Last week’s quick trip to Dillon Beach for my birthday, was a wonderful reset. I got to watch a magical sunset (joined by my women’s group on Zoom), take a nap, play rummy with my daughter, and listen to the sound of the waves for an entire day.
I also got an unexpected show! The Sonoma County Sheriff, Marin County Fire Department, and CalFire were holding training sessions right on the beach. From the balcony of the house we were staying at, I pretended to be a journalist documenting the scene. It was wild fun and a wonderful way to cap off the trip. They aren’t the best quality, as I was pretty far away and didn’t have my biggest zoom camera, but it was fun to document the entire thing.
Hope you enjoy these photos and let me know if you have a favorite.
As you may remember, I’m doing photography for the #100DayProject. This means, every single day for 100 days I’m out taking photos, editing them, and sharing them with my friends. In addition, I’ve started doing photography sessions for people I know. I’ve done three senior sessions, a family shoot, and several portraits.
I’m loving this! It feels like I’m understanding my camera more and more. I’m still battling with computer storage and editing, but those are getting easier too. I’m having fun experimenting with different lenses, playing around with color, and dabbling in street photography. I still have an editing class to take, but each session I’m learning something new. The project ends June 2, which means there’s still lots of images to take and skills to learn.
Here’s a ton of my best photos from the last few weeks. Let me know if you have a favorite (and I totally understand if viewing 40 photos is a bit much!) These appear in order of photos taken, not favorites. I thought you might like to see how each grouping was edited differently. Among these was my first photograph of lightening, some crazy macro bug shots from my yard, and some really cute animals.
Oh, and if you were curious if the egret’s had their babies…I think so? I was able to capture what looks like heron babies being fed in the nest (#33), but they are pretty large. A quick google search says they grow super fast, so maybe?
One more thing, at the last minute I added some photos I took yesterday (the ones I mentioned to you, Michael!)
She turned to the sunlight And shook her yellow head, And whispered to her neighbor: “Winter is dead.” —A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young
Yesterday, I returned to Coyote Pond to see if it might be a good place to take senior portraits (yes, yes it is). My first visit was during a rainstorm, and I took some of my favorite pictures of birds. This time, the sun was shining brightly and the entire morning felt like magic.
Sure, some of these photos are too bright and the focus isn’t technically perfect, but I’m so in love with these images. The world right now feels unsettling, and I’ve got too many things to think about, but there are still baby geese and turtles and ladybugs. I can’t stop thinking about how much Neil would have loved these photos, and maybe you will too.
Let me know if you have a favorite and have a fantastic day!
The news right now is horrific. I watched the video of the second person killed by ICE agents, gunned down on a street in broad daylight, and my heart broke into a million tiny pieces. Again. A powerful sense of mourning for America has overcome me, more than I ever thought possible. I’m terribly sad and angry.
It’s hard to create right now, it’s hard to do anything right now, but something tells me you might need these photos as much as I do. These little tiny pieces of art I crafted for you when I should have been sleeping. Thorns. Flowers. Weeds. Fruit.
A few weeks ago, I went camping with family. Our campsite was surrounded by large bushes which attracted birds, we spent an afternoon at the beach, and I hiked up some big sand dunes.
Although these might be some of my favorite photos, it’s hard not to beat myself up because I’m not writing. I made an attempt at working on my middle-grade novel recently, and it was rubbish. And although I’ve sold over 100 books, more than I thought I would, I can’t seem to get people to review it. My mind tells me it’s because people don’t like the book, which is fine, but the small hopeful part of me is a bit sad. But you know what? Two local bookstores carry my book and I’ve been selling about three copies a month in store, from people just browsing and liking it. That needs to be celebrated. As I’ve always told my kids—comparison is the thief of joy.
So, let me brush this all off and say, I’m not writing currently, but I’ll be back at it soon. In the meantime, enjoy all these photos. And as always, let me know if you have a favorite. Have a wonderful day!
This week I was reminded again at how complicated emotions can be, at how we can hold both tremendous grief and overwhelming love in the same breath. It was a week of tragedy, connection, rock camp, fairy doors, bubbles, car talks, and two panic attacks.
Would I argue with the rain or clouds or the ocean itself? I see faces, I see shapes, I see love wanting only to freely bloom. I think I won’t complain.–Neil Reid
I’m still struggling, but I’m finding my way forward. Part of that path involves showing up here with you, even if I have to fight myself to do it.
About a month ago, my daughter and I drove up the coast of California into Oregon and Washington. Although this trip wasn’t what I had hoped, I got some pretty photos. Here are some of the best from day one.
I’d love to know if you have a favorite photo; can you guess mine?
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
I haven’t chased the moon for ages, but this morning I did. With my daughter in the passenger seat, we drove through country roads looking for ways to capture the beauty in the sky before us. The pink moon, the moon of rebirth and change, played with us. It hid behind the puffs of a factory, near a barbed wire fence, between trees, within flowers, and amongst the birds. It even tried to compete with the sunrise. I found it for you. I hope it reminds you it’s never too late to try again. Let me know if you have a favorite photo and have a fantastic week!
Pulling us closer into its orbit, shining the light of its fullness into the room, we turn to hold in our hands each other’s face as if for the first time, and the last— Pink Moon, Egg Moon, Moon of New Grass. —Cathy Song, April Moon
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”—Heraclitus
Our bodies hold onto pain and memory. We can feel it take root within our bones and we can either address or ignore it. I’ve spent the last five years ignoring it, but recently I’ve taken up swimming daily. This practice is slowly returning me to my body. No longer a stranger, we are becoming one again. Pain and all.
I share this and these photos as part of the journey of rediscovery. Look closer. Look again. You might see something different.
I’d love to know if you have a favorite image. I secretly have my favorite. Can you guess?
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”—Ernest Hemingway
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was details. We were asked to take two photos of each subject—near and far. The idea is to show the context of the details.
As October is a time many honor those who have passed, I decided to visit the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery this morning for this assignment. Let me know which pair of images you like best and have a wonderful week.
Bridgette Tales 