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Doing the 52: Point Reyes, Part 2

I really need a shove, discipline and hand holding to learn Photoshop. So, I decided to try to post an edited photo once a week. I started to do this last year. Signing up for it was the shove, posting was the discipline, but I had no one to hold my hand. This year, I have an accountability partner. Hopefully, I can get through the year, learn what simple things I need to from Photoshop, and also delve into some other processing programs that are taking up space in my computer.

With this lofty goal in mind, I recently spent more than 4 hours trying to eliminate the transparency from a masked item so I can place it, without a background, in another photo.

I will not stop until I’m successful! It’s frustrating though.

I watch tutorials. Go to my computer. Open up Photoshop and can’t recreate the exact process. I need to bring up my laptop and work the tutorial and Photoshop on my desktop together.

Enough complaining, the pictures in this post are the last from our Point Reyes outing. It was a fun day. I wasn’t out there to take photos, but who could resist. In the last post, you saw some of Richard’s pictures and mine. Today, it’s all mine.

Take time from whatever is frustrating you and relax. I hope you enjoy these images. I don’t need a shove, discipline or hand holding to take the pictures; just to learn new editing techniques.

Most of the 300 steps down to the lighthouse.
Closer look at the lighthouse.
Tried black and white on this landscape.
Smile. You’re having your picture taken.
An ice plant flower.
The beach as seen from the walk to the lighthouse
I enjoyed shooting the waves.
They broke one right after another.
The foam was great to shoot.
Wave after wave.
Waiting for the cows to come home.
This cowboy drives a tractor
They are almost home.

 

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 6 Comments

Couple time: Point Reyes National Seashore

I shoot pictures during the day and Richard shoots pictures at night. You see, my husband, an amateur astronomer images the night sky. His observatory is in the Sierra Mountains, and he finds galaxies and nebulas via a camera attached to his telescope. Viewing is done through his computer.

My advantage is that I can shoot on cloudy, overcast and pretty much any kind of weather. The result may not be pretty, but I can take my camera out more than he can use his scope.

So when we decided to take a day and run away, I did take my camera. We ran, excuse me–drove, to the Point Reyes National Seashore. Once there, he wanted to see the Lighthouse. It was well worth the long drive. I had been there, and I wanted him to have the experience too.

When we got there, I got out my camera and set one up for him. Richard wanted to whale watch, but we didn’t bring binoculars. I hoped that my 55 – 300 mm lens on my D3100 would give him enough reach. Whale watching was a bust, but he did get some great photos that you’ll see in this post.

The Lighthouse was also a bust. It was closed. If it was open, I don’t think we would have made it down to it and back up. There’s 300 steps which they say is equivalent to climbing 30 stories of a building. I’ll put a picture of the Lighthouse stairs in the second part of this post.

Meanwhile, winter is definitely a tough time for astronomers. For photographers, if we can put up with a bit of fog, rain and clouds, we’re good to go. And, we take pictures at night also!

I like the water pattern in this shot. I also took the same shot, but this one was outstanding.
A great picture of a Raven (I think).
Two of them–mates?
Richard asked me if I edited this image.
The lighthouse.
There were supposed to be whales and/or sea lions at this point. Now I’m shooting.
The pathway to the Lighthouse.
A twisted and fun climbing tree.
Another one!
Still walking to the Lighthouse and approaching the closed Visitor’s Center.
The rocks were very expressive
Caught this guy tying his shoe.
A closer view of the Lighthouse which was closed.
It’s amazing how some plants find a pathway through tough conditions.
Look at the holes and textures in the rock.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler

Cabin fever: Sacramento Delta Area

Wednesday was supposed to be partly cloudy and the first day of no rain in two weeks. So, I asked Richard if he wanted to take a ride down to the Delta–just to get out of the house. We were astounded to see rain drops making perfect round circles in our pool Wednesday morning. I checked the weather forecast and it said RAIN!

We went anyway. Going south, the rain lessened and by the time we got to Locke, it was just a light mist. We were amazed at how high the Sacramento River was. Everywhere we walked that wasn’t paved was soft so our shoes sank into the soaked earth. You’ll see in some of the pictures that piers were floating well above their normal levels.

We started in Locke’s Historical District, drove through Walnut Grove, went on to Rio Vista for lunch and then home. It rained on and off the entire morning. Of course I brought my camera along–just one camera and lens. But, I didn’t go out of my way to find environments to shoot. I’ve gotten so that I don’t go anywhere without my camera!

This was not primarily a photo outing. We were just two people trying to get out of the house for a short time. We got out and it did put a dent in our cabin fever. Oh, I read in the newspaper that Northern California is out of the drought, but parts of Southern California is still in severe drought. It’s progress.

Locke’s Main Street. This was my 4th time in Locke.
New was this store for sale.
This alley was the same, but glistened in the rain.
A leaf holding water like a spoon.
This is part of a door on a building that is holding on for dear life.
This shop is new and has a new look.
This is the most photographed in Locke. This time I just went for the sign.
And I went for a close up of the tub’s leg.
I hadn’t seen this painted van before.
I liked the flag reflection in the window.
The pier at Walnut Grove. The river is high.
At Rio Vista, the pier is floating well above it’s normal level.
Here a Blue Heron surveys the scene.
Picnic table in a flooded area.
Shot out of the car window as were were moving at 55 mph. This orchard could have been flooded in the heavy rains.
A field mostly under water.
I was really trying to capture the clouds over this soaked field.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

An unexpected surprise: Rosie the Riveter Museum, Richmond, California

Did you ever go somewhere expecting not much, but were totally surprised and delighted when you got there? Our visit to the Rosie the Riveter Museum had that effect on me. It was as if this museum was designed with photographers in mind. In the small museum and Visitor Center building, all photos were not behind glass, but on boards. It was easy to shoot them without glare.

Not only did we learn about the history of women during World War II, we learned how the war changed the city of Richmond. Richmond became the Kaiser shipyard home, where ships were built. These vessels would help defeat our World War II enemies.

Located in a National Historic Park, the museum is just the beginning. There were many things to take up our day, but we basically visited three out of the 10 suggested by the Ranger in the visitor center. We visited the museum, looked into the empty Ford Assembly Plant, had lunch in Point Richmond, toured the SS Red Oak Victory ship and found our way back to the Rosie the Riveter Memorial.

I’m sure you guessed that this will be a two-part post. I will be going back to see all we didn’t have time for. This definitely was an unexpected surprise.

A black and white picture of workers entering the shipyard.
These posters were well kept and easy to shoot.
I think if it were today, the posters would be different.
Health was supported.
The safety hat workers wore.
A sculpture of a Rosie eating lunch.
Another view of the same sculpture.
A Rosie at work.
This pictures shows two Rosies at work.
Another Rosie getting to work.
Another poster.
This scene using a painted backdrop and sculptures was amazing.
I love the reflections I was able to capture in this scene.
The door to the Ford Assembly Plant.
Getting a better view.
Outside the museum.
Posted on by Anne Sandler · 12 Comments

Goodbye 2016: A look back

I am melancholy this New Year’s Eve day. The year 2016 was full of personal challenges for me personally and my dear friends. The one thing I counted on to keep me balanced was photography. When I was out shooting, my attention was drawn away from health issues and global and United States politics. Editing in my office helped relax away fears. I almost lost a dear friend and another had heart surgery. Add that to Richard’s back surgery, it was a tough autumn.

So while in this moody state of mind, I’m going to show you some of the images I chose for my yearly calendar. I’m hoping 2017 will surprise us with political healing, prosperity, health and peace for all. Happy 2017.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

The last from the desert: Painted Canyon, Mecca

We got a late start, we got lost, we finally found our way. That pretty much sums up why we arrived at the Painted Canyon in Mecca California so late in the day. Richard and I visited the Painted Desert in Arizona during our 2013 cross country trip, so what could compare to it? Was I surprised!

Even though we just got a taste of it, I want to go back. The approach to the Canyon is on a 3-mile dirt road. The golden hour had just begun as we parked the car. I talked to a couple who had just come out of the canyon and found out that it’s a slot canyon with narrow passages and involves a good deal of climbing. When I said we were not able to climb, I was told that there was another way around that was flat with a good view of the colorful mountains, but was a 5-mile round trip. Again, due to our current physical limitations and late arrival, that was impossible this trip.

So, I did what I usually do, made the most of what I could do. I walked to where the slot canyon began and was amazed that there was so much color already. The minerals created such beautiful orange and green effects. Also, the entrance to the canyon was majestic.

Enough talk, take a look for yourself. Next year, it will be get up early, go the direct way, and be able to walk the 5-miles!

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

Holiday countdown: Festival of Lights, Palm Springs

I know everyone is busy now with holiday preparation, but I hope you take time to view this blog anyway. The Festival of Lights is a weekly evening event in Palm Springs during the winter months. I don’t know what I was expecting, but all we saw were vendors. Since we got there early, musicians were just setting up.

To make matters even worse, I left my D7100 and walk around lens in my cousin’s car. That left me with the D3100 and my 55 – 300 mm lens. It was make do time and challenging. Cold, hungry and disappointed, we went inside a restaurant. There we found our evening’s entertainment.

A group was setting up on the small stage and we asked what they were doing. One of them impersonated Carol Channing, and they were going to rehearse for the next evening’s show.  We asked if we could stay to see the rehearsal and they were very agreeable. The show was very good, but we had to imagine it with costumes. We were even asked for input at the end. Also, photographing it was difficult. I only had my on camera flash, no tripod, bad lighting and a small area. But, I think I did well this was a shooting and processing lesson for me.

So here are some pictures. So take some time and look at them and thanks!

Read more

Posted on by Anne Sandler

Not just any museum: Coachella Valley History Museum

It’s okay to admit it. You may not be a museum lover. I shy away from some types of museums, but I do enjoy history museums. I’ve always been a fan of historical novels, movies and museums. But, don’t ask me details any more–I just can’t remember them! I just like to share their moments in history for a short while.

So I was happy we chose to visit the Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio. The museum campus includes the 1926 residence and medical practice office of Doctor and Mrs. Smiley, the historic 1909 schoolhouse, a Desert Submarine, pioneer farming equipment and a Date Museum. An old Cork Tree can also be found on the grounds. I touched it and the bark is like a cork!

The Desert Submarine is the small sleeping quarters for workers during the summer. They fashioned what I think is the first evaporative cooler for the men. The schoolhouse was moved onto the property as an addition to the complex. Most of the museum’s historical pieces are in the Smiley residence. And, the Date Museum is one of a kind, giving the history of date farming in the area with help from Arab countries.

The Museum was incorporated on September 3, 1965, by a dedicated group of valley residents, opened in 1984, and is run primarily by volunteers. Our docent was proud to give us the tour even though she had only been a volunteer for 2 weeks. Her excitement for the property certainly was apparent. Through her knowledge, I was able to go back in time and understand what desert life was like before all our modern conveniences.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 2 Comments

In search of water: Thousand Palms Coachella Valley Preserve

Looking for a certain Oasis can be daunting. We came close one day, but didn’t find the bubbly spring or the San Andreas fault line. But, we did find water–a small pond of it. The locals called it a lake. We’re still not sure of this oasis’s exact location, but we do know that it is part of the Thousand Palms Coachella Valley Preserve.

It amazed me that each oasis is slightly different from the other. There were a few on this preserve, and we walked to one. It was a 2-mile round trip walk in mostly sand to get to the pond and back. It was like walking on the beach forever. It was worth it though. I loved the background scenery and the pond was beautiful.

Our route there began on a wood walk way boarded by the California Fan Palm, the only palm native to California. Ernie knew it’s official name, and you can learn about it by following the link. Their skirts of dead leaves are not cut and hang down unless the tree drops them. They will be cut to make room for a walk way as you’ll see in the gallery pictures.

We didn’t continue our search for the elusive oasis this trip, but there’s always next year. The question is, will we find that certain oasis?

Posted on by Anne Sandler · 4 Comments

Broken routine: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert

You don’t know how important your routine is until it’s broken. I’ve been without a computer for a day and a half. Not so bad? Yes, bad…grumble, grumble. Richard is installing a new modem/router and the computers were off limits. Therefore, no email (cell phone worked for that), no reading the newspaper (difficult to do on a cell phone), no solitaire games and no writing my blog. Again, grumble, grumble!

I didn’t realize how important my morning routine was until we joined my cousins in Palm Desert for the week. I was the first one up in the morning and enjoyed my routine of reading emails, reading the newspaper and processing photos.

This morning, the computer is working, and I can get on the internet to write this blog about a hidden gem in the desert–The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. We took a docent tour through the gardens, and since cousin Ernie is a retired landscape architect, the discussion was informative. We talked about various cacti, shrubs and trees. Of course our docent had to put up with my veering off to shoot pictures. But, after the tour, she did ask me to send her my pictures.

Then we went on to the zoo. This was so unlike my local Sacramento Zoo. Habitats were large and the animals were those adapted to the desert. You’ll see what I mean in the picture gallery. It was a great visit. If we go back to the desert, I’d not hesitate to visit there again.

Oh, Richard woke up and is working on his computer. I’d better finish this blog–just in case my routine gets interrupted again!