dusk – Matt Tilghman Photography

Golden Rays Over Bellagio – Lake Como Italy

Matt Tilg — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:13:16 +0000

The sun breaks through on a cloudy day, bathing Bellagio briefly in golden dusk sunlight.

Bellagio is one of the most famous towns in Lake Como, perhaps because of its location. It juts out into the middle of Lake Como on a thin peninsula. While the peninsula is made of gentle hills, it affords stunning views of the towering mountains that border the lake. From on the lake, its easy to forget that these mountain features are similar to a valley, except that the area retains water. The way the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the mountains reminded me that each of Lake Como’s three legs is long and narrow, almost like a tunnel. And the channeled golden rays seemed to end squarely on Bellagio, almost like the pot of gold at the end. Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 9227×3667). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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Tidal Patterns In Biscayne Bay – Miami, Florida

Matt Tilg — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 13:05:54 +0000

At sunset, low tide reveals beautiful wave patterns in the sand. Located in Biscayne Bay, right outside of Miami, Florida.

Low tide on tidal sand-flats such as this can be hit or miss. Sometimes, the tide simply reveals bugs and foul smells. But other times, low tide reveals fantastic patterns in the sand, which have been slowly forming all day underwater. And a nice thing about South Florida: unlike California, you are free to explore the land that low tide reveals without concern, because if the tide rushes back in on you, your greatest risk is probably returning home with a wet pair of shoes. The seas are friendlier here, which is both a good and bad thing. It makes exploring and immersing oneself in nature more safe and carefree. But it does this for everyone. In Biscayne Bay, sandbars like this have become quite difficult to explore in peace. They have instead become havens for aquatic party-goers. But if you look hard enough, and have a little insider knowledge about where to look, solitude can still be found on these sandbars. Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4160×2773). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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Waterfront at Dusk in Hvammstangi, Iceland

Matt Tilg — Sat, 31 Mar 2018 22:14:30 +0000

The beautiful small town of Hvammstangi, Iceland, on a clear March day at sunset.

This lovely sunset was unfortunately the only clear sunset that I got to witness in Iceland during my 8 day stay. It’s okay, I got to see the Northern Lights twice, so I consider that a fair trade. And if I had to pick a night to have a great sunset, this might have been it. The town of Hvammstangi, with its small but beautiful waterfront, was the perfect setting to setup the tripod and soak it in. FYI, this image is the exact same image as my photograph “Hvammstangi Harbor at Sunset”, just cropped differently. I figured that some buyers might prefer this aspect ratio over the original one.

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Hvammstangi Harbor at Sunset, Iceland

Matt Tilg — Sat, 31 Mar 2018 21:57:32 +0000

The waterfront of Hvammstangi’s harbor lights up opposite the setting sun, on Iceland’s north coast.

This is the single lone sunset photograph I got from my trip to Iceland. When they say that March is the month with the most precipitation, they mean it. There are are plenty of perks to visiting Iceland in March. For instance, the twelve hours of daylight but still a chance to see the Northern Lights. But I didn’t get many sunsets. I tried hard to appreciate this one, but it was difficult. The tiny coastal village of Hvammstangi looked truly beautiful as it basked in the glow of the clear sunset, but I could barely concentrate. While I tried to soak in the beautiful moment, my mind was instead focused on the great chance of seeing the Aurora that this clear evening would provide. Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 6198×3475). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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Russian Ridge Sunset – California Winter Storm

Matt Tilg — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 14:21:04 +0000

The sunset at Russian Ridge Open Space looks calm, but a cold California winter storm looms on the horizon. In fact, the frigid winds had already arrived.

There’s only two or three photographs that when I see them, my first thought is “wow, I remember how cold I was.” Obviously, the California winter storm pictured here is nothing like the blizzards in other parts of the country. Heck, it’s nothing like the blizzards in other parts of the state. These Santa Cruz Mountains are remarkably mild. But that means you’re typically not dressed like you would be for a nor’easter. And here at Russian Ridge, the winds coming off the Pacific can rip over these mountains at surprising speeds. Couple that with the fog and 100% humidity, and near freezing temperatures, and it can feel like the coldest shower you’ve ever taken.

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Marbled Ocean – Russian Ridge Open Space

Matt Tilg — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 17:11:54 +0000

From high up in Russian Ridge Open Space, California, the Pacific Ocean, under mottled sunlight, looks more like an archipelago.

On this hike through Russian Ridge Open Space, I saw a phenomenon that was completely knew to me. As the fog broke up, the sun began to peek through the cracks. I’m sure this must happen often, and I come here often, so I don’t know why it is so rare for me to see. Perhaps this usually happens when the sun is lower in the sky, thus it’s angle means it can’t shine through. Or perhaps there’s usually a lot more void than cloud. That would mean the projection is mostly sunshine, with just a few cloud shadows. Just based on memory, I think such a sight is far more common. But this sight, though it sounds similar, felt completely different. Instead of an archipelago of shadows, it’s an archipelago of sunlight. Rather than contiguous paths of sunlight, which would happen if the fog was “breaking up,” it’s the shadows that are contiguous. So instead, we’re witnessing holes being burned through the fog.

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Dapper Dappled Pacific – Santa Cruz Mountains

Matt Tilg — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 14:49:00 +0000

Broken sunlight projects onto the Pacific Ocean, as seen from California’s Santa Cruz Mountains.

This view has been featured in many of my photographs. It’s from the western sides of the mountains in Russian Ridge Open Space, one of my favorite places to hike. These Santa Cruz Mountains, while not the most dramatic coastal features California has to offer, have a beauty all their own. I don’t think this is my best photograph from this vantage. But I think it might have been the most beautiful evening I spent there. As the sun set, the fog began to break up. This was hidden, because from the height of the trail, you were looking at the clouds almost head-on. But the broken nature of the clouds was projected onto the Pacific Ocean below, creating an ambiance I hadn’t experienced before or since.

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Montara Beach at Sunset

Matt Tilg — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 23:34:29 +0000

The fog broke up just in time for a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean, at Montara Beach, California.

Montara Beach is a beautiful state beach near Pacifica, California. We chose this beach as the location for a friend’s birthday picnic. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t very picnic friendly. It was foggy and cold all day… and very windy! This wasn’t all that unexpected, since such conditions are pretty common along Central/Northern California’s Pacific coast. The location was chosen more in hopes of ending the picnic with a beautiful sunset. The fog seemed really socked-in all day, so we were pretty sure that those hopes were dashed, too. But right as the day was ending, the fog broke up just enough to give us a stellar sunset, with the perfect amount of clouds (which is pretty rare for California).

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Behind The Mask – North Table Mountain

Matt Tilg — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 02:23:09 +0000

A beautiful creek meanders through late poppies and volcanic basalt, right before plunging off the cliff and becoming Phantom Falls.

My title for this photograph is perhaps a bit too abstract, even for me. “Behind The Mask” pays homage to the name of the waterfall in this picture, Phantom Falls. Get it? Like how the phantom wears a mask? Maybe not. Anyway, if you don’t see the waterfall in this photo, that’s because this vantage is above the falls. Right in the center of the image, where the creek ends, the water plunges over a massive basalt cliff, becoming Phantom Falls. I love how this vantage feels nearly polar opposite compared to when you are looking at the waterfall and cliff. It feels almost like a “behind the scenes” look at the drama of Phantom Falls. While the waterfall is one of the most dramatic I’ve ever seen, from here it is total peace and tranquility — a much more accurate representation of the true feel of North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve.

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Disappearing Act – Phantom Falls

Matt Tilg — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 02:02:31 +0000

The seasonal Phantom Falls plunges over ancient volcanic basalt cliffs, in North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve, near Oroville, California.

The name of this photograph comes from the nature of this waterfall. Phantom Falls (in North Table Mountain Ecological Preserve, in the Chico/Oroville area, California) is so named because sometimes you see it, and sometimes you don’t. It only appears after prolonged rain, towards the end of the wet season. And it can dry up rather quickly, too, with the hot sun as well as very absorbent volcanic ground. This photo was taken in mid to late spring, with probably only a few weeks of water flow left. But the grass was green and lush, and still hid a few poppy blossoms. The place truly came to life at sunset, when the shadows cast by the dramatic rock formations began to play games with the landscape.

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