Dasia

When I was younger I was painfully shy.  Thankfully, I have grown out of that and find myself able to accost people at their place of work (or on the street) and ask if I can photograph them.  Most folks don't call me but Daisha did.  She has an incandescence to her that illuminates the spaces she inhabits.

Sunday Drive

The Honey and I took one of our lovely drives where we try to find roads we've never been on that aren't too far from home.  It's a great way to beat the heat and get out of doing much needed work around the house.

So, it was county and levee roads all the way but for a short stint on Hwy.5.  Some of the small towns we passed through (Knights Landing, Meridian, Grimes, Guinda, Capay) quietly called to me to settle down there.  Very tempting as I am becoming more anti-people the older I get.  Wow, that sounded bad!  I should say, less tolerant of the growing numbers of sucky-people (rude, aggressive, entitled types).

I didn't take many photos as the landscape and sky this time of year are sucked dry by the incessant heat, even the once cheery sunflowers have given up and now hang their heads low. But, we did find a 129 year old "church" in the middle of nowhere and some pretty water-ways along the levee road to Meridian. And Hwy 16 through the Capay Valley is a really nice drive, especially in Spring when the hills are green and the moss hangs off the oaks.

Senior Portraits and a Drive in The Delta

More than anyplace else in the region, I dream of living in The Delta.  As soon as I got my drivers licence my friends of like mind and I would search out the area for abandoned farm houses and interesting places to take photos.

There is something magical about small river towns separated by miles of fields of fruit trees and produce and  old bridges that span the waterways.

I don't want much, just a pre-1900's farm house with about an acre and river access would be nice!

I have had my eye on a house that has been on the market for at least 3 years.  It breaks my heart to see it and yet I am always checking up on it to make sure it is still available.  It is quite a steal at $599,000!  It was built in 1867, has more than 3000 square feet, a pool with guest house and sits on 2 acres.  And, river access! I know that when it is gone a little bit of my soul will have died!

Anyway!  On Saturday we took a drive into heaven to take some photographs for my nieces senior portraits.  It was a strangely overcast day which rendered perfect light.  Other than getting kicked off a private beach, the day was wonderful.

After the beach fiasco, my brother found an incredible old tree down the road which he hoisted Brittany into and those are some of my favorite images.  Then we headed to The Old Sugar Mill for some more shooting then on to Old Sacramento.

I photographed her in "the old cemetery" that is much over-used by photographers but I couldn't resist with the dress she was wearing being evocative of Grecian wear.

She is a beautiful, kind, compassionate and incredible person and I am so happy we are related!

Barnyard Theater

Last month my friend and I attended a play inside an old barn in the countryside of Davis.  I have passed by this beautiful old house for months on my to and fro work and fell in love with it at first sight.  So, when these large hand-painted signs showed up advertising "Barnyard Theater" I just had to go.

We had dinner in nearby Winters at The Putah Creek Cafe and it was fabulously fresh, delicious, and locally grown.

It was a stifling hot day and not much cooler in the barn when the performance started at 8:30, everyone using their programs as fans. It was a really "cool" experience.

We ran into the owner of the house and barn on the long, dirt driveway back to the main road who told us that the house was the second homestead in the area.  I wanted to detain him and ask a million questions including if I could have a tour of his house but contained myself.  We waited for our ride under a sky filled with stars and a sweet breeze reminding us of the rewards of a hot summer day in the valley.

I've been doing a lot of portrait sessions lately for friends.  Although the money is not great, it is getting me out there and hopefully more people will see my work and hire me.  It terrifies me to think of getting a "real" job but the time is near if more work doesn't come my way.