Leading

We never know where it all leads
even when we 'think' we know

Some would say we're following old paths
I say each time a path is followed
a new route is created
a unique destination attained,
for a moment.

Look around
smell the air
take in the view
enjoy Being

Down the track again
creating the next amazing
yet to be imagined
destination.

You can walk down the Trail

I'm remembering the beauty of my world,
I'm remembering I'm creating and destroying,
I'm remembering again and again it's my choice
What I leave behind for the next generations.

When I forget I leave all of 'it' to others
Make up that it's all perfect (and it is)
And I make a difference with my choices
my actions, my words.

The trail is getting brighter
I love this planet of mine
that's the story I'm making up
this very moment.

What makes a place home

Knowing a tree, how it reaches out to say hello, to shelter from a storm, to afford a place to sit in comfort. Watching over the years as it seems to sit still until suddenly a limb breaks changing the the countenance completely. To walk upon a trail knowing an old friend is just around the corner with open boughs, happy or not to see you, to feel you. These things make a place a home.

Special thanks to Deborah for catching the spelling mistake, seemed like the tree may have needed a pair of depends :)

Railroad Trestle

I went up Henry Cowell State Park two days ago to photograph the railroad trestle. Hadn't been there in over 13 years even though it's just up the road and a 30 minute hike from the park entrance to get to. I loaded up lots of photo equipment into a photo backpack and had a great time.

I love trestles, bridges and the like. The idea of creating something to get a train over a river out of concrete and steel piques my masculine builder mind. I also appreciate the slow but steady decay that is happening to this trestle built in 1909. The rivets, rust and spikes are all beautiful to me.

As the light faded I set up my speedlights and clamped them onto the struts and shot a self portrait. What fun!


Here's a link to see more images from that day, click here. You can also click on either image.

Santa Cruz Lighthouse

I've been drawn to photograph lighthouses for years, something about the anchor they are for those plying the seas, a safe beacon home in all weather, at all times.

Two lighthouses

What guides a person home
a horn bellowing through the fog
Flashing streaks of hope
glowing dimly in the mist
or the repeating echo
of ones own voice
'I am loved, I am loved'.

Big Dipper

The magic of a ride, arms in the air, anticipation, slowly clickity clacking up the tracks, plunging down and around.

One more time before the lights go out, just one more time, please.

The Sun Rose, HDRi

Having just downloaded the sunrise images, actually before sunrise, and put my camera away I looked out and saw light streaming through the trees.

I love the light streaking through the trees, the trees casting shadows into the valley and everything echoing the perfection of a new day.

Sunrise on the Mountain, HDRi Panorama

Waking before sunrise this morning I could see the potential for a beautiful sunrise. Grabbing my camera and tripod, and bundling up a bit, I walked out my door and onto the roof of the workshop with a view from the valley to the summit.

I love Seeing our World unfolding and with these photographic tools I feel as if I can open even deeper into the folds of my World.

Ojai, Primavera Gallery HDRi

Primavera Gallery is a spectacular gallery in Ojai, California. Wonderful people, outstanding pieces and tremendous ease makes for a wonderful experience just being there. As a matter of fact one of the artisans there created my wife's wedding ring and it is beautiful.

I was parked on the other side of the street from the gallery shooting as the night moved in. I walked across the street to see what I could see with all the light and wonderful pieces in the window as well as the beautiful shapes of the arcade. This one is pretty extreme and something about it fits the moment. Strong colors, radical contrasts all seem to blend to the moment.

9 exposures taken, 7 brought into Photomatrix Pro, tone-mapped, then into photoshop for some final tweaking.

If you are ever in Ojai you must take a look inside this gallery.

Capitola Wharf HDRi to LDR

Capitola Wharf in the late afternooon, foreground in the shade, wharf in direct sun, 6 images combined in Photomatix Pro. I layered in the foreground water from the best image.

HDRi Image, Macy in Capitila

I shot 9 images 1 stop apart in auto bracket with a Nikon D200. Selecting 5 images from the set I used Photomatix Pro to create an HDR image then Tone-Mapped it with the same application. Macy had moved just a bit so I brought in an image of her face from the set and masked it in. Also used Photoshop CS3 to ramp up the tone and saturation, used the healing brush to remove some lens flare.

What I'm coming to love about HDR imagery is being able to get so much more visual information into the image. I feel myself looking at scenes differently, imagining what can be conveyed and shown to share a feeling or thought.

Macy Bleu

The first time I photographed Macy Bleu was 2 years ago, she is my friends daughter. I had the thought to photograph her every year until I can no longer see which means when I'm 80 she'll be 48 and we'll have created an amazing set of images together.

We started in the studio and then went out to Capitola to explore. Here is an image from the shoot processed through an HDRi workflow. More on all of this in another post.