Indian Springs Resort & Spa, Napa Valley, California

Located in the heart of Napa Valley – Calistoga – I recently took on the project of photographing one of the area’s oldest and most famous resort and spa – Indian Springs. Owned and operated by the Merchant family, it is a stunning property that is both romantic and family-friendly all rolled into one. The goal of this project was not to spend my time on the spa services they offer, but to shoot the broad strokes – the pool, cottages and property. I have to admit, I’m beginning to enjoy taking on projects such as these as I have the opportunity to put my landscape skills to use in a more technically challenging environment. But I also hope that my landscape skills are evident as I always try to bring in the rich environment of the surroundings – which in Napa are amazing. This first image is a favorite. The goal was to make the mineral pool look light and fun but also play on the nostalgic feel the location lends itself to hence making it fun for kids but also a place where memories are made and couples can relax.

This next image was taken on the back porch of Indian Springs and is also another favorite.

Kirkwood Ski Resort, Lake Tahoe, California

I recently joined onto a project which I am very excited about. I’m working on photographing the natural and stunning beauty of a major ski resort in Lake Tahoe called Kirkwood Mountain. The focus of my assignment is to incorporate the strong landscape elements that the area lends itself too as well as the unique “box canyon” aspect of Kirkwood which separates it from other Tahoe resorts. Hoping to elevate the pedigree of the resort, I wanted to play off of the common perception people have of mountain ski resorts that might be found in the Rocky Mountains – Telluride, Aspen, etc. – but that people might not expect in California’s Sierra Mountains. An hour before sunrise I found just the place – a cliff high above the canyon with my camera pointing west to avoid a bright horizon but still get some morning glow. I used a “tubing effect” process I developed especially for night photography to center focus on the town but still give a “diamond box” effect with the stars.  This exposure was 67 seconds. I hope the clients will be as happy as I am.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Photographed last Autumn, this remains one of my favorite images. I’m currently in the process of mastering this image into a very large 30″ x 40″ file to produce a fine art print that will be part of an upcoming gallery show I’m doing in July. I expect that this will reproduce beautifully at that size. Stay tuned for more information on that gallery show which will be taking place in Hollywood.

San Francisco’s Bay Bridge

Posted this one back when I first launched the “old blog.” This is digitally manipulated for both softness and color. I don’t often manipulate colors, especially in my landscape and nature photos. I feel that Ma’ Nature does a fine job on her own of saturated landscapes.

New Photography Blog

After having a nightmare of a time with Hostway’s blogging service I’ve decided to upgrade into the 21st century and join a real blogging company, WordPress. Unfortunately, I’ll be losing all of my posts since late last year but hope to be more regular and have a great selection of new imagery to share with you moving forward. As always, I encourage your input comments, criticisms and anything else you wish to share. Enjoy!