The Elephant Seal is an amazing animal that I was fortunate to observe at the Piedras Blancas Beach during a recent visit to California. Bull Elephant Seals weigh as much as 5,000 pounds and can dive to an astounding depth of 5,000 feet! Once nearly extinct due to over-hunting (their blubber is very rich), they have made a dramatic comeback, with a recent population estimate of 150,000 (2003). The Elephant Seals that I photographed were in the middle of their breeding season. More information on Elephant Seals is available at the Friends of the Elephant Seal website.


Welcome to the PBase galleries for Kipp J Schoen Photography. I sincerely hope you enjoy viewing my photographs. Please feel free to leave comments and don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. It has been a pleasure to capture these images and share them with you. The photos that you see here are available for purchase in either electronic or print form (print only, matted, or matted and framed). For information on purchasing, please visit the Kipp J Schoen Photography website.