Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

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Archive 2006 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Dustin Gent
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p.1 #1 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

ok, so i am leaving for vacation to the Southwest tomorrow and am going back home (Orange County, ie; Laguna/San Clemente area) from october 8th through the 16thish...

anyways, i was wondering about the various local places to shoot on the beach...
ofcourse Huntington Beach Pier (grew up there), Newport and Balboa, Corona Del Mar...
but i am wondering about Tide Pools. If i remember correctly, Corona Del Mar has Tide Pools, and maybe Laguna Beach? i never was into photography seriously when i lived down there, hence the questions

i will have access to computers while on vacation. Thanks alot!

EDIT...

crystal cove has tidepools, right?

Sep 28, 2006 at 06:10 AM

amulay
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p.1 #2 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Crystal Cove is my favorite beach in Orange County. There are plenty of tide pools along the entire stretch of beach. Here are a few of shots from the tide pools there to give you an idea of what you can expect. Corona Del Mar and Laguna also have tide pools, but Crystal Cove is much less crowded than the others and is in more pristine condition. If you are traveling outside of Orange County, try the Palos Verde penisula for some more tide pools. Good luck and have fun.

Taken today.

Taken last spring.

Taken last winter.

Andy

Sep 28, 2006 at 07:17 AM

JimFox
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p.1 #3 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Hey Dustin,

I think that section of Corona Del Mar beach the "Little Corona" has the best tide pools. They are the easiest to access and require less low tide to be able to see. Crystal Cove has some rocks that become revealed as the tide goes out, but I have never considered them tide pools persay. Laguna towards the south end has some smaller tide pools too.

Crystal Cove is the least crowded but costs $10 to access. It does have 2 main access points Pelican Point and Reef Point, they are about 2 miles apart, and offer quite a difference between the 2 area's as far as rocks and wave crashing.

Little Corona is free, so that is a benefit, and to me has the coolest tide pools and wave crashing rocks around.

I posted these shots in another post, check them out to see the difference.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/455706/0

Jim

P.S. Andy, by the way, some very cool shots you have there!

Sep 28, 2006 at 02:35 PM

platscha
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p.1 #4 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

I just posted in Jims thread, they are now requiring you have a permit to photograph in Little Corona if you are a professional and not to go on long here with my story, they considered me pro because as i can figure out I had a black camera and a tripod, would not listen to me not being a professional but ultimately I left and did not get the ticket, I was going to take photos of my grandson.
By the way MOSS ST in Laguna has some nice tidepools and rock formations, great for sunsets.

Sep 28, 2006 at 08:11 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #5 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Hey Patsy,

They are getting bad about that at Little Corona, it's a shame greediness and a lack of common sense is causing problems for all of us. Were you shooting with your D70?

I have gone down there to shoot landscape though with my tripod and never had an issue. It's the portrait and wedding crowd that they are out to scalp.

Jim

Sep 28, 2006 at 09:31 PM

platscha
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p.1 #6 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Yes you are right, they are after the wedding photo. but because I had my grandson and a tripod they jumped on me, I understand that they also ask if you are professional on Santa Monica Pier and just recently on the HB pier. Also they ask at the Capo Mission if you are taking photos for your own use or professional, guess they are all jumping on the money wagon.

Sep 28, 2006 at 10:24 PM

Dustin Gent
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p.1 #7 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

the HB pier is asking this as well? damn, if it isnt bad enough the cost of living is soo high down there already....

i guess i will find out soon enough. maybe i will see some of you shooting down there.

My sister lives in Laguna Nigel, and she knows of some good spots with tidepools. i might just buy a CA state parks pass. Maybe my sister will go halfs on it as i wont be able to utilize it as much as i utilize my NW forest Pass, Oregon State Parks Pass, Nation Park Pass (Golden Eagle Pass, i think it is called now..)

thanks for all the info!!!!!

Sep 29, 2006 at 12:48 AM

lmitch6
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p.1 #8 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

I'll throw in a vote for Moss Point and Woods Cove in Laguna. Here's a link to a series I did there:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lmitch/sets/72157594152799500/

Hope this helps you out a bit!

:-)

Sep 29, 2006 at 12:59 AM

platscha
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p.1 #9 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Great shots you did, did you use a vari-neutral density filter to slow the water down or just a long exposure and f stop like 22?
I was just down trying out a blue gold filter on a gorgeous sunset tonight, all my shots were very grainy I guess I wouls describe as, I definetely should have used a longer exposure, having a hard time getting used to these silly filters.

Sep 29, 2006 at 02:49 AM

lmitch6
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p.1 #10 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Platscha,

For mine, I used a combination of a circular polarizer, 2x, and 4x Neutral Density filters (non-graduated). I varied use of the 2x and 4x depending on the light levels at the moment. I'd start shooting about 30 minutes before sunset, and end about 30-40 minutes after. I was shooting anywhere from about 1-4 seconds if I remember right.

Sep 29, 2006 at 03:50 AM

JimFox
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p.1 #11 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Huntington Beach, they might talk to you if you are shooting a model, or portraits, but just to shoot the beach, I haven't seen anyone bothered, and not that I am there 24/7, but I am there 3 days a week, and just shot the sunset tonight, we finally got some cool clouds!

Patty was bothered, but I shoot at the beach, and different beaches all the time with 2 camera's and atleast 1 tripod, and I haven't gotten asked or talked to. Most state beaches charge $10 for the day, the year long special state pass, which you need is $125 I believe. So you may want to count how many days, and if that is worth it. I do always get a Golden Eagle pass each year, and it does save me a ton of money.

Jim

Sep 29, 2006 at 04:28 AM

Tim ONeill
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p.1 #12 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Hi Andy,
I like your shots very much. I guess if I show up at Little Corona or Crystal Cove, I should be wearing a trench-coat and have my gear strapped to my body. Seriously, I have been to LC and been given the "excuse me sir but you are in our pictures" by portrait shooters doing wedding stuff. I try to give them a wide berth. I kind of resent it if I'm there first. Actually, I can always go back and shoot. For the couple it is more pressing. The fee has been explained exhaustively here a few times, and the people doing the fee collecting should be schooled in what to look for around there. Always gonna be a few zealots. If they don't stop Jim, they are asleep on the job. He usually sucks up all the good light.

Sep 29, 2006 at 04:57 AM

amulay
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p.1 #13 · Crystal Cove and other Orange County locations

Thanks Tim... I just went to Little Corona tonight and found out that they charge $149 for a permit. It is only required if you are shooting commercial photography. I didn't have any problems with my tripod and bag of camera gear. There was another photographer there doing some family photos and he said that he was required to have the $149 permit.

Here are some of the shots from tonight.
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/456069/0

Sep 29, 2006 at 06:17 AM

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