Morning Photo Walk around Downtown City Park in Paso Robles California
I found myself in Paso Robles, California in walking distance to Downtown City Park. I took my camera in the cooler morning time around this park enjoying for the first time in a long time a peaceful photo walk just making photos of things I found interesting. This led me to making photos of the structures in the park itself, including a Carnegie Library turned museum, various flowers and greenery, as well as some unique features along the streets around the park. If you visit Paso Robles, this park is even nicer at night when strings of lights dangle from the trees, and on Thursday evenings in the summer there is live music.
Bird Rock is one of the best sunset viewing spots along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach California
There are many scenic viewing points along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, California. I discovered Bird Rock because of a cycling group I was riding with stopped there one evening. Besides the great view, this lookout point has lots of parking and picnic tables and even a restroom. I decided to grab the camera and head out there, by car this time, to get a few shots of the sunset and twilightsky. It’s named Bird Rock for the big rock just offshore that is used as a rookery. Lots of birds were coming home from their day of work to spend the night on Bird Rock.
Adding handheld “from the ground” video services in Albuquerque
I am always looking to improve and increase the imaging services I can offer clients here in Albuquerque, New Mexico and now I am pleased to offer “handheld video” in addition to the drone aerial video I have been offering for years. You may recall the drone video shoot I did for County Line Restaurant last summer (check it out here). At the time I did not have the gear nor the skills to make video inside the restaurant for the client. I kept it in mind though and when DJI released the new RS 3 Mini gimbal, I decided this is my time to start to offer branding video from the ground. Thank you to the team at County Line for this opportunity and doing a great job getting the restaurant prepped!
On the drive to Alamogordo, New Mexico, a stop at the Valley of Fires is always a must for me, even if just for a few minutes. Any chance to behold lava as far as the eye can see is special. On this particular visit, for the first time, I walked the entire paved loop into the main lava field. What I saw from that view that I could not from high above, are all the fissures in the lava surface that conceal small lava caves below. Fascinating in another regard is how plants of all kinds grow in each crack, groove, and rupture in the lava surface. What an amazing place. Check out the map below to plan your trip to the Valley of Fires.
Exploring the wealth of photography in White Sands National Park
The best place to make photographs in New Mexico is unquestionably White Sands National Park. It is the Grand Canyon of New Mexico in that you could go to the park every day for a month, and still makes hours of photos without running out of subject matter. The topography of the park actually changes day to day with the wind! This is at least my fifth visit to the park. I brought just one lens, the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM. I focused on finding angles. I wanted to include the flora of the park in each shot too. This was also the real world debut of using my new mirrorless camera. The results of the photo above are unlike any photo I made at White Sands before. That is the amazing thing about the park, visit after visit, there is no end to the photos one can make.
Rainy day views of the USS Lexington in Black and White
A rainy vacation day did not stop me from venturing out with my new Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens to visit the site of the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi Bay. The rain meant having an adjacent seawall empty of other people for clear shots of the massive ship. I am always looking for unique perspectives of oft photographed subject matter, and the views from the seawall afforded that opportunity. I also go to catch a glimpse of a sea turtle swimming by!
Walk into 1923 at the Pioneer Museum in Chloride New Mexico
New Mexico is full of hidden gems, like the Pioneer Museum in the very small (population 10) ghost town of Chloride, New Mexico. When the store went out of business in 1923, it was sealed off, and essentially became a time capsule for the period. All the shelves are just like they were that last day it was open in 1923. The current owner gives a fascinating history of both the contents of the store and its former owners. Chloride is not exactly on the beaten path, but what hidden gem is? If you are visiting Truth of Consequences, this is a great day trip to make as the roads leading out there are great for driving as well. Have you been here?
