my old P&S, and I definitely got pictures I wouldn't have with my DSLR, so it's doing exactly what I wanted it too. It's so easy to carry around as well.

The Humming Birds were hard to get pictures of, they moved way too fast and too often haha. Plus the one guy was like 1.5" tall only.



Originally posted by screw_loose
Like the photos. Just want to point out that before anybody supports a place like sea world please please please watch the movie called, "The Cove". You will find it incredibly hard to support them after seeing that movie.

Yeah it didn't seem like the cages were nearly large enough for those types of huge animals, considering their natural range is probably tens of thousands of miles if not more. They are treated well though, have personal vets, have babies, and seem to live a long time though. It's not ideal I'm sure, but it isn't going away any time soon either.


Originally posted by n1zm0
nice pics! lucky you got to see the airshow, it was the 100 years of u.s naval aviation, thats why its mostly USMC stuff.

Ahh yes, thats what it was - thanks. I couldn't remember what it was the 100th anniversary of haha. We just kind of stumbled upon it so we weren't able to get on the grounds or anything (the military base). We watched from the end of a cruise ship dock on the other side of the harbor.

[GQBalla]

great pics!

looks like a great trip!

[.norco.]

Wicked photos, i liked the parrot ones:thumbsup:

[dragonone]

Great photos!

At first glance i thought they were all taken with the S95 ...:nut:

haven't tried out its RAW capabilities since the gf hogs it all the time:whipped:

[Dumbass17]

fuck me!
those pics are amazing
especially the snakes

this makes me want to get into photography! wow

[clem24]

Those are great pics! You've really got the post processing bit down to an art - definitely makes all the pictures pop. I really like the hovercraft one and the heat waves coming off of it.

[89coupe]

Great shots as usual. The detail you manage to get in some of them is just outstanding.

[EmJay]

Awesome pictures! Looks like you had a great time.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments.

I don't get out to shoot as much as I'd like to normally, so when I go on vacation I tend to go picture crazy haha.