Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sandpiper Duck Pond at Sunset

A view from the duck pond at the Sandpiper golf course. Of course if you're a golfer, rather than a photographer you might call it a water hazard. But at this time of day there were more ducks than golfers. And even more frogs for that matter!

Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sandpiper Golf Course, Virtual Reality

The Sandpiper Golf course is perched right on the coast just north of Santa Barbara and Goleta. It's a beautiful spot any time, but sunset is especially gorgeous.

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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
UCSB Starry Night

Walking at sunset around the campus of UCSB during a holiday break I thought I might find everything too quiet to get the photos I was looking for. But like any small city, there is always something going on there. I was happy to see some lights in the windows and the beautiful landscape lighting still on. This image was the last of the evening and one of my favorites.

Sunday, October 25, 2009
Camino Cielo Sunset Over Cachuma Lake

Sunset is one of the most beautiful things that happens every day. It's so hard to take the time to enjoy it. Most people think of the sun setting over the surf in California, and that is the case in most parts of the state. Our little section of the coast is a little different. We look south when we watch the waves break and this is the view from a trail at the top of our mountains. Just in front and to the right of the sun you can see Lake Cachuma, a man made lake which is a beautiful home to all sorts of amazing wild life including bald eagles. Someday soon I'm going to go catch one of them with my camera.

Sunday, March 29, 2009
Lake Los Carneros Clouds

Lake Los Carneros is one of the best kept secrets in the Santa Barbara area. You can literally drive right by it without even knowing it's there. The 101 freeway through Santa Barbara passes only a couple hundred feet from the lake, but the ridge where I was standing to get this shot hides the lake completely.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Alice's Turtle Pile

Turtle pile from our last walk through Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens.

Friday, May 27, 2005
Lake Los Carneros

There are some places that you can live right next to and never know they are there. The Monarch Butterfly Overwintering spot in Santa Barbara is one of them, and this is another.

I know I am not the only one that is surprised by this place. Last week at the Art Walk I listened to a "Local" tell his friends from out of town that this was the bird refuge, right down the street from where we were standing (which, of course, it is not).

Where I was standing to take this picture, I had my back to the 101 Freeway about 50 feet away, right near the Los Carneros exit. But, due to the rolling land and the trees, you would never have any idea it was here. Fortunately there is a good adult education program here that has some excellent nature hikes.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Lantern by the Lake

I like this lantern, it is very raw and natural looking. There are quite a few of them at Lotusland. Which apparently is not very Zen :-) In a real Japanese garden there would be only one. But I can see why she liked them.

Saturday, April 16, 2005
El Estero Lake

We have been tinkering with Pastels a bit, and this was one of the locations we thought we might try to paint with them. But, as vacations always do, this week went by way too fast and we never took that much time sitting in one place. So we took lots of pictures for reference.

Of course, painting from photos is nothing short of heresy these days, as the art-fad-du-jour is "Plein Air" art (painting on location.) But I have always been more interested in the end result. I guess I have always loved art but not "Artists" (well not the snooty ones anyway.) :-D IMHO, if anyone tells you a particular way is the "WRONG WAY" or "THE ONLY WAY" they are showing their lack of imagination.

We always pass this lake on the way into Monterey. It is in a great little park. There is something for everyone including paddle-boats and a large playground called "Dennis the Menace Playground". In fact the granite pedestal that Zoe is standing on in yesterday's photo is part of a series of polished stones that get progressively taller as you walk around the lake.

Monday, April 11, 2005
Zaca Wide Angle

Another view of Zaca Lake. Actually, the same view, just a wider angle lens. :-D

Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Zaca Lake

It is amazing how many beautiful places can be right around you without you even knowing it. Even after living in Santa Barbara for years I am still finding more photo opportunities.

This is Zaca Lake. I didn't know it was there until my friend and I took an adult education nature hike there.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Lantern

Another relaxing image from Lotusland.

I think I was in a peaceful mood last evening when I picked this image because I spent some time out at the butterfly overwintering spot yesterday. It is about the quietest place I can imagine especially without leaving a populated area.

I mainly went to enjoy the butterflies with my best friend for Valentine's day. But, there are a few pictures to come from the trip, and I scoped things out a little to to go back for some more serious photo sessions later this week.