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2013-05-17 17:57:51 (32 comments, 9 reshares, 198 +1s)

I'm rummaging through my phone snaps, and I thought some of you might enjoy this behind-the-scene view of what it looks like when +Barry Blanchard makes a seascape photo.

+Paul Porter, +Francesco Gola, and +Luca Gerardi also joined us out in the waves for some seascape fun, that evening. I hope we can all get together and shoot again, soon.

A lot of people make half-hearted efforts for their photos, because they don't want to get wet / dirty / tired / whatever. And it shows in their pictures. Here, Barry demonstrates admirable doggedness to get the best shot he can, regardless what's involved. 

(One of the top five or so things I look for, in someone worth shooting with regularly, is is a willingness to do what it takes to get the shot.) 

2013-05-17 17:22:04 (38 comments, 38 reshares, 445 +1s)

Chapter 2013, page 137 of 365.

I'm no stranger to the unexpected.

It's what I do with it that counts.  Example: just over three years ago I lost three of the most important women in my life. That sent me into a tailspin... how could it not? My solution: therapy. Two years ago I lost most of my hearing... my solution: photography. See where I am going with this? I look for the solution. I do not want to add more problems to an existing problem. 

Today things are good.

I'm continuing with making changes in my life so that I can be a better person. I'm doing my best to appreciate what's in my life and also learning to take better care of me.  Somewhere along my path I came to the conclusion that any changes in my life are up to me. Sure I could sit around and complain about things... but what good is that going todo? A... more »

2013-05-17 17:43:02 (26 comments, 28 reshares, 435 +1s)

The Little Things You Do.

Strawflower No. 10

Prints: http://smu.gs/186jWEz

2013-05-17 03:36:58 (219 comments, 209 reshares, 1766 +1s)

Ahhh yes.... the poppy.

+will.i.am says nothing rhymes with orange, and I agree. 

2013-05-16 16:10:58 (52 comments, 50 reshares, 588 +1s)

Endless Coastlines.

I do love Big Sur. 

2013-05-16 14:25:35 (16 comments, 16 reshares, 292 +1s)

Sleepy Pelican.

It's going to be a coffee sort of day today.

2013-05-15 17:06:18 (85 comments, 140 reshares, 977 +1s)

One day I picked up a camera.

The next day my life changed.... forever. 

-Keyhole Arch at solstice, Big Sur, California.

#googleplusphotos   #bigsur   #sunset  

2013-05-15 14:48:07 (19 comments, 5 reshares, 270 +1s)

Happy Birthday Alan!

I love ya +Alan Shapiro... you do so much for others. Today's your day.

#AlanShapiroBirthdayStyle

2013-05-15 06:43:51 (65 comments, 49 reshares, 706 +1s)

April 8th, 2012.

This is where I stood that evening... at the Very Large Array in New Mexico. I found that the sunsets there are awesome too. 

2013-05-14 16:47:40 (139 comments, 89 reshares, 821 +1s)

The more I look, the more I see.

To be standing there is one thing..... having a camera to record the moment is another. I don't go about my day looking to take a snapshot, I'm out looking to make a photograph. I know I have a long ways to go, and I'm very thankful for that. 

Have a great day everyone. 

-Wrights Station train tunnel, Santa Cruz Mountains, California.

2013-05-14 04:30:51 (39 comments, 26 reshares, 398 +1s)

December 6th, 2012.

At exactly 5:56pm, Pacific Standard Time I pressed my shutter button with this view in front of me. I do love photography and everything that goes with it. 

The location: San Mateo, California. 

2013-05-14 03:47:23 (42 comments, 21 reshares, 378 +1s)

Two Can Be Better Than One.

              Pretty paired pano portrait poppies.

Santa Cruz Aboretum / Prints: http://smu.gs/10U6JZ7

2013-05-14 00:37:47 (40 comments, 31 reshares, 405 +1s)

One Fine Day In San Francisco.

2013-05-16 12:53:04 (163 comments, 104 reshares, 1002 +1s)

Starting off today with a walk in the forest.

“The whole world is, to me, very much "alive" - all the little growing things, even the rocks. I can't look at a swell bit of grass and earth, for instance, without feeling the essential life - the things going on - within them. The same goes for a mountain, or a bit of the ocean, or a magnificent piece of old wood.”

                                          ― Ansel Adams

-Henry Cowell State Park, Felton, California.

2013-05-13 04:07:09 (27 comments, 19 reshares, 356 +1s)

Like a time machine I tell ya.

That's one thing photography is for me....

Here is where I was at 5:54pm on December 28th, 2012. The rock you see here is called "Seal Rock" as it's usually full of California Sea Lions. 

I'm standing right about here: http://goo.gl/maps/txiXd

#oceanphotography   #sunset   #santacruz   #googleplusphotos  

2013-05-12 16:20:02 (56 comments, 47 reshares, 486 +1s)

Happy Mother's Day to all you awesome moms.

-Elephant seal mom and pup, San Simeon, California.

#mothersday   #mothersday2013   #elephantseal   #wildlife  

2013-05-14 14:14:16 (32 comments, 38 reshares, 370 +1s)

A little too close for comfort.

-Santa Cruz Arboretum, Santa Cruz, California.

2013-05-12 04:44:30 (49 comments, 55 reshares, 621 +1s)

Four Mile Beach.

Why do they call it Four Mile? Well, because it's four miles north of Santa Cruz here in California. This shot's from August 9th, 2012. 

I'm standing right about here: http://goo.gl/maps/udJq5

2013-05-12 09:06:48 (125 comments, 120 reshares, 1030 +1s)

I see the good in you.

-Seacliff State Beach, Aptos, California.

2013-05-11 15:25:01 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 40 +1s)

Thanks +Nik Photography using my banner picture!

When I starting getting into this adventure I call photography, I I turned to  other photographers here on +Google+ with my never ending supply of questions. 

I recall the day well.

I turned to the ever awesome +Karin Nelson with the question "what do you use to control high .ISO noise? She instantly got back to me with "Dfine from NIK Software."

I've been using NIK since. 

2013-05-11 12:18:12 (78 comments, 72 reshares, 879 +1s)

We can dance if we want to...

Strawflower No. 9.

Edited to: 
Men without Hats - The Safety Dance (Studio) / Prints: http://smu.gs/17cm5Av

2013-05-10 15:41:56 (48 comments, 30 reshares, 524 +1s)

Dude.

Not much of a swell today, but rumor has me thinking a certain pod [or 3] of Humpback Whales may be around the Monterey Bay.... and we all love whales, right?

You know what else I love? Photographing surfers. 

-Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, California.

#googleplusphotos   #surfing   #surferphotos   #santacruz  

2013-05-10 14:47:23 (132 comments, 104 reshares, 996 +1s)

Earlier today I showed you my camera with a bag over it.

This is what was there to take pictures of..... that plastic bag was in place to help keep the non-stop mist of saltwater off my camera. When the light is right for me, I remove it and snap my shutter button. 

Location: Bonny Doon Beach, Davenport, California.

Tired of sunsets from me? Head on over to +Chrysta Rae's page as the results of her Scavenger Hunt are flowing in. 

Have a great night everyone.... mean it.

2013-05-09 16:44:53 (60 comments, 21 reshares, 423 +1s)

Chapter 2013, page 129 of 365.

My life is an interesting one.

Somedays I sit back and ask myself: "did that just happen?" Somedays I have to sit back and remind myself: "I can do this." Somedays I have to tell myself: "It's okay to do nothing."

It's as if I have no less than a half-dozen of me, each with their own ideas.. each with their own fears and dreams. 

Things I have to consider.

I was homeless in 1986, and wound up right here in Santa Cruz, California. I never left this area.... and now I am looking at this and thinking: "was this all just by chance?"

I lost almost all my hearing just under two years ago, and that's when I picked up a camera for landscape photography..... and thinking: "was something taken from me or handed to me, or both?"more »

2013-05-09 14:13:33 (41 comments, 50 reshares, 439 +1s)

I wish that I could fly.....

Lenny Kravitz - Fly away

2013-05-09 09:50:33 (104 comments, 82 reshares, 856 +1s)

A simple sunset.

Sometimes little is just enough. 

2013-05-09 02:21:21 (52 comments, 54 reshares, 582 +1s)

You know how you capture a unique bee?

Simple: unique up on him. How about a tame bee? Tame way... unique up on him.

I don't expect that to translate well, so my apologies for my non-english speaking friends. I have a strange sense of humor at times. 

-Honey bee on Grevillea, Santa Cruz Arboretum, California.

2013-05-09 03:22:52 (44 comments, 86 reshares, 753 +1s)

Some of the best things in life will always be free.

A walk down a secluded beach for example, with or without a friend. I know many of you may not be able to see such a place as I've presented here, so allow me to do my best to bring you there. 

The air's cool on this day as Fall is upon us. The sound of the waves rushing in and out is relentless. If I tune my hearing just right, I can hear all those small pebbles hitting each other as the waves pull them back into the sea, only to push them back up again... and again. 

If we look to the left we see Rusty the harbor seal is there as always, watching us as he does. Every once in a while he goes underwater, but his familiar face will pop back up at a moments notice. Rusty is always there as this is his home, not mine. 

We can smell the salt in the air as we watch our nearest star sink intoth... more »

2013-05-08 14:34:59 (52 comments, 81 reshares, 736 +1s)

Strawflower No. 8.

“In any situation, the best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

2013-05-08 05:58:23 (83 comments, 86 reshares, 969 +1s)

Cambria [south of Big Sur] Sunset.

This is where I was January 7th, 2013. 

I can hear the water moving... that clean air coming in off the ocean is very cold, but I don't care. I'm there to record a moment in time.

After all, what good is a moment without someone to share it with?

Camera and lens by Canon, Filters by +Singh-Ray Filters , tripod and ballhead by +Really Right Stuff.

#GooglePlusPhotos #canonphotography   #bigsur   #sunset  

2013-05-07 17:23:17 (18 comments, 19 reshares, 400 +1s)

My world is very much in color.

-but once in a while black and white works too. 

-Four-Mile Beach, Santa Cruz, California.

#niksoftware   #googleplusphotos   #santacruz  

2013-05-07 16:16:25 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 28 +1s)

Change is in fact good.... and inevitable.

I say we just roll with it, and roll hard. 

Great article +Thomas Hawk. 

2013-05-07 15:53:14 (49 comments, 28 reshares, 515 +1s)

Strawflower No. 7

Santa Cruz, California. / prints: http://smu.gs/10EdRZw

#googleplusphotos   #strawflower  

2013-05-07 14:38:08 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 42 +1s)

Meeting Location:  Check Back Soon!
After-Party Location:  Check Back Soon!
Hashtag:   #GlassPhotoWalk  

How to Win Google Glass:  This will be a random selection for people at the PhotoWalk.  You can join in and take photos live with Party Mode with your Android or iPhone.  Details to come!

Join +Thomas Hawk  and +Trey Ratcliff  for a once-in-a-lifetime free event!  If you've never been to a photowalk, this will be a great one.  We'll help teach you more about photography and you can join in the fun!  Bring a friend or come alone.  It's a family-friendly event, and we look forward to seeing you!

Thanks to +Brian Matiash  and the rest of the Google team for help in getting the whole event together.  We'll have a TON more details soon...  this will be a great celebration of photography!

Whatto Bring:  A... more »

2013-05-07 20:34:40 (33 comments, 31 reshares, 486 +1s)

Heading back next month.

I have some business stuff to take care of in Las Vegas, so of course Valley Of Fire will be on the menu. 

2013-05-06 20:19:46 (170 comments, 206 reshares, 1563 +1s)

Sometimes I just have to stop.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”

- Mark Twain

I took this picture a couple months back in an area called The Salton Sea here in California. For the past couple weeks I found myself staring at it.... again. 

  #GooglePlusPhotos     #saltonsea   #wildlifephotography  

2013-05-06 04:49:12 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 177 +1s)

Plus One Collection 2012

Just returning home from +Ivan Makarov's place where we packed about half of the Plus One Collection 2012 books that need to be send out. +Barry Blanchard was helping too. He even gave some blood. Fortunately it was nothing serious and after he got a nice princess band-aid we were back in action.

Anyway, let me tell you that the book is just magnificent and well worth the wait (it comes from Iceland after all). Oh and I almost forgot: The special edition book comes with a beautiful print. Mine is a photo made by +Karen Hutton. I will enjoy it for a long time.

2013-05-11 12:26:03 (69 comments, 75 reshares, 907 +1s)

Thanks For Waiting.

-Golden Poppy, Santa Cruz Arboretum.

(These are what I was looking at +Rob Weiher)

#googleplusphotos   #santacruz   #poppyphotography  

2013-05-05 06:25:13 (67 comments, 35 reshares, 662 +1s)

Photography is something I love.

I do my very best to connect with what I see through my lens when taking a picture. 

-Northern Harrier, Santa Cruz, California.

#googleplusphotos #santacruz  

2013-05-04 15:17:44 (48 comments, 53 reshares, 801 +1s)

Today I'm off to photograph my favorite flower.

The humble strawflower.

How do I make time for all these pictures? Priorities.... I make time for the things that are important. Photography is more than just a pretty picture to me. It's a hobby, an education, therapy and a form of exercise all rolled into one gigantic ball of awesome. 

#googleplusphotos   #strawflower  

2013-05-04 11:38:36 (126 comments, 131 reshares, 1115 +1s)

Yep... very real in fact.

Yes you are looking at a 136 foot [41 meter] tall waterfall crashing down hard onto a lush forest floor.. and yes I am standing in a cave behind that waterfall. 

Welcome to North Falls in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon.

 #GooglePlusPhotos #Oregon   #SilverFallsStatePark   #Waterfall  

2013-05-05 06:24:20 (33 comments, 21 reshares, 409 +1s)

Last Light In Shasta.

To the left and behind where I am standing is Mt Shasta here in Northern California. That is what most people see when in this area... but... there is so much more. 

+Google+ Photos  #GooglePlusPhotos  

2013-05-03 22:23:48 (57 comments, 39 reshares, 623 +1s)

Another peek at the Kangaroo Paw.

-Santa Cruz, California.

#floralfriday  by +Tamara Pruessner +Eustace James +Beth Akerman 

2013-05-03 15:47:14 (3 comments, 20 reshares, 213 +1s)

Welcome to the new Google+ Photos page!

The photo community here on Google+ keeps inspiring us every day. Your passion for sharing beautiful photography drives us to keep thinking of new ways to make your images shine. This doesn’t just mean building new features you can use to share and discuss those important photos in your life -- we also want to help this vibrant community of Google+ photographers grow. 

So, say hello to the new Google+ Photos page! Here’s what you can expect:

You’ll get inspired. We’ll share beautiful and thought-provoking photographs, and shine a spotlight on the photographers who created them. 

You’ll meet great new people. Through Google+ Photographer Spotlights, the Google+ Photos Chat Series, and good-natured conversations within the community, you’ll be able to connect with people around the world wholove photos a... more »

2013-05-09 17:27:25 (57 comments, 62 reshares, 657 +1s)

Daily themes and hashtags.

Each day there's a theme listed for photography topics. Today happens to be #floralfriday , hosted by +Tamara Pruessner +Eustace James and +Beth Akerman. If you were to click #floralfriday , you would instantly be transported to a world of flowers. 

About this picture:

This was an experiment I did some time back. Remote flash under the subject, LED flashlight held overhead. 

2013-05-03 04:19:42 (61 comments, 63 reshares, 749 +1s)

Northern California is my home.

Santa Cruz is where I hang my hat. This one's looking back towards West Cliff Drive while standing on the ocean side of our beloved lighthouse. 

#GooglePlusPhotos   #SantaCruz   #Sunset  

2013-05-02 15:55:11 (87 comments, 98 reshares, 973 +1s)

That moment when time stops for me.

Some call it "sunset"...... I call it my happy place. 

Location: Bandon, Oregon.
Edited to: Geoff Tate's Queensrÿche - Silent Lucidity (2013 Re-recording).

Have a great day everyone. 

#GooglePlusPhotos #sunset  

2013-05-02 08:06:08 (68 comments, 83 reshares, 903 +1s)

Another day, another sunset.

This ones from +Robert Scoble's backyard, taken January 3rd, 2013. Thanks Robert for the hospitality, and if there's anything missing from your home, look no further than +Scott Jarvie.

-Half Moon Bay, California.
Night everyone.

#GooglePlusPhotos   #HalfMoonBay  

2013-05-02 13:34:07 (218 comments, 226 reshares, 1394 +1s)

Burney Falls.

President Theodore Roosevelt called it "the Eighth Wonder of the World". Many would agree with you, Teddy. 

I got lots of shots on this day... but what really got my eye was how all this water was coming right out of the side of the mountain. I'll post a full shot of the entire area at a later date. 

As always with me: Camera by Canon. 
Location: http://goo.gl/maps/9QISL

#GooglePlusPhotos   #BurneyFalls  

2013-05-01 15:19:55 (13 comments, 16 reshares, 253 +1s)

Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

If you ever get the chance to photograph Mt. Shasta, be sure to venture around the other side of the mountain. That big snow covered monument makes a great starting point. 

Date taken: April 28th, 2013
Where I'm standing: http://goo.gl/maps/QtShN
Edited to: Rush - The Trees, Lyrics+Full Sonido
With me: +Laurie Rubin 

Good on you, Maples