There is something unnerving about playing hide and seek with a 600+ lb
animal with horns shaped like daggers. While hiking out at Point Reyes I
walked around the path and on the other side of a large bush only perhaps
4ft away was this rather large stag. I think he was more surprised than I
was as I turned and looked directly at me. My first impulse was to raise
the camera and snap a shot but I thought better of making any quick moves at
that range. After a few moments of wondering what the other was going to
do, he began moving away rather quickly much to my relief. Taking a picture at that closerange would not have done me any good as I had my high power zoom lens with an extender attached.

If you want to see and photograph elk, Point Reyes has some
massive herds in a small area and fortunately for me they are somewhat used to us
photographers. Their only natural predator is the mountain lion which also
roams the park. Fortunately I didn't surprise one of them or I might be typing this with one hand.

I have to admit, it did get the adrenaline pumping.

-Darv
LiquidMoonlight.com
© Darvin Atkeson
California Photographer

Tags:   Animals Elk Herd Point Reyes California National Park Sea Shore Coastline Parks Point Reyes National Seashore Seashore Stag Antlers Wild Wildlife Darvin Atkeson LiquidMoonlight.com LiquidMoonlight California Photographer California Photography Wallpaper High Resolution Desktop Nikon D300 Nikon D300 Outdoor Photography Outdoor Photographer Nature color Darv Landscape USA U.S. America 美国加州 カリフォルニア州 캘리포니아

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Buddies till Fall is an image of two Roosevelt Elk taken just outside of
Redwood National Park. This is one of the largest species of deer in the
world and one of the largest mammals in the US. These guys are massive and
we drove though a herd of them grazing and getting fat for the fall rut. I
am sure these guys will be buddies right up till fall then all bet are off.
We managed to sneak up on these guys and I handed the camera off to the wife
who took the picture. She did a great job. You can still see the velvet
shedding from their antlers.

-Darv
LiquidMoonlight.com
© Darvin Atkeson
California Photographer

Tags:   Roosevelt Elk Redwood National Park Deer Wildlife California California Photography California Photographer Nikon D70 Darvin Atkeson Darv Roosevelt Elk Lynneal Atkeson Lynneal herd Rut Fall Wallpaper Desktop High Resolution Outdoor Photography Outdoor Photography LiquidMoonlight.com LiquidMoonlight Outdoor Photographer Nature color Landscape USA U.S. America 美国加州 カリフォルニア州 캘리포니아

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In the wild, this animal would appear nearly invisible in the ocean. But
at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, artificial lighting makes the detail and
beauty of the Jellyfish apparent. The tiny stinging threads pulsate with
the movements of the main body hanging down many lengths the body of the
jellyfish. Its foot sparkles like stars in space in the water behind the
jellyfish. I can and have spent hours in the jellyfish exhibit just
watching these beautiful creatures. Very hard to film due to the low
lighting I was very lucky this guy was swimming very slowly across the
window and I was able to position the camera to captures the detail. They
look so incredible you just want to reach out and touch them but the signs
warn you of dangers of doing so. I can't think of a creature on the land
or under the sea that comes in such wonderful shapes and colors. More
jellyfish will be forth coming.

-Darv
LiquidMoonlight.com
© Darvin Atkeson
California Photographer

Tags:   Jellyfish Jelly Fish Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Darvin Atkeson Darv California Photography California Photographer Nikon D200 Ghost Ghostly translucent stinger LiquidMoonlight.com Wallpaper LiquidMoonlight High Resolution Pacific Ocean Sea Portrait USA U.S. America 美国加州 カリフォルニア州 캘리포니아

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Monterey Bay Aquarium has one of the best jellyfish exhibits you will find.
Photographing them is a challenge but if you keep at it you will eventually
get good shots and this is one of my favorites. I didn't take the time to
write down the species but this jellyfish had little blue and white lumps
that looked like feet. It looked more like a magical mushroom pulled out
with by its roots than it did a jellyfish. Notice the translucent parts
that let you see though the creature and when lit by the artificial lighting
of the Aquarium show the complexity of the jellyfish. When I visit the
aquarium, I spend most of my time watching an trying to film these
incredibly beautiful animals.

-Darv
LiquidMoonlight.com
© Darvin Atkeson
California Photographer

Tags:   Jellyfish Jelly fish Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Moon Monterey Bay Aquarium exhibit Darvin Atkeson Darv California Photographer California Photography LiquidMoonlight.com LiquidMoonlight High Resolution Wallpaper Ocean Pacific Jellies Nature Sea Blue Jelly Blue Jellyfish Blue Blue Jellies Landscape USA U.S. America 美国加州 カリフォルニア州 캘리포니아

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A Blue Heron (Egret) hunts for small fish in the creek at Muir Woods. I
initially spotted him from the lower bridge when no one else had noticed
him. I started following him down the creek but it wasn't long before
people noticed I was taking a photograph of something. Next thing I knew I
was vying for position amongst a dozen or more point and shoot cameras that
didn't have a chance of getting the long distant shot and their flashes
somewhat making the bird even more skittish. Initially the shot was under
exposed but thankfully the NEF file saved me when I got back home and post
processed the image in Photoshop. He turned out nicely. I especially
like the little blue feather on the back of his head.

-Darv
LiquidMoonlight.com
© Darvin Atkeson
California Photographer

Tags:   Blue Heron Egret Bird Muir Woods Creek National Monument Park California Marin Headlands Redwoods Darvin Atkeson Darv LiquidMoonlight.com LiquidMoonlight California Photographer California Photography Wallpaper High Resolution Landscape USA U.S. America 美国加州 カリフォルニア州 캘리포니아

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