In a world of so many great photographers and writers, I am venturing into some unknown territories, leaving comfort zones, finally very willing to practice the art of seeing. By maintaining the practice of posting daily photos, I hope to continue learning about the possibilities that I trust are out there for the taking.
You gotta know there is something interesting going on outside for me to pick up my camera before I pick up my coffee.
It was a beautiful morning. I’ve noticed how many egrets and other white birds are regularly around lately. It must be breeding season. I watch them from my office and have tried shooting white birds before. It’s hard not overexposing the birds. (Today I stopped down the exposure by -1 EV and -1 1/3.) It’s also hard to stop the birds’ in-flight motion, as I’m usually out shooting them in lower light situations, after the sun has set or before the morning light is very bright.
The longest lens I have is the Canon Zoom EF 70 – 200mm 1:2.8 L IS USM so getting close-up shots is difficult since the birds fly off when I get within 80 yards or so. But I liked these photos better than any others I’ve taken. The sun was bright enough that I could set the shutter speed faster, above 250, without having to bump the ISO up above 100. I put the spot meter in the center and seemed to have more success than when I put it in the upper right or left corners.
7:10am, 100 yards from my backdoor.
So many birds were out this morning.
They don't stay still for long.
Flaps up.
I’d planned a short hike up Bump & Grind for the MHCC Hikers, just to get in some quick exercise, realizing we’d have rain today. Thursday and Friday I received canceling emails. At 7am this morning I received a “won’t be making it” phone call. I certainly understood. It was pouring earlier this morning.
But I’d made a decision I was hiking no matter what. This decision was reinforced yesterday when I also made a decision to give up a one bag a day habit of eating Trader Joe’s popcorn. When I stood on the scale and read my weight, I knew it was time for some changes.
I pulled into the normal MHCC hiking group meeting place just to make sure someone wasn’t planning on hiking that I didn’t know about. After 5 minutes, I was on my way to hike. Me and my I-Pod Touch loaded with Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa, etc.
I talk about the Bump & Grind hike so here is a cloudy, misting day photo essay of the area. The hike took me 2 hours today as I stopped lots to take photos.
Length is 4 miles (2 up and 2 down), elevation gain: 1000 feet.
Driving on Bob Hope to Bump & Grind.
View down on the Target shopping center after hiking for about 6 minutes.
Clouds gave way to shafts of sunlight.
Nearing the top (where hikers are standing).
At the top.
More hikers beginning their hike as I'm descending.
This week’s subject for the Photomotivation Class is Circles. I haven’t really been into shooting this assignment, but what I feel anymore is no longer a driving force.
So after the 1pm massage, and only one block away from El Paseo Dr in Palm Desert, I drove over to art filled El Paseo, parked, and walked about looking for some Circles.
Spotted this car next to me when I parked outside where I was going to get the massage. I took a couple of minutes before going in to Jessie’s and shot the next three photos.
First day shooting circles.
Same car.
Cloudy day gas cap shot.
Paseo Art.
A little complementary color.
Found this message when we reached the top of the hill this morning. A backpacking friend calls this trail graffiti. But Stacy and I wanted to take our pictures with the I love you. I think Stacy is going to use another one of the seated poses I shot for her husband’s Valentine card.
Top of Bump & Grind
Stacy Jacobs.
Stacy thought we looked better sitting up.
Trying to create something for the blog.
Days are going by too fast. No dedicated photography time. Boo hoo.
Tomorrow.
p.s. This week’s photo subject is circles.
Just back from the 1st Tuesday meeting in LA. A few of us stopped at the Starbuck’s in the Barnes and Nobel at Hayvenhurst for coffee before the meeting. Knowing I didn’t have a photo to post on my blog tonight, I asked these men if I could take their photos. All said yes except for the gentleman front left. He was ok with me shooting, he just didn’t want to face the camera. What characters.
Got my photo for the day and got the blog entry up before midnight.
I don’t know why I couldn’t sleep last night. When I finally got up this morning I thought the clock read 4:30am. I figured I was getting up at 5:00am to go hiking at 6:20am, so why not just get up a half hour earlier. Ray heard me up and asked what I was doing. He said, “Do you know it’s 3:30am?” No, I didn’t know.
But I stayed up anyway. This photo below is a picture of the guest room I wrote my morning pages in. Occasionally I sit in the chaise in this room to write when Ray is still asleep. I love the feel of the room and so do all our guests.
The guest bedroom.