In late Spring the foothills of the Coast Range begin to dry, but there is a special beauty to them silhouetted against the sky.
This photo was taken from Dinosaur Park in Shell Beach, looking south toward the 7 miles of sand that makes up Pismo State Beach.
It was taken May 28, at about 12:30 pm. The sunlight was just right to get the blues of the ocean and sky.
This distant view of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse near San Simeon, northern San Luis Obispo County, is also near the rookery for the elephant seals. The Big Sur wilderness area starts just a few minutes north of this area.
San Luis Obispo County is still semi-rural these days, and you can find a lot of picturesque old barns to photograph along the coast. This one was actually right behind the local Costco. Rustic meets modern.
A gull flies by as the sun sets behind a sailboat on peaceful waters in the bay at Port San Luis. I walked to the end of the wharf and it was a serene place to watch the sun go down, with my lab retriever at my side.
A glance at the bottom part of the wharf showed the sea lions to be mostly sleeping, although a few were playing in the water.
This sunset over the Pacific at Pismo Beach looks like an oil painting by a master. It's hard to believe this photo isn't a picture made with brushstrokes of vivid colors.
At the end of the Pismo Pier there's usually a group of sunset watchers, many with cameras, enjoying the "golden hour" when the light has the warm sunset tones.
