peter alexander photography: Blog

Ventura Point Surfing on May 17-18, 2023

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 26 May 2023 17:12:32 GMT

Ventura, California is a surfer's paradise. With its consistent waves and beautiful coastline, it's no wonder that surf photography has become a popular pastime in the area. Whether you're a professional photographer or just starting out, there are plenty of opportunities to capture stunning images of surfers in action.

One of the best places to start is at Surfer's Point, a popular surf spot located at the mouth of the Ventura River. Here, you'll find surfers of all skill levels riding the waves, providing plenty of opportunities to capture some amazing shots. The beach is also a great place to set up your gear and take some landscape shots of the coastline.

Another great spot for surf photography is Rincon Point, located just south of Ventura. This world-famous surf spot is known for its long, peeling waves and attracts surfers from all over the world. The point break provides a unique perspective for photographers, allowing them to capture surfers riding the waves from a distance.

If you're looking for a more secluded spot, head to Emma Wood State Beach. This beach is located just north of Surfer’s Point.

Surf photography is a challenging and exciting genre that requires specialized equipment and techniques. One of my favorite cameras for capturing stunning surf shots from the beach is the Nikon D-500. This camera is known for its fast autofocus, high-speed continuous shooting, and excellent image quality, making it a favorite among professional surf photographers.

When shooting surf photography with the Nikon D-500, it's important to use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action and capture sharp images. A shutter speed of at least 1/1000th of a second is recommended, but you may need to go even faster if the waves are particularly fast or the surfers are performing aerial maneuvers. I tend to set my camera in manual at 800 ISO, 1/3200 @ f/7.1 and adjust from there. For surf, I like using a smaller aperture since the backgrounds are usually clean and I can get some good detail from the surfer and the wave (the images below were caught with a Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 lens).

Another important consideration is the lens you use. A telephoto lens with a focal length of at least 300mm is ideal for capturing surfers from a distance. This will allow you to get close-up shots of the action without getting in the way of the surfers or risking damage to your equipment.

To get the best results, it's also important to pay attention to the lighting conditions. Shooting during the golden hour, which is the hour after sunrise or before sunset, can provide beautiful, warm light that will enhance your images. However, if you're shooting in bright sunlight, you may need to use a polarizing filter to reduce glare and improve the contrast in your images.

When shooting surf photography with the Nikon D-500, it's also important to use the camera's high-speed continuous shooting mode. This will allow you to capture a series of images in rapid succession, increasing your chances of getting the perfect shot. Additionally, using the camera's autofocus system can help you track moving subjects and keep them in focus, even as they move quickly through the frame.

Finally, it's important to protect your camera from the elements when shooting surf photography. The beach can be a harsh environment, with sand, saltwater, and wind all posing potential hazards to your equipment. Using a protective cover or housing can help keep your camera safe and ensure that it continues to function properly. And good practice to wipe your equipment down with distilled water when you get home.

In conclusion, the Nikon D-500 is an excellent camera for surf photography from the beach. By using fast shutter speeds, telephoto lenses, and high-speed continuous shooting, you can capture stunning images of surfers in action. With a little practice and patience, you can create images that capture the beauty and excitement of this thrilling sport.

**Click on any image in this post to access a full gallery of images from that morning. If you see yourself in any image, I have setup the download function so that you can get your picture. The cost is the minimum my website will allow me to charge for a download, this helps to ensure that it's you in the photo. Because I am only out there shooting for practice, I am not trying to make any money off of these images.**

Point Mugu Airshow, March 19, 2023

(peter alexander photography) — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 18:25:50 GMT

A rainy day did not stop the Point Mugu Airshow from providing stellar performances from some awesome pilots and their air craft. The US Navy Leap Frogs jumped out of the Blue Angels' C-130, Fat Albert while all female pilots of 3 MH-60 Seahawk helicopters carried the stars and stripes over the runway in front of the crowd. The announcer said the all female crew is a nod to women's history month. Vicky Benzing also flew her 1940 Stearman biplane in flawless loops and circles before Aaron Fitzgerald defied gravity in his Red Bull Helicopter. The US Air Force Thunderbirds also performed in a show that was headlined by the Navy Blue Angels. I'm so thrilled I got to see both in the same show!

Below are a few of my favorite shots. click on any image to go to the full gallery to see what else I captured. What a fun show and I'm so glad we went out there despite the chance that the rain would have cancelled the event.

Snow capped mountains above Ojai, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 18:12:43 GMT

Ventura River, January 9, 2023

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:30:00 GMT

The Ventura River flows with power under the Baldwin Road Bridge in Ojai, CA on January 9, 2023. The rain has been falling nonstop since late last night and has yet to let up. The below pictures and video were taken with my Nikon D750 + Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. Some handheld and some on a tripod. I ended up getting soaked both times I walked out there so have changed my clothes several times already today.

My Favorite Shots of 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT

I decided to make a little slideshow of some of my favorite images from 2022. I used Adobe Rush to put this together in no time at all. Just wish I had more choice of music as I don't have the "premium" version, I'm guessing that comes with the more expensive Adobe Premiere subscription.

So Happy New Year everyone on this very rainy southern California evening! I hope 2023 is a great year for everyone. I look forward to what the year brings and, hopefully, that means far more photography than 2022 had to offer.

Ventura Surfing, November 25, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:43:26 GMT

Waves had a little height to them and came in large numbers. Shooting early in great light and with a high tide yielded some nice images. Can't wait to get out there again.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch on Thursday, October 27, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 01:53:08 GMT

On Thursday, October 27, 2022 at approximately 6:14 pm pst, SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force base filled with Starlink satellites. The views below are from Santa Ana Road near Lake Casitas in Ojai, CA looking west. Shot with a Nikon D500 + 200-500 f/5.6.

Backlit RAW Surf Photo Processed in NX Studio and Adobe Camera Raw

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 16:25:50 GMT

One of my favorite backlit frames I captured with my Nikon D500 + 200-500mm f/5.6 lens (1/8000s, f/7.1 ISO 400) from the other day at the Ventura Point near the fairgrounds in Ventura, CA. I decided to process this in Adobe Camera RAW using the "Auto" function with a slight fine tune, I exported it as a jpeg in full size. The second is with Nikon's free NX Studio software with minimal adjustment to the original RAW file straight out of camera and then exported as a jpeg in full size. For this particular image I am really leaning toward the NX Studio version but I do like how CR did open up some shadows a bit, which I could have done in NX but decided to leave closer to what the camera captured. But you be the judge, leave a comment below on which you like better. And as always, thanks for looking!

Adobe Camera RAW version:

NX Studio Version:

Air Force Thunderbirds at Edwards AFB, October 15, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 21:07:28 GMT

On Saturday, October 15, 2022 we travelled out to Edwards Air Force base in the southern California desert to watch the Aerospace Valley Airshow and to catch a great show by the Air Force Thunderbirds. And the show was amazing. Click any image below to enter the full gallery of images I captured with my Nikon D500 and 200-500 f/5.6.

Aerospace Valley Air Show, Edwards AFB, October 15, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 21:02:20 GMT

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, my son and I went out to Edwards AFB to watch the Aerospace Valley Airshow. I read that Edwards has not had an airshow since 2009. It took a good 45 minutes to get onto the base and into the flat dirt parking lot on Rogers dry lake bed. Then a good 20 minutes or so to get from the car, through security, then on a school bus for the mile drive to the flight line. But it was all worth it, especially since I got to see an old Air Force buddy I had not seen in 21 years. Below are some random shots I took with my Nikon D500 + 200-500 f/5.6. Click on any photo to access the full gallery. I'll do another short blog post on the Thunderbirds since I took quite a few images of their amazing show.

Surfing at "C" Street in Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 00:05:57 GMT

A few weeks ago I downloaded Adobe Premiere Rush and have been practicing video capture and editing because it has been a really long time since I did any video work. While on assignment taking stills at the beach I managed to capture some video from the beach on my D750. Unfortunately, some of my footage was corrupted due to a bad SD card. A good reminder to check these things before going out to shoot. The following video is not perfect but I like how it came out despite having only a few clips to choose from. Hopefully I will be able to plan out a new video then take a trip back to the beach. But here is my little film.

Video Video

Ventura surfing, July 20, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 23:29:05 GMT

After what felt like months and months of no waves and low light June gloom, I happened across some great waves, great light, and some incredible surfing near the Ventura Point last Wednesday, July 20, 2022. And I’m glad I went out there with my gear (primarily Nikon D500 + Nikon 200-500 f/5.6). Below are some of my favorite shots that day, but please click on any photo below to take you to the full gallery.

Full Lunar Eclipse on Sunday, May 16, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 16 May 2022 20:40:59 GMT

Lunar Eclipse from Ojai, CA on Sunday, May 16, 2022.

Falcon 9 Block 5 from Vandenberg SFB

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 15 May 2022 05:17:29 GMT

Yesterday, May 13, 2022, I drove up to Lompoc to attempt a viewing of a rocket launch. This was another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a load of Starlink satellites up into orbit. It was a clear day and the formerly delayed launch happened as planned at 3:07 PM PST. I believe that SpaceX has now launched 18 rockets to date in 2022. I was hoping the booster would land back at Vandenberg but apparently it landed on a ship off the coast of Baja. But overall, what a show this was. I can't wait to go watch another!

Mt SAC Relays 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:54:21 GMT

A recent (spectator) trip to the Mt SAC Relays in Walnut, CA on April 16, 2022 was memorable. At 7 years old, it was my son's first live track meet to watch, and what a great meet at that. So many exceptionally fast times for many of the runners, including Oregon's Williams with a 9.83 100 m and watching Allyson Felix run a leg of the Women's Elite 4x400 m relay. So. Much. Fun! click on an image below to go to the full gallery of images I shot from the stands if you want to see more, but below are a few of my favorites.

Ventura Surfing, March 15, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 04:46:13 GMT

What a great evening out on the beach at the Ventura point near Surfer's Point. Waves were big and the sunset ended up being amazing. Click an image below to see the entire gallery.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch from Vandenburg, AFB

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:48:27 GMT

This morning at 0912 hrs, SpaceX launched yet another Falcon 9 rocket carrying some more Starlink satellites into orbit. These were shot from the backyard in Ojai, CA looking west with my Nikon D500 + 200-500 F/5.6 lens, handheld. I had heard yesterday on the radio that NASA is concerned about so many of these satellites being placed into orbit as it increases the odds of collision with other object up there. At any rate, the launch was really cool and I was so glad I was able to see it in broad daylight. The bonus was hearing what I think was a sonic boom after I went back into the house. Not sure if that was one of the boosters making its way back down or the actual rocket generating it from way way up there.

Ventura Surfing, Tuesday, January 25, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 21:04:05 GMT

Some surf images from the morning of January 25, 2022 from the C Street promenade.

Ventura Surfing, Wednesday, January 12, 2022

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 00:14:57 GMT

The waves were large last Wednesday and made for some fun surf action shots. All the below were taken with a Nikon D500 + 200-500 f/5.6 on a monopod from the beach at the Ventura Point on Wednesday morning, January 12, 2022. Click any image below to take you to the full gallery from the morning.

My Top 10 images of 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 17:48:29 GMT

Lighting Storm in Ventura County

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 16:26:26 GMT

Such an amazing treat to watch the rain clouds build, water the earth, and a lighting/thunderstorm ensue. So beautiful out yesterday evening. The pictures below were my first ever attempt at capturing lighting with my DSLR (D500 + Tamron 28-75; f/2.8). It was not easy, I tried both a remote and the interval timer but some of the better displays happened in between shutter operation. But I managed to get a few that I thought were pretty amazing. Though after download I realized in my excitement to set up my camera, I did not clean the wide angle lens--I hadn't used it for a few years so I should have known. Oh well, learning experience. Hope you enjoy!

Wings Over Camarillo 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 20:14:55 GMT

Some images from Saturday, August 21, 2021 at the Wings Over Camarillo air show in Camarillo, CA. Click images to view the full gallery of images.

Ventura Surfing, July 11, 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 11 Jul 2021 20:22:16 GMT

Wow, what a beautiful morning for my 6-year-old and I to stumble across another nice set of waves and what looks to be the National Scholastic Surf Association (NASSA) surf competition here in Ventura, CA. Originally we were just going have our coffee (me) and oatmeal (him) at the beach but when we saw the surfers in the water and some really nice sets, I grabbed the trusty Nikon D500 and 200-500 f/5.6 lens. During most of the shots he was on my lap helping me focus and shoot and was having such a good time.

Backyard Macro

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 05 Jun 2021 05:06:00 GMT

So a little break from the sports photography, more specifically, the surf photography. The other day I went out to the backyard in Ojai, CA to capture what I could find with my Nikon D500 with 200-500 f/5.6 lens. This combination turned out to be perfect for some macro shooting without getting too close to the insects and birds I was watching. I think they came out well. With the right light, this lens/camera combination is an amazing tool for making photos.

Ventura Surfing, May 20-2021

(peter alexander photography) — Thu, 20 May 2021 19:43:06 GMT

I got up in the early morning today to go out to shoot surfers and get more practice in on my autofocus and longer lens. It's really quite fast! I had seen on Surfline that the waves would be over 5 feet and the weather app stated a nice sunny morning in Ventura. And they were both right for once! I made my way down to the end of Surfer's Point near the "Stables,' but not quite to the effluent end of the Ventura River, and found a nice piece of driftwood to sit on. I decided to hand hold my Nikon D500 + 200-500mm F/5.6 to see how long my arms could hold up. It wasn't bad, the lens/camera combo is actually not that heavy. The below are some of the shots I got this morning. Waves, ocean, and light were amazing but there really were not that many surfers out. Perhaps they were waiting for later today when the surf is supposed to be a little large. All images shot between 400 and 800 ISO, 1/2500 @ F/5.6.

Ventura Surfing, April 1, 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 17:36:23 GMT

Some more morning action photography practice out near the fairgrounds in Ventura, California on Thursday, April 1, 2021. Same set up with my Nikon D500 and 200-500 f/5.6 on a monopod sitting on the rocks at low tide. I love the direction of the morning light on the surfers.

Some Beach Birds in Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 22:04:00 GMT

While out there trying to get surfers in the early morning light always yields extra subjects to photograph. In this case an egret and some pelicans. All shot with a NIkon D500 and the Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 VR lens on a monopod.

March 24th at Surfer's Point, Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 04:36:58 GMT

Went out again to play around with auto focus. I love the morning light on the surfer's in Ventura, comes from a really nice direction.

Ventura Surfing, March 6, 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 02:29:59 GMT

What a great morning to happen by a small surf competition near the Stables in Ventura, CA. My son and I had our breakfast at the beach. Luckily I brought my camera with me. Some really cool waves and nice light this morning. If you click on an image below it will take you to a gallery you can view some other shots I got. downloading is enabled for those who would like a picture of themselves. I just ask if you share it on social media to please credit me.

Surfer's Point Surfing, March 2, 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 23:23:27 GMT

Some more practice with my autofocus and long lens this morning when the light was beautifully angled. Thank you surfers for allowing me to point my camera at you, feel free to click on an image below to see the full gallery. As always, since I'm just out there honing my photography skills, if you see yourself in an image, please download and use it for personal use. Charlie, it was good meeting you this morning, hope you found your way to my website, I think there are a couple of you in there.

Surfer's Point, Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 01:16:37 GMT

I woke up early and decided to have breakfast with my son out at Surfer's Point in Ventura, CA this morning. We took my camera and sat on the rocks at high tide to photograph surfers catching waves in the morning sun. I'm always looking for time to practice action sports photography. Click on any photo below to access the gallery. If you see that you are in one of the images feel free to screenshot and use for personal use.

Beach Birds with a Nikon 200-500 f/5.6

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 19:10:14 GMT

As of today I have shot with a Nikon 200-500 f/5.6 twice. Once last March at the Santa Ana Horse track attached to the incredible D5 and the other day at the beach attached to my fabulous D500. I have to say this lens, for a less expensive super zoom, is one of the best lenses I have ever shot with. The focus is fast, the color renders beautifully, and the sharpness, well tack like quality for lack of better terms. I can't wait to get it out there to shoot other sports and wildlife in the coming days. The below few images of random birds on the beach were taken while I was practicing with my autofocus on surfers. This lens is one great example of reasons why Nikon will always be my main choice of photography equipment.

Ventura Surfing, February 18, 2021

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 21:19:45 GMT

I was out near the Ventura fairgrounds yesterday afternoon to practice with my autofocus. Since the pandemic began I'm getting a little rusty with the sports photography due to a relative lack of sports out there. This time I shot at primarily 500mm on a DX sensor and really tried to lock on to each surfer as they dropped in or shredded the waves. My goal was tack sharp focus as much as possible. Back button focus helps tremendously in this area but it wasn't always a hit. Below are a few of my favorites from the day, but click on any photo to visit the full gallery.

I decided that I will start creating public galleries online so that the photos (good or bad) can be taken via screenshot by anyone that appears in the images (again, click on any image below to access that gallery). I figured folks might want their pictures rather than me just deleting or archiving them somewhere to never be seen again. But please only take the photo if you are in it and use it for posting on social media or whatever your own personal use it. If you want high-resolution images I am available for hire so please do contact me through the website.

Ventura Beach Near San Jon Road

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 05:39:17 GMT

My first images of 2021. I brought my camera down to the beach with my son near San Jon road in Ventura, CA for some snap shots because I knew the waves would be fairly impressive. We also had fun climbing on the rocks, throwing sticks in the water, and playing in the surf--social distancing of course!

My Favorite 10 Images from 2020

(peter alexander photography) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 19:41:55 GMT

Wow, 2020 was a rough year to say the very least. Lot's of adaptation happened (and still is). So thankful that I got to at least attend Sports Shooter Academy 17 before all hell broke loose last March. The below are what I have determined to be my favorite 10 images (outside of personal family photos of course!). I set out at the beginning of the year determined to put energy into my photography but with everything going on, I did what I could and am happy with my outcome. Here's to 2021 being a year to energize focus and get to the things important to us. Happy New Year Everyone!

Another Ventura Surf Shoot

(peter alexander photography) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 05:49:33 GMT

Some images taken near the Stables in Ventura, CA on December 29th, 2020 in the evening. Something about the drama of the sunset, wind, and waves keeps me going back. That, and I love shooting action sports. I know very little about surfing but watching how they interact with the wave keeps my attention. I'm going to have to get a longer lens soon so i can really reach out and get up close and personal. A couple of other shots in here of of non-surfing, just some of the stuff i see when I out with my camera.

Random Shorebirds

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:44:47 GMT

Some shots I took while photographing surfers over the last few days. I find the little pipers cute; the seagulls, not so much. LOL. All shot on a Nikon D500 and Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 lens (no VR).

Surf in Black and White

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:37:57 GMT

Got my coffee this morning and headed back out to the beach. No real action going on so I thought I would take a few shots to see what they might look like in Black and White.

Sunset Surfing in Ventura, CA on 12-20-2020

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:37:42 GMT

It's fun to get out and shoot, even if it's just an excuse to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors (and masked up due to COVID-19 for safety). This collection of images is from Sunday's trek to the beach near the Ventura county fairgrounds. One day I'll invest in a longer lens to get closer to the action but for now my trusty 70-200 attached to my D500 will suffice.

More Surfing, December 15, 2020 in Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 21:44:59 GMT

Some more shots at the beach in Ventura, CA.

More Surfing in Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 06:05:41 GMT

Some surf photos near the "stables" in Ventura, CA on December 8, 2020. Shot with a Nikon D500 and Tamron 70-200 lens from the shore against the setting sun. The wind was moderate but the waves were fairly crazy, which made for some dramatic images.

Kite Surfing in Ventura, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 05:28:07 GMT

Here are a ton of photos I took on October 27th and November 10th, 2020, near Surfer's Point in Ventura, CA. The first day I shot RAW as I normally do and the second day I shot in JPEG to see if I could get good out of the camera edits. RAW or JPEG the images, in my opinion, required about the same amount of post processing to get them to look the way I wanted them to. I normally would not just dump this many images into a post but what else am I going to do with them, at least here someone, somewhere, may enjoy looking at them. This was not an assignment, just me getting away from the work at home and taking time to practice sports action photography while there is not much going on during this crazy pandemic. Hope you enjoy.

Birds on the fountain

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 02:47:58 GMT

More back yard birds with the remote (this time I took almost all of them ;)). Gear: Nikon D500; Tamron 70-200 f/2.8; SB-700 strobe on camera' SB-600 strobe camera right. There are quite a few images here so have fun scrolling.

Timelapse of stars

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:37:47 GMT

My first ever attempt at star timelapse. This is about 1200 images, give or take, of the sky over two separate nights. The first night I left my camera in the backyard over night only to come out to find out it had rained a bit. Luckily no harm done to my camera. :0

Remote Bird Photography

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 17:43:12 GMT

I set up my Nikon D500 with Tamron 70-200 near the fountain yesterday in 108 degree heat because the birds were flocking in for water. I also set my DB-700 speedlight on camera with my little SB-600 on a stand to the side. I framed the shot I wanted and then gave the remote trigger to my 5-year-old son and told him when a bird lands on the second cup, take a picture then count to 5 to make sure the flash recycled before taking another. The below are the best of what he captured.

Jupiter, Saturn, and the Milky Way

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 08 Aug 2020 04:56:44 GMT

My first ever attempt at trying to get the milky way in a photograph.

August 2020 Sturgeon Moon

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 08 Aug 2020 03:43:59 GMT

Below are three "stacked" images (30 images each to increase clarity) of the moon shot at different f/stops. Shot on a Nikon D500 with a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. I played with the white balance a bit but in actuality when I shot it the moon was a bit warm due to the Apple Fire burning in southern California that day.

Moon at F/9

Moon at F/10

Moon at f/11

Comet NEOWISE stacked image

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 19:48:02 GMT

My fist ever attempt at stacking images to reduce the digital noise. The following images are stacks of 19, 12 and 10 images (respectfully) and rendered in Photoshop CC's panorama merge using the auto layout. Location of shot: Baldwin Road, Ojia, CA on July 18 (images 1 and 2), July 19 (image 3), 2020 at around 9 pm both nights.

And the next image is a single shot taken at ISO 1600 70-200@130mm f/2.8 5.00s (Nikon D500 + Tamron 70-200 non VR lens)

Comet NEOWISE on July 18, 2020 in Ojai, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 15:51:57 GMT

Below single images (non-stacked) from Comet NEOWISE as seen from Baldwin Rd near Highway 33 in Ojai, CA on July 18, 2020. The first night I tried I didn't know anything about star trailing or much more than just setting the camera to a long exposure on a tripod. A little research and I began to understand the relationship between exposure time, focal length, and the speed of the stars in the field of view as the Earth rotates. This basically meant I sped up my shutter speed to around 1.6 seconds (depending on the focal length) from the 30 seconds I was setting the camera to the night before. The results were a stark contrast.

Honeybees with a D500 and extension tubes

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 16:33:00 GMT

I have been playing around with extension tubes and seeing just what my Nikon D500 is capable of. And what I am capable of for that matter. The below images were all taken with a D500, 50mm f/1.4 Nikon lens, and an extension tube. Settings posted with each image. The first 6 were done with natural light so I could see just how far I could push the ISO. The final 3 were done with a SB-700 speed-light off camera via TTL cord. The flash was diffused but the light still came out a bit harsh, probably because it was only about 16 inches away from each bee.

ISO 1600 50mm f/11 1/1600s

ISO 2000 50mm f/11 1/2000s

ISO 5000 50mm f/16 1/4000s

ISO 5000 50mm f/16 1/6400s

ISO 100 50mm f/16 1/250s; Flash 1/4 power

Black Lives Matter, Simi Valley, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 19:26:12 GMT

Demonstrators march along Cochran St. in Simi Valley, Califorina, during protest of police brutality and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement on June 6, 2020 weeks after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man killed while being detained by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These are a set of images I took from the car over the course of about 15 minutes as I passed through the protest route. I wish I could have had the time to cover it better but I came across this with my son thinking it was going to be much smaller. There were thousands of people attending and it was one of the most powerful things I have ever seen.

More Quarantine Backyard Macro shots

(peter alexander photography) — Thu, 28 May 2020 04:40:09 GMT

Hey, if we can't have sports might as well exploit the creatures in the yard, right? It's really good practice framing, focusing, and catching the moment when you are up so close. Becomes a whole body experience while getting the shot. I find I do a lot of deep breathing, not just so i can steady myself, but I find it helps in relaxing my mind to see what is happening in this smaller world. Again, all of these were taken with a Nikon D500, handheld, in ambient light, with an extension tube and my amazing 50mm f/1.4G lens. I tried to get more in flight today than I did yesterday while trying to be mindful of the backgrounds.

Macro images from around the yard

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 27 May 2020 17:36:22 GMT

Without sporting events and a number of other people-oriented gatherings to shoot, I dug out some handy dandy extension tubes I bought a number of years ago and thought what better way to spend some quarantine time than to go out into the yard with my 5-year-old son to shoot some macro? He's been intrigued by bugs so this seemed to be a great activity to get him up close to see these little critters in their environment. A least he would shout with excitement as we looked at each shot on the camera display. I was using a Nikon D500, manual focus, manual mode, handheld, at around 1/1250 @ f/11-13, and 1600 ISO. Attached to the body was a 36mm extension tube and my amazing Nikon 50mm F/1.4G. I did this without a strobe in full sun because I wanted to see how my new camera held up at the higher ISO. The last time I did any macro shots I was using my D300 and I could not get the f-stop small enough without a strobe to have a decent depth of field. I think this setting gave me just enough to get nearly an entire bee in sharp focus.

Men's Basketball: Cal Lutheran vs Redlands

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:12:50 GMT

Men's Basketball: Cal Lutheran vs Redlands on Saturday, February 1, 2020.

Women's Basketball: Cal Lutheran vs Redlands

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:10:49 GMT

Women's game: CLU vs Redlands on Saturday, February 1, 2020.

Cal Lutheran University vs CETYS Mexico

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 20:07:29 GMT

Some random shots from a Baseball game at Cal Lutheran last month.

Women's Basketball at Cal Lutheran University January 18, 2020

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 03:50:50 GMT

Women's basketball game against Pomona-Pitzer on January 18, 2020. Men lose 70 to 48 while women take the win 74-71.

Men's Basketball at Cal Lutheran University January 18, 2020

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 03:47:58 GMT

Men's Basketball at Cal Lutheran University

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 06:14:16 GMT

Took my son to watch his first basketball game last Saturday and to try getting some sports photography practice leading up to the Sports Shooter Academy in March where one sport we will be covering is basketball. The below images are what I managed from the stand of an afternoon basketball game between California Lutheran University and Occidental College on Saturday, January 11, 2020 in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Final score was 77 to 54 with Occidental College taking the win. All shots taken from the stands with Nikon D500 and Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 (no VR) at a higher ISO than I am used to shooting with. But I think this camera does fairly well under the terrible gym lights with the lens aperture wide open.

Water Polo: La Verne College vs. California Lutheran University

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 05:26:25 GMT

More Water polo at the Kingsman pool on November 2, 2019 in Thousand Oaks, CA. And what a match, final score 16-13 with CLU for the win.

Water Polo: Whittier Collage vs. California Lutheran University

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:56:59 GMT

Took my son to watch some water polo (and baseball / softball) for a couple of hours on Saturday, October 26, 2019 in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Cal Lutheran Football from September 2018

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 20:36:22 GMT

I thought I had posted these previously but it looks like I missed doing it. These were some photos I took out at Cal Lutheran University last September. I was driving by and saw a game happening so I decided to swing in and shoot for about 45 minutes. I hadn't shot football in years and now that I had a new camera, I thought, what the heck? I had already contacted the SI director for access to sporting events on campus so I just went up to the guys at the field gate and got a field pass. I'm not a big football fan but shooting football is so much fun.

More Random Images

(peter alexander photography) — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 17:01:32 GMT

I was trying to access my external hard drive last night (it may be broken, ugh) to go through some sports photos to hopefully beef up my portfolio and get some action sports work. I came across these random shots in my computer in the frustrating process. Just some random images of things I pointed my camera at over the last year. Nothing spectacular but what better place than a blog to post your randoms. LOL. Enjoy! Hopefully I will be posted more sports images in the near future. :-)

Backyard Birding

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 13 May 2019 14:45:00 GMT

Just a couple of random little bird shots I took in the backyard I thought were kind of cool.

Wildwood Park

(peter alexander photography) — Sun, 12 May 2019 13:15:00 GMT

The below are some images from an impromptu early morning hike with my son on April 22, 2019 in Wildwood Park, Thousand Oaks, CA. The Mustard seems to be taking over since the hill fire went through parts of the park. With the recent rains the botanical growth is insane.

Painted Lady

(peter alexander photography) — Sat, 11 May 2019 20:54:12 GMT

Painted Lady Butterflies have been rolling through Southern California like crazy the last couple of days. Today the swarms seemed a little more intense than yesterday. The below photos taken hand held with Nikon D500 with a Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 (non VR version) @ 200mm for most of them on Friday, May 10, 2019, in Newbury Park, Calif.

Men's Baseball: Cal Lutheran vs Whittier College

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 08 May 2019 16:18:48 GMT

On Saturday, May 4th, 2019, I took my 4-year-old out to a baseball game (11 a.m. game) at Cal Lutheran at his request. We watched the batters, the pitchers, and the action in the in field for a bit before it got too hot and we needed to head home for some lunch. I had my DSLR with me so we found some places around the grand stands to get a few shots in. I have not shot baseball in about 14 years! Was fun sharing a sporting even with my son. Hope you enjoy these snapshots I took. Maybe next year I'll head out there and cover an entire game.

Sunrise in Santa Barbara, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 22:49:28 GMT

Some sunrise pictures taken in Santa Barbara, CA looking back toward the Hill and Woolsey Fires in Ventura County.

Hill Fire, Newbury Park, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:13:55 GMT

On Thursday, NOvember 8, 2018 we evacuated from work near Rancho Conejo and Conejo Spectrum roads. Here are a few photos from what was seen near the epicenter of the Hill Fire:

Camp Fire Photos by Steve Alexander in Chico, CA

(peter alexander photography) — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 18:06:39 GMT

Some photos from my brother and Chico resident near the Chico Walmart and the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. Click on any image below to visit the full gallery of images. See some more video on his youtube channel: CLICK HERE