My First Portrait Session Behind The Lens

I've known Vanessa since she was a child and now she is about to graduate college with not one, but two majors (Human Resource Management and Human Development)!

There's nothing like kids graduating college to make you feel old...sigh.  She asked me to take her picture for the ceremony invitations and at first I declined since I usually take pictures of dogs, trees, bird feet and the only people shots are random people living their life and not needing to send the photograph to their entire extended family of 10,000...well, almost.

I said no because I know that there are professionals out there that specialize in this type of photograph and I didn't want to mess it up for her.  I can see it now.  Her family opening up the invitation and saying, "Vanessa is so beautiful!  Who took this horrible picture of her? Let's get them!"  Then at that moment, I imagine an entire town running out of their homes with sticks on fire marching down the street looking for me.

I snapped out of my wild fantasy fear and told her I would do it.  I made sure to give her all of the disclamers in advance.  "I don't know what I am doing," "I don't really take serious people shots." "You and your family might hate me forever if they don't turn out."  You know, rational thinking disclaimers.

I have a new appreciation for wedding and portrait photographers.  I know how picky I am about a picture of myself so I can imagine what a photographer has to go through to make the bride happy.  Not that brides aren't happy, but I am sure there is a lot of pressure for the "perfect wedding day photograph."

Taking pictures of Vanessa was easy.  She didn't care that I had a point and shoot camera.  She didn't mind standing next to the tree (even though she didn't want bugs in her hair), getting in a water fountain, standing next to a shiny sculpture, laying in the grass, sitting on the sand or posing with a bunch of what seemed to be railroad ties.  We laughed the entire time.  I laughed at myself pretending to be a serious fashion photographer giving her words of encouragement like, "mmm humm, work it, yeah...that's it...riiiight...yes, good...beautiful."

In the end, it was a fun day.  It was easy to take Vanessa's picture because she's so beautiful and photogenic.  It doesn't hurt that she has a wonderful smile and an infectious laugh.  Congratulations Vanessa!  I am glad that you were able to see the beach for the first time even though you are graduating at Long Beach State.

Lasting Memories

The past few days in Southern California has brought on some record rain, if you haven't heard. It found its way into my driveway and into my garage. I was gone during the day for the first big storm wave and I came home to inches of water in my garage.

Since I live on the road several months out of the year, there are only a few things in my home in case I need to pack up quickly to get on the road. For the most part, I live like I am still living out of my car...but in my home. Most of my belongings are stored in my garage. Some things are in plastic bins (smart choice) however there are a lot of items in cardboard boxes (not so smart choice). All of the boxes on the ground were soaked along with the contents inside of the box.

I wasn't really concerned when I came home, but I looked in the morning and didn't realize how many cardboard storage boxes were on the ground. A lot of them had old family photos in them. I also had framed pictures resting on the ground that are now soaked along with clothes, furniture, and other miscellaneous items. Although it was a bit sad to find, I wasn't that upset about it.

Because I have lived out of my car for so long, material possessions don't mean as much to me as they did in my 20's. I was never one to spend a lot of clothes and things. I think the "treasures" that mean the most are trinkets from places visited and pictures from those trips. Some of the damage leaked into albums of my grandparents. This picture I scanned a while back is one of my favorites of them.

Losing my father and grandparents was extremely painful, but all of the memories I have in my head will never be damaged by a flood. I am thankful that I had the time with them. I am fortunate for that. I can't complain. I am fortunate to have a roof over my head, food and love ones to turn to.

For all of that, I am forever grateful.

During the time the water was creeping up in my garage, I was out snapping these pictures.

Huntington Beach Today

I love being by the ocean. There is something magical about it. All it takes is one foot in the sand and all of your worries from the day seem to disappear. The ocean waves, the salty air, the breezes...there is nothing like it.

I took a short drive to walk along the beach in Huntington Beach yesterday as the sun was setting. As you know, I enjoy watching people so the evening did not disappoint.

There were surfers out trying to catch the perfect wave, a little girl playing in the sand, tourists wanting me to take their picture, people out with their cameras and everyone else stopping to seize the moment.

I stood there and soaked up each moment. It's hard to be miserable when you are surrounded by beauty. I suppose you could, but you would have to try really hard.

Here are some pictures from my stroll along the beach yesterday:






MORE PICTURES

An Afternoon At The Getty

It's hard to believe that until last Saturday, I have yet to visit the new J. Paul Getty museum. I've been to the villas back in the 90's but never to the new location on the hill.

A beautiful sunny, crisp day on a Saturday would be a wonderful time to go, I thought. Who could be there on a weekend right after the new year? I am sure people are still home recovering from the New Year...right? Well, no...that wasn't the case. The good news was that the freeways were clear. It was unbelievable, really.

I have to say, I was not prepared for what was next.

I've been to local city museums on my travels. Most of the time, they are empty which makes for a pleasant art viewing experience. The Getty was a different story. It took about an hour to park, waiting in line. After that, you wait in another line to get on the tram. Once you are off of the tram at the top, you are FREE!

The property is beautiful, I must say. There are gorgeous views from all sides and you can get lost looking at all of the exhibits, which I did. I particularly liked the Irving Penn: Small Trades gallery.

A little bit about Irving Penn: "Working in Paris, London, and New York in the early 1950s, photographer Irving Penn (American, 1917–2009) created masterful representations of skilled tradespeople dressed in work clothes and carrying the tools of their occupations. A neutral backdrop and natural light provided the stage on which his subjects could present themselves with dignity and pride. Penn revisited his Small Trades series over many decades, producing evermore-exacting prints, including platinum/palladium enlargements. In 2008 the J. Paul Getty Museum acquired the most comprehensive group of these images, carefully selected by the photographer—155 gelatin silver prints and 97 platinum/palladium prints—that are being exhibited in their entirety for the first time."

Although they do allow you to photograph inside of the museum, I enjoyed taking pictures of the cactus and flowers outside of the property the most. I think that was the highlight for me on this day trip. It's the simple things I suppose. I heard a hummingbird so I froze, standing in the same spot motionless (as others walked by me), waiting for it to return. For me, that was an exciting moment.

I would recommend a visit to the Getty if you are in the area. If you can, It's a good idea to arrive early on a weekday so you can take your time strolling the property and soaking up the exhibits. Don't forget your camera!

Freeway Snapshot Bingo

I was on the road today for a long drive. I usually do not drive longer than 6 hours a day if I want to enjoy myself. I have the tendency to wander and take pictures after driving down unknown roads. I enjoy it. but it can make for a long day if hours upon hours of driving are included in those 24 hours.

Today I drove 8 hours North. I was on the big freeway right in the middle of the state of California. Needless to say, there isn't much going on. I only stopped twice to get gas this time around.

Still wanting to get my picture taking fix, I decided to snap away as I was driving. Please put this on your "do not attempt" list kiddos...it's not safe. I just happen to have my camera in hand and my finger just happened to snap a picture while it was pointing out the window. So, it was a long day, but here are five snapshots of the countryside off of the freeway.

Below is what you get when you drive and put the camera out the window and snap a shot. Freeway snapshot bingo.

Remember, safety first!