introduction

Lupine and Blue Oak Savanna Sunrise
After a busy workweek, and needing to get away for a one night camping trip close to home, my husband and I set the alarm in our camper to get up early for sunrise, and explore this lupine covered blue oak savanna in the Sierra foothills. We blissfully had this location to ourselves, an invigorating morning spent in nature smelling the lupine, listening to the birds, and witnessing a bald eagle hunting for breakfast, as the light changed over the landscape. https://www.optimalfocusphotography.com
California Poppy in Blue
Poppy therapy, one of the few times it’s best to shoot in mid-day light while the poppies are open and resemble little cups of sunshine. My favorite is to photograph them backlit by the sun with the widest aperture possible. https://www.optimalfocusphotography.com
Caribbean Abstract 1
While vacationing on the Mexican Riviera, my husband and I would walk to the beach every morning to watch the sun come up over the water. I became enamored of the color palette of the vivid turquoise water, white sand, and golden reflections on the surface of the sea. This is a series of long exposures in low light at sunrise, sometimes using intentional camera movement for a more abstract effect that I found quite soothing. https://www.optimalfocusphotography.com
Afternoon Sunlight in the Aspen Forest
During an overlanding camping trip between Southwest Colorado and Moab, Utah, I found it interesting that many parts of Colorado resembled the Utah desert, and this beautiful aspen forest in Utah reminded of Colorado. We camped in the middle of this aspen grove on our last day, and when I saw this gorgeous quality of golden light, I had to grab my camera to capture some high key forest images. https://www.optimalfocusphotography.com