A Rebirth of Sorts

Self Portrait - August 4th, 2009. I took these hoping to use some of these on my cards or with signatures.

Frolicking Pups

Love them pups.

Ever Seen A Dog Smile?

Even a little Chihuahua mutt knows when life is good. When she's afforded the opportunity to bask in the warmth of a fresh spring day amidst the desert poppies.

Sometimes I wish I were a dog. She had to be thinking at the time, "It just don't get any better than this."

Woof.

I Miss My Sassy

My now departed Sassy was always there for me. She was always there WITH me. She never judged me. When I was sad and lonely, Sassy lay with me at my side, leaving only to eat and visit the litter box.

Her playful jumps always entertained me as she entertained herself soaring nearly 3 feet into the air trying to catch that elusive feather toy.

I miss my Sassy. I think she LOVED me.


(You can see an elongated bead of snot as a result of a respiratory infection that ultimately shortened her life. I'll never forget having to put her down and watch those baby blue eyes as they closed for the final time.)

Mystery

Self portrait, taken last December, tweaked into black and white with a slight glow added.

I may use it as my next profile photo. I liked the somewhat mysterious gaze.

My Tired Eye

No mascara, no eyeliner, just my tired eye. Shot with a Canon-Ef 50 mm macro lens.

Even the Rocks Cry Out

A recent day trip to the dazzling red-colored rock town of Sedona yielded a few snapshots that are keepers.

Yes, even the rocks will cry out.

Times of Refreshing

From 98 degrees to 81 -- all within a 45 minute period and following a severe summer thunderstorm in the Arizona desert. You've got to be here and stand in the refreshing air to really understand the temporary state of bliss.

We all need a time of refreshing in our lives, just as the desert longs for the coolness of the rains.

Bonnie's Gift

Pillars of Freedom: Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument

Photo taken outside the Jefferson Memorial looking towards the Washington Monument at dusk during a visit to the D.C. area in 2007.

Transcendant Hope of a Sleeping Sun

On my flight back to Arizona from a two week tour of Boston, Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, and historic Jamestown, I noticed a stream of light shining through the window of the young child sitting in front of me. Looking around, most people were either already asleep or dozing off. I think my gasp of "Woooowwwww" woke up several people, and if that didn't do it, the sound of my Canon Xti's shutter going off repeatedly did.

What I captured is currently used as a part of the banner of a website called Transcendgender. The full image continues to captivate my heart and compels the vivid memory on that plane at 32,000 feet. If ever an image could inspire a sense of hope within me, this was it.

I'll never forget the dazzling colors that are now embedded in my memory. So many that even this image could not contain the full spectrum of the Creator's canvas.

The photo was taken at a time when I faced some of the most painful moments of my life. Live a lie, or face the truth of who I really am? Expose your weakness to those who love you or bury the misery deeper into the gray fog that nearly blinded you?

Embrace the light of love, or fall into endless despair?

And even then, I chose to step forward into the road less traveled. I chose authenticity.

Carry Me My Hero

I captured this moment of my son carrying my daughter into Disneyland because her feet were tired. My heart always sings, "Awwwwww" when I view this photo. (Don't worry, her energy came right back when we got inside the gates!)

Capture the moment. Isn't that one of photography's best rules?

Dance of the Raptor

Okay, here is what is perhaps my all time favorite photo I've ever captured. I take pride in it because I was at least 40 yards away using my Canon EF 70-300 mm telephoto lens all the way at the telephoto end to capture it. This Ferruginous Hawk came in for a landing on this narrow mesquite branch, and I love the slight field of depth as well as the hawk's raised wings. The smaller image does the photo a disservice unfortunately.

The Raptor Free Flights can be viewed by those who visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. For more information, click HERE.

The Ty Fighter

This Ty raptor is a part of the Raptor Free Flight show that the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum hosts intermittently during the year. The show is nothing less than spectacular to be able to see such magnificent creatures take flight directly overhead.

This is my SECOND favorite photo from this photo shoot. Stay tuned to the next post for my ALL TIME favorite photo.

Triple Tree Hotel

This photo was snapped just a few days prior to the International Foundation for Gender Education conference in Tucson in April 2008. I loved the height of the palm trees along with the height of the building. I had to use an ultra-wide angle lens (EF 12-22 mm) to capture the base of the tree and the top.

Kind of ironic there are three trees standing in front of the Doubletree Hotel.

Cowboy Sunrise

This was one my early favorites. I was hiking in the desert south of Tucson when I observed a cowboy riding over the ridgeline. Noticing the dazzling sunrise above him, I quickly focused on the rider and snapped a few as he rode by. I still love this photo to do this day. The depth of the contrast, the sharpness of the outline of the rider and his horse, and the mesquite horizon all came together to make what I thought was a great shot.

Them cowboys are up and at 'em at an early hour!

Felines and Directional Light

Raptor Skies of Blue

Contrast and Shadows

You Can't Touch This

Unedited. Taken this evening at sunset. I'm going to miss this...very much so.