Fiddle Creek Falls

I just returned from two weeks in California. Part of that time was spent camping at one of my favorite places on earth with some long time friends. I can't tell you how many wonderful times I've spent rinsing off under these refreshing falls after a long day of activities on the larger Yuba River near by. For over twenty years family and friends have met here. Though some are no longer with us, I always find their spirit here.
   I took this on my last morning of the trip before the sunlight filled the scene and added too much contrast to make a nice image.

2012 KVMR Celtic Festival

   Once again I was fortunate enough to be the photographer for KVMR's Celtic Festival held in the gorgeous confines of the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass valley, California. This was my 10th year as the festivals photographer and, as ever, I really, really, enjoyed the "work"!

   For two full days I wander amongst the historical and fantasy reenactment groups, musicians, artisans, and festival goers trying to capture the fun, excitement, and color of the event. It can be challenging. The festival is in late September or early October every year and we usually have warm, sunny days, which means some serious contrast for most of the day. Most of the photography is done with ambient light but I'll usually break out a reflector or a fill flash from time to time to lessen shadows. I also like to, at least once over the two days, bring out a strobe, power pack, and umbrella on a stand and try and capture some well lit portraits.

   Each year is special. After shooting the festival for so long you really start to know a lot of the folks who come year after year. I have running portraits of some people that I've been taking for years.

   Walking around with wonderful music emanating from various stages, laughter around every corner, surrounded by characters from another time, I really feel I've slipped into another world. It's a great escape, a wonderful element to practice one's creative pursuit.

  Besides all of that, the people at KVMR do a great job and are great to work with. I want to thank John Taber for having me back and making everything run so smoothly. A special thanks, of course, to Annie O'Dea Hestbeck who is the driving force and true spirit, as special as the festival itself!

 Here are some of my favorite images from this years event!

UC Cooperative Extension, Placer County, CA: Wayne Vinyard

  Wayne Vinyard; You may be wondering where the winery photos are. I had a bit of confusion when I was setting up this part of the assignment. I was trying to locate "Wayne Vinyard" on a map given to me of all the agricultural locations I was to shoot over the course of several days. After scanning the map several times I finally made a phone call and found the problem. Wayne Vinyard is the farmers name and his crop is rice! 

 This was a pretty cool day in the field. After a winding crazy drive in an area covered by fields of one crop or another and following directions such as " turn left at the largest silo at the end of the longest straightaway" I somehow ended up at the right location. 

 Within minutes of meeting Wayne I was riding along side him in his rice harvester. It was amazing to see how easily the tall fields of rice were cut down and the individual grains of rice harvested in one quick and decisive turn of the harvesters blades. I learned a lot that day as I watched Wayne and his family- there are three generations at work in the field- harvest their crop. As it always seems when I'm dealing with people who work the land, the Vinyard family had an obvious love for what they were doing. It makes me envious of the dedication to one important way of life chosen so long ago. Then again, it makes me feel damn lucky to be a photographer who gets to experience small portions of these lives and share those experiences with others.