Fall Leaves and First Snow

Last week I decided to take a drive through Squaw Peak, in Provo, UT to see the fall leaves. It was a great day, and it was the perfect way for me to de-stress from the projects I had been working on. FYI, Group projects should be banned! or not graded... or both....

Anyways, excited for Halloween! And I really like these pictures. I also highly suggest taking this drive. You need 4 wheel drive to go the whole way, but its not a difficult trail, just rocky. Also, it may be easier to go before deer season starts, there were a lot of trucks that filled the trails at times; and my friend thought my Jeep broke down when she heard shots being fired (haha, it was funny).

My friend Ranger Jen.  

Then this week it snowed, so I took a walk through my neighborhood to capture the fall leaf colors with the snow before it all melted. It was a good thing I started when I did. As I was taking the pictures, the snow from the trees kept falling on my head. It felt like my life was on replay in a movie. 

Light Painting

       One of my new favorite things to do on the camera is Light Paint. Its really easy and super fun, especially if you have some friends to paint with.  All you have to do is set your camera (DSLR) to a long exposure mode, some will have a manual exposure which is even better. The camera needs to be set on a tripod, its pretty much impossible to hold the camera steady enough, unless you want squiggly lines. Last of all, but most important, it has to be dark; but it doesn't have to be pitch black.
       What really is going to make your 'painting' interesting is the light you choose you use. LED lights work best, they give off the most vibrant colors. I found some really great lights at the local party supply store in the party favor section, and in the toy and automotive departments at Walmart, and they are all fairly inexpensive.
        All that is left to do is turn the camera and lights on and start moving. Couple tips: 
~ If you wear dark clothes your even more less likely to be seen by the camera.
~ Experiment with turning lights on and off while you move, this will break up the lines to make more defined shapes. 

Kids are really good at this.

Kid masterpiece.

Sitting in the passenger seat while it was raining at night. This was an auto complex.

My friend moved her legs and arms while wearing balloons with LED light inside them.

Made my sister sit in this position without moving. (Not as easy as you would think.)

Smell the Roses

It's always better to take a break from the labors of life and take time to smell the roses. Which means, I'm not in the mood to do any more homework right now. So here are some more pictures I took while I was in Oregon.  It was at the Portland Rose Garden, it's truly an amazing place. 

Oceans and Sunsets

There is something truly captivating about the ocean. I read somewhere, at sometime recently, that scientists now think the human race evolved by a genetic mistake from some sort of sea creature ( I know, real specific. Next time I will pay more attention (maybe)). Perhaps, if their theory is correct (quite likely since I read it on the internet), that is why we are drawn to it. Or maybe, it's the consistent rhythm of the waves rising and crashing that we are attracted to. Whatever the reason, it never fails that when you go to the beach, people are taking pictures. 

At Cape Kiwanda in Oregon, there was a small sand peninsula that had a warning sign about "unstable ground"; naturally, everyone ignores the sign.  
                                     

After a short hike up the sand hill you come to an ocean oasis that sits about 200 feet up from the ocean. It's so cool! The plants and trees have bent in the direction of the winds, making small cave like areas where its likely the locals spend their evenings partying.  

                          

Following the foot trails you come to the edge of the peninsula, where you get a closer view to the lone rock in the ocean. It was a good place to sit, watch the boats and seagulls, and eat some cheez-it's ( the only good cheese cracker, of which I am truly addicted).   

                           

                           
On the north side of the peninsula the trail leads down to the ocean where it breaks against the impacted sand rock. There is a collection of small pools where I saw tiny crabs feeding and small fish waiting for the next wave to release them. 
                           

Just south of the landing the ocean collects in a round opening. Only 10 feet above the waves, my desires to jump into the ocean were immediate. 

                                           
                             

I probably would have if I had a way back onto the rocks that would have avoided me being beaten against them. Plus, my luck, I would have encountered a shark or giant octopus. It looked like that kind of area. The kind that conceals something dangerous even though its appearance seems so inviting and safe. 

The next beach we went to was Cannon Beach. The rocks are most familiar due to their appearance in movies like The Goonies ("Hey You Guys!").  

                              
                             
For dinner we ate at Norma's Seafood and Steak in Seaside, Oregon. I had the Captains platter with the clam chowder (Oh my Gosh! I want More). Seaside is a neat little area. They even have a bumper car arena that carries the nostalgia of the old boardwalks.  

After dinner we rushed to the beach so we could watch the sunset behind the ocean, and made it just in time.

  

 

I dont know what it is about sunsets, but it would seem that a person can never have enough pictures of them.