Haskell Canyon Fire 2006 This images recently won 3rd placed for Photo Journalism in the Santa Clarita Valley Photographers Association spring print competition. The photo was taken from my back yard when I lived in Santa Clarita. The fire was about 100 yards from my house -- which is too close for me! 

PS: Thanks you for all the comments. To answer some of your questions, no one was seriously injured and no structures were lost. There were about a dozen fire trucks and crews to fight this fire alone with a water dropping helicopter. The fire was contained in about 30 minutes.

One...
Two...

And a couple of bonus shots for those of you that like the Sunset....
Three...
and One more...

This is a jumble of images. Some from the highway pull off and some from our walk from Monterey to Pacific Grove.I also tried working a few in PS.
Pigeon Point Light House. color  bw . Standing here  Took THIS .
Now we're in Monterey and this is a common Sight .
Walking the walk taking in the many beautiful views. color  bw . color  bw .
More of the  scene ery .LOCALS .
Wildman didn't want to go any further so I left him sitting  on a bench .
Got him off his butt to take this  one . It was a LONG walk back. We had a little help at the end and took the trolley from the Aquarium to the Wharf.

Getting tired of BROWN pictures. So I went through some of the ones I took while we drove along the Pacific Coast Highway last summer. We rented a cherry red Mustang convertible and off we went. We stopped at just about every pull off between San Francisco and Big Sur! The Garapata Beach was a pleasant surprise after walking a distance through fields of brush and yellow flowers.These are from the cliff 1
2
3
And these are on the beach
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6
7
8
 9
10
There were only a few people on the beach. One of the access stairways was washed out.
WISHING WE WERE THERE AGAIN!!!

A few shots from the archives.
Morro Rock
2
3
Sur

The Gas Lamp Quarter...
Little Italy...
Hillcrest... Food Row..
North Park... College Town..

More to follow...  

On another daytrip to Pebble Beach we found a little crab. It didn't pinch SadieSadie  but Gemma bravely posed while it gave a little pinch on her index fingerOuch . As you can see they both drank Gator Ade  all the way there! I caught the light just right on a blossom of some Ice PlantsIcePlant . The end of the day just seemed to come to quickly but the sun looked so pretty on the tidepools.TidePoolSunset

TODAY

Drove from to Santa Rosa today to pick up my son.  Took some shots along the way, including from inside the car during stop and go traffic (mostly stop). The clouds were so billowy they seemed fake, and then the storm provided some great photo opportunities. Love the Napa Valley views...even McD's looked good tonight.

Sign in the storm
Grapevines
Amazing clouds and streetlight
Mist off the tires
Napa Roadside
Sunset over McDonalds
Purple Flower
Clouds above houses

This one was taken near the foothills last week when the snow dropped to 1000 feet (it's been a doozy in CA this Winter).
Electrical Tower and snow on mountain

Brooktrails (outside Willits, CA) experienced a late winter snow..so I took some shots around my abode to shareSnow Trail
Flurry
On the tree
Madron Contrast

This is my first real post.  A couple of previus attempts didn't go so well (guess I should have paid attention to the directions - thanks to codepoit for helping me out).  This first shot is Art's Deli in Studio City.  The next is a shot of the temple at the Aladdin in Las Vegas (this image was enhanced a little with photoshop in order to make the moon stand out).  I took a picture of these tulips at Disneyland a couple of weekends ago.  I really like the way it came out.  And last, but not least, the lake at Harveston in Temecula.  Enjoy!

Last September I took my half-brother and my daughter to the San Diego Zoo. These are a few of the many moments I captured during that day.  It's amazing to watch the faces of children at the Zoo...and the poses of the animals...
Elephants
Feed the Birds
Gorilla
Han's Bird
Han's reflection in the tram window
Lion
Reaching
Rhino
 What do you see
Watching the Lions

These were all handheld on my Canon EOS  Digital.

On my way back to SoCal from Stockton last month, I stopped off in San Francisco for a couple of days to visit with friends. A couple of us drove up to Twin Peaks to get a bird's eye view of the city. The  observation area was temporarily uncrowded as there was a lull in tour bus activity. Are there any bad vantages for shooting the Golden Gate?Or Alcatrazfor that matter?

I was hesitant to make the hike up to one of the actual peaks due to winds exceeding 40 knots, at the time. But my friend persisted in chiding me. I almost had him convinced the wind would blow us into the bay when a hundred pound Asian man walked by with his 5 year old daughter... heading up to the peak. My case was lost and up the spiraling path we went. Sure enough the winds were fierce. I kept my head down and my body as close to Mother Earth as possible.. to minimize the wind's effect on my person. No pictures going up or coming back down...I was focused on not being blown off the peak,lol. Once on top, I spied some rocks protruding some 8 inches above the center of the summit...I made my move and claimed them as my own. Sure, sure, an eight inch outcropping of rock on the top of  a hill doesn't afford much protection for a 6'4" 200 pounder, but dropping to my keester and catching my breath while clinging to the rock made me feel more secure anyway. So these two shots were my fruit for climbing.
 The City From Top Of A Twin..Peak A little bit of
Zoom is all I need...

As I told my friend "Had we not visited Haight Ashbury first...."

 

I had a few hours to kill yesterday, so I visited Santa Monica. While I've been there before I'd not been on the pier.  

There was an interesting building seen from the pier, constructed of what appeared to be containers.
Container Bldg

Walking along Ocean, The Georgian Hotel caught my eye.

Normally I would engage locals in conversation, but most seemed to be enjoying Siesta Time in the
warm sun or the
cooler shade

Some just seemed to be  
Dreamers while others just seemed
fetal
A few may have been
Camping Out and some just
Socializing

Don't let people tell you there are places the Sun Doesn't Shine ....simply taint true.

Pictures Today - Story Tomorrow.
Aguereberry Point Sunset, Death Valley National Park, California
Apologies for so many Photos

"It's all about the Light"

Self Portrait

DV2 DV3 DV4 DV5

DV6 DV7 DV8 DV9

DV10 DV11 DV12 DV13

DV14 DV15 DV16

When the rain comes, I go and so when the sun comes, I stay...and so begins my photography obsession with the beach. I wasn't the only Onlooker yet, together we enjoyed the  blue current, and the twin rocks

In May and october I head to central california for some fun, great wine, family get togethers, and to sell my jewelryDESCRIPTION_HERE My dad is the local artist there with his awesome works and incredible stories to shareDESCRIPTION_HERE  gotta always head towards the coast before I head back inlandDESCRIPTION_HERE this is my first and hope you enjoy it!!

I took 200 shots yesterday, this one of the Snow is the only one that came out.

Seen in the backroads of California's Central Coast

Part of a set.

Just got back from a trip out west. Had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to spend a glorious afternoon in Napa, CA. The sun was warm, the breeze was cool and conditions were ideal for photography. (Or so I thought) I got a whole bunch of so-so photos from the day. These are the best. (?)

Please critique these. Don't be gentle. I am so disappointed with the results and a squandered opportunity.

Napa Valley Vinyard 1 Napa Valley Vinyard 2

Heres one I kinda like.
First & Main

Let me have it!