Whew!

Just back from 10 days visiting our son, who's in graduate school at Stanford. We were blessed to do days in (in addition to Palo Alto) San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Napa/Sonoma, Point Reyes National Seashore, Berkeley, Oakland (awesome Glen Hansard concert) and, of course, Yosemite National Park. 

Now back home, I'll be smiling going through the images over the course of the next several days....  

A packed weekend of shooting and editing, running and playing guitar, corresponding and vacation-planning.... Ah, the beautiful, simple joys of early spring and sunshine.

I've had no fewer than a dozen clear-miracles happen in my life. There's not a doubt in my mind -- in fact, quite the opposite -- that the miracles of my life are, yes, miracles.

What's this got to do with a photographer's blog?

My family had a meeting that families sometimes (infrequently) have to have. The entire meeting was about my mom, who passed in March. Long story short -- long long long story short -- we leave the meeting and about five minutes later, on the outskirts of town, sits this gorgeous barred owl. My mom collected owls, and loved them dearly. She was, in so many ways, almost parallel with the stereotypes of owls. In loving owls, she in fact saw herself in them. 

My point? First, it was a miracle. I'll say that the owl not only looked at me as would've my mom, but it did a distinct movement of its body that I've seen only one other person, ever, do -- my mom. But, as a photographer? I had a camera and the right lens in the back seat of my car. I stopped the car, reached back, got the camera ready, stepped out of the car (thinking the owl would immediately fly off, which they typically do when they see you looking at them) and was awed that the owl....  just sat. It didn't waver in its calm demeanor, and even, as stated, did an idiosyncratic gesture that absolutely convinced me.....  

This was a two-lane "country" road, one of my favorite roads in the state in its meandering agricultural natural beauty, but was, oddly for owls, about 10am. There was no reason for this owl to be out in daylight, and equally no reason for it to sitting where it was as I happened to drive past.

Carry a camera. Look around. We don't get miracles often, nor do we need to, but we do get moments more frequently that take our breath away, and that's enough for me.

The owl, by the way, stayed perfectly contently in this spot until a large truck came toward us from the opposite direction, at which point the owl turned and flew into the woods. 

Oh, the places you'll go....

I wonder often about the dual nature of always carrying a camera. Having it with me nearly at all times is some parts Fountain of Youth-ian (wanting to stop time and preserve a moment forever), a bit of seeing the world a bit differently than those who don't photograph may themselves see the world (how does what I see compare to what you see?) and a slice of yearning for fleeting beauty, poignancy and/or deeper meaning in the moments of our lives (how inordinately powerful life would be if all moments were truly heartfelt).

There's a gift element, too. I love shooting for folks who will appreciate the incomparable joy of having beautiful photographs of their lives.

I was thinking this past week that when I'm not with a camera, and am instead going about life's day-to-day, week-by-week tasks, that I'm, in turn, thinking of my next photo session. It's a turn on photographic memory, and is, instead, a photographic horizon.  I think in upcoming photographs. 

I deeply love being alive, blessed with eyes and free time and a camera and curiosity and the means to travel and wander about.

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.  Thich Nhat Hanh

Emotions, particularly the extremes, are a photographer's friend. The face is a complex, ever-fascinating, gorgeous communicator.  I shot this at a company party, and the woman's smile is captivating to me.  There's a "smile for the camera" type of a smile, and there's a smile in which you can feel joy and gratitude and appreciation and love.

Her smile makes me smile.

Oh, the cycle.....

I shot this wedding in December, and three weeks later the bride's father died. She went from joyful to distraught in 21 days.

There's no point to the story. No moral. We're compelled to appreciate moments, and we err to believe they'll last forever. It's easy to say "So take photographs to preserve the memories", and that's true, of course, but it sure doesn't fill the cup. Life is extraordinary. Life is heartbreaking. Life is, I believe, best lived with an omnipresent understanding that this too shall pass....

So, who knew, but there's a limit to how many photographs one can upload per album....  That's not good news, but I'll overcome.

I shot over 20 weddings last year and have another 15 (and counting) on the calendar for 2018.  I believe what I'll do is keep a rotating selection of various weddings under my "Weddings" tab.  

If you're interested in working together, just call/text/email me and I'm delighted to meet you to discuss your wedding vision, and equally happy to bring hundreds of eight-by-ten color glossy photographs (thank you Arlo Guthrie) to illustrate my multiple photo styles for wedding clients.

Actually got a text today from a wedding client from 2017 who texted "What about us?!?!" on his note. Well, it's true. I'm WAY behind on posting updates on shoots from the past six months....  It's entirely a byproduct of being too swamped, not from preferring one shoot above or over another!

Interestingly, too, some clients ask NOT to be shared on websites and/or social media.  I understand and respect the preference for privacy.  I sign over copyright ownership to clients, so they control the content once I deliver the images.

All that said, I had so much fun shooting so many incredible folks through 2017, and the calendar for 2018 is equally exciting!

Sometimes my own life humors me. My word and guide for 2018 is "Balance". So, for the first full week of the new year, I just worked 65 hours. Running and guitar lessons fell in line right after work each day, so there's precious-little remaining.

I may never achieve balance. I may not even get to 51% on the balance scale, in fact. 

But, what I lack in meaningful free personal time I suppose I make up for in moments of quiet satisfaction, a sense of a job well done and healthy pride.

No question hearing clients say "Wow!" is an adrenaline boost that'll carry the day every time.