Night Photography-Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier, CA

I visited Santa Monica Pier a few weeks ago and took a go at some night time photography.  I of course didn't take the tripod but I did the best I could to keep things clear.  I also started a Smug Mug gallery to view and eventually for purchasing.  Enjoy!  

Photourista

Before with mostly just cards

It's time for an update. Looking over my photo files I am realizing I have been a lot of places and have captured a slice of them on the camera to share. Over the course of the last 6 months  I have been in the process of trying to figure out how to share my travels through photography as a business. It started with blank art cards with the best shoots from my travels to share with friends and family. I currently have gone as far as setting up a booth at the local farmers market with a few sales here and there of the art cards with a recent addition of around 10 large professionally printed, framed and matted pictures.  The goal is to eventually get a website going for Photourista and go from there.

With wall and large picture additions.

I find as a new small business owner getting the pictures, making the cards, getting the large prints made, getting into the farmers market on craft days, plus a few hassles here and there,well...that was the easy part.

Just have to sell now and open up other venues. If you are interested in any blanks cards or just want to see what I am selling visit here.  

This is a new kind of adventure for me that brings me out of my comfort zone.  I look forward to continuing this challenge.  Thanks for sharing with me in my adventures.

A walk on the moon

Almost like walking on the moon

Except the moon is in the sky

Cold

Holidays in Nome, AK

Getting the dogs ready

Bianca and Jannelle

Rolland

Deb, Jannelle, Rolland, Sierra, Bianca and Trace.

This year for the holidays I once again find myself in Nome, AK.  Being from Michigan I know cold, every once in awhile getting down to maybe 0 degrees.  But man I am taken by surprise each time I come here how -30 degrees F is ridiculously cold.  I might have wrote this exact type of blog entry the last time I was here in the winter about the process just to go out side.  There is a sequence of questions that come before getting the appropriate number of layers on.  What mode of transportation are we taking, how long will we be out and how cold actually is it?  If its just a car ride, probably 3 layers, boots but no need for toe warmers.  If we are taking snowmobile to the destination that will be indoors, then add a ski mask, another hat and scarf so that no micro spots of skin is showing.  If we are going snowmobiling to the dogs to actually go mushing or do more snowmobiling, add another coat and bring one along just in case,  add another two pairs of socks, slip in another pair of long underwear, an additional scarf to cover up that one spot near the neck that always somehow gets missed with the first one, and by this time I hope that you didn't forget to tape the toe warmers on.  Then once you get one glove on, you might have to ask someone to get the other one on so that there are no open spots.  And hopefully you have everything else already in a bag that you want extra or else you will over heat getting that together.   Oh ya, don't forget to go to the bathroom before all this.

I learned the hard way about adding layers later after I got cold - just put every layer you own, or the most layers you can handle and still move.  Even with bunny boots, all these layers, seal skin gloves and hats...I still get cold.  I might be a bit of a wimp to begin with regarding the cold, (I complain when the temp is below 55F in LA) but I am happy if I can be out there for 1 hr and get back with only cold feet.  

My first time Mushing

I am excited to share that for the first time I took part in "mushing the dogs."  Mushing refers to journeying cross country with a sled and sled dogs.  Often I hear from the Trowbridge family when I call, we have to feed the dogs, or we are mushing tonight, Misha this or Shack didn't run with us this time.   I finally know what this entails and what dog is what.  These dogs are pretty amazing and love pulling this sled.   The landscape so white and the sun so beautiful.  Just you and the dogs.

White

Joshua Tree National Park

Split Rock

Found her...hmmmm

Skull Rock

Sun Rise

Snowing

Jennifer under "The Arch"

Wind Farm outside the park
(Photo taken by Jennifer)

This past week my college friend Jennifer came for a visit.  We made the drive to Joshua Tree National Park.  This place is so beautiful.  I may end up coming again sometime.  We ran into some snow...been a little while for me and snow, it was strange having to drive careful because the road was icy.
I am repeatedly reminded how lucky we are to have National Parks to visit where things are left uninhabited.        It was good to have Jennifer, my fellow explorer and adventurer, here to enjoy this place with.

Out with a Bang

A stop at Golden Gate

We had just enough time on the way back to the airport to stop at the Golden Gate Bridge and drive through the city a bit.

Heading back home from the Redwoods.

Confusion hill Gravity House

Drive through Tree

Creative shot taken by Cynthia

Me and Cynthia

So we stopped at Confusion Hill (confusing by the way) and also at the Chandelier drive Through tree on our long drive back to San Fran.  It was nice to stretch our legs to break up the driving.  Pretty Cool.