Species highlight: Elephant Seals
December 18, 2025
Species Highlight: Elephant Seals
by Heather Cline
Elephant seals are among the most extraordinary marine mammals on Earth—massive, deep-diving, and full of surprises. Each year, they return to coastal haul-out sites to breed, molt, and rest, offering a rare glimpse into their dramatic lives. In this post, we’ll explore their anatomy, behaviors,...
Read the Full Post »
A Reminder to Watch the Little Ones Too
December 16, 2025
We’re in the heart of birding season here in California, with raptors, wading birds, shorebirds, and waterfowl moving along the winter migration path. But even amid the spectacle, it’s worth pausing for the quieter moments—like this house wren, perched and posing with effortless charm. These small songbirds may not draw crowds, but they offer somet...
Read the Full Post »
How to Add a Snow Effect to Your Photos: Simple Tools to Enhance Winter Scenes
December 11, 2025
How to Add a Snow Effect to Your Photos
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Winter scenes have a magic all their own—but what if the snow doesn’t show up when your camera does? Whether you're editing a wildlife portrait, a landscape, or a cozy seasonal shot, adding a snow effect can transform your image into a frosty wonderland. In this post, I’ll...
Read the Full Post »
Simple joy
December 09, 2025
No deep message today—just two polar bears sharing a moment, and me, lucky enough to be there with a camera. Polar bears have always held a special place in my heart, and this image from Manitoba is one of my favorites. Watching them interact—gentle, curious, powerful—was a reminder of how much beauty exists in the coldest corners of the world. I d...
Read the Full Post »
The Rule of Odds: A Simple Trick for Stronger Compositions
December 04, 2025
Text and photos by Heather Cline
A few weeks ago, I decided to start a deep dive into the many compositional rules you can apply to your photos - one rule at a time. I'm continuing with the Rule of Odds. The Rule of Odds is a compositional principle that suggests images are more visually appealing when they contain an odd number of elements—typica...
Read the Full Post »
California’s Coastal Matterhorn
December 02, 2025
Tucked along the rugged Big Sur coastline, Garrapata State Park offers a dramatic blend of sea cliffs, wild surf, and sculpted stone — and in one striking spot, a jagged rock formation rises from the shoreline like a miniature Matterhorn. With its sharp peak and angular ridges, this coastal monolith mirrors the iconic Swiss mountain in both shape a...
Read the Full Post »
The art of nature abstraction: A guide to seeing differently
November 27, 2025
Text and photos by Heather Cline
When we think of nature photography, we often picture sweeping landscapes or charismatic wildlife. But there’s a quieter, more intimate world waiting just beneath the surface — a world of textures, patterns, and colors that reveal themselves only when we slow down and look closely. Abstract nature photography inv...
Read the Full Post »
Yucca Bloom: Light, Form, and Detail
November 25, 2025
Yucca blooms are more than desert flowers—they’re sculptural forms waiting for the right light. With their tall stalks and clustered white blossoms, they stand out against arid landscapes, but it’s in close view that their textures and geometry reveal themselves. These plants are pollinated almost exclusively by yucca moths, a rare example of mutua...
Read the Full Post »
Gratitude for the Wild Turkey
November 20, 2025
Meet the Locals: Wild Turkeys of Northern California
Text and photos by Heather Cline
With Thanksgiving around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to appreciate the wild turkeys I see almost every day here in Northern California. It’s easy to overlook them or assume they’re just big, awkward birds—but there’s so much more to these feathered n...
Read the Full Post »
Are you ready for this?
November 18, 2025
Late November brings colder air, unpredictable skies, and the kind of weather that keeps you checking the horizon. But for photographers, this unsettled season is a gift—storm clouds, stark light, and wide, empty spaces offer some of the year’s most dramatic scenes. It’s a reminder that beauty doesn’t always arrive with calm skies. Sometimes, it ro...
Read the Full Post »
Rule of Thirds: A Simple Grid with Powerful Impact
November 13, 2025
•
Leave a Comment
Compositions using the Rule of Thirds
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Bison and birds, Yellowstone National Park
Over the years, I’ve covered a range of topics on composition and design, but this time I’m going back to basics—taking a closer look at one rule at a time. The rule of thirds is one of the most widely taught—and widely used—compos...
Read the Full Post »
In Their Honor: A November Reflection
November 11, 2025
•
Leave a Comment
On Veterans Day, we pause to recognize the service and sacrifice of those who have worn the uniform. Arlington National Cemetery stands as a solemn reminder of the cost of duty and the legacy of those who served. In the quiet of November, among rows of white headstones and falling leaves, we reflect on the lives given in defense of our country—and...
Read the Full Post »
Three Fall Spectacles in California
November 06, 2025
•
Leave a Comment
By Land, Air, and Water: Three Fall Spectacles in California
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Sandhill cranes at sunset
Every fall, California offers three standout wildlife events that are worth watching—and photographing. In the forests, black-tailed deer enter their rutting season, with bucks competing for mates. In the Central Valley, sand...
Read the Full Post »
A supermoon for the beavers
November 04, 2025
•
Leave a Comment
Tonight is the November Beaver Supermoon. It will rise on the eastern horizon between 4:35 and 4:55 PM depending on your time zone. It is the closest, brightest, and largest full moon of 2025, and the last one of the year. It’s called the Beaver Moon because it coincides with the time beavers prepare their lodges for winter. Whether you are photogr...
Read the Full Post »
Through My Lens: Santa Rosa & Santa Cruz in Wild Detail
October 31, 2025
•
Leave a Comment
Through My Lens: Santa Rosa & Santa Cruz in Wild Detail
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Water Canyon Beach, Santa Rosa Island
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m on a mission to visit every national park in the United States. I recently checked off number 38—Channel Islands National Park—and I’m excited to share the exp...
Read the Full Post »
© Cline Photography