Best of 2011

As we make the transition to 2012 I wanted to continue with a little tradition I do; serve you up a little "best of" from 2011.  I wish all of you another great year full of success (by whatever means you define it - and remember you get to define it!)!  And thank you to those of you who have helped shape my life this year (which is to say all of you). 

I hope at least some of these images will touch you in some way as they have touched me.  I have a lot to be grateful for and here's some of the proof as we take this journey together...

We backpacked through some of the most gorgeous back country in the Eastern Sierra.

We lost sight of which way was up...momentarily.

We reached for the sky.

 And reached new heights.

We persevered the storm.

And were rewarded.

 We shined through the darkness.

We got a different perspective on things.

And were reminded how small we really are.

 We stood in awe of new sights.

We stayed focused.

We saw determination pay off.

 We said what we meant and meant what we said.

 We may have looked for a mate...

 ...offered them a gift...

 ...and...well you know...

We were met with antagonists.

We disagreed.

We practiced brotherly love.

 We had serenity.

We were leaders.

We made a splash.

We spread our wings...

  

And flew...

 We took a look at ourselves in the mirror.

 We nourished.

We soared.

 We feasted.

 We smiled.

 We created.

We rested.

 We ran.

We played.

 We cried.

We danced.

We looked into each others soul.

We kissed.

 We dipped.

 We fell in love.

 We used our drug of choice...adrenaline.

We realized our inner beauty.

 

We walked off into the sunset.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I figured it would be appropriate to post some pictures of Santa Claus today.  So here's mine...these were taken a couple years ago while backpacking.  I was lucky enough to see Santa making a practice run!

A wish for peace, harmony and love.  May you discover the power within yourself to create the life you want!

From our family to yours...Merry Christmas!

Red-tailed Hawk Encounter

Red-tailed Hawk Glaring

 

Bolsa Chica Reserve, Huntington Beach, Ca.

Found this guy (or girl) on a trail at Bolsa Chica yesterday.  I was actually turned the opposite way shooting a Reddish Egret "dancing" in the bay (images to follow if I got anything good) and suddenly all the shore birds got a little startled and begun flying around.  I looked around knowing that when a flock of birds suddenly takes of it's almost always because of a predator.  I didn't see any raptors though.  So a few minutes later after exhausting the Reddish Egret shots I got up and back on the trail and not 15 feet down the trail was this Red-tailed Hawk perched on a sign post.  It must have been camouflage from my vantage point.  Anyhow, I was able to snap off a few shots before he realized I was a little too close for his comfort.

A side note: It always amazes me how small birds instinctively know what raptors are a threat to them.  Birds know that, for example, an Osprey is not a threat because it only eats fish but on the other hand if a Harrier or Peregrine Falcon were to fly over they would definitely scurry out of the way.  The particular birds that this guy spooked only did a circle or two before landed safely back on the shore; I think they realized after a moment that this hawk wasn't too much of a threat.  Most likely it was looking for rodents, rabbits or snakes.

Cool fact: The oldest known Red-tailed Hawk was 28 years 10 months old.  (www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-tailed_hawk/id)

Reese and Jack

Took a short trip out to Creek Park in La Mirada a few days ago to shoot Reese and Jack.  Here's what happened...

 Reese loves nature!

Needless to say we did a "few" takes of this shot.

 

I think Reese has a future in modeling maybe (I never once asked her to pose)...

I love this shot of the siblings!

 

I'll end with the face I think I saw the most...