Summertime in Northern California | Camping at Icehouse | Fashoda Lake | July 2015

Throughout all of the hustle and bustle that is my life, I sometimes have to take a step back, and find myself again. That means stepping out into nature... with my camera... ;)       

Growing up, camping was part of life. Whether we were going on Yosemite adventures with my older brother and the boy scouts, or family adventures at our private property in the foothills, I spent a lot of time outdoors. So it is no surprise that I love to photograph the outdoors as much as I love just being in the outdoors.

Northern California has many different landscapes. Living in Sacramento, I really have the best of both worlds! It's a two hour drive to the ocean, or a two hour drive to the mountains. I really am blessed to be able to experience such amazing landscapes just out my backdoor! Those same landscapes can look so different at different times of the same day. And the clouds!!! Clouds can drastically change that same landscape into a completely different scene!

There really is something mystifying about clouds, and what those clouds open up to during the night. Stars hold a very special place in my imagination. As I sit here writing this, I think back to my childhood bedroom. All different shapes and sizes of glow in the dark stars still line the ceiling of that bedroom today. What is it about the heavens that is so mystifying? Why do I daydream for hours about what may exist past those breathtaking puffs of moisture? All of these questions I have do not change my undeniable love for the outdoors, and the constant want to photograph all of it! 

While I ponder these questions and other questions of life, I wanted to share some of the photos I had taken from a recent camping trip, with my darling other half, to Union Valley Reservoir, Fashoda Lake. This little campsite was tucked deep in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, off the infamous Icehouse Road. Although it wasn't where we originally had planned on staying, we ended up there nonetheless, and are already planning our next trip to the same location!

This was my first time photographing the night sky! I couldn't be more excited for how these turned out, and cannot wait to capture some more star trails in the future!

I want to dedicate this post to my amazing other half, Zach. You are the stars that light up my night sky! You are always on my side, and I'm so glad we had this opportunity to figure out what was really important in life! Even though our camping trip didn't turn out the way we expected, between shredded tires, and lost friendships, it was still one of my favorite memories because you showed me your true colors that day on the beach. I am so proud of you, and so proud of the man you have become right in front of me. Thank you for putting up with my crazy photographer ways of wanting to take star photos on the beach at midnight, and always being so patient while I set up the tripod for a self-portrait. #ExistInPhotos

Love is all you need!

:)

 The first night sky photo was looking towards Tahoe. The light pollution from Tahoe reflecting off the clouds gave an awesome glow to the sky. These were multiple different exposure techniques, some multiple exposures in one image, like the very last one.

Then I turned my attention the opposite direction and caught one of the Milky Way Galaxy before turning back towards Tahoe's direction!

A few years back, at a different camping trip, I earned the nickname of "Fire and Eggs". I always had that fire roaring, and when it came time for breakfast, I was your scrambled egg gal!

We headed back down to the beach and hung out for a while while the thunderstorms rolled in. It was crazy how quickly the sky turned from white puffy clouds, to dark angry skies!

The sunrise the day we left was amazing! The way the water had this layer of steam coming off of it! I had to experiment with multiple exposures!

I also tried my hand at something a little different during this camping trip. I took multiple photos consecutively, then took some audio clips from video I had also taken, combined the two... and !Voila!

Day 10 - 6.3.2011 - Last Day in Shanghai

Got home from my trip to China yesterday. It was a full travel day, with 11 hours spent on an airplane from Shanghai to San Francisco. It was a fabulous trip, and an amazing adventure! And I cannot thank my father enough for the opportunity. Spent most of yesterday sleeping and recovering from my trip. 

However, I had to post photos from my last day of my trip. It was a full cultural day, starting off with a trip to the Shanghai museum. The first three photos are from the museum. The last three photos are from the Lu Gardens in Shanghai. It was a fabulous trip and I will remember it forever! 

Thank you dad for everything!

Day 9 - 6.2.2011 - Shanghai

Today was our first full day in Shanghai. I began the day at the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Then finished up the afternoon at the Jade Buddah Temple. Not much to say as I am exhausted from walking all afternoon, hungry and looking forward to a taste of home at Subway across the street.

I took this at the Shanghai Stock Exchange. A tissue box on a conference table.

My dad and I with the trading floor behind us

One of the many Buddah statues inside the Jade Buddah Temple

A stone lion tied with a lucky red ribbon outside the Jade Buddah Temple

Reclining Buddah made of Jade

Buddhist monks outside the Jade Buddah Temple

I met this "American" while walking along the Bund. He told me a brief history of the Bank of China building along the Bund. After Japan surrendered in World War II, the Bank of China building along the Bund was built. The Peace Hotel, next door, had a problem with this, as the Peace Hotel was the tallest building and didn't want to be beaten in height by a bank. Not sure if he was a veteran or not, but it sounded as if he might have been. He was a very nice old man and spoke very good English. Gave me his card, and I noticed as we got back on the bus that he lives in Florida.

Day 8 - 6.1.2011 - Shanghai

Today we left Guilin and headed to Shanghai. Didn't take too many photos since I spent the majority of the day traveling. I did however take one photo late last night before we left Guilin. It is a photo of the Sun and Moon Tower in Guilin:

I took this photo from the bus on the way to the hotel in Shanghai. In China, nobody believes in a dryer, and they hang all of their clothes outside to dry. This image was shot directly off of the freeway in Shanghai:

After dinner today, we went to one of the most famous Chinese acrobat shows in Shanghai. It was absolutely amazing. I took these photos during the show: