Bodie looks a bit like a storybook town, and, when you wander over the acres and acres of this old ghost town, you can almost see the stories come to life.
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Window Dressing
I loved photographing and editing this old window display in Bodie. I was in the mood for blues!
Corrugation
as seen in Bodie
Bodie
We took a day trip from Lone Pine to the famous ghost town, Bodie, which is now a state park. Bodie is interesting and fun for everyone, but is especially beloved by photographers. I was intrigued by the angles and shapes of the buildings contrasting with the almost cloudless skies that day- and had to force myself to take photos of some of the wonderful vintage items on display (those are usually my favorites). This is one shot of the shapes and angles of Bodie, but I edited it three ways for fun.
Welcome to Manzanar
On our last day in Lone Pine, Lonnie and I spent a couple hours at Manzanar, the Japanese internment camp which is now a National Historic Site through the National Park Service. It was a sobering experience, but learning about this part of our history is important for all Americans.
Although the original buildings were torn down after the war, replicas have been rebuilt in the footprints of the originals, so one can get a sense of what this place was like during the war years.
Backdrop
The mountains behind the Alabama Hills made a beautiful backdrop as Lonnie and I drove through the dirt side roads of this fascinating area which was the setting for so many old western movies. This is a zoomed in view of Mr. Whitney behind the hills.
Whitney Portal
Whitney Portal Road goes from Lone Pine through the Alabama Hills and then starts its ascent up the mountain to 8,389 feet, where it ends at Whitney Portal. There are spectacular views of the hills below and of the mountain itself.
Mobius Arch
We have just returned from a fantastic trip to Lone Pine, California with my photo group. The goal was to see the Alabama Hills where many old movies, especially westerns, were filmed. It is a beautiful area with Mt. Whitney as a backdrop, and few in our group had ever been there. I wasn’t sure how I would do on this trip, because I knew that to see much of the area I would have to do a lot of walking. But my knee held up great, and with the help of my trekking poles, I was able to actually do a short hike up and down on uneven ground in order to take advantage of one of the iconic photo ops- the view of Mt. Whitney as seen through Mobius Arch.
BTW, to take this photo, you have to lie on your back on top of a boulder.
Viewpoint
I have taken soooo many photos of Buckey over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever taken THIS angle. Score one for finding a new viewpoint! Actually TWO new viewpoints, because last week’s photo from the rear was a new angle for me as well.
All that Glitters
For our courthouse assignment, I took some photos of the bottom of the fountain. A couple of our class members also used the fountain as their photo subject, and there were some GORGEOUS abstracts created! I revisited my fountain shots and decided to post this one, which has an emphasis on the pennies that had been tossed in with a wish. I love how the water distorts the tiles and the pennies themselves.
From the Rear
Another view of Buckey at Courthouse Square
Just pretty . . .
A pretty view at the Alaska Native Heritage Center
On the Square: Just Married
Lonnie and I came upon this wedding party as we were walking around the Courthouse Square. The photographer had the bride posing on the courthouse steps, but as we got closer the happy couple walked away. As we continued our walk, we came upon them posing again and I managed to take three shots, two of the couple and one of the photographer- my lens wasn’t wide enough to get them into one frame. I merged one of the couple and the one of the photographer into a panorama. I liked the combination of the happy bride and groom in the midst of a typical scene at the square- such a contrast!
Watercolors
Eagle River, Alaska reflections
Buckey
Our first assignment in this semester’s photo group is to stand somewhere on Prescott’s Courthouse Square and take a photo of ANYTHING! This isn’t the photo I’ll be using, but here is a shot of the statue of one of our hometown heroes, Buckey O’Neill- newspaperman, gambler, sheriff, judge, and Rough Rider who was killed in the Spanish American War.
