Kelly Slater never ceases to amaze. His airs at the Hurley Pro Trestles have already kicked off with a bang. At 42, he is still limber enough to land in the flats from 10 feet and pop out of the whitewater like some kind of ghost. I'm currently reading "The Fellowship of the Ring." If I found some evil gold bastard, I'd give it to Kelly to deliver to Mordor.
Photographer & Writer
Canon 7D — 24-105mm — ISO 100 — F8 — 1 sec.
Standing still while everything is moving
Things tend to get busy for me this time of year. A lot of the publications I write for are beginning to work on their winter content. It seems the deadlines come one after the other. With so much time at my desk, I find it important to get out and take a break. On a recent weekend, I did an overnight hike to a secret little fishing spot. The trout were biting and things were exceptionally calm. Now, it's back to work.
Fourth of July in September
I did an amazing hike over Labor Day Weekend to Fourth of July Lake in the Carson Pass area of the Sierras. We were lucky enough to score a permit (there are only 6 issued at a time) to camp for two nights. Instead of hiking the normal route to Fourth of July, we decided to take the Pacific Crest Trail to Summit City Trail and around the backside of Round Top. Though there was a bit of bushwhacking, it was an incredible hike. From our campsite, we took off and climbed Round Top and another peak in the area. I shot this of my friend John Bodley, exploring the steeps above the little lake.
Website update: check
I just added a bunch of new photography to my website and a couple of written pieces. I'd like to make this a regular thing, but I have a hard enough time keeping my blog even semi-up-to-date. The shot above was taken in a water cave in Lake Powell. I like how the rocks on the opposing canyon wall have a convex curve to them, which makes the photo seem like Mikaela is paddling on a planet all her own.
Editing and posting: Road trip photos
My girlfriend Mikaela and I just returned from a three-week road trip to the Southwest. We went to Salt Lake City, Moab, Durango, Lake Powell and Hawthorne. It was amazing to spend so much time exploring places we'd never seen before. In the Wasatch, we hiked Devil's Castle. In Durango, I fished the Anemas River. In Lake Powell, we paddled narrow slot canyons. I collected thousands of photos and am in the early stages of getting an edit together. Here's one I liked.
Night photos with headlamp
I've been interested in light painting since I realized what it was as a teenager. As a very non-night person (Bedtime: 10:00), I rarely shoot in the dark. During a camping trip near Blue Lakes in the Sierra, I thought I'd try a few frames. I took this with my Canon G16 and used a headlamp to light the juniper tree.
Slacklining in the yard
I spent a while working on this image on the river at our house in Calaveras County, California. I put the camera and flash on tripods and arranged them in the water. I used a wireless remote to trigger the camera. I like the colors. I didn't like falling off 50 times and cutting my feet pretty good and dropping the remote in the water. It still works, though.
Days in the Nevada desert
I love Nevada. I think it's in my genes. My mom has been painting the state's landscapes in watercolor for as long as I can remember. I spent a few days out there last week working on a personal project. The weather, thunderstorms, dust and sunshine, made for amazing photos. I look forward to sharing more soon.