With the end of the year fast approaching, I’ve put together a baker’s dozen of my favourite personal photos from the year. I’ll do a similar list of favourites from my client shoots in the next few days.
So here they are, from scraped knees to Our Lady, from rainbows to foggy Mazatlan. And I hope you all have a peaceful and warm holiday period.
Just a quick update on my whereabouts: back in Santa Fe after a Thanksgiving trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Above (and below) are shots from the California Academy of Sciences – a great place to visit with kids of all sorts of ages.
We stopped in at the beach in Half Moon Bay, too (as you can see), but for some reason I didn’t get too many shots of San Francisco itself. Go figure.
Just back from a great trip to Tent Rocks – or more accurately Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
Our four-year-old was with us, so we did the Cave Loop hike, staying down in the valley, rather than the tougher hike up to the top.
But it was beautiful nonetheless, and throw in a picnic back at the trailhead, and you have a very happy family.
I think there’s a pattern here. When you’ve figured it all out for me, can you let me know? Save me having to read the books.
Today’s iPhone shot
So off we went to Salman Ranch south of Mora for some raspberry picking (see below). Many raspberries were both picked at eaten.
And thence to Victory Ranch a little further north – home to over 200 alpacas and llamas. Including this little dude and his mother – he was born prematurely a couple of days again, and he’s being bottle fed as he’s not strong enough to suckle yet.
Even though I shoot children’s portraits professionally, and take countless shots of my own daughter Fionnuala, it had been a while since I’d done a more formal shoot with her.
With Finn’s mother and grandparents pointing out that it was long overdue, we were out early into the Santa Fe morning in our neighbour’s garden (thanks, Loretta), to come up with the goods.
Fionnuala was telling me stories the whole time, so I just kept asking her questions and waited until she cracked herself up.
Santa Fe is a town with a lot of grandparents. Folks move here when they retire, and children who grew up here often have to move away to find work.
So it was no surprise when I got a baby portrait session booking from a grandmother for when her daughter was in town for a visit with the new grandson, nine-month-old Joseph.
Lots of balloons in my life recently – probably from all the fourth birthday parties I’ve been going to.
This shot came out in a surprisingly satisfying way. That’s all for now.
