I never get tired of ocean views at sunset!
San Clemente Gold
Analog
What a week it’s been- and it’s still going on! I managed to sign up for THREE photo related online classes/summits that are all happening within the space of a week: Drew Steinbrecher’s Digital Art Summit (one new class on using 3 iPad creative apps- especially Procreate- a new class every day for a week), Kim Klassen’s class, Digital Meets Analog, and Hazel Meredith’s Creative Photography Conference (all weekend).
It was also the week of our photo club’s free raffle of our dear friend, Jerry’s photo equipment. Jerry passed away unexpectedly at the end of the year, and his family generously donated everything the family did not want to our club to give away to members. Every member got 25 tickets to use for drawings for 69 individual items or groups of items that had belonged to Jerry. I didn’t think I wanted anything- but then I saw this wonderful monopod- and I won it! I’m thrilled to have it, because I’ve wanted one- and especially because it was Jerry’s.
Today was the second day of Kim Klassen’s Digital Meets Analog. Back when I was learning photography, I fell in love with Kim’s textured still life and flower images online, took an online Photoshop class from her, and bought her textures. Everything I know about Photoshop started with that first class. After we moved here and I joined my photo club and then my weekly photo group, my photo interests became more varied. It has been years since I took a class from Kim, but this one sparked my interest- how to shoot and edit digitally to create a more film-like, tactile look. I’m talking diffusion, less contrast, paper-like textures, added grain and beautiful vintage frames! As a lover of everything vintage, I feel very much in my comfort zone using these processes.
The old photo above is from 2016 and is my first editing attempt- and I forgot to add a texture!
No Kings
A little abstract created for No Kings Day.
Saguaro Portrait
We are just back from a sad trip to Kansas for Lonnie’s stepsister, Sue’s Celebration of Life. It was a quick but very meaningful trip, especially for Lonnie who has lost both stepsisters and his stepmother, Laura over the last couple years.
On the way to the airport, we stopped at the outlet mall for a snack, and I ended up having a quick photo session with a beautiful saguaro outside. I have many photos from Kansas that I will share later on- but my external hard drive (loaded with ALL my photos and ALL my genealogy documents and photos) is on its last legs and is headed to our computer guys for a data transfer to a new drive. Yes I have a backup system in place, but I won’t relax until all my files are safely back where they belong.
Original Landlord
I think the poster says it all.
Spotted at Two Guns.
Two Guns
Depending on your point of view, you could call this site along Route 66 historic or an eyesore, but photographers call Two Guns a great photo opportunity. This just one of many remnants of a tourist stop during the heyday of Route 66, and the graffiti only adds to its appeal to photographers. Like many areas in Arizona it has a bloody past- you can read about it HERE. Lonnie and I spent a couple hours exploring the area with my photo group and never ran out of things to point out or photograph!
Wigwam Motel Abstacts
The simple graphics on the Wigwam Motel teepees inspired me to create some abstracts from the photos I took- many different versions. Here are two!
Wigwam Motel 2
The wigwams are not the only attraction at the Wigwam Motel- the grounds are filled with vintage cars. It’s like stepping back in time!
Wigwam Motel
Back to Route 66! I visualized this image as we drove into Holbrook, where we stayed the first night of our Route 66 trip with my photo club. The last time we were in Holbrook, we stayed across the street from the Wigwam Motel (yes, people stay in these faux teepees, which have nice beds air conditioning, bathrooms etc. ). I knew I wanted to photograph it again- but convert to black and white. It was difficult to get an uncluttered view- I had to walk around the corner to be able to get a clear view of the huge “teepees” against the cloudy sky. Mission accomplished!
Tide
I can remember my first visit to the ocean as a young child- and how my mother taught me to always keep my eyes on the waves (for safety reasons). And now in my elder years I treasure our visits to the ocean, and my eyes are always drawn to the ever-changing yet constant waves as they rush toward shore. At sunset the light turns golden as the sun bids farewell to another day- a soothing presence in these times.
Sunset Surfer
We spent a few days in Southern California a week ago, including 3 days visiting beaches in the area. I told myself I have photographed too much surfing, which has produced hundreds of shots that will never see the light of day. But…the golden light at sunset at San Clemente proved irresistible, especially for slow shutter/ICM images.
Trees in the Rocks
One of the places we visited on our Route 66 trip with my photo club was the Little Painted Desert (outside of Winslow)- an amazingly beautiful spot. I was entranced from the beginning by the creases and folds in the rock formations that looked like tree branches to me. And of course the colors were spectacular!
Beauty Under My Feet
As we walked through Two Guns ghost town last week, I looked down and saw flowers growing among the graffiti covered ruins- a stark contrast to the barren, desolate surroundings. Beauty under my feet!
Exit 233
As Lonnie and I headed to Holbrook the first day of our field trip, I captured this view out the car window. It had clouded over, threatening rain, and the exit sign seemed to point up into the clouds- suggesting an earthly exit perhaps?
Route 66 Field Trip
Last week we took a fun trip with my photo club to the Winslow/Holbrook area to view explore this part of Arizona’s Route 66. This iPhone shot was taken from the backseat at Two Guns, a 1920-40’s era ghost town with ruins of a gas station, a “zoo” and many old structures.
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