The wheels are turning and I know you probably just guessed where these photos were taken. It feels like summer already in California. I spent a Sunday afternoon enjoying some decadent Chinese cuisine and traipsing through small markets. When it hits the 90s in mid-April, who wants to be indoors? Throw on some sunscreen and you’re good to go for a little adventure in LA.

I quite enjoyed my day ‘people watching’. Some showed the wear of long days at work. Some were glowing with their excitement at shopping from little vendors. Some threw pennies into wishing cups. Others just sat leisurely in the shade conversing rapidly in their native tongue. I walked, observed, then just kept walking. I stopped only for a few photos.

I love California for its ever warm weather and right now, it’s a beauty: all the wild flowers are in bloom so the hills and mountains are splashed with bright yellow and soothing lavender. As we say hello to spring, I want to share some images from the winter splendor I experienced in the east coast.

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I love the following photo. This road is known as the hairpin turn and right as we were about to take it, I was struck by how the rocks looked like they were leaking with ice. I’m not a native of snow so this was unusual and cool. I made my friend pullover (who cares if it was 10 degrees or lower). I walked away with this cool memory.

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A whole day of snow. More than 12 inches of it blanketed the ground. I shoveled my friend’s walkway. I daydreamed. A snowy day has that affect on me…

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This view was from my flight from Hartford, CT to Minneapolis, MN. The busy town below shows how life goes on in winter.

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After taking this photo, I kept thinking it looked like a war scene. But it’s not. They’re just frozen lakes, that’s all.

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I just returned from a two week vacation on the East Coast. Some may think I was crazy for visiting MA and NY in February because their winter isn’t over. Oh and yes, I did get lots of snow. The day after I arrived, it snowed. The day before I left, it snowed. But who can argue about the beauty of a town or city being blanketed by snow? As a California native, I was able to appreciate a good winter storm.

I have a few favorite images that I have to explore and post, but for now, I want to share a couple of images I took on my camera phone. I can’t believe how advance technology is but boy am I glad that it’s available.

Long Beach, NY: It was a clear day in New York, a few surfers waiting for waves and a group of boys playing football. I was freezing, but I’m a sucker for sunsets so I couldn’t let this go, especially since I’m seeing it in the east coast rather than the west.

Spice Restaurant, Pittsfield, MA: My phone service in MA was ridiculous. One minute it was full bars, the next, it was completely dead. Definitely not something I miss! I had dinner with my friends at this great restaurant in Pittsfield (where my phone service worked) and while I waited for my friend Kate to finish photographing the band, I looked up and saw these chairs hanging on the wall. Those who know me will tell you that I can’t resist restaurants. My eyes dart everywhere itching to photograph everything. I walked away with this image…

Well, I’m winding down from my trip, but I’ll be posting again soon to share stories. Until next time…

I graduated from Hallmark Institute of Photography and walked away not only with a great education but some wonderful friends. We just finished a workshop in Balboa, CA and it was amazing. Having my colleagues around was an aphrodisiac and I took so many photos. Everyday that I held my camera, I looked at my environment differently. Nothing was normal anymore.

Following are some of my favorite takes.

Inspired.

I had an instructor ask his students how long they were inspired after hearing a great lecture. Then, I claimed i was inspired all week. Looking back, I realized I was inspired for a day. I sit in and listen to a great photographer talk about his experiences, methods and recommendations. I’d take pages of notes thinking how I would do what he/she says. But then the next day comes, and already my overactive mind has moved on to a new concept, topic or idea.

Now, I realize it’s not about holding on to an inspiration. It’s about building on to it and remembering.

As a photographer, I have archives of photographs. I’ll forget about an image, a scene or a moment. Today, I want to remember a beautiful moment.

The image below was taken at my friend’s apartment. I glanced outside and saw the sun disappearing behind the horizon. The sky was changing to a darker shade of blue. Cars were speeding by on the highway. The apartment was sparse, but that’s not a complaint.
The scene was set.
I was ‘looking’.
All that was left was for me to capture it.