Clouds

With rain comes clouds but in Santa Cruz the sun is usually right around the corner. We don't normally see robust, clumpy, thick, powerful clouds like you might see floating in the skies of the vast midwest. When they do make an appearance, typically in the winter months, I am invariably in awe. I have always dreamed of jumping up and down in the great cotton balls in the sky. Ok - that is impossible but if it wasn't can you imagine the fun?

It's Raining

It's raining here in beautiful Santa Cruz. I pulled together what should have been a quickie project but as with any learning experience it took a lot longer than I expected.
The wisdom teeth are out - the experience was far better than I anticipated. The best part for me was "waking up" from the anesthesia and asking the nurse if she spoke spanish. I felt a strong desire to tell her how I was feeling ... in spanish. Lucky for both of us she didn't speak spanish and I didn't force the issue.

Private Conversation

I shot this photo a couple of years ago while looking for stormy weather shots. Obviously it isn't storming at the time of the photo and this shot does not cause the viewer to wonder if a storm is on the way. Rather, it is just a moment which said to me - interesting, private, secret, women in special conversation. I took the shot, not to invade, but to share the beauty of this intimate moment from far away. I hope I have not taken anything away from them. I am learning my favorite photos are coming from those times in between assignments. It is a special place in which to be able to create with no pressures.
note - I am getting my wisdom teeth pulled Friday so I expect a quiet period on my blog for the next few days.

Under Water

Let's face it. Some days are better than others in all areas of life. Today happened to be a particularly challenging day for me in terms of making a 'wow' photo.
My assignments were to photograph a woman who is in the Flying Ninety-nines (an all women pilot's organization) as a preview to an upcoming event they are hosting, find some color in a dull white high school cafeteria in which an author was speaking to students and photograph a child who was chosen as an Explorer for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The shots of the author were usable but low on the interest scale, the pilot photos were ok - nice clouds, cool little Cessna, but I just didn't feel much excitement around it.
As I was driving to the school where I would photograph the young Explorer I hoped we could find an aquarium or something that would help tell the story. I thought it would be cute/funny to somehow have him inside the tank. Well, that didn't happen. There wasn't an aquarium in the classroom and the science teacher was in a hurry to get to the office so she suggested we try the "ocean life mural" on the side of the school. Perfect! And then I made my favorite shot of the day.

Almost Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. I was asked to take a photo of the man who is responsible for making the ashes for Ash Wednesday masses at St. Patrick's Church in Watsonville. I did. He was a nice guy, it was a decent shot but the shot below is the one I really like.


(As a sidebar - I just opened the paper and saw they ran this photo as centerpiece with text overlayed in the upper left corner. I wasn't even going to submit this shot b/c I was sure they wouldn't like it. Always learning)

Truck Fire

I am going to try to post some sort of creative effort as frequently as possible. I doubt it will be more than once a day though.
My coworker (a reporter) and I were returning from lunch at our favorite diner when we heard a call on the scanner for a truck fire threatening a structure. We jetted to the location, about a two mile drive through city traffic, trying to beat the firefighters and their hoses. We saw the black smoke flooding the sky and though we tried every trick in the book we didn't make it in time to get the flames shot. This photo was my favorite but not one I submitted to the copy desk because, well, there is no human emotion.

Getting Familiar with Blogging

Hi -

This is my first blog entry. I have pushed back on the desire to start a blog because, well, because I simply didn't think I would be a loyal blogger and like so many other blogs it would become stagnant after a short period of time. So, I can continue denying myself the opportunity to try new things for fear of breaking the commitment or I can take a brave step, tear down the barrier and give it my best shot. If it is something I enjoy, cool. If not, cool. Here's to freedom of choice.