"Determined Mama"

Those feet threaten to outshine all around them (There is a down to earth whimsy about the plant like feet of coots that has always drawn me in.). Though the determined face with that jaunty tilt quite capture my interest as well.

"Maybe"

I'm so interested in how expressive this pose is, yet how soft the angles are and how loosely held the muscles are.
This is lively repose. It makes me wonder what is being considered as a next move.

"Unflustered"

Meerkats aren't always on their haunches perkily alert ready for action. Seeing this aspect of a
meerkat's life adds something their narrative I'd say. 

"Six Ducks"

The way the light hits the water and makes my eyes almost lose focus a bit as the image
seems to oscillate and the curious almost mirrored image of the two clustered
ducks further makes my mind dream.

"Gaze"

There is such presence of mind in this duck's posture and gaze. I'm drawn to his golden eye, but not just that.
There is something there that is more subtle and expressive. 

"Leaning Giraffe"

I'm not sure what is going on with this giraffe and I think that is what makes me think about personality, expression, and character when I look at this image. I'm also fascinated by all the subtle diagonals, not only is the giraffe leaning oddly, but the strong shadows around him/her are just slightly angled creating a bit of an off kilter effect that adds to the mood of the image. This makes me want to capture so many kinds of animal likenesses.

Not a Young Coot but a Common Gallinule

Since moving to LA my photography has tapered off. It is not that there isn't anything inspiring around me, but instead that I have been making a big adjustment. There is a peace that nature brings me that I don't know how to find any other way. Sometimes it feels like all there is around me is concrete now, which, of course, is not true. I will start to post photos of my new home. But, I found a peace the other day that I had missed while visiting family for Thanksgiving weekend.

I went to the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park (the Wild Animal Park) and spent a good while observing a busy pond of birds, mostly coots inundating the flamingo pond, but there were a few of these little guys there too. At first I thought this was just a young coot getting its' bearings off in a secluded corner, but I have since discovered it is a different bird altogether, a Common Gallinule.  I'm happy to have met this little creature. There is something settled I gathered from these moments that I have brought back with me.

Cherry Tomato Evening Harvest

Earlier last week I ventured out of my interior painting life and spent some time in my father-in-laws' greenhouse and a garden he tends. At the end of the day I even contributed to the cherry tomato harvest. It was a relief to be immersed in outdoor colors and textures.

Yellow and Green Before Hazy Mountains

The point of this photo was to capture what it feels like to be
buried in green texture and flowers so that what is vast seems more distant and less significant.

Pennsylvania Fire Hydrant

Right after college I went on a road trip with my Mom to Pennsylvannia. We drove through
parts of Ohio and Pennsylvannia that looked like they were being slowly abandoned. There
were so many details from the past that are worth seeing. In this town (Forgive me, I can't
remember its name.) there were long faded murals on the side of buildings, onion domes
on a large aged orthodox church, varied rooftops in the small downtown skyline, and
cheerily detailed fire hydrants. It was on this trip that I began photographing fire hydrants
and old water drainage grates. So much is told in the curious details of a place.

"Super Moon" Rising

Sadly this image does not do the moon justice! Perhaps later I'll get out my tripod for the first time capture it's drama.  This was a quick shot I had to get in during the softness of twilight. There is much texture and subtly to inspire the mood in upcoming paintings.

In Honor of D & H

This image was captured a few years ago in an older graveyard where a family member is buried on the other side of the country.  These two small stones were clustered near a larger headstone. From what I understand these would have likely been the headstones for the children of the main grave's owner.  They have an odd similarity visually with toy blocks which makes them seem strangely appropriate. Details like this give me a personal insight into the experiences of those that lived in the past and create a real connection.

Aged Zinnia

The softening of the petal edges and the light speckling that developed have invited my gaze longer than in my previous posted photo when it was first blooming. 

Engrossed

I'm quite interested in how this photo captures how intently an infant gorilla and its mother can focus on their own separate experiences in a moment of close physical contact. 

Leaf's Edge-Work

Seen and intrigued by at the San Diego Safari Park (The Wild Animal Park for those in the know.).

Tarantula Hawk Balanced

This large wasp came resolutely into the greenhouse it's coloring was quite bold against softer greens and
sunny lighting that surrounded it; that was what first intrigued me. I knew there was something to ponder
further when its intimidating bulk proved awkward at almost every flower it landed on. There was much
scurrying to feel out its positioning even on larger blooms and repositioning on long legs until
it would have a moment of balance to feed off the nectar.

Rhubarb Chard: A Bug's Eye View

Zinnia of the Greenhouse

I am intrigued by the stacking/layering moving up in space from the leaves to the
flower petals. This lone brilliant red zinnia was quite eye catching against the
varying greens in the greenhouse.

Layers of Light on Green

I'm just in love with the texture, layers of light, and color. 

Crumbling Foundation

This is an older photo of mine. I was taking a walk in my college town and
thinking about the beautiful late afternoon lighting silhouetting the city as
I stood next to a run down building that I had heard had a rat problem. I
thought if a rat popped out the grate set in the crumbling foundation it's view
would be even more stirring. So from a rat's eye view this photo came to be.

Wrinkled Cherry Tomatoes

I almost want to poke fun at myself for all the ideas that come to mind from this image these, mortality and playfulness strike me both at once and then I just get visually engaged by brilliant color next to neutrals, textures, and the way the light is cast.

Sleeping Lemurs

This image has so much to engage me, expressive poses, patterning, layering of space,
texture, & there is something unsettling about their vulnerability sleeping on the ground.

Poppy Pods

These large poppy pods have such a glorious shape and there is so
much in the details of texture and layering of shapes to capture me.

At the End of Cedar Drive

The layers of space and color set off by the texture of this brightly
lit grass made getting up ridiculously early yesterday worth it.

Snapdragons

I was intrigued first thing in the morning by the intense light and
the contrast between the mostly wilted bouquet and the only
very upright living stalk of flowers.

Swallowtailed Butterfly

A rather fuzzy swallowtailed butterfly found in the greenhouse about two weeks ago.

A Splay of Shady Greenery

A most expressive sleepy pose in lovely patterned shade.

High Contrast Beauty

The Bold Side of this Butterfly

Up Close With the Flutterby

The Subtle Winged Butterfly Up Close

The Subtle Underside of a Butterfly's Wings

Native Butterfly Exploring the Greenhouse
The top of it's wings, unlike the underside shown here, are actually quite bold: almost sold black with orange markings.