Each time that we visited Yosemite, we stayed at Rush Creek Lodge. It is a great hotel, situated minutes outside the Wast entrance of Yosemite National Park. I always try to ask permission to fly my drone whenever possible, and one of the employees there said that I was more than welcome to as long as I was smart and courteous. Shortly before sunrise, I took my buddy Theodrone for a little spin and shot this little beauty.
Yosemite
For my entire life, people raved to me about the landscape surrounding Yosemite National Park. My wife and I decided to travel there in December 2017, in what was my first visit. Even though a decent portion of the park was already closed for the season, we had an amazing time. I was blown away by the beauty of the area. Yosemite is truly an awe-inspiring place!
After leaving the park in December, we were immediately scheming on when we could go visit again. In late February 2018, snow started to blanket the park, and we decided to go check it out for ourselves. Below you will find some photos from our second trip.
The Tower Bridge
After editing my most recent Instagram post, I realized how many photos of the Tower Bridge that I have in my Lightroom catalogue. While the Tower Bridge might be obviously synonymous with Sacramento to all the locals out there, many of you might not have heard of it.
The Tower Bridge was built in 1935 in the face of a growing Sacramento population and crosses the Sacramento River. The iconic gold paint job was completed in 2002. While I always knew that it was a vertical lift bridge, I had never seen in in action until earlier this summer. Which is pretty sad, considering the fact that I was born and raised in Sacramento.
I decided to put together a little collection of some of my favorite shots of the Tower Bridge. Many of them may be abstracted in bokeh, but I really enjoy the different vantage points and perspectives. Check out a handful more below!!
For all my blog readers out there, what is your favorite local landmark to shoot?
Cheers,
Teddy
Trinity Center, CA (Where the Heck is That?)
Don't worry, you are not the only one. Before meeting my wife, I had never heard of Trinity Center either, but boy do I wish that I had! Trinity Center is a little over 60 miles past Redding and has a population of a whopping 267 people. While the drive from Sacramento can be a little lengthy, every second trapped in your car becomes worth it when you finally make it to the crisp and fresh air of the Trinity Alps. Trinity Lake is beautiful (especially now that it is finally full this season), the hiking is unmatched, and the relaxation is plentiful.
My cameras and drone have finally gotten rid of their t-shirt tans, as they get more use here than anywhere else that I have traveled. During this previous trip over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, I accomplished something that I never thought I could get myself to do: wake up to watch the sunrise. For some reason, I have told myself so many times that I would, but in the morning, the warm sheets always seem to keep me hibernating. However, on July 3, I sprung out of bed with ease for the first time and watched the sunrise as it blanketed the Trinity Alps in light. Below you can catch an unedited 360 degree video of what I saw on that very day. This was shot on my DJI Mavic Pro (aka Theodrone).
My soft spot for Trinity Center is always growing and I cannot wait to travel there again soon. On this day, I will leave you with one final shot. This was one of the last shots that I took from my second roll of film. It is actually of flowers in a flower pot, but I love the unique angle and vivid colors. This shot remains unedited (to my wife Shannon's request). It was shot on Kodak Ektar 100, and I really found that the colors, tones and contrast were truly amazing. Luckily, I have become pretty savvy with Manual mode, which is actually my preferred way to shoot. my practice has really helped in allowing me to get all the proper exposures with my film shooting.
CHEERS,
Teddy
Bodega Bay
Whenever my wife, Shannon and I want to get away, Bodega Bay is always our go to spot. With the summer heat in full swing, we have been in desperate need to venture to cooler pastures. That is why last weekend we packed up and headed out as soon as both of us were off from work. I always hold Bodega close to my heart, so much so that this is where I proposed to Shannon almost two years ago! I could sing the praises of this area all day. Not only do I get a little time to relax when we go there, but it is a great excuse to bust out the cameras.
This trip was mostly filled with taking the drone out for some air time. Even though I have had my DJI Mavic Pro for over three months, I haven't taken many videos. Shannon and I drove between Bodega and Jenner, capturing many of our favorite spots. While the weather wasn't the most ideal, it was great to learn about the capabilities of my buddy Theodrone. I look forward to practicing more videography in the future!
Pursuing Film Photography
Somewhere over the course of the past couple of months, I started getting lost in the abyss of Instagram. My photography was lacking intent and purpose, with a majority of my efforts being directed towards shots that could potentially receive the most likes. Needless to say, I lost a bit of my photography mojo.
My wife, Shannon, had been trying to warm me up to the idea of pursuing film for months. Last week, she finally won me over, and I ultimately decided on purchasing a Nikon F100. In the store, it was loaded with a new, but expired roll of film. I had no idea what to expect, or even if the roll would produce any photos at all. To my surprise, a majority of my shots had the proper exposure.
That first roll of film was full of learning experiences. After my first 24 photos, I can now see that the focus and patience that I gain from film will make me a better photographer as a whole.
Here, you will see some of my favorites from that first roll of film. All were shot on my Nikon F100 with Kodak Gold 200 film.
