A photographic journey along the coastline of California A beautifully designed panoramic
400 page coffee table book presenting the Coastline of California.
california's coast book
seagulls and sea stacks... piers and pelicans... sand and sunshine... fog and forests... wind and whitecaps... whatever you think of when you think of the California coast, this book probably has it.
seagulls and sea stacks... piers and pelicans... sand and sunshine... fog and forests... wind and whitecaps... whatever you think of when you think of the California coast, this book probably has it.
The Book: California's Coast, Take A Second Look
A panoramic photographic journey along the coastline of California that has taken me over 10 years to collect. Award-winning panoramic images presented in latitude order, beginning at the border of Mexico and finishing at the border of Oregon.This may be the most comprehensive collection to date of photographic images of California’s coast. California's coastline is over 1,100 miles long, which is like driving from New York City, New York, down to Jacksonville, Florida. 
Every image in this book is panoramic. I prefer to shoot this way because our eyes are naturally used to seeing panoramically. This large, uniquely-designed fine art coffee table book has a binding at the top, so that when you open it and begin to turn the pages, you can view each panoramic image without the interruption of a page break. This is a 12 pound book; it may surprise you when it arrives at your door. The size of the book reflects the magnitude of the project itself: big, wide, thorough, and beautiful. 
The Endeavor:
I knew the challenge and endeavor to do something this grand was a massive undertaking. It took me much longer than I ever thought it would. But I have been known to be a dreamer, and my dream was to give it a comprehensive feel. So, I could not give up until it was complete.
It was so thrilling to capture these iconic places and locations from my own perspective. California is known worldwide for its beauty and diversity in nature. With such a long expanse of coastline in just one state, I felt honored and inspired to try to give it a photographic legacy.
This is my first book. I’ve spent most of my professional career selling my images for homes, and I am grateful for the thousands of people who have my photography hanging in their homes.
The How:
Looking through the viewfinder of the Linhof 617 s III
Most of the images in this book were taken using my medium-format film cameras. I used a Linhof 617sIII and a Noblex, which are rare German cameras. These cameras can operate using slide film, which is what I chose. It is a positive film rather than the typical negative film you may be used to. It’s a very technical film with a specific, limited exposure range. For me, it was actually a mathematical art to master because slide film is so easily over or under-exposed. When exposed correctly, its color accuracy is amazing.
The rest of the photos were taken using a Nikon D810 digital SLR camera and DJI Hasselblad drone. I used digital for scenes that required more mobility, such as shooting from a boat. The drone, of course, allowed different visual perspectives, adding diverse representations of the coastline.
I used slide film for two reasons: the first was to slow the process down. Using film rather than digital, especially in the beginning of this project, allowed me the opportunity to search for the uniqueness in the location, experience the specialness of the area, and wait for the right moments. Instead of snapping photos of every inch of that place, I let the creativity of the place move me and direct me, which made the image-gathering process a deeper experience for me. The second reason was for quality. Simply put, I wanted high-quality, sharp images for this book and for the printing process. Medium/large format slide film captures colors vibrantly and details accurately. Each slide (when scanned in) that I photographed was in the range of 400MB up to 1.5 GB per image. The beauty is in the details.
The Why:
Silence and peace are qualities that seem just out of reach for most of us and yet continually hoped for. Many of our lives are completely full, with the good and the bad, the necessary, the unnecessary. And a busy life often equals a stressed life. In my life, nature has been a place of peace and rest from the tension of life. A place to breathe deeply. A place to be silent and reflect. In silence and solitude, I became more aware of who I am in the story.
Nature's grandeur, creativity, precision, and diversity put things into perspective for me, allowing space for reflection and contemplation. California’s coast has been a place that has touched me in a deep way. I wanted to share that with all of you who also find such beauty and peace in nature. Owning a collection of images of this magnitude allows cherished memories to come back for those of us who’ve experienced the coastline ourselves. And I hope it gives space for inspiration for those who haven’t experienced California’s coast.
