Window to the World by Stephen Oachs

Friday, 28th November 2008

Window To The World

by Stephen Oachs

The beaches of Big Sur are often cloaked in a blanket of fog, with uneven terrain and miscellaneous flotsam and jetsam decorating the coastline. Such imperfections make Big Sur’s beaches uniquely beautiful, and often less traveled.
Pfeiffer Beach is a favorite place in Big Sur, and as this photograph shows, it has an amazing rock formation. The setting sun casts a glow, illuminating the “window” as though showing an opening to another world.

Equipment: Canon 1Ds Mark III

Stephen Oachs

Stephen W. Oachs is a successful entrepreneur, technology veteran and award-winning photographer. He began his journey in photography the moment he picked up his first SLR camera. Ever since, his lenses have focused on the inspiring majesty of mother earth and the unflinching beauty of the animal kingdom.
Whether trekking through the wilds of Alaska, enduring the raw challenges of nature or experiencing the thrill of life on the edge, Stephen captures rare and breathtaking moments of light and time. His exceptional eye is filtered only by his passion for life, deep affinity with nature and love of adventure.

www.stephenoachs.com

24 Comments

Mark Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 1:15 am
All I can say is WOW!

Great image, great lighting and great location.

I’m impressed.
Ellee Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 2:56 am
Oh wow! Ethereal magic. Very moving.
alya mansoor Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 6:18 am
amazing picture..

i like it.
Anurag Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Exceptional eye you’ve got.
Great shot.
James and Kelly Stone Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Stephen, you never cease to amaze us!! This is a beautiful photo!! And to think it’s right in our “neighborhood”, yet you make it look like Eden. Excellent image with perfect exposure!!! Congrats, once again, on POTD!!!!
Su Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Fantastic, love how the spray has been captured too. Congrats
Pauline Jones Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 9:01 am
A lovely combination of warm and cold colors.
Malta Photography Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I am pretty sure this was not an easy shot but all the components seem to fall in place. Great lighting and shutter speeds.
Derek Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 9:08 am
wonderful, wonderful shot. I would like more details on actual location though as ‘BIG SUR’ sounds like a local only known location.
luiz octavio Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 9:14 am
IMAGEM LEMBRA AS MINAS DO REI SALOMÃO 5*****!!!
Matt Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Stunning!
Stee Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Stephen Oachs = amazing shots

Congrats, always great images
Alex Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 11:20 am
The orange light in the water is what make this shot special.
titter Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Perfect light! Wonderful shot!
Mimsha Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I love the orange color given by the sunbeams. The water jets are amazing too ! Very great shot ! Congratulations !
Marie Dunphy Harding Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
The colors are wonderful, Amazing shot!
Stephen Oachs Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Thank you everyone! (James, Kelly…thank you!) I’m flattered by all your kind words.

Derek and all, if you would like to visit this place, it’s a bit tricky to find so here’s some detailed information:

- This rock with the hole in it is at Pfeiffer Beach
- Pfeiffer Beach is hard to find, the road to it is not marked
- About 1 mile south of the Big Sur Lodge (on Hwy 1), right as the road is climbing up and curves to the left (going south) there is a sharp turn onto a 1 lane road (watch for a row of mailboxes).
- You’ll feel like you’re driving down into people’s homes but just keep going.
- Two miles down you’ll come to the parking lot. Park and walk about 300-400 yards down the beach.
- Best light is late afternoon/sunset. The light only shines through the hole like this when there is NO fog, so watch the weather.

Here’s another shot of this place on a foggy day to give you the idea of what it looks like otherwise:

http://lighttheexpedition.com/gallery-window-to-the-world.php

Oh and don’t forget your camera!!
Dennis Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Very nicely done – both the initial image and the PS work!
Casey Says:
November 28th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Beautiful image. I love the quality of light.
Charlotte Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Today is my birthday and i thank you for taking such a wonderful shot for this special day!
Sue Gagnon Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 8:57 pm
This is SUCH A SHOT! HOORAY! Stunning, honestly!
Su Says:
November 28th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Fantastic shot, love the light,
renee Says:
November 28th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Such a beautiful shot, amazing! congrats!
renee Says:
November 28th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
my mom had a picnic right there at that spot! she said it was very cold!