Rim of Fire
Canon 7D, 17-55 f2.8, 2-Stop Hard GND

Wilder Ranch State Park off the coast of Santa Cruz boasts  towering cliffs and secluded beaches. As we hiked down the long trail leading to the cliffs, the setting sun started illuminating the rim of this cliff. The rim of the cliff glowed almost a bright gold in the late evening sunlight. Monterey Peninsula is visible at the distance.

[Technical Details: This image was a HDR blend of three bracketed shots. This was necessary due to the extreme contrast between the bright and dark areas. A little bit of selective burning/dodging was done to improve contrast].