Memorial Day Weekend

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!!

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

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

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.