Rosemary Rideout Photography - PhotoBlog

Point Lobos

2009-08-09T20:29:00.001-07:00

I believe it would be hard to dispute the claim that Point Lobos is the greatest meeting of land and water in the world. It's fun to go there in the summer when tourists are visiting from all over the world. We spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon there and heard German and French spoken by families out on the trails enjoying their visit.

Here are a few of the hundred or so photos I took today.

On the trail

2009-06-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

I've had a great week on the trail. I got to enjoy the redwoods with a friend early in the week, then did a favorite trail at Coe. To end the week, we did a fabulous walk in the Hunting Hollow to Fish Lake and back via the dry creekbed for a true "off trail" thrash about. Fantastic.

Dowdy Ranch Henry W. Coe State Park

2009-05-31T22:49:00.000-07:00

As a State Park Volunteer I have to say it is a challenging time. We must constantly, it seems, be launching into high gear to advocate in favor of our California State Parks which seem to be a favorite political football of the Governor.

Meanwhile in the parks, life goes on. I did a weekend of Visitor Center Duty at the Day Use Area of Henry W. Coe State Park at the Dowdy Ranch. Worth fighting to keep this park open? You bet. Henry W. Coe State Park's 89,000 acres offers a chance to explore for an hour, a day, a week or several weeks in a wilderness setting.

Here's the beautiful evening and morning.

On the Cusp of Summer

2009-05-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here in the Santa Clara Valley we are on the cusp of summer. Spring flowers are fading fast and the late bloomers are out in big numbers. Summer really has arrived for me when the Buckeye bloom.

I was out for a ramble the other day on the Uvas Reservoir to check in on this old friend, my favorite buckeye tree. And beauteous it is right now, fragrant and a hub of activity for bees. I took a moment to climb in under the branches to get out the sun and found a whole new way to look at this beauty.

Beach

2009-05-17T07:34:00.001-07:00

I may as well have been on a deserted island. Outwalking at the beach last week, on a Thursday morning. Just the birds and me and the surf. Taking the cure. The beach always makes me happy.

Jason Stephens Winery

2009-05-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on a local winery which has been developing their vineyard and are now open to the public for winetasting. I've yet to taste the wine, but the vineyard itself is magical this time of the year. The grounds manager and I chatted today when I wheeled into the vineyard on a whim on the way back from a hike. The winery wasn't yet open for tasting for the day, but he and I chatted about the beauty of the vineyard and the quality of the grapes and wines.

Charmingly beautiful with rows and rows of annuals....bachelor buttons and poppies...between the vines.

As for the wine....I bought a bottle and I'll report back when it is gone.

Spring 2009

2009-05-04T19:31:00.001-07:00

Where have I been, you ask... I've been out walking. Spring 2009 has been beautiful. I put more in more than 40 miles some weeks out there just enjoying the show.

And while I love to photograph the Spring, I didn't always take my camera this year. I'm working on strength and fitness and many times didn't take my camera along. When I did, I took my time and photographed wildflowers and sunsets, lingering until the very last light.

Here's a little taste of my spring.

Congratulations Richard & Lourdes

2009-05-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful wedding !! It's always special when my wedding couple are folks that we know. Dick and Lourdes are Coe Park volunteers and so we've worked side-by-side with them at the park for four years.

I was thrilled to be asked to photograph their wedding on May 2nd at the Willow Heights Mansion in Morgan Hill, an elegant Italian villa with beautiful views of the Santa Clara Valley.

This couple love to dance and so it was fun to watch their family and friends waltz the afternoon away during the reception.

Here's a photo collage of some of the waltz photos I captured during their big day.

Congratulations Dick and Lourdes. I suspect you will sweep into your married life as effortlessly and beautifully as you did across the dance floor on your wedding day !!

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T10:10:00.000-08:00

This is the famous Mobius Arch in the Alabama Hills, just outside of Lone Pine in the Eastern Sierras. This is perhaps the third time I've photographed it at sunrise. It is always a very moving experience, watching the first light on Mt. Whitney and then, with patience, waiting for the sun to light up the arch itself. It never gets old for me.

Happy New Year. May your year be filled with magical moments, just like this one was for me.

Zabriskie Point

2008-12-29T18:23:00.000-08:00

We're back from our annual desert sojourn. We've never gone to Death Valley at this time of the year, so with the boys in Canada and Japan, we decided it might be a good time to develop some new holiday traditions.

We camped for two days at Hole in the Wall, a beautiful spot in the Funeral Mountains just a few miles from Zabriskie Point. It allowed us to be there for sunrise on the morning of the 26th. Rather than photograph it from the viewing area, we climbed a ridge leading toward Manley Beacon and from that vantage point I was able to photograph with both Manley and Telescope Peak in the frame.

But the photos I'm publishing with this post were taken by Bruce with his cell phone. I especially love the first where he captured the first light behind us and somehow managed to get both me and himself into the shot. I don't know how he did it, I was petrified of our perch up there on the foot wide trail at the very crest of the ridge which fell away on each side. When we found the "wide spot" on the trail I relaxed enough for him to shoot this second one.

Yup, that's me....December 26th, with my back to the spectacular view of Manley Beacon in Death Valley.

Feed 100 - the little white bag full of love

2008-12-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

I just bought myself an expensive new bag. No, not a designer handbag….a shopping bag. But I didn’t mind spending the money. Whole Foods have joined a campaign to feed hungry children in developing countries. My donation of $25.00 will feed 100 children a school lunch, making it possible for them to concentrate on their studies and it may even be the only food they get to eat that day.

We’re pretty fortunate in this country to have neighbors who can help, through programs and just reaching out through our community institutions, to feed the hungry here. I’m not naïve enough to think we’re doing everything that we can right here, right now. But every little bit counts.

This nifty little burlap pouch opens up to convert to a 100% cotton reusable shopping bag, which I’ll be using regularly on my future shopping trips to Whole Foods.

I love the staff there. I even scored some free chocolate this time because they didn’t have my favorite brand in stock, even after a second visit. Their kindness inspired me to return the favor by buying the bag which is way more than just a little shopping bag. To me it represents the helping hands needed to make this world a little more united.

Out Walking

2008-11-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

We got out today for a lovely walk on the reservoir. The earth is beginning to return our step, giving ever so slightly to our footfall. No longer hard and unyeilding. The rains are beginning to transform the landscape.

I picture the rains we received yesterday being hungrily devoured by the soil. Even on the slopes, the first rains are quickly absorbed and the earth puts the bounty to work. If the rainfall had been more generous, the earth would release some if it to roll downhill, joining other drops in seeps and seasonal creeklets on their way to the low point, the reservoir. But for now, the reservoirs only reflect the few drops it has captured along with the water which has been impounded from the last raining season.

The ravens gathered for a quick meeting in the oak quitting their agenda abruptly at the sound of our clapping hands.

The buckeye is right where it has always been, and I fancy it enjoys the appreciation. I've photographed it dozens of times.

With the last rays of the day, a flood of sunshine low and mellow slips through the pass and bathes the landscape while I stand astonished, forgetting for a moment that I was at this place at this time simply to admire the graceful leaves of the grapevine.

A beautiful day.

Happy Thanksgiving aka Playing with my Food

2008-11-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Leftovers for us, by choice. But we did cook up this beautiful stuffed squash to go with leftover turkey. And, of course, half the fun for me is photographing my food.

We have much to be thankful for in our lives, not the least of which is that we have our health, we have each other, our boys are well and happy, our parents are doing ok, our siblings seem happy and we continue to see much beauty in the world, despite the challenges.

a Vineyard

2008-11-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

Saturday afternoon we got the chance to attend DeRose Winery's New Release Party, in full swing by late afternoon. It was fun to taste the newly bottled wine and get out to stroll in the vineyard. The light was lovely.

Baby Roberto

2008-11-23T14:41:00.000-08:00

I got to meet Baby Roberto and his very sweet parents yesterday. This little guy is now 6 months old but he jumped into the world at 24 weeks gestation giving his parents quite a scare. He's doing wonderfully. Thanks mom and dad for allowing me the privilege of taking Roberto's first portraits.

Madeline

2008-11-19T16:40:00.000-08:00

Working with little ones like this just make my heart sing. And yes, she's the same Madeline in the portrait below. She's a big girl now.

Poppy Jasper Film Festival

2008-11-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

I got to be a member of the press on Saturday and covered the Saturday events of the Poppy Jasper Film Festival, including the Women Filmmakers Panel on Saturday and the keynote address later that evening. I even got to see a few films and had a photo published in the Morgan Hill Times today from those I took at the Festival.

I love what this kind of cross-polination does to an artist's ideas. While I was watching a short film on the 100th birthday of a female matriarch in a Filipino family, it occurred to me that one of the personal projects I want to do this year is multi-generational portraits. So I'm giving away four portrait sessions between January 1st and March 1st to four families who step up to accept my offer. The families chosen will receive an 11x14 print and each member of the family participating will receive an 8x10. Entries will be drawn the last week of December. So drop me a note and let me know why this is important for your family.

I'll announce this competition again in the coming weeks. You heard it here first.

Need Rain

2008-11-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

I've been out walking today. Walking on the Coyote Creekbed in Coe Park. The creek is just beginning to show the first sign that the water table is rising. Nothing's flowing yet. That's how I got to visit and sit next to one of my favorite snags in the park.

Yes, I love trees in that last chapter of their life. This Sycamore grows in the middle of the creek on a small bar of gravel. When the river rises, its feet get wet. I love its form and the two raised branches and gaping hole just makes it funny and animated. This time I imagined the tree making a plea for the winter rains...bring it on !!

On the knot that you see on the left, small ferns grow during the rainy season. They are just beginning to show up. Next time I get near, if the creek allows, they will have grown enough to be photographed.

Madeline and Max

2008-11-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

I love this time of the year, I get to see a lot of my favorite clients as they get portraits or Christmas cards made from late fall sessions they book or from previous sessions they had me do during the year. I love them all, but this family is truly special. I worked with them photographing Max during his first year of life and had the pleasure of meeting his big sister, Madeline when she was about two years old. They are now three and five. How fast they have grown!!

Madeline’s grandmother chose a perfect time to have a portrait of Madeline made, right around the time Maddy was turning three. I agreed with the family that this is the time when our little ones are beginning to mature into their looks but also, they retain that sweet softness of babyhood. Viewed from behind or in profile, the baby is still there but they are stepping out into the world with growing maturity.

When they commissioned the portrait of Madeline, at the age of 3, Max was a newborn. They were planning ahead and wanted me to photograph Max, at the same age so that they could hang the two portraits together. They purchased beautiful matching Strasburg outfits for each of the children and put away the romper for Max.

As part of the deal, I put away the canvas I used for the session with Madeline to be used again when Max was ready for his portrait. And we waited for Max to grow into his outfit.

I photographed Max this past summer and we are just now having the second canvas prepared.

I can’t tell you how much I love these portraits of Madeline and Max and how delighted the family is to have these to hang together on their wall. I’m delighted to have helped them preserve these images of their children at this wonderful developmental stage and look forward to being there to capture more moments as we watch them grow.

San Benito County

2008-11-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

When I'm not photographing people, I still have the camera in my hand, most often photographing the landscape.

We always enjoy visiting the Cienega Valley in San Benito County. It is a beautiful drive along oak-studded grasslands with mountain vistas. This image was taken from the Calera Winery picnic area, a favorite stop. Great wine and great people at all of those wineries - Calera, Pietra Santa, DeRose.

One of the reasons why the wines are so great in this area is the prevalence of limestone, as can clearly be seen from this vantage point.

I thought this photo deserved a sepia approach. It captured the remote, open, wild nature of the landscape.

First Family

2008-11-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

Meet Rossi. His family was the very first family to enter into my "Watch Me Grow" program way back when I first began my business in 2004. You gotta love how much time they have given me over these past four years. Even allowing me to use Rossi's image for my marketing campaign. The photo of him with Ribbett the frog is quite well known as I've been using that image for my print advertisement off and on for the past three years.

I continue to follow him, catching up with the family a couple times each year and I always try to catch up with them in the fall, around Rossi's birthday.

It's such a pleasure watching him grow and I've become very fond of this family.

Rossi's four now and he and I had a grand outing adventure to Mt. Madonna County Park this past weekend to mark his birthday. It was so much fun to watch him explore the redwoods.

Here's a little trip down our memory lane with him.

Holly and Kaitlyn

2008-11-07T15:15:00.001-08:00

It is always great when a family comes back to me again and such fun to watch these children grow. I'd not met big sister, Holly, but Kaitlyn came to me for her four month photo session and she's already a year old !!

They sure gave me a workout that afternoon, but everyone enjoyed the session.

Mariposa

2008-06-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful weekend in Henry Coe State Park. The weather was cool and breezy this time. A big contrast to the weekend we spent at the Dowdy a couple weeks ago.

This weekend we checked in on our plant recovery sites on the way to a day of visitor center duty at the Dowdy. We were delighted to find a bumper crop of Mariposa Lilies both on one of our plant sites but also all over the Blue Ridge, both in the fire affected area and on the eastern flank as well. What a treat.

On Sunday we did Visitor Center duty on a very lightly visited morning and afternoon shift. We broke up the day by stalking and photographing the quails and photographing the old ranch fences and grasses.

This is another season of dramatic change at Coe. Grasses are golden and the days are longer, more challenging for the hikers out there, but still full of beauty and grace.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

Aaah...a long weekend stretched out in front of us without a lot of obligations. We headed down to Los Lobos State Park south of Carmel late in the afternoon with the plan to stay through sunset. Point Lobos used to close before sunset which was a true vexation to photographers. I'm really looking forward to seeing what other photographers produce there over the months to come.

We also enjoyed watching the cormorants on Bird Island in the south end of the park and spent a delightful half hour on Hidden Beach watching the waves toss the tiny pebbles, which make up this beach, into the air as each wave crashed on shore. I even found a ready-made necklace to enjoy.

A delightful afternoon and evening.

Volunteerism has it's privileges!!

2008-05-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

As a uniformed volunteer at Henry W. Coe State Park, I get to spend a few overnights in the backcountry, a little off the beaten path. Bruce and I spent a lovely evening and moonlit night at the Dowdy Ranch Visitor Center this past weekend. It was a lonely outpost. Not a single visitor on Saturday. But the temperature climbed into the mid-90's for the fourth day in a row, so I can certainly appreciate why hikers and cyclists stayed away.

We enjoyed it, nevertheless. A little too warm for wandering around taking photo but these are from just a few steps away from the VC.

Maternity Portraits

2008-05-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

I have to say a big thank you to my lovely client, Mrs. B. who has given me permission to post photos from her maternity session. I think pregnant women are beautiful. Mrs. B. wanted to have a formal portrait session with "classic" shots done in black and white. Here are a few we both liked.

These portraits are a lovely way to honor and remember the joy we felt during our pregnancy...the anticipation of the new addition to our family. A way to say I loved you before I knew you.

In a garden

2008-05-04T18:56:00.001-07:00

This lovely garden has been the site of many successful portrait sessions. But, of course, only tiny bits of the garden show up in those portraits. To make a successful portrait you need to keep the background secondary to the subject. It does make a wonderful backdrop for children and family photography. It belongs to a wonderful couple I met through a wedding client. I feel so fortunate to have access to it from time to time.

In the course of my friendship with the owners, I have begun documenting the garden in the various seasons and moods. Here are some from the other misty morning, mid-Spring in the garden.

Fire Flowers

2008-04-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Coe Park is awash with green in the fire-affected areas. Just 7 months and a single spring since the wildfire and we're seeing all kinds of exciting things happen.

Significantly, we are seeing some rare fire-following plants. I had the chance this weekend to photograph these pretty Whispering Bells in fire-devastated area, where normally there would be manzanita and chamise.

Also in the oak woodlands, we're seeing an explosion of bulb plants, brodeas in particular. I also am finding shaded oak hillsides abloom with vetch and fiesta flower.

Here are just a couple photos from my weekend in the Coe backcountry with the public for the annual backcountry weekend. More to follow...

Wildflower Season

2008-04-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

The wildflower season is starting to wind down, but I'm not yet, lol. I've been to the mountains this past weekend looking for the first evidence of their wildflower season and it's not looking very good, according to the locals up there.

Nevertheless, I did find some nice poppies in Red Hills. It reminded me that I'd spent quite a bit of time on my belly a few years ago photographing some pretty poppies in an area under development. I'll share those with you as well as the collage I made from photos taken on my ramble yesterday.

California poppies, yes, even the cream-colored one, a natural but unusual variation.

Wildflowers Abstracted

2008-04-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

The more time I spend in the outdoors this year, the more adventurous I've become with my style of shooting. Beautiful light is absolutely the most obvious requirement, but the ability to push my limits creatively has been greatly improved by the amount of time I spend out there.

So, if you want to take your photography to the next level, get out there often. Get to know the area you wish to photograph. With a compass in hand, find out where the sun will rise and where it will set. Then go out during the golden hour and mine all of the possibilities.

Does this shot work for you? Leaving Coe State Park late in the afternoon, I knew that the last light would be working beautifully for me half of the way up the Blue Ridge, so I timed my trip out to coincide with the golden hour. This scene surprised me and I had to work it furously on a very steep slope without the luxury of my tripod which just would have taken the last of this moment to set up. I leaned against the bank with my whole body and layed the camera across my forearm, resting on the bank and shot. Is it completely in focus and sharp...no. But I like the dreaminess of it. I'll let you decide if it works.

Fraternal Twins

2008-04-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing fraternal twins today. A boy and a girl, 6 years old.

My mother is an identical twin. It's been really interesting growing up with a mom who has a sister who is so close.

These two were a lot of fun, but like fraternal twins, quite different. Natalie was a bit more reserved, Kyle was typical rambuncious boy.

I think I've photographed four sets of twins recently, all of them fraternal.

I liked this toned translation of Natalie's portrait....and loved this one of the two of them together.

Ships out on the ocean

2008-04-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Since I do most of my work outside of the studio, I sometimes get asked if I will do that kind of work. Yes, I would love to bring my studio background, lights, stands and all that jazz to your home if we can find a fun way to work with your children. I really like to capture children as they are. They shouldn't be asked to sit passively for a portrait session. It isn't very likely that your young child is happy to sit passively for a photo shoot. If I can somehow find a way to make it fun for them, I'll be happy to work with your family on a studio backdrop. It needn't be boring or static.

I have to say that I just adore these clients. I've been working with them now for some time. Mom, Dad and kids alike are easy and fun. I had the pleasure of photographing Max and his sister Madeline just the other day.

I call this portion of the session "Ships out on the ocean." Because we dreamed up some play with Max and even dropped bubble stars out of the sky for him. After that the kids changed clothes and we went outdoors to finish the shoot in the wildflowers.

Golden Hour

2008-04-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

As a volunteer for the State Parks, I sometimes have the pleasure of leading photo walks. I just lead two walks at Henry W. Coe State Park this past weekend. It's so beautiful up there at that hour most days.

Next walk I lead will be at the Backcountry Weekend but late afternoon rather than the golden hour. I plan to offer another golden hour walk in July. Stay tuned.

So, in preparation for Golden Hour I like to spend a couple of sunsets up at the park to see what I can photograph during that special beautiful time of the day. I like to challenge myself to take something new and special within a few steps of the Visitor Center just to prove to both myself and visitors that you can make really nice images without going very far.

Here are some grasses literally ten steps north of the Visitor Center, catching that special color of the golden hour.

Last Light

2008-04-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes leaving Henry Coe State Park right around sunset means that we get to linger over last light on the way down the hill. If I see something setting up, I call a halt and Bruce cheerfully pulls up to give me the time to try to capture the scene. Things happen so fast during these last few moments that I often miss my shot.

Here's one I caught. One minute later and it was gone.

Spring's color palette

2008-04-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

I love this season. Bright blue skies, still a few clouds from the lingering storms, soon to pass, vibrant greens on the black oaks. Others just coming into bud. And last year's grey cones on the ground.

This was taken at Henry W. Coe State Park where I spend about 50 hours each year working the visitor center. On a quick break, I dropped down over the side of the canyon to photograph this scene.

It's springtime. I'm spending less time in front of the computer and more time out there. There's just this one spectacular month of spring and I don't want to miss one minute of it, so between outdoor sessions with kids and high school seniors, I'm getting lots of fresh air in our local parks which are simply spectacular this time of the year.

Spring Wildflowers

2008-04-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

I spent quite a bit of time on my belly in this amazing patch of wildflowers this past weekend. I have to dig out my flower book to identify the pretty pink one. The yellow is Goldfield. And the pretty blue flowers with the blue anthers is Birds Eye Gilia....how romantic is that name !!

A Bit of Sunshine

2008-03-31T12:48:00.001-07:00

I love Mules Ears. These members of the sunflower family are just starting to bloom in the backcountry here in Northern California. So just being a little bit backward this morning, I'm posting this photo, the first photo I took yesterday. A little bookend for the other post, which was the last photo of the day.

The Road Home

2008-03-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome weekend. I'm never happier than I am in the outdoors and I got out there both days this past weekend. On Saturday I lead an Artists' Paint Out into Coe Park and on Sunday we lead a very talent landscape photographer into the backcountry.

Tired but happy, this is my final shot of the weekend, taken on the Bear Mountain Road 20 minutes before sunset. More entries to come as I get thing processed. Great wildflower weekend. The great outdoors and good company. It doesn't get any better than this. I'm one happy gal.

Camellia

2008-03-26T20:22:00.000-07:00

Ah, a new personal project. I'm going to be photographing a garden through the next couple of weeks. A venue where I did a wedding last summer has turned out to be a wonderful location for children's portraiture. In exchange, I'll be photographing these beautiful gardens.

So, I'm off to a slow start because I hadn't been there at this time of year and didn't get the timing right for the golden hour light.

But I did photograph a few things in the garden, including these Camellias.

Tree Identification

2008-03-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

Every year in March we get taken completely by surprise by a strong, beautiful night fragrance. It comes from a shrub or tree in our yard. It was shrub-sized when we moved into our home 14 years ago, but now it's a tree.

I really love to know what I have growing around me but I still haven't identified this plant. Do you know it?

The tree and branches are woody, brittle and thin. The flower is black with a pink throat. A million blossoms blooming right now scents the whole neighborhod at night.

Coe Wildflowers

2008-03-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

Henry W. Coe State Park's annual wildflower display is a thing to behold. I got out into the park this past weekend and photographed the early wildflowers. Shooting Stars and Hounds Tongue in the park backcountry. It was a reconnoiter for an Artists' Paint Out I'll be leading this weekend.

Here's are a couple of beautiful scenes on the way out of the park during the beautiful golden hour.

Little Cowgirl

2008-03-24T16:40:00.001-07:00

Well this weekend I discovered that shooting horses is hard. Little cowgirls, not so hard. A client had me photograph her daughter and horse. I'll see if I get brave enough to show you my girl/horse portrait as soon as they have chosen some favorites. Meanwhile, here's a cute little collage I made at the very end of the shoot as our little cowgirl was packing up for home. I kept on shooting and am glad I did. I love this little sequence.

Bridal Shoot - Capitola

2008-03-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

I'm just working up the images from a bridal shoot I did on Saturday in Capitola. This was a model shoot for a vendor/wedding coordinator/planner, Kathy Ramirez (Kathy's Kreations) in Freedom, CA. The dresses were provided by a Touch of Elegance Bridal shop owned by Sonja Escalante in Watsonville.

I've worked briefly with all three of these models since the Hecker Pass Bridal Fair in the fall so we have loosened up with each other and can have a little fun.

Meet Kristin, Sasha and Michael. What a good sport Michael was for this shoot. We pretty much use him like a prop, but he takes it in stride.

Anza Borrego

2008-03-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

I'm still enjoying my Anza Borrego photos. We had some wonderful days out there. I was delighted to find peace and quiet almost everywhere, despite the fact that the park is experiencing a surge of visitors for this wildflower bonanza.

Since returning I exchanged an e-mail with a State Park Ranger who used to work at Coe State Park where I volunteer. She's now working down in the mountains west of Anza Borrego at Cuyamaca State Park but for a while she was a ranger at Ocotillo Wells and actually lives in Borrego Springs. She said that she's never seen it more lovely and that the traffic in town is quite a novelty for their sleepy little town.

Anyway, far away from all of that madness here are two favorite "coffee" spots where we took our morning coffee to a delightfully quiet perch to enjoy these new mornings.

To view a small slideshow of photos from my trip go here.

Blair Valley morning light

Coyote Canyon overlooking the creek at the Lower Willows

Desert Lily (Hesperocallis undulata)

2008-03-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

This lovely flower comes with a story. When I visited Anza Borrego in 2004 I spotted a single desert lily along the road but we were in a hurry to get somewhere else so we marked a waypoint on our GPS with the plan of finding it and stopping to photograph when the light was better. On the way back down canyon I could not find it again. It was as though it had vanished. I did not find another one during that entire visit.

This time we climbed the same wash on our first night in darkness and chose a campsite at random from one of the side washes in the Fish Creek and made camp for the night. In the morning, the first thing to greet my view upon opening the tail gate in the morning was this lovely little garden, feet away from the spot we'd chosen in the dark. And there was this beautiful desert lily, as though waiting for me.

Desert Abloom

2008-03-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

We've just witnessed one of the most spectacular desert blooms on history. I couldn't wait to share it with you.

Once we're unpacked and settled, I'll get that gallery work done and share a few more.

This photo was taken at the foot of the Coyote Canyon in Anza Borrego Desert State Park just two mornings ago. While the bloom is at its peak in this spot, there are many many more flowers to come. Different species are getting ready to bloom and the tide is climbing the park's multiple elevations. Just a wee bit higher in this canyon we found the first of the beaver tail cactus blooming with many more cacti in bud.

Miller Ruins Family Session

2008-03-06T17:33:00.000-08:00

I have some of the coolest clients.

I got a call last fall from a new client asking if I'd photograph her family in the ruins of the Henry Miller Cattle Barron's turn-of-the-century home in Mt. Madonna County Park. After securing a photography license to shoot in County Parks, I said "Heck, yes, that sounds like fun."

The young girls dressed in romantic lace dresses and I proceeded to send them cavorting not only in the ruins but in the fall grasses. Oh, my, did we ever have to work at getting the grass seeds out of those dresses. No damage done, thankfully. I'm working on a reprint order from the family and am really enjoying looking at this session again.

Beauty in the Mustard

2008-03-04T19:48:00.000-08:00

I love this little client. I've been working with her for about a year. She models Strasburg Childrens' clothing for me from time to time. We have a lovely bumper crop of mustard just west of town which I wanted to capture before it fades and disappears.

Miss Alexia joined me for a little session there today. I had envisioned photographing her in the mustard but it was so high that she kept getting lost in it, so we retreated to the charming lane.

Spring Harbinger

2008-03-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

Another harbinger of spring. The pretty trillium, a diminutive species, which grows in the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park coastside. It's quite different from the larger species which grows at Coe State Park.

Ah, these belly flowers have me laying in the dirt this week.

There is something thrilling about finding this and a few other favorite spring flowers. I think it's because they recall the thrill of hunting for and finding them in my childhood. Trillium grow in Nova Scotia as well as California so this is a spring treasure from long ago.

Maurice Sighting

2008-03-03T02:20:00.000-08:00

Maurice is having a grand tour. Not only is he meeting some great people and partying, he's been doing a bit of the tourist thing. Here he is in Providence, Rhode Island visiting the State House.

Spring's Early Pageant

2008-03-02T16:42:00.000-08:00

Bruce and I spent quite a bit of time out-of-doors this weekend. We are working on a plant regeneration study as volunteers in Henry W. Coe Park and got up to the Blue Ridge yesterday to visit our study plot. This is just one section of Coe Park which burned in the Lick Fire this past September. In all, the fire affected about 47,000 acres. Notwithstanding, things are coming along. Mother Nature does know what she is doing and the plants are returning.

We have two plots we are watching, both with different plant habitat. One is open mixed woodland and the other is chaparral and manzanita. Of the two, the open woodland has fared best. The fire rushed through there and scorched some trees around their base and others through the crown of the trees. Our mandate is to record the recovery of plants in the vicinity of our plots, being curious as to both what is growing in our plots but also the fate of trees which are still standing after the fire.

We're looking down more than up right now. It's still a few weeks before new growth beings in earnest up there in the trees. Meanwhile, we're studying the plants on the ground.

The earliest spring flowers are beginning to be found both in the fire sites and elsewhere throughout the park. Hounds tongue seems to be doing particularly well in the fire-affected areas.

Anyway, happy early Spring. Here are some wildflower photos from our day out there.

Here are the Hounds Tongue leaves springing up in a burned mixed woodland site. The trees in the background were all damaged to a varying extent during the fire, but here on the ground, grasses and flowering plants are returning.

I couldn't resist photographing these Shooting Stars. They were actually in an area which had not burned.

These Indian Warriors were found along the Hobbs Road, in great numbers. A harbinger of Spring, these plants are found in a community of manzanita, growing happily at their feet. This area was not affected by the fires.

And finally, on our way out of the park, fording the middle fork of the Coyote Creek at Poverty Flat and driving out on the flat beneath this spreading oak, I couldn't resist stopping to photograph the lovely light and scene. The fire was arrested just short of this flat at the toe of the Middle Ridge.

Blossoms

2008-02-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

I have an interesting love/hate relationship with the trees growing in my yard. They can be truly frustrating. My front-yard flowering pear has been suffering from a fungal disease which is rampant amongst all of this species. I've had to be very patient with it. But right now it is blooming and spectacular.

Similarly, in my backyard, just across the fence which divides our property from the neighbor's, there is a plum tree, mostly neglected and overgrown. When we trim it, it reaches toward the light and is putting pressure on the fence which is near collapse. But this morning, its pretty blossoms drew me out there at first light to enjoy its bloom.

So pretty in the cool morning light.

A Sweet Sweedie

2008-02-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

I have a very special friend in Sweden. We connected online through a photographers forum. She's so much fun. She's also very talented and crafty. I admired a handmade bookmark she made for someone else and like magic, my own arrived in the mail. Not just one bookmark, but two, one for me and one for Bruce as well. Isn't that sweet !! And a handmade card and personalized note. Do you know how rare that is these days !!

Check these out.

BTW, the poem is in a book of black and white photographs by Dorothea Lange (May 25, 1895 – October 11, 1965), a fabulous photographer best known for photographing depression-era families. This book is about her visits to a cabin on the California Coast. These cabins are now operated by the California State Parks. We've visited and stayed a couple time and have reservations again later this spring.

Wild Things San Diego Zoo

2008-02-25T16:39:00.000-08:00

I love big cats....little cats. I just love cats. It's awesome to watch the big cats in their roomy enclosures at the San Diego Zoo.

The rarest of these cats is the Snow Leopard. I caught him just waking up from a nap.

I escaped for a few days last week to have a reunion with my sister. She travelled from Nova Scotia to Laguna Beach where we spent a few days enjoying each other's company.

We spent a fun afternoon at the San Diego Zoo. Here are just a few more of the wild animals we enjoyed.

A Local Ramble

2008-02-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

Bruce and I got out for a ramble late this afternoon. We like to cross the Uvas Reservoir dam and walk on the other side for about 30 minutes then turn around and come back. It's level and quiet as the trail (really an access road) follows the reservoir in and out of the little canyons and arroyos.

Our favorite turn around spot is the home of one of my favorite trees, a spreading Buckeye. Beneath it's boughs is a small seasonal stream, happily running now, one of dozens of small drainages which carries water to the reservoir.

A late Valentine

2008-02-15T13:10:00.000-08:00

I've waited a very long time for this Amaryllis to bloom. I think I planted it the first week of November and placed it outdoors on a window-level sill. It sat there for weeks without any sign of growth until the second week of December when the first flowering stock began to push its way up. I was hopeful of a bloom after the holidays. You know, during that time when we take down the tree and start missing all of the holiday glitz. But no, it seemed stuck. So I brought it inside and it began to grow a wee bit faster, but not much. I know this because I planted two bulbs at the same time, in two separate pots. The other one is still outside and it is behind this one, but not by much.

Anyway, just in time for Valentine's Day, it bloomed. I had to share it with you. Aren't flowers awesome !!

Maurice Spotting

2008-02-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

Well, well, I hear Maurice had an excellent visit in Columbus. He attended a luncheon and party and has made his way to the East Coast. Here he is at the Skybus Terminal in Columbus.

That TSA agent is eyeing him suspiciously LOL.

Photo courtesy of the fabulous Massachusetts photographer, Jamie Wexler.

Spring Fever

2008-02-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

We're finally getting a pretty nice stretch of spring-like weather. I turned the car south to the little town of San Juan Bautista this afternoon. I like walking the streets of this great little town. The merchants in this town are simply amazing. Because it's a bit sleepy, they seem to enjoy talking to window shoppers.

One vintage gift shop, Happily Ever After, is a frequent stop. I love the whimsy. They were so kind to dig around in their Christmas inventory for a couple of ornaments to add to the few that I'd bought there before the holidays. Today my eye was caught by the tule and feather wreaths. So pretty and feminine.

After shopping and chatting a while, I walked down the street past the historic state park and spotted these two lovely ladies enjoying a cup of ice cream tucked in a sunny nook in the gateway to the park's historic garden. They inspired me to have my own cup of ice cream to celebrate the day.

Spring is in the air. Even the tree in my front yard has broken into blossom, weeks earlier that I can recall it's bloom timetable of the past.

Kaitlyn

2008-02-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

Meet sweet Kaitlyn. She was such a good baby for us this afternoon. Just awake from her nap and smiling from the minute she woke up.

So nice meeting you, Jennifer. Looking forward to photographing the girls together soon.

Exercise in Simplicity

2008-02-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

I have spent my whole life living near the ocean. As a child, I spent countless days exploring the seashore. I still love to get to the beach. California's wonderful winter beaches are a stark contrast from the Nova Scotia beaches of my childhood.

Yesterday I got to spend a couple hours walking on the beach. After a busy bridal fair on Saturday, I changed up the pace with a quiet contemplative day at the beach, walking for miles.

My photographic goal for yesterday was just to explore the area where the sea meets the shore. Hope you like my little collage.

Hecker Pass Winery's Bridal Fair

2008-02-10T05:42:00.000-08:00

It was a fun day at the Hecker Pass Winery. The weather was beautiful and all of the vendors were in a great mood. I met some great couples and look forward to working with all of these nice people again.

I got to photograph some great bridal models whom I've worked with last year. And a handsome groom model, too. What a good sport.

I did do a bit of multitasking, tending my booth and taking a few editorial shots for the vendors.

Bridal Fair

2008-02-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful day for our local Bridal Fair!!

I'll be meeting with brides and grooms at the Hecker Pass Winery. Carlo Fortino and family have put together an gorgeous new venue and an exciting bridal fair today for "La Vigna" at the base of Hecker Pass on Rte. 152.

I can see lots of beautiful weddings and happy events there in the future. Carlo is such a warm, welcoming host. He's had lots of experience meeting and greeting people through the winery tasting room.

I did a bridal shoot there in the fall. Sadly I won't have as much time to shoot today because I'm there this time with a booth. I'll admit I'd much rather be shooting all of the activity today rather than sitting in a booth. But I am looking forward to meeting the couples who are considering La Vigna for their weddings.

Monkey Business

2008-02-08T14:53:00.001-08:00

OK, ready for a little fun.

I have a great network of photographer friends across the country. We've decided we're up for a little monkey business. We are going to be photographing my friend Maurice all over the country. In fact, he may be headed to Sweden before heading back here. These friends have promised to take care of him. He's a valentine monkey Bruce (my dear husband) gave to me many years ago. He's one of a pair. He has a lady monkey friend, Lucille. Lucille gets to stay behind.

First stop is Columbus, Ohio where he will attend a long-anticipated GTG of some of the best photographers in the country. I think he's headed to Rhode Island after that.

Have fun Maurice!!

Here he is with Lucille after a little sponge bath and tumble in the dryer. Lucille may be a bit sad, but she's never blue...she's always pink. LOL

Childrens Photography

2008-02-07T23:22:00.002-08:00

I had a lot of fun photo sessions this year. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but I do have one which stood out.

Kham Carr contacted me early in the year telling me that her husband was leaving on an out-of-state training course which would take him far away from his two young daughters for six or more weeks. She wanted very much to capture her family right now at that moment. Gracie had just turned two and her little sister, Ava, was almost one.

Kham wanted a natural session of her family in the outdoors. She had been to my website and pointed out a photo which touched her. The one she chose was one of those serendipitous shots, taken outdoors in a garden. The child was stooped to examine some little thing at her feet. I love those photos which show children engaging in natural world, showing their curiosity and wonder and so have quite a few of them on my website. I felt pretty sure that Kham and I were going to work together wonderfully based on our conversation.

Of course, the girls were delightful. And the session was magic because Kham and her husband, Graydon were relaxed and went with the flow. I began the session in the home and then we moved to the outdoors to a delightful setting on the shore of a local pond. Gracie was at first tentative but then increasingly became attuned to her surroundings and started to explore, with the guiding hands of her parents only steps away.

I love this sequence of photos. One of them graces my home page right now.

We each have different reasons for wanting to have a professional session done with our children. Perhaps we feel that the child is ready for a formal portrait, which is a tradition in your family. Or a special occasion like a birthday or event like a family wedding may prompt you to think about capturing your child or family at this time. But you might also want to consider a more informal lifestyle type of session like the one I did with the Carr family. Family laughing and playing together is certainly an appropriate time to celebrate and commemorate for the future. They grow up so darned quickly.

Welcome to my blog

2008-02-01T23:19:00.000-08:00

Much of what you see here will be landscape photography. I’m actually a portrait and wedding photographer, specializing in children, but it will soon become apparent to you that the landscape is a compelling draw for me. I love to be out there. I’m truly at home in the outdoors and landscape photography continues to hold my interest. The other work will be my professional work, shared with the permission of my clients. I think you will enjoy that as well. At least I hope so.

Children have so much to teach. When they see something wonderful they reach out and point. See….see. They get it. Beauty is to be shared with the world. It’s our consolation and a balm from all of the tedium, mundane and routine. When I look up from whatever I am doing and see something beautiful, be it a child’s joy or beautiful light on the landscape, I know that despite all of our woes, life is good.

I welcome your feedback.