Marlene Krueger

Innovator of Kinetic Lights

Photo Journal of Monterey County

Written by

Marlene Krueger

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A photo Journal is like the magic of telling stories through pictures, where photography and journalism dance together beautifully. It mainly captures what’s happening now and the stories that make us human.

As far as the statue at Lover's Point, if you look In a distant, you can see the John Hopkins Marine Lab, behind that the aquarium, beyond that the Toro mountain range. A walking trail leads up to the viewers. The water is various shades of white and the sky is cloudy.
Overlooking the John Hopkins Marine Lab

This is were we begin, as we capture history at Lover’s Point where art meets marine science in Monterey, behind the iconic view at Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove, featuring Dorothy Fowler’s bronze statue, Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

A peaceful, moody view of a tranquil Monterey Bay

The tranquil shoreline meets soft, rolling Pacific waves under the afternoon sky. In a distance, wind-swept ancient cypress trees stand guard along the rugged California coastline.

At the shoreline public parks, it’s easy to sit and mesmerize. Just imagine a deep canyon the size of the Grand Canyon, at the tip of my toes, underneath the Monterey Bay.

there is a view of lover's point. On the left upper side, there's a victorian 2 story house, yellow, cypress trees along the horizon. the sky is blue, the water by the beach is deep blue, there are magenta colored flowers on the rocky, left lower side of the photo. The rocky area is a light beige. the rocks on the water are darker due to the constant ocean waves.
A Place to gather with family

Misty Morning Serenity at Monterey Bay

At Monterey Beach, kayakers get ready for a long excursion starting at the crack of dawn, where the calm water glistens as the morning sun rises, and a light, hazy fog pierces through the cypress trees, creating an aura reminiscent of a classic 1950s mystery movie.

Two kayakers journey through the morning mist characteristic of Monterey Beach. They are peddling through the water towards the deep sea.
Where the forest meets the sea—a quiet, misty morning on the California coast.

In the foreground, a sillouette of three mesmerized visitors gaze up, glaring at an illuminating light show of life at the marine sanctuary on Cannery Row. The blue shades and values glow at the Monterey Bay’s community tank.

Three teens watch in awe as a majestic sea turtle swims alongside a massive bait ball of sardines and tuna in the Open Sea exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Hundreds of Pacific bluefin tuna, swirling schools of sardines, a pelagic stingray, and a green sea turtle glide through the million-gallon open sea exhibit, visitors are mesmerized for hours.

This underwater photograph captures a massive school of shimmering sardines creating synchronized displays with a halation of darting Pacific bluefin tuna, a gliding pelagic stingray, and a gentle teal green sea turtle.

In an aquarium with aqua blue water and a sea otter leaning against a boulder underwater. The water is a rich dark to light teal blue with bubbles floating from the breath of the sea otter. The sea otter is charcoal with off white head and shoulders. The otter is looking at us.
Sea otter staring at us at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The reflecting lights guide me in wander through the Monterey Bay Light show, where I had a chance to look eye to eye at a sea otter staring at me. The luminous jellyfish paced with me as I gaze at the brightly lit sardines, tuna, and sea turtles, flow with a hypnotic pace that you just wish to flow with them.

Out in the deep teal blue ocean is a boulder, that is huge, where giant waves hit the boulder, causing so mud white foam and mist. The sky is medium blue The waves have momentary tints of aquamarine. The has a line of which foam and rocks over and around it.
Scene at the Intro of “Big Little Lies”.

At Pacific Grove there’s a massive boulder about a hundred feet out in the water, with crashing waves that display a rainbow-like mists, close to Point Pinos. Little did I know growing up, this image of an iconic boulder would be featured at the intro of the TV show “Big Little Lies.”

Out in the ocean very close to the shore, a humpback whale breached causing a spectacular show. Blue ocean, hazy whitish, light blue sky at the horizon
Hunchback Whale Breaching at Monterey, Ca

Moss Landing

My mind wondered with colors dispersing before my eyes across the Monterey Bay towards Moss Landing. As I day dreamed, I was taken back to the days watching my father fish. Remembering the humpback whale that breach right before our eyes.

What a vision, the rainbow splashed from its’ torso. Not to mention the scary sea lions in numbers and shore birds appearing a few feet away grabbing my father’s fish. Theatrics by the sea with shiny colors reflected everywhere. Imagine, thousands of shore birds flying above the dunes and wetlands.

Here is the hiking, walking, biking trail along the Monterey Bay. The cypress trees are tall lined along the hiking trail. In the background the sky is covered by the branches and leaves hanging over the trail. The sky is light blue. At a distance, about center the John Hopkins Marine Station is situated. Along the trail, the path is paved with a yellow dotted line to separate the people going east or west. The leave on the tall trees are hooker green, tree trunks are brownish with highlights of variations of beige.

Monterey

Back on the Monterey Peninsula Recreation Trail, a novel for a book continues in my mind with words and pictures, that align with my photo journals of abstract art. Lively waves swirl with the sand creating patterns that make you look twice for the after-imagines.

At Lover's Point we see beautiful waves with patterns that flow over the sandy beach. The water is light to dark teal blue.
The Waves Flowing Artistically

I was captivated by a stunning wave-kissed rocky shore, at the Monterey Peninsula tip, complete with breathtaking sandy dunes.

Surging splashes of huge waves with predominantly white mist takes up this scene at the Pacific Grove, with a seagull flying over the thunderous roar.
Large Wave at Pacific Grove

In a heartbeat as the cormorants gather, the crashing waves and rocks are covered in a hazy mist.

Silhouettes of four cormorants on a huge boulder. On the other side, it's around sunset but the waves are very blue and the clouds illuminate the sunset so the clouds are white.
Cormorant by Splashing Waves

I suddenly found myself walking towards the old Del Monte Forest,

Here there are Columbian black-tailed deer foraging towards Del Monte Forest. A dense forest with ancient Monterey Pines and dramatic Monterey Cypress trees is a prelude to the Del Monte Forsest. There's dark branches. Green grass are around the foraging deer. The sky can hardly be seen due to the towering trees.
Foraging Toward Del Monte Forest

Lost under the skies and clouds that formed images of people’s faces.

Old Del Monte Forest. There are tall old cypress trees in the hundreds on a green grassy area. The sky is white. The tree trunks are grayish, with textures that run up the tree vertically, there are visible knots on the trees, the trees are hooker greenish in color.
Dense forest with ancient Monterey Pines and Monterey Cypress

Standing there frozen between the wind swept cypress trees, my heart kept pounding, it’s guiding me to be lost in a tapestry of inspiration.

Wind swept trees nearly to its sides, on a grassy area, with dry beige sand, and water. The sky is medium blue.

Carmel

Carmel City Beach where friendly pets sniff my sandy toes, invited me to sit and watch them play with the other dogs.

Three dogs at the beach play and run freely. One dog is medium brown, on white, and the third is variable shades of brown. The snapshot stops where the dogs are centered with one dog with a ball in its mouth, the other two trying to take it away. The sand is powdery white, the ocean is a lightish, with a touch of light gray on the light blue water. There is white foam as the waves splashed close to the three dogs. The sky is about the same color as the water, but more of a clean light blue sky.
Playful Dogs Unleashed

Surprisingly, today, my walk through this area was fun, just like the dogs playing in the beach here.

At the beach, the whole sky is filled with a scarlet red mixed with the ending of the sun going down where on the horizon the color deep yellow mixed with some of the lightest reds are much to be loved. The ocean water reflects the sky. On the sand that reflects the sky filled with various hues of reds, there's a white lab on it's hind legs at the edge of the water, and Marlene Krueger walking towards the dog, she's wearing beige shorts, and a sleeveless blouse. She is brunette. Sweet looking.
Marlene Krueger | a Step in Time

As I turn a corner in Carmel, I follow a road down about seventeen steps to Carmel State Beach, photo journaling the sun through the luminous waves.  

Translucent-Waves-of-Carmel are emerald green. The wave is very high. The edges have white, splashy, misty foam. The sky is partly cloudy, hazy white and blue.
Translucent-Waves-of-Carmel

I’m ready to drive to Point Lobos State Reserve, where there are fresh ideas for another inspiring light project.

Looking on the Coastal Trail here, there’s a seamless merge of land and water creating an imaginary haze. Plus, the sun casts all sorts of rainbow-like patterns on everything on the ground, which is ever-changing.

Point Lobos

Upon exiting the beach, I snapped some photos north and south of the teal-blue horizon below.

When the sun sank into the sandy beach and below the horizon, with what appears to be a brilliant red sunset, I set my iPhone on cinematic, and photo at "raw" mode. When the path through the atmosphere was longer, the blue and green haze were removed almost completely, leaving the longer wavelength with orange and red hues.  With brilliant sunsets and cliffs plunging hundreds of feet down to rocky coves with foamy surf, it’s no wonder why people consider Big Sur as having the most beautiful sunsets. Not only that here's a region with a long artistic history, as well as unique galleries that let you immerse yourself in redwood forests, and dramatic coastal views.
Point Lobos Cypress Trees at Sunset

At Point Lobos there’s a brilliant red light show at China Grove at Sunset. The illumination opens our minds with the depth of the ocean of imaginary resonance of the calm.

Light fill the sky over Point Lobos, Monterey County. We see the effects of light at sunset as the sky changes to red. Marlene studies the effects through the camera lens.
Marlene studies the Effects of Light for a New Prototype

The Whalers Cabin at Point Lobos

Did you know that Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is home to one of the only two remaining native Monterey Cypress forests on Earth? Or that its famous Whalers Cabin sits on a foundation supported by actual whale vertebrae?

Deeper into the mysterious Point Lobos, I came across a windswept cypress tree that framed the everlasting history that intrigued the indigenous and the predecessors, and their secrets.

Cypress Grove Trail

One of only two naturally occurring Monterey Cypress forests left on Earth. Features dramatic ocean cliffs and orange lace lichen

After a brief walk breathing the fresh air, I took a short drive through Highway One, and glanced at the scenery from the shoulder, heading to Garrapata State Park.

Here we see windswept cypress trees along the mid horizon of the photo, pine leaves are hookers green and the trunks are beige, the grass at the lover half of the image is brownish green and the sky taking the upper half is medium blue.
Cypress at Veterans Trail by Marlene Krueger

Afterwards, I head to Big Sur, where Bixby Bridge is approaching, where we pass by another scene that look like the scene in the intro of “Big Little Lies.”

By the ocean during a dark cloudy faint sunset, seen here is the Bixby Bridge. The ocean was a nice dark teal blue.

Bixby Bridge at Night

While at a rocky mouth of Bixby Creek, I suddenly got lost on a dusty, rough Old Coast Road. Carefully I maneuver through the unpaved coastal hills and valleys, and then, with a dramatic finish, I’m back to the coast!

In an instant, I made my way down to the Big Sur River, taking a moment to wander along the shore and ridges of Andrew Molera State Park. I figured this would be the ideal spot to jot down my thoughts in the car. Moreover, a safe distance from the crowd of people and the possibility of mountain lions or snakes.

And when these routes intersect, they provide a 27-mile stretch of coastal Monterey County to explore, including Doud Creek, which is filled with Calle Lillies. But not this year, someone vandalized the area. So the flowers are destroyed.

Continuing south on Highway One, beams of light streamed through the majestic tall trees along the roadside. As we can see, there’s lovely beams of light through the tall Cypress trees from the afternoon sun, filtered by shades that let you know you’re in Big Sur. I continue my drive on Highway One and stop at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, where I set up camp enjoying the serenity.

Upon arrival at Pfeiffer Beach, where the huge boulder-like tower that everyone loves photographing at sunset between crashing waves, beach and wavy trail of purple marbling on the sand.

This is a photo at Pfeiffer Beach. This is where you see the boulder with a keyhole where the sun in the winter time shines through it. Many photographers come here in the middle of December just to catch a glimpse or take pictures. The sky is a beautiful deep blue, and there is a sunset, reddish yellowish with white clouds hovering above behind this keyhole boulder. There are many pebbles and large rocks surrounding it, and we see ocean waves here at this beach.
Key Hole through a large Rock at Phiefer Beach

Thunderous crashing waves, was sort of like a Philip Glass arrangement, as if they were choreographed. I got a peek through the keyhole where the winter sun sparkled.

I only took a few close up shots, before more people arrive. Eventually I was ready to leave driving south, for a quick walk at Julia Pfeiffer’s McWay Falls, to soak in the sights and sounds. That teal is so unreal. But it’s real.

McWay Falls today is a clear day with beautiful turquoise water at the foreground at the beach with white foams lining the cove, around the waterfall cascading down from a light brown with light yellow ochre on the boulder. There's a palm tree that hooker green. The sky is medium blue, and the water at the horizon is a rich teal blue. There are ferns at the lower left side of the picture and on the right corner there's a boulder with a pine tree bush that's dark hooker's green. Marlene Krueger
McWay Falls on a Cool Spring Day

Finally, I passed through the tiny town of Gorda. In minutes, I turned into Kirk Creek Campground, mesmerized as I checked in. It’s time to search for my spot, next to a beach fifty feet below. Looking down are the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. So this is where I rest. I lie on my back half-asleep, staring above at millions bright stars that lit up the whole campground.

This is wide scene near the campgrounds, the mountains are high, color has some yellow core, light burnt umber, there are tall trees on the left side, dark burnt umber and the leaves on the trees are hooker's green. The ocean is a beautiful teal blue in various shades of blue to white, the lightest of the water is white that meets on the beige sand.
Relax and Enjoy!

The morning began with the gentle sound of a raccoon rummaging through a garbage can, heralding the dawn of a new adventure. As I strolled along Willow Creek, the glimmering waters captivated my senses, guiding me toward the ocean.

The sight of a solitary fisherman perched precariously on a towering boulder amid the crashing waves evoked a mixture of awe and apprehension. Fisherman-at-high-tide

The sight of a solitary fisherman perched precariously on a towering boulder amid the crashing waves evoked a mixture of awe and apprehension.

Search for Salmon Creek

View of Salmon Creek, south of Monterey County. Here we see a waterfall that goes down to the creek that empties into the Pacific Ocean. There a several large boulders, as dark a charcoal. Many bushes and tall trees. No sky showing. Just a close up of what I described.
Step into Salmon Creek Falls

After a fruitless search for jade at Jade Beach, I continued southward to capture the breathtaking waterfall visible from Highway One at Salmon Creek, its soothing cascade resonating beautifully in the tranquil setting. My journey concluded with a reflective drive home, where the setting sun painted the sky in vibrant hues. 

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