I had some fun trying out Topaz Impression (using the Van Gogh filter) on these ducks from our visit to Benicia.
Here’s the original photo:
Colors!
I fell in love with the colors of the Tucson Barrio when we were there a few weeks ago. Here are some images that didn’t make the blog:
A Hot Day in Sedona
Last weekend we had a wonderful visit with our dear friends, the Jansons, who came from California so that Carolyn could present a HeartMath workshop at our church, Unity of Prescott. It was a wonderful weekend in so many ways, with the highlight of course being Carolyn’s over-the-top inspiring presentation on Sunday. They flew home last night, and we miss them already.
We spent the Saturday before her workshop in Sedona and Jerome, and it was the hottest day we’ve experienced in that area. Armed with sunscreen, hats, and water bottles, we took a short walk at Bell Rock until we decided it was just too hot. I did manage to take a few photos despite the heat- I never get tired of these views!
In the shot below you can see the Chapel of the Holy Cross built into the rocks in the distance.
And here are the Jansons!
Meanwhile. . .
. . .back at the barn!
In the Barn
We spotted this photo op on our drive through the wine country. There was another photographer snapping away as we drove by, so we returned later in the day on our way back. Thank you, Jerry, for stopping the car!
I bet the light in that barn is fabulous- I love how it shines through the boards.
Strangers in a Strange Land
During the 45 years we lived on the outskirts of the wine country, the number of wineries seemed to grow exponentially. I have no idea of the statistics, but there are wineries everywhere now. We hadn’t been in the Healdsburg area in years, and that is where we spent the afternoon with our friends, Georgia and Jerry when we stayed with them in Petaluma. It is so beautiful, and it was fun to visit as tourists from Arizona.
Ferrari Carano is a fairly new winery and vineyard, despite its classic design. We enjoyed tasting the wines and exploring the beautiful manicured grounds. The California drought was not apparent here! Here are a just a few photos from our visit.
Trainspotting
Making Friends
There were some newcomers to the waterfront- at least new since the last time we visited!
I had seen (and photographed) pelicans flying over the Benicia Bridge before, but never actually saw any down at the water. On this visit, we saw them on the Martinez side and the Benicia side of the bridge. Fun!
Rolling in. . .
Last week, I accompanied my husband on a spur-of-the-moment (for me anyway) road trip to the Bay Area. We took two days to drive each way- and were only there two days- but we managed to pack a LOT in! We stayed in a hotel in Benicia for the first two nights, and then drove over to Petaluma for the second day, staying with friends for some R&R after Lonnie’s meeting. We somehow managed to pack in get-togethers with most of our good friends during this short time with only a few days notice- amazing!
Here’s the morning fog rolling in over the Carquinez Bridge- a sight I have photographed many times over the years. So great to see it again- I do miss the waterfront!
Gritty
Happy Fence Friday!
Big Boys of Summer
Comings and Goings
Color- or Not
I couldn’t decided which I liked best- so I’m posting them both.
Both of these were taken at my visit to Eliphante, right before walking across the creek!
Water’s Edge
When we were walking at the lake a week ago, I was captivated by the green of this tree, which contrasted with the darker trees bordering the lake. It was hard to photograph because I could only see it through branches- so I didn’t. But I saw it again on our way back- with a little girl under it- and knew I had to try. I was already envisioning it as a painterly image. I took the resulting photo into Lightroom and then Photoshop for some cloning work. Then, I used Topaz Simplify to remove details and give it a bit of a watercolor look. I blended it with the original image, bringing back some detail- and finished it off with some textures. Playing with images is part of what keeps stress out of my life- and it’s so much fun!
In and Out
The title of this post refers to the subject of today’s photos- and also to the process of intake and outake with regards to my photo files. I’ve been going through the process of culling and editing the photos I took at Eliphante the other day. Since I have very full hard drives, I am trying to become more disciplined about the culling and deleting process. Not easy- I tend to want to keep everything!
And the subject of today’s photos? Doors! Entry into the artistic structures is always through individually designed doors- and often through tunnels lit by skylights or windows.
An unusual place to say the least.
melinda anderson photography 