So what has inspired the latent, oh so new post?  Well, I did get a new camera, or two, this year… A Fujifilm X-T5 digital mirrorless (an upgrade from my X-T20) as well as a Yashica D TLR film (new to me) classic 120 manual camera…

Both of which, along with my trusty iPhone made it’s way ~8000 odd miles across the Pacific, down under the equator, to the land of Kiwi’s, also known as New Zealand . It was an adventure, for sure!

Now, to be more specific, back in 2023, hubs and I decided we wanted to join the Stuck In Customs Photography Adventure Workshop with Trey Ratcliff, a photographer we have both admired and followed for several years.

After a mellower vacation for my 50th, Maui in 2023, an “adventure” based one seemed just the ticket for 2024, photography focused, perfection. The workshop took place on the South Island centered in Queenstown.  There were about 10 of us, including Wade(aka hubs 🥰) and myself, photography enthusiasts from all over that trekked down there to come together for some photo focused goodness.  Like minds, varied focus, creative variations and all.  It was spectacular: for the views AND the company.

Which brings me to the “point” of this fresh new post…the photo workshop along with the rest of our New Zealand vacation, was particularly centered in Landscape photography…capturing in frame the perfection of the glorious landscapes provided by these spectacular islands in the South Pacific.

So, landscapes, I do admit, are beautiful, and I do take several gigabytes of frames whilst I am vacationing…it’s our thing for sure.  That said, I think my true love, and perhaps most natural inclination is to capture joie de vivre, or people in their element.  It’s why I loved shooting live music, and Pride parades, etc etc… Life in motion if you will.

Now, all of this is to say, the mostly landscape backlog of digital masses is deep, approximately a terabyte…and on film, 9 rolls of 12. Lot’s of frames, many to be discarded. Yet amongst all the landscape goodness, and there is much of that…I couldn’t help myself, but to shift, and point a camera lens at those of whom were there to capture it, during our workshop.  I can only imagine the inner eye rolls my fellow workshoppers likely had, as myself, I prefer to be on the back side of the camera, taking the shots. But they were all great sports, and I so enjoyed meeting each and every one of them, not least of which, our host Trey and his son Ethan that hosted us.  We all learned quite a bit from each other, and it was so zen being amongst others who for all appearances also seemed to be chasing their bliss through the lens.

So, whilst culling the masses of image frames on my hard drive, I ended up drawn to these frames, capturing my fellow enthusiasts in action, both with candid glance, and from afar… There is something that just draws me most to these images and they floated to the top of my editing pile far faster than their clean landscaped counterparts.  I think the magic, whether a quick close up glance, a far away peek, or even a sweeping panorama of backs and mountains…it takes me back to this time, with far greater speed than anything else.

Perhaps it’s the added connection I feel, perhaps, it’s just easier than waiting for the stacked HDR’s to process…or perhaps it’s just personal preference…I find these frames so much more compelling and magical than their relatively equally  (or more) beautiful counterparts.  And I mean, I have certainly used the AI tools to remove a photo bomber or two across some of my landscape shots… In contrast, for these frames I focused, intentionally on the people…  Maybe it’s why, most recently, when asked to come out and capture a colleagues band playing, I did so enthusiastically.  It was like riding a bicycle…I think people (even if I am a bit anti-social or perhaps because I am), are perfection in frame.  Whether from behind and far away, or smiling close up in frame…I suppose it’s where my bliss and lens leads me.

But alas, I should finish the proper landscapes…NZ deserves the homage.  Working on them, perhaps a post soonish will follow this…

That said, I have finished this one part of the New Zealand masses, and that is a full culling and final gallery featuring the people within the landscapes from our workshop.  People who were lovely, intelligent, friendly, talented, and so interesting. Doing their thing, and not letting me see any eye rolls.  And I have to admit, I am pretty interested to see what landscape beauty they captured, in pixels, on the other side of their lenses… to see how different things come out, when people shooting more or less the same exact things, click the shutter…because we all see so differently…we all behold different perspective, and we all like and prefer different things.

To the photographers and to New Zealand I give thanks…you are all beautiful, xoxo.

Insta links to all the photographers, I’d like to to now consider friends:
@lynnsnow3
@imogen.nelson
@lightseeking
@intersabs
@lostinmybucketlist
@rajeevjayaraman
@worldinasnap
@flowcused
@treyratcliff
@wadehasphotos

Full Gallery below (alt archive link)

We have a world wide pandemic, yet can’t agree, to protect each other, and wear masks.

We finally understand what #BLACKLIVESMATTER means, yet we struggle to find common direction on how to fix the systemic problems that landed us where we are today. We argue over broken windows, rather than senseless deaths.

We have had a year, and it’s only June.

Because of this pandemic, PRIDE celebrations are mostly “virtual”. Just a year post Stonewall’s 50th, we witness a victory in employment equality from an aforethought very conservative court. Yet, we fall short of full equal rights. Further, transgender people, especially those of color, are still being senselessly murdered.

So, to say we have opportunity, to do better, is an understatement.

For myself, I have to learn more, educate myself, and learn how to participate in a way that moves us forward. I acknowlege my privilege as a Mexican woman, with a very white name. I am a married straight cisgendered woman that lives in suburbia, votes blue, but hasn’t really done anything noteworthy to progress these issues beyond donations and votes. I need to truly help the world move foward and be part of it.

Fact is, while I believe racism is wrong, I need to learn to be: anti racist.

While I show up to Pride parades yearly, I don’t truly comprehend the continued fight for rights, that I take for granted, daily. Ranting and yelling about it inside the confines of my suburban home, does nothing. Posting this blog does little, but perhaps hold myself to self account, privileged as it may be.

Here’s a few things I plan to do more of, grow –
– Read books like “How To Be An Antiracist”
– Buy more from black businesses, like The Pottle
– Find people to learn from via social media, like Zerlina Maxwell
– Discoverer more organizations to contribute to that want to fight for equality like The Human Rights Campaign

Learn more, do more, be more.

I leave you with this pre COVID gallery of Pride 2019, that I processed, yet never blogged – it all seems, so very, long ago. May we meet again next year, hopefully at a sunny (or cloudy) PRIDE celebration. May we vote to progress human rights, work to end racism, and beat this pandemic.

Peace & Love, humans.

LGBTQIA rights are Human Rights
#BLACKLIVESMATTER

For now, Happy Christmas Eve world…I present – Alaska 2.0, enjoy!

Slideshow Fullset:

For all years past – links here (2008-2017)

This year, the images…I shot from the Westlake bleachers, it was a little shady, light wise, but alas brought a glow as needed.

All good things must come to an end.

Upon our return from Venice, and before we headed back to Paris, Wade and I took a day trip via 2 trains – to the “family”(named) town: Hazebrouck…a little town in the north of France. Hazebrouck became Hasbrouck, perhaps as the family emigrated across the Atlantic. The town is…very French. This was the last new location we visited, before heading back to Paris.

En route, we missed our connecting train in Lille, France. Wade had to dust off his french, and vice versa the ticket agent his english…turned out, missing one train was not that big a deal. We eventually made it to Hazebrouck, however, it was a bit of a holiday, so much in the main square was not open. But, we found lunch in one of the little french restaurants before setting off on jaunt around town.

Pro tip, sausages in France seem to equal hotdogs, oscar meyer style. Interesting. And they like cheese, a lot of cheese. The lunch I ordered was a piece of bread and ham buried in a bowl of yellow cheese, with a hotdog and egg on top. It seemed like a croque madame gone wrong… I think I’ll stick with croissants when it comes to french fare…

Food aside, I say au revoir #WEeurovacay…Hazebrouck, out.

We attempted to be economical upon arrival awaiting, seemingly forever, a water bus. Splurging on a water taxi would have been well worth it. Alas, we made our way from airport to San Marco eventually. We had a lovely apartment reserved via Airbnb near Piazza San Marco, and it was awesome. It was associated with a hotel, so we had access to their services, wifi, and ability to make reservations for taxi when we had to leave in the wee hours.

Our Venice stop on #WEeurovacay consisted of roaming Piazza San Marco, a day trip to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, and of course, a gondola ride. Mix in some pizza, pappardelle and a canoli or two…well, la dolce vita is realized. Photos abound.

First views in all direction of Piazza San Marco…

A pigeon or two…

San Marco itself…we could not shoot inside, but around, and from atop…

Endless waterways…

Grand Canal…

…and Gondolas…

…islands full of…glass, lace, rainbows, and ponderous statuary…

…There really is just endless visions…

…sigh, Ciao for now sweet Venezia, until I see you again…

We had headed up to Brugge from Brussels on the Saturday after returning from Berlin…walked around the main Place(plass) ourselves (Wade, his aunt, cousin and myself), and then met up with Andy for an evening private tour(scheduled in advance). From rapt statues, canals, reflections, architecture, odd signs, and windmills we got a taste of everything through sunset. What a great way to see Brugge! The next morning we walked around as the city awoke, and took our final clicks and then headed off to the next stop on #WEeurovacay…for now, let’s look back, En Brugge.

So I give you Wolfsburg, Volkswagen – ad infinitum…

next up, En Brugge…

Cheers Berlin!

Brandenburg Gate greets you…

The cathedrals at Gendermenmarkt candy to the eyes…

…and the Wall, so dark in it’s history, now stands in part as monument, in part as art making us think about the future and past…

And never fear, Starbucks is here…and smarter coffee too…pick your kaffee

And so much more interest to the eyes, as you stroll and wander through the city…I would love to go back and see more than our brief stay allowed for…