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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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