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.
Driving home from LA last night, I spent most of the two and a half hour drive looking for shots. Ray never complained that I wasn’t really present for conversation either:-) It’s amazing how I can get lost and time flies when my eye is to the viewfinder. I believe they call my love of photography an obsession.
Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 treatment.
HDR Efex Pro 2 treatment.
Stacy and I had hoped to have the energy and time (Stacy) to walk the strip during sunset tonight. It turned out neither of us was motivated to leave our rooms after a short room break following a very long but extremely interesting day filled with 3 different 3 WPPI speakers and another very tiring shopping round at the Expo that finally ended this afternoon, thank goodness. Maybe LR won’t notice how many times I used my credit card this last week. Just this morning I got a long distance call from my credit card company wanting to know if all the charges that were taking place were in fact mine. Good thing I answered the call as I might not have been able to use the card for the 3 later gear related items I just had to have. One being a new LensBaby 35!
Practicing with a new Lensbaby 35. These lenses are really difficult to get used to.
Through a very dirty hotel window I had to shoot this incredible sky.
I bumped the ISO up to 2000 at a 30th sec, 2.8.
Last night looking out my window of the MGM Grand.
Woke up to this view out the window.
Front And Back.
The Grand Poopas!
And from the back.
Looking down on the 405 from the 8th floor in the Courtyard Marriott in Encino, Ca.
Going through this summer’s Mammoth photos, has taken me out of the NOW. Can’t wait to go back to Wood’s Lodge in Mammoth Lakes, CA. like we do for 3 months every August.
Upper Lakes Basin in Mammoth – Barrett Lake.
Another view of Barrett Lake.
Went back one more time to the Salton Sea with Jen, my sister Leila and brother-in-law Dennis. We got lucky with one of those very unique opportunities where the clouds and the light make magic.
I have posted 18 photos in the Portfolio section of my website under Travel/Outings. Hope you check them out here.
So close, yet seems so far…..The Salton Sea is a magical place to visit.
Jen and I drove the 50 minute drive yesterday afternoon arriving around 2pm and stayed until 5:30pm.
One of the cubs from last night’s midnight visit. The mom had just come up the tree for a visit. The two cubs then come for their visit. I didn’t know where mom was and Ray was sleeping, so I didn’t open the door to shoot. Hence the flash glare on the windows.
Late afternoon light, with the sunlight coming in behind squirrel at about a 10 degree angle. I have to shoot backlit subjects for a Unit Three NYIP lesson but don’t think this qualifies.
Tomorrow we are leaving our heavenly cabin at Wood’s Lodge in Mammoth Lakes, CA. I’m sad. Ray and I both love it here. Our three weeks at the cabin every year are always the best three weeks of each year. I am mind altered when in the mountains.
When we are not outdoors this is our view outdoors from inside the cabin we rent.
We each have our own area in the cabin. Anyone who has seen us here knows Ray sits at the dining room table, just like he is here. I make the couch my area. No one sits on the couch without an invitation as this is my office where I have all my techie equipment set up on the couch table.
This is one view from the bridge where I typically shoot sunset photos. Only this morning when Ray and I were on a walk, while crossing the street to Lake Maimie, I looked back at Crystal Crag and took this one last shot of her.
10 am reflections in Lake Maimie.
Boats on the ground at the boat dock we walk by most days.
And last but not least, a first, seeing a ground squirrel run to the lake edge for a drink of water. When I stand still, things come to me.
I went down to Lake Maimie early tonight, hoping to hang out and look around before shooting what I had hoped would be a colorful sunset because all day we’ve had big puffy clouds.
This lady fishing and I started talking briefly. She said, “Isn’t this just the best?” I had to agree. We were both out doing what we wanted to do in one of the prettiest places ever. Oh, I have lots of gratitude.
Slowly walking from Lake Maimie to Lake Mary I ran right into this deer. He was not the least bit phased by me. I stopped, moved my camera to my eye and shot away and he kept calmly walking past me.
This is Lake Mary. I chose a different place to shoot from. This is the view looking up to Duks Pass some 4+ miles in the distance. Down from Duks Pass you reach the JMT/PCT.
I was basically looking for things to shoot, just hanging out. I’d put on a longer lens, the 70 – 200mm lens, while waiting to shoot some great sunset color.
By now I had moved to get some of the orange mountain shots. The color started, but not never quite got going. As a matter of fact, the light fizzled, and all went dark and cold. This shot was one of only a few I got that had color.
I shot this when there was little to no color and turned it into a black and white using Nik Silver Efex Pro. This could be the Fine Arts preset.
Ray had texted me earlier and said to let him know if I wanted him to pick me up when I was through. I was through and getting cold when I walked up from the shoreline to the road to start walking when I noticed this man and his dog walking down to the lake. I grabbed my camera and shot off two shots. I had a feeling I would like them when I shot them even though the light was terrible.
As soon as I reached the road and had been walking a couple of seconds, guess who pulled up for me! My hubby.
Oh my goodness, the bear is here!