Laguna
Beach Sunset Photo | Sunset with Cacti Overlooking Pacific Ocean
Laguna
Beach, CA -- There are very special sunset views at California
beaches in places such as Laguna Beach seen above in the sunset
photo with cacti, the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island in the
distance.
California beach sunsets
do not have to be traditional images everyone expects of a
pier and the setting sun over the Pacific Ocean.
Though every bit as stunning and usually more popular, we like
to take advantage of the local geography, flora and fauna to
provide "the other side" of the beach sunsets in our pictures.
For instance, in the image of Laguna Beach sunset above, there's
a group of gnarly cacti overlooking the ocean. Personally, the
photo isn't exciting--it doesn't make you say "wow", but
sometimes "real" is that way.
Photo tip: To take
the picture above, the photographer must balance the light. A
built in flash was used for flash fill. Its tendency was to
overpower the foreground material, the cacti. By stepping
back slightly and cupping your hand partially at a distance from
the flash, you can improvise to soften the flash effects, thus
turning your hand into a diffuser.
Sunsets in California are
gifts to those who think California doesn't compare to where
they come from. The landscapes during the day (especially in
Southern California), can include lots of earth tones from the
sand, palm trees, and the semi-desert environment that the
region reverts to when plants are not watered, lawns are let go,
returning to their natural state.
But when the sunset comes
and drops over the Pacific Ocean, beautiful Laguna Beach (one of
our favorite California beaches to photograph), takes on a
magical, spellbinding appearance that brings an inner quiet.
When your eyes adjust, you'll notice contrasts. In the picture
above, for instance, the orange sky, dark brown highlights on
the ocean, and dark green cacti in the foreground with little
purple blooms offer not just a subtle interplay of color, but
also of textures. The smooth silky sky, choppy ocean, and
apparent cactus thorns offer three contrasts of textures from
the furthest away being the softest, the the middle a bit
rougher, then the thorny close up items within reach of those
who would be standing and taking the picture or looking from the
vantage point on Crescent Beach vista where this image was
captured.
If you want to get great
sunset pictures in California, our favorite vistas include
Laguna Beach, Central Coast--Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Cayucos and
Cambria, Carmel and Monterey. These just happen to be some
of our picks.
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