2011 in review
Where did the “New Year” go already?! I like to do my annual review at the start of the year but I can’t believe how fast (and busy!) 2012 has been so far! I am approaching this year in review a bit different than I have in the past, partially because 2011 had so much work and partially because 2011 I also grew a ton as a photographer. I also spent a ton of time working on my website, and this mini review for me speaks to that!
I photographed many “Grown Local” features for Eucalyptus Magazine. It was wonderful to be able to meet so many awesome local farmers who not only love the work they do, but are doing great things.
I undertook a massive food photography project for a class.
I also put on a little group show based on abstraction that I photographed these Holga double exposures that I love.
More double exposed portraits!
2011 had many travel adventures… from Big Sur to Bay Area beaches to Marin Headlands to Humboldt to Oregon to Hawaii.
hawaii…part three
And vacation photos would not be complete without the film…I loved being able to take the Holga places (to sandy and wet places!) I dare not take the digital and while disposable underater cameras have much to leave us wanting with quality I love the unpredictability of photographing with a scuba mask on!
hawaii…part one
Hawaii! I attempted to go “camera light” on this trip, but somehow I have phone, digital and film photos. This post would be part one: phone photos!
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- sfo —> ogg
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- beachlife
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- first night
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- pod thai!
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- sunrise and coffee
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- la perouse bay
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- sunset
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- lanai poke market
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- hotel lanai
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- I ate a cheek. And loved it.
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- fried rice breakfast
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- four seasons please
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- beautiful bride
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- mens & flowers
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- sunset over the pacific
caves
We went to a love-lovely wedding in Sunriver, Oregon last month (congrats Carolina + Phil!) and got to explore some lava caves in our down time. I have never been in a cave, nor have I ever even considered one…I was worried I would get scared (I have been known to do that!) but it was awesome! Once the guys agreed to make no “scary” noises we got into a groove of walking through the dark, guided by just one oil lamp. We stopped here and there to explore the walls around us and allowing for narrow passage of other visitors on the way out. It got narrower and colder as we went down and even with a lamp you could only see one foot in front of yourself. If I ever find myself in Bend region again I will be sure to bring a headlamp.
john & ryan explore
Mirror Pond, Deschutes River
indian summer
…and we are back! The website has undergone an overhaul (check it out if you have not!) and in turn the blog also had a little makeover. I am super happy with where things are at now and just a few tidying details remain.
The past two months have been a whirlwind…I am knee deep in my second to last semester of school, figuring out my BFA project and getting ready for an epic trip to Hawaii. October is my favorite month, but it has yet to really get under 70 degrees…it has been silly warm and we have been taking advantage of it by getting in as much beach and outdoor time as possible. My best friend moved to Santa Cruz this summer, which is sad because she is not so close, but awesome because her new digs are SO great and she lives SO close to the beach! The below image is of her kiddos after a day at the beach followed by backyard body painting…
pentax & friends like family
I recently picked up a Pentax K1000 at the Santa Cruz flea market (I am hoping for more Meghan flea market adventures this summer…that girl can haggle!) and popped a roll of film in it despite the light meter not working. Summer (at the moment at least) means more free time with my favorite friends-like-family and luckily these kids are CUTE. I feel so lucky to not only have known Katie for so long, but to also to have been able to photograph so much of her life. Her beautiful children hardly shy away when I bust out my camera but this time they just stared as they watched me get used to the manual focus of the camera and take my best guess at the exposure without a light meter.
Before our next adventure a few weeks later I stopped to get a battery (and more film and a cap!) and like magic that little light meter needle started working. We visited Half Moon Bay on a blustery June day and made the most out of the beach. I am going to be sappy and say how lucky I am to have such an amazing friend in my life for so long but also how lucky I am that we can share all of these small moments.
forts & beaches
Earlier this week I went on a photo adventure with fellow students Brittany Rediger and Patrick Hodge. We headed up to the Marin Headlands to visit some of the forts and had a fun time wandering and photographing the decay of the buildings and the beauty of the beaches. I recently picked up an old camera at a flea market (another post on that later!) and decided to bring it along for this adventure. I forgot to buy extra film, so I ended up shooting mostly digital. The interesting thing is that for some reason I shot some of the same images in film AND digital (in reflection I have NO idea why?!) and sometimes digital won. Sometimes film won. One of my favorite things about this adventure was just being up at Marin Headlands on such a gorgeous day. Of the group I was the only one had had previously been in the area and I made Rodeo Beach a must stop. It is one of my favorite bay area beaches…beautiful at sunset, beautiful to get to and never very crowded. We are planning more summer photo adventures!
flowers for spring
It is almost summer…but you would not know it with this weather! Going through some photos from earlier this year I ran across these flowers I photographed when testing a macro lens. The thought is by thinking spring maybe it will start feeling like it?!
Today is the first day in many many many months that I have had some free time. It was a busy semester with two photo lab classes and two upper division GE courses. Throw in an internship, freelancing and organizing a group show and I can say it was actually crazy busy! While I am hoping to have some down time to catch up on things (my desktop is a mess! my external HDD needs some love! filing cabinet is overflowing!) I would like for this to be my summer of starting new projects, assisting, freelancing, interning and learning. This is my last summer before I return to the working world and I hope to make the best of it photographically. For now, flowers :)
asilomar
A few weekends back we spent the weekend with the Stevens at Asilomar…it was Jack’s 4th birthday and tons of fun! We had an awesome cabin, were a short walk through the grounds to the beach and had deer every morning and every night. Lucky to have such awesome friends and lucky to be able to spend such awesome time.
point reyes
A few weekends ago we ventured to Point Reyes for the day…an exploratory trip! I have always wanted to visit the Cowgirl Creamery location (YUM) and check out the Oyster farms. The drive was much more than I had anticipated for a day trip and the oyster farms looked awesome but also looked like it would be much more fun with a group. We have decided that next time we are going to make it a camping trip so we can not only enjoy more of the nature but also fully enjoy the oyster farms!
the birds!
Last weekend we spent another awesome cabin weekend in Big Sur. Camping is nice and all, but man, cabining is nicer. All the perks and none of the dirt! Josh and Lidia joined us and we got to celebrate her actually birthday (and my delayed one!) for the first time in many years. In fact I was reflecting on this and realized that I don’t know if we spent a birthday together since we I turned 16 (where you there Lidia? Magic Mountain?)…but what is funny (if I am correct on Lidia’s presence) is that we actually came back to the house and watched Hitchcock’s “The Birds” later that night. Tangent, but it comes full circle.
We went on an awesome Lidia Birthday hike at Andrew Molera State Park and as we approached the beach we saw that it was not passable (or at least the river was not wade-able in the winter weather) AND that it was covered with hundreds of Seagulls. Me being me, I totally was down for going. I don’t know if I romanticized chasing them, but they did not scare me. Everyone else on the other hand was not down with bird (poop) beach. So rather than calling it a wash, we too the headlands trail along the cliff side and had magnificent views. But! As bird tend to do, they took flight. And not only did they take flight, they decided to swarm in circles above our head while we were on the cliff. The photographer in me snapped away while everyone else ran for cover from the eventual spray. We somehow made it out mostly poop free and enjoyed our descent back down. More (well a little bit more) Big Sur to come…but for now! Birds!
2010 in review
Where to begin with 2010! It was a good year. But as I sit here looking out at the trees outside of my office window all of my thoughts are on the year ahead. I turn 32 today and I like that I have a birthday so close to the beginning of the year. It is a good time to look back in reflection and ahead with excitement.
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in my 30′s…
By and far the biggest project I did at the end of last year was a photo project for my Image & Idea class. I struggled with concepts and changed my mind a million times only to settle on something personal. I did a portrait series of friends, all women in their early 30′s. But the big thing for me beyond just the image was finding a way to share their thoughts and emotions on the topic. I had each woman complete the statement “In my 30′s…” and then arranged these hand written notes into the installation. I received a wonderful response from men and women of all ages and I am excited to see what we have to say “in my 40′s…”
Below are some shots from the installation, with the larger project ahead of scanning each hand written note and making an electronic home for the project.
on new years
This would be the obligatory New! Year! post. The year in review is coming because 2011 is already off with a jump start after we were able to spend the last part of 2010 in super relax more. I can’t even wrap my head around about how much happened last year and am excited about the year ahead.
I am not one for public proclamations of resolutions and such, but I do think 2011 will have more of the following: nail polish, film, website fixing-up, photo shows, dinner parties, museum visits, darkroom time, beer making, photo figuring out, drawing, movie going, wine tasting, organizing this thing called life, patio tomatoes, planning next years BIG trip, Patti Smith, Big Sur and double exposures.
And maybe more blog posts. For now I am happy getting things done while I can, sleeping more, taking hot baths, reading, interning and tonight wine and a pizza made by my Mr.
my old kentucky home
Over Thanksgiving we were very lucky to be able to travel to Kentucky to celebrate Mom & Nana’s birthday. We made the journey from San Francisco with Jesse and Ryan, renting a car in Nashville and driving into the Land Between the Lakes. We arrived extremely jet lagged and out of sorts but managed to have an awesome and wonderful Thanksgiving. It is the first Thanksgiving I think I have spent with my mom in 30 years and the first I have spent with (most) of my siblings and niece and nephew. It was Ryan’s first foray into our family and Kentucky and Jason picked up an adorable nickname from my niece. It snowed the first night (or “flurried” technically- but to this Californian it was snow!). Jason found the most awesome (really) beer store and we stayed up many late nights trying to savor every moment. It went by way too fast, but many happy memories were made. Kentucky!
Mini photo tour after the jump!
congratulations dean & becky!
On a beautiful Saturday this October Dean & Becky got married. I was lucky enough to not only be a part of their special day by photographing it, but to also welcome an awesome sister-in-law to the family.
Mini gallery after the cut!
i left my heart in big sur
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- cabin
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- fireside dinner at deetjen’s
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- fabio the house cat at deetjen’s
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- cozy bed
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- celebrity sighting! and breakfast!
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- nepenthe
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- maiden publick house
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- happy beer!
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- down by the river
This past weekend we had the most amazing mini get-a-way to celebrate our (8 year!) wedding anniversary. Big Sur, be still my heart. I have decided that I am going to play the lottery more aggressively so I can live the dream of owning a cabin in the woods and having tea daily on the patio at Nepenthe. Though we go there a few times a year, I never cease to feel a sense of wonder.
After the cut I old-school-blog-over-share-and-link about our entire trip!
if you go into the woods today
I feel a need to wrap up the summer with fall fast approaching! Somehow we were able to do a mostly last minute camping trip last month at Memorial State Park- nestled in the redwoods not too far from our house OR the beach. It was sort of a treat to be able to camp amongst big trees less than an hour from home and easily spend the day at the beach as well. We relaxed and had awesome food and good company and got to explore both the woods and the tide pools at the beach. I am most certainly doing close to home camping again :)
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- I can look up like this all day…
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- …and keep looking…
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- biggest tree in the park!
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- the olmstead official camping beer
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- ooh! broke down bathroom in the woods…scary!
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- I found a seashell monocle. really.
