Norway Part III: The Orcas

The photographer in me feels I have to start with a side note about the photography. Especially the underwater photos. So here it goes… many of these images are pretty much rubbish. But these images aren’t about perfection. I learned to let that go on this trip. They are here to illustrate a story. They are images that taught me something. They are images that inspire me to do better, to keep going, to keep shooting, to keep learning, to keep creating, to keep growing, to keep discovering, to keep loving, and to keep sharing. If there’s any place on Earth that can help you let go of perfection, it’s the arctic waters of northern Norway in winter. And that’s really what this is all about anyway.

The iconic Orca dorsal fin slices through the water, catching the golden arctic light of winter

Four male Orcas dive down into the depths

A large male Orca near the surface

I sometimes dream about Orcas. I think many people do. I always wondered what it was that I found so compelling about them. Was it their beauty, their grace? Their intelligence? Their skills? I’m not even sure I can pin it down after spending 5 days in their presence. But I think I’m closer…

I think it’s all of the things I listed above and so much more. They have soul and personality. Their social skills resemble ours. They have a strong sense of family. They have obvious likes and dislikes. You can see the bonds they have with their families. And every encounter, no matter how much we worked to make it happen, you got the distinct feeling that you had nothing to do with it. The Orcas simply allowed it. Or they didn’t. You didn’t factor into it at all. You just showed up. And I’m extremely grateful for each and every second they allowed us in their presence.

A cotton candy sunrise

They say all life came from the sea. President John F. Kennedy made a speech at a sailing competition once and his words really resonated with me: “We have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch it, we are going back from whence we came.” Orcas came from the sea and then they went back to it. They were once land animals, almost like wolves. Perhaps that’s where I find my deepest connection to them. I get it. I get why they might have ventured back to the sea. Even though I can’t live there, I spend as much time there as I can. Perhaps I’m a tiny bit jealous of their ability to evolve to the ocean (yes, I know it took millions of years). I struggle like a fish out of water in the ocean but they’ve adapted so perfectly it’s like they never left. It’s truly beautiful.

One of the most incredible moments is when an Orca looks you straight in the eye!

Orcas with humpbacks in the background

Here on the Pacific coast of the US and Canada we have two types of Orcas, Residents and Transients. Residents eat fish and Transients eat other marine mammals. You may have recently heard of the critically endangered Southern Resident Orcas. I believe there are only 75 left. They feed mostly on Salmon in the Pacific Northwest and salmon numbers are dropping significantly and the Orca population is starving. Moving open net fish farms (completely or mostly) out of the Salish Sea and breaching lower river damns to let the Salmon spawn is really the only way to save them.

The Norwegian Orcas are mostly fish eaters but they have been observed eating a seal or two in the summer months. They are the only population that switches between the two. Scientists believe the population is around 3,000 individuals.

Orcas are extremely intelligent so they’ve learned how to steal fish from fishing nets. This can be dangerous for them since they can either get entangled in the nets or, because they are so close to the fishing vessels, they can get hit by boats.

A pod of Orca swim full speed across the fjord to take advantage of a fishing boat

The pod was porpoising with joy as they raced across the fjord

An Orca with a fleeing herring

Normally, Orcas will locate a school of herring and corral it into a bait ball near the surface. They will take turns either hypnotizing the fish by flipping over to show their white bellies or they will tail slap them to stun them. The most amazing thing to observe is how graceful and almost gentle they are when they grab each fish, eating only one at a time.

An Orca heads straight for the bait ball

Corralling the fish towards the surface

Exposing their white undersides to the bait ball

Gracefully flicking a fish into his mouth

Orcas are extremely social and family oriented. They are matriarchal (maybe another reason I’m so drawn to them!?). Male Orcas stay with their mothers their entire lives, only venturing off to mate for a day or two before they return to their pod. Female Orcas also stay with their families until the pod gets too big, at which point the oldest daughter will break off with her offspring and start a new pod. Orcas, along with belugas, narwhals and pilot whales are the only other animals besides humans to live past their childbearing years. Typically, highly social animals benefit from non-childbearing “adult supervision.” Older females will know where and how to hunt most efficiently. They will also share up to 90% of the food they catch with their family, keeping them strong and well fed. Orcas also take care of their disabled members. They essentially swim at the pace of the slowest member and hunt for those members unable to do so. We also observed a male Orca sleeping on the surface. The rest of his pod didn’t seem too sleepy. In fact, they were hunting. As we watched them we noticed that each member of the pod would take turns going back to check on the sleepy male before returning to hunting. More Orcas came to check on him when the boats started swarming around him. It was an incredible behavior to observe. You could feel the love and the teamwork.

Probably my closest encounter with this sassy female Orca

Drive by!

Bye Orca pod!

Orcas are very auditory animals. They use echolocation to locate prey and they communicate constantly via clicks and squeals. It’s one of the coolest things to hear underwater. Each population of Orca has their own unique languages. They are very sensitive to sound and responded to every little squeal I uttered. They love music, too.

On the flip side, they are very sensitive to noise pollution and boat traffic. At times we would observe a pod being followed by boats, showing sings of frustration. Males will show the frustration of the pod by slapping their tails on the surface. They’d also disappear for minutes at a time and pop up in another direction, trying to avoid the boats. So while some pods were friendly and curious, other pods were standoffish or just in a “leave me alone” kind of mood. Much like humans!

Always swimming away…

A mama and her baby

Babies! Oh man, they’re cute. They are also much more curious of humans than their parents. We observed one in his/her mom’s slip stream and when he/she saw us he/she flipped on his/her back and swam upside down the whole way past us. Cheeky little one! You could clearly tell each Orca had their own unique personality and mood. Some were stand-offish. Some were playful. Some were curious. Some were all business. And some were the obvious protectors.

Sadly, only 50% of Orca babies survive. Being apex predators, the Orca consume a lot of toxins from everything lower down on the food chain. Many of these calves cannot survive their mother’s toxic milk. Keeping our oceans clear of plastics and chemicals can help alleviate this problem. As we learned in Finding Nemo, all drains lead to the sea. Please be conscious of what you throw down your drain or throw on the sidewalk that can be swept into storm drains and washed out to sea.

This young Orca was interested in my squeals and swam by me three times!

Some Orcas are cautious, like this one, swimming close enough to get a look but not too close to be in danger (or good photographing range!)

Beautiful saddle patch

Time to hold onto your socks. Here’s where it’s about to get a little preachy. I can’t help it. Some things just have to be said. But along with that, please understand that I try to leave all judgement on the table. I’m not out to blame anyone for anything. I’m not asking for perfection, either. I’m simply pointing a few things out to get you to think about your actions. Change will come, but only if we are aware of the problem. So here it goes…

You can not, I repeat, CAN NOT spend time in the wild with these animals and not look at photos of captive Orcas and want to cry and throw up at the same time (or at least I can’t). Of all of the encounters we had, we only saw the Orcas and the bottom of the ocean once. (Picture below). Imagine swimming in a wide open ocean with your closest family and then you’re put into the equivalent of solitary confinement at Alcatraz. That’s essentially what these tanks are for Orcas. Then take a look at the below picture with the ocean bottom and then take a look at the concrete bottoms of a tank at SeaWorld. Orcas have only killed humans in captivity. There is no recorded death of a human by an Orca in the wild. Many scientists believe the deaths were mental breakdowns. Ok, I think you all see where I’m going here…

Slightly out of focus but you can see the bottom!

But, like I said, perfection is not the goal here. I’ll admit it, I’ve been to SeaWorld when I was a kid. Even more recently in 2010 my husband and I did a swim with dolphins in Mexico at a seaside dolphin “sanctuary.” It was included in our resort package. The sanctuary was enclosed and concrete. I have to admit, even though at the time I wasn’t totally against the practice, the whole thing made me so upset I told my husband I never wanted to do it again. Of course, I’m sure it didn’t help that we had encountered dolphins in the wild while scuba diving just the day before. Afterward we went to swim with sting rays in a “sanctuary.” This time it was a open pen in the ocean. Fish swam in and out. The bottom was the actual ocean floor. Many of the rays were recovering from injuries. I breathed so much better there and actually enjoyed myself. At the time I didn’t know why I felt such a huge difference. Now it’s obvious. At the very least, we need to move our captive cetaceans to open pen sanctuaries. So please, don’t support these marine parks and aquariums that house cetaceans if you can. Support local whale watching companies and see them in the wild or, if you can afford it, find an operator that will let you snorkel with them. The experience is unbelievably better for both you and the animals. There’s nothing like seeing an animal in the wild!

And on that note, I’ll stop babbling and let you enjoy some photos of just that!

Some males don’t have perfectly straight dorsal fins. Some are even flopped over (no, it’s not just something that happens in captivity, but it’s rare in the wild)

Exhale…

These abnormalities in the dorsal fin make identification of these individuals much easier!

I love the sound of an Orca exhale!

Wild encounters with Orca are AMAZING!

Had to include a few pictures of the most beautiful sunrise I think I’ve ever seen…

It was our last day on the water and what a send off!

Dun, un. Dun, un. Here comes the Orca!

The drive by on video! What a cute little baby!

That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks for following along. Please feel free to share or comment below if you have any questions. Also, if you’re interested in some more info about Orcas (and Southern Residents in particular) check out the Ted Ed video below.

Thanks you lovely people!

Carra

Norway Part II: The Experience

My fins and I enjoying a beautiful arctic sunset at the end of an incredible day.

I’ll start with a little anecdote, shall I? Then maybe I’ll delve into the nitty gritty. I love the above image. It took me quite a while to figure out why. But I finally realized it evokes a lot of memories for me. I found myself, quite often, staring down at my fins hovering above the rushing water, sitting on the edge of our RIB boat awaiting the signal to jump in. At times I’d be excited while staring at those fins (oooo Orca time!) and at other times I’d find myself staring at them, hunched over, simply trying to ignore the cold seeping into my bones. Then I’d look up. The beauty I saw was a respite from the cold. It would remind where I was and what I was doing. And, if only for a brief moment, the cold would melt away. Here I was, at the top of the world, doing what I love.

Northern Lights dance above Ersfjordbotn, Norway on our first night. You can see the shadows of Pasi and I.

Ok, now I’ll start from the beginning. My flight arrived in Tromso after dark. Everyone was waiting for me at the airport. Thankfully, the fog had cleared and my flight was on time. Bags all arrived (thank goodness!). We piled into the car and headed to the boat which was docked in Ersfjordbotn. On the ride I was looking out the window and saw what I thought was a wispy cloud. As my eyes adjusted I realized it was a glowing green cloud. In other words, the Northern Lights! What a welcome! By the time we got to the boat, they were (momentarily) nowhere to be found. So we loaded onto the boat and before we knew it we were told they were back. Alright boat full of strangers, find your gear and set up for some shots!

Hello! Aren’t they beautiful?!?

Full disclosure, I obsessively looked at the weather in Tromso for a month before the trip. Of course that made no logical sense but I wanted to see what my odds of seeing the northern lights were. Turns out I had nothing to worry about! Which leads me to my two biggest fears regarding this trip… not seeing the northern lights (because of weather) and not seeing the Orcas (because of weather and herring movements). Turns out I worried for nothing. But how was I supposed to know?!? Plus, I’m a worrier. It’s in my genes. Can’t help it. Sorry.

After a day of testing out gear and getting ready we headed out in our new home (for the week) the Ostsee Star, to the small town of Skervoy which is where we ended up being docked for the entire trip.

Skjervoy nestled in the fjords.

The mountains surrounding Skjervoy were stunning.

When the light would rise just above the horizon, it would shine right down the fjords, lighting up the sides of the mountains with it’s incredible warm (looking) glow.

Inside the Ostsee Star.

A place to hang our coats and keep the time.

Windows! Lots of baby feet being made on those foggy windows.

Our first day with the Orcas arrived. We struggled into our drysuits and set out. Just the day before, no one had reported seeing the Orcas. We left the harbor and immediately spotted two fishing boats. And they were surrounded by about 100 individual Orcas and a dozen or so humpbacks (and countless birds, of course)! It was the most incredible sight to behold on our first day. We drove the boats over and sat watching and photographing the feeding frenzy. The water was thick with herring scales, bubbles and whales! I honestly didn’t know where to look, let alone photograph. I was getting incredibly frustrated, feeling like I was missing all the shots. Then I realized I just needed to be patient and enjoy the moment. And what an incredible moment it was!

So many birds!

Here come the Orcas!

A male dorsal fin pokes out of the water amid the feeding frenzy.

A random whale watching boat for a little size perspective. That’s a male Orca.

Now it’s time to take a brief moment to mention the amazing Whales Underwater crew that worked their butts off for all of us. Thank you Darren and Jasmine for organizing the trip and leading our “Nemo” boat. Your advice, warm welcome and kindness meant the world to me. Thanks Darren for staying up late and making sure my underwater housing was all ready., and for stepping in when I got frustrated with it! Thank you Jasmine for your warm conversation and infectious love for adventure! Thank you Ali for your amazing drops, your sixth sense when it comes to whale behavior, and for pulling my butt up on the boat (for what felt like) a million times. I’ll work on my pull-ups and hopefully give you a rest next time! Thank you Norbi for manning the Brig, being an amazing skipper, and for your all your help getting us into drysuits and out on the boats in the morning. Thank you to Krisztina for all of your incredible knowledge. Your presentations were amazing and your love for these animals is infectious! I hope to see you here in Monterey one day! And last, but not least, thank you to Torben for keeping the boat running smoothly and Peggy for keeping our bellies full and happy. We couldn’t have gone on this trip without a single one of you! Thank you so much!

And to my fellow guests… holy crap, you were all so awesome I don’t think I could have been luckier meeting all of you! Elvira, thank you for being such an amazing roommate. You never minded my later nights or equipment all over the room and you always set the alarm! I’m eternally grateful. Robert, thank you for the amazing conversation and advice! You’ve changed the way I think about my photography and there’s no going back! And thanks for the beer and whiskey… I owe you a few if you’re ever in the States! Pasi, thanks for the political discussions. Kept me grounded! And thanks for showing me that a photo isn’t about the camera you use, it’s about the photographer. I’m constantly amazed at what you capture with an iPhone! Kei, thanks for sharing all your goodies (including your whiskey!). And thanks for all the post-trip support. Chuta, thanks for your laughter. It’s infectious and an absolute delight to wake up to every morning at breakfast! And last, but not least, Sonya! I’m amazed at what you do in life. I’m amazed at your determination to make it to Norway! And I’m ever so thankful for the post trip support - your comments and likes keep me posting!

Norbi manning the “Brig” with Krisztina and Pasi taking photos of the feeding frenzy.

Our fearless leader, Jasmine, checking out some of the amazing photos she just took.

I have to say, I anticipated that this trip would be physically challenging. Luckily, I dive a drysuit on a semi-regular basis (although never as much as I want to!!) and I’m aware of the extra buoyancy and weight needed. Not to mention the huge pain in the butt it is to get your head and hands through the drysuit seals… But my biggest worries were the cold and pulling myself up on the boat. Both of which ended up going about as I expected… not great but certainly not horrible. I’m not totally out of shape, but I could always be in better shape. And I’m always cold… so… yeah… I was cold. Not all the time. Not even every day (I think the adrenaline kept me warm the whole time that first day!) but there were moments my brain got a little fuzzy I was so cold. My fingers were always numb… leading to a bit of an injury on my pinky finger. I don’t want to sugar coat anything. The reality is, this was the most challenging environment I’ve ever photographed in. That being said, I’d go back in a second and do it all over again. In fact, I’d go right now if I could. I did ditch the weight belt a few days in, realizing the extra weight wasn’t enough to get me down and was just causing trouble getting back up on the boat. You really have to figure out a routine that works for you. It took me almost 3 days to get into the swing of things. Then I felt like I mostly had my shit together… mostly… except for that one day I forgot my fins…

My fellow adventurers swimming back to the boat after an encounter. The fish below them are not herring. They are what I call the “clean up” crew. Various opportunists feeding on the remaining herring parts.

Sometimes I’d look up after watching the Orcas and just be blown away by the scenery. Beauty was everywhere!

Kei photographing a herring ball.

Jasmine capturing the herring ball while the fish release bubbles.

We figured waiting around with the herring ball that the Orcas might come back. And they did ;)

Kei taking in the scenery as we wait for the Orcas to circle back around the fishing boat to grace us with their lovely presence.

Bubbles emerge from the deep and make their way up to my fellow snorkelers. Too big for fish bubbles…

Orca bubbles, perhaps?

Robert dives down for a different perspective.

Hard to tell, but a humpback is diving down right in front of the fishing boat…. which brings me to…

I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the humpbacks! They were a huge part of the experience and an added bonus to the encounters! I, for the life of me, couldn’t get a decent underwater photo of one (next time!). It annoyed me, to no end, but the encounters were unforgettable! Even when they ran the Orcas off by eating their bait balls in one huge gulp! Their size and grace is absolutely incredible. I’ll never forget the one encounter where I saw this glaringly white pectoral fin coming out of the gloom below me. It’s approaching at, what feels like, a fast pace. I hold my breath thinking, “oh no! It’s going to bump me!” Of course, the humpback didn’t. Their awareness and dexterity in the water is amazing and mesmerizing. I thought about trying to move but I just couldn’t. I somehow knew, in the back of my head, that the humpback would know I was there and miss me. Sure enough, that’s what happened. And I was just floating there like a duck out of water… totally ungraceful and in complete awe! And, of course, immensely grateful.

Capturing humpbacks… hopefully more successfully than I did!

This is that pectoral fin that, shortly following this shot, came toward me as this humpback rolled on it’s side.

Dripping flukes during an arctic winter… sigh….

Snow topped mountains and whales!

One of the most joyous sounds a person can hear… a whale breath.

The tails of humpbacks are so incredibly fascinating and unique!

We were lucky enough to have another brilliant night full of Northern Lights. And boy what a show they put on for us! We drove out of town and stopped on the side of the road to capture some more images. Below you can see my fellow travelers setting up their own shots. Part way through our photo adventure, Jasmine laid down on the ground to just look up at the sky. For a moment I was jealous! Why wasn’t I just enjoying the spectacular show? So I stopped taking photos, just to look around. That lasted all of about three minutes until the lights started swirling in a circle and I just had to capture it! That balance between living in, and enjoying the moment, and capturing it, is a struggle for me. I want to savor moments. But I also want to capture those moments! What to do?!? Still working on the balance. Hoping I’ll find it one day…

The glowing fjords.

Capturing the best light show on earth!

So we didn’t just see whales and herring. Those were definitely the highlights (duh), but I can’t describe my experience without giving you the full picture. I love jellyfish! I saw my first comb jelly in the wild. Maybe not that thrilling for most people, but it was for me! Of course I couldn’t dive down far enough to get a great shot, but I compromised by snapping the below shot of a comb jelly among the fish scales. Looks like an alien in outer space!

The only time I wish I had a 3D camera setup is when the fish scales were thick. They gave the seemingly endless green water a sense of depth that a photograph just doesn’t quite capture…

Taking photos of my comb jelly friend, I noticed another friend drop by - Robert! That ghost-like thing by his leg was the comb jelly…

The green abyss.

A jelly and a herring.

So ethereal…

Ok, I can tell you’re getting sick of jellyfish photos… just one more, I promise!

Looks like a flower. I wish the background didn’t look like it’s at the aquarium, but you can’t have everything!

Darren getting a killer shot of two male Orcas while I snap a photo of a jellyfish since those Orcas were just out of my range…

And again… seems like I was almost always in the wrong spot at the wrong time… haha.

You’re probably wondering right about now, where are all the Orcas?! Yeah, yeah… I know that’s really why you’re here. So thank you for holding out this long. Here are a few. But I have to save some for the next post! So hang tight. This is about my experience photographing them. The few triumphs and the many failures…

Beautiful sunset. Beautiful Orca.

As I mentioned before, this was one of the most challenging photography experience I’ve ever had. We were working with cold water, low light (hello, it’s November in the arctic!), water full of bubbles and scales, frozen fingers, and fast moving subjects. Despite that (and the urge to pee almost as soon as I got on the boat…) I was able to eek out some shots I’m proud of. As far as the rest… well… they were all learning experiences. Each and every one of them!

Sometimes you panic and don’t wait for the Orcas to swim into your frame… instead you snap a photo with your buddy’s camera in it…

Bubbles from fish, boats and other snorkelers were always a challenge. But this pod still gave us the drive by of a lifetime!

Oh backscatter… in this case I don’t think I wiped my dome before I started shooting. But hey, instead of editing it out, I embraced it. They’re twinkle lights, OK! haha.

After the first day of shooting, I realized that I really wanted to try and capture a photo with both pectoral fins, the dorsal fin and the fluke all in one shot. A tall order, as it turned out. The above image came so close… the Orca was just a little too far away for my liking (and backscatter). And then of course, I had some missed opportunities… like the below image. So close! And yet so far… I botched the focus! Grrr!

Ahhhhhh so close. Silly camera operator couldn’t get focus…

My other photo goal was an Orca with a bait ball. Uh…. yeah, I didn’t get that either….

Man, this camera operator must have been drunk…

Robert and the Orcas.

But then you get other amazing shots (and video!) and you’re satisfied. At least for now…. I’m going to have to go back. Obviously.

That’s all for now, folks! My next blog post will be all about the Orcas! Soooo many underwater photos to share (good and bad!). I think they deserve a dedicated post. This trip was about them, after all!

Part III will be posted after the New Year. Sorry guys, we’ve got holiday travel and family time to focus on! But I promise the two week wait will be worth it! Stay tuned… ;)

Happy Holidays!

Much love,

Carra

Norway Part I: My Creative Journey

A traveling Orca family.

A Word of Caution: Life isn’t the good photographs, or what we share on social media, or what we see in magazines. Its everything in between. It’s hard work, its messy at times, there’s fear and self-doubt, and then occasionally its blissful, almost spiritual. I’ve carefully chosen these images. I’ve carefully edited them to elicit the beauty, emotion and magic I felt on this trip. They don’t show my fears - the self-doubt, or the regrets, or the technical failures, or the fear that the trip wouldn’t line up with my expectations. They don’t show the hard work or the frozen (and injured!) fingers. They don’t show the weariness or fatigue or obsession over photographic perfection (or the complete lack of it!). They don’t show the challenging technical difficulties (the low light, the cold water, the bubbles and fish scales, the new equipment). They don’t show the people behind the scenes working their butts off so I could come home with these images (of which I am eternally grateful!). They deserve a mention, at the very least. It helps to build a more accurate picture of the whole journey. But that’s not what these images are ultimately for. I want these images to awe and inspire, not just because I want you to fall in love with these creatures and this place like I have, but I want you to know that despite the messy in between, this trip exceeded all expectations. The messy has truly begun to fade in memory. All that’s bubbled up to the top is the beauty, the magic. I hope these images portray that. Oh, and thanks for following along!

Wispy Northern Lights.

After throwing down random thoughts about this trip on paper over the weeks I’ve been home, I ultimately decided to split this blog post up into 3 parts. This is part one.

This particular blog post is an interesting one to start with. It’s more abstract than Part 2 (The Trip) and Part 3 (The Orcas). It’s my creative and emotional journey. I want to share some of my triumphs and failures from an artist’s standpoint. I want to cover the quest. The whole “artist” experience. This is how I ended up in Norway photographing Orcas. So here it goes…

Diving down into the depths of the Norwegian fjords.

“Some say the creative life is in ideas, some say it is in doing. It seems in most instances to be in a simple being. It is not virtuosity, although that is very fine in itself. It is the love of something, having so much love for something - whether a person, a word, an image, an idea, the land, or humanity - that all that can be done with the overflow is to create. It is not a matter of wanting to, not a singular act of will; one solely must.” - Women who Run with the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D.

The ocean calls me (yes, like Moana. And yes, I get misty every time I watch that movie. And yes, the call is isn’t out there, it’s inside me!) but I can’t stay there forever. I wasn’t made to be there (as one of my dive buddies puts it, the more gear you need to go somewhere, the less you were built for that environment and the less likely you were meant to be there… drysuit diving is kind of like going to space). And yet I can’t stop going. But perhaps part of its draw for me is that I can’t stay. Therefore, it keeps its magic, its mystery. And then my photographs begin to play an important role - they sustain that magic when I’m topside. It’s a piece of the mystery I can share with the world (or just my small sphere). You don’t want to go underwater? No problem, I’ll happily bring it up here to you. Then you can take it, like a small puzzle piece, and fit it into your view of the world, the universe, and your place in it. As artists we try to create images and stories that help us make sense of, or find a place for, us. And as it says above, its something we feel we must do.

A car’s headlights and taillights light up the road as they drive under an incredible green sky.

All that is well and good, but nothing goes that smoothly. We are human after all! I’m always seeking that elusive “perfect” photograph. That’s the journey part of being an artist that I didn’t quite understand when I was younger. I always thought my goals would have a destination - a point at which I could claim, “I’m successful!!” But that point is always changing, always moving (and thank God for that!). Art is inherently subjective. Even defining something as “art” is subjective. So therefore I’ve always struggled with questions like, “is this art?” or “am I really an artist or professional photographer?” The easiest answer I’ve come up with is, “yes, if you believe it.” After all, at some point, you come to the conclusion that, “I love my creative life more than I love cooperating with my own oppression.” (Women who Run with the Wolves) In other words, the “one solely must” part of living a creative life bubbles up to the top and it can’t be ignored. After all, what am I supposed to do with all this love for the ocean and its inhabitants besides capture images of them?

Beauty and grace.

So where does this all fit in with my trip, you ask? Well, about two to three years ago I started seeing some really amazing images of Orcas. And then I started dreaming about them. I’d wake up with a shit eating grin on my face! The dreams were always about being in the water with them (of course!). It took the tiniest bit of digging to find out that people ran trips to swim with Orcas. But two/three years ago I had a small baby I was still nursing. My baby needed me. We even had plans for a larger family. Risky to take a trip like this pregnant (if we were to be so blessed). Annoying to take a trip like this while nursing (ewww 9 days of pumping!). The trip was costly, etc. etc. I made a lot of excuses (valid and otherwise). Then I woke up late in the summer after another Orca dream and I turned to my husband and told him I had to go, with or without him, no matter what other small things cropped up. It was time. I needed a new creative challenge. I needed a new experience. I felt stuck. And after 3 years of focusing mostly on raising a small human, I needed space to grow myself. I felt I had to go. And bless his heart, my husband agreed. (I have the best husband ever! But we can discuss that another time…) And so I went.

I went for the experience. I went to take photographs. I went to give myself space. I went to think. I went to enjoy. I went to create. I went to learn. I came back with so much more!

I came back with new friends. I came back with new editing and photographic techniques and tips. I came back refreshed. I came back with a sense that I’m on the right path. I came back with new paths I want to discover and old paths I want to re-discover. But don’t worry, the doubt, the fear, it’s all still there… it’s just sharing it’s time in the sun now, for a brief moment anyway.

Orcas and birds feast on herring as fisherman scramble to catch the fish before they disappear.

A mother and her baby.

The incredible colors of a November sunrise above the arctic circle!

“Creativity is the unique and defining trait of our species; and its ultimate goal, self-understanding: What we are, how we came to be, and what destiny, if any, will determine our future historical trajectory. What, then, is creativity? It is the innate quest for originality. The driving force is humanity’s instinctive love of novelty - the discovery of new entities and processes, the solving of old challenges and disclosure of new ones, the aesthetic surprise of unanticipated facts and theories, the pleasure of new faces, the thrill of new worlds. We judge creativity by the magnitude of the emotional response it evokes. We follow it inward, toward the greatest depths of our shared minds, and outward, to imagine reality across the universe. Goals achieved lead to further goals, and the quest never ends.” - The Origins of Creativity, Edward O. Wilson

I think a lot about originality. Probably more than most people. I’m an identical twin. I share the same DNA as another person. Sometimes I laugh at people’s attempts at originality. Why are they trying so hard? True originality is something I have trouble grasping, for I am a copy of someone else. And then I remember science - genetics. The world, it’s ecosystems, have shaped the two of us into two different people with unique journeys. We are two different pieces in this jigsaw puzzle of the world. We fit into two unique spots. Perhaps they are side by side and barely distinguishable, but they are two different pieces nonetheless. And they are two different pieces with two different quests for novelty, discovery, and meaning. I hope you all find your quests. And I hope if you ever feel your quest has hit a dead end, that you’ll uproot yourself, no matter how frightening that may be... and find yourself on a boat in the middle of the arctic winter searching for new friends and magical creatures and space particles that cause brilliant colors to light up the sky! And if it’s not there, I hope it’s somewhere else; somewhere you’re just dying to find yourself. And don’t wait. GO. NOW.

Love always,

Carra

Circular fisheye image of the arctic sky.

A young Orca with a fleeing fish.

A mama and her baby swim close by so they can check out those crazy creatures we call “humans.”

It’s dark down there! Perhaps its that massive cloud of herring… yum!

Swirly, twirly, aurora borealis!

Doesn’t get any better than this!

That’s it for Part I folks! Stay tuned for Part II next week. Please feel free to ask any questions or leave comments below! <3

Sneak Peek - Schrader Holiday Photos!

We spent the weekend in Tahoe so we decided to head out to the mountains and take some family photos in the early morning light. There's nothing like autumn, morning, mountain light to get a photographer excited! Unfortunately the kids only lasted about a half hour before melting down but it turned out to be plenty of time to capture some cute photos. That's why I'm offering mini sessions this season! 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time for young families. 

Love these guys! <3 

Sneak Peek - Samuel's 1 year shoot!

My friend and I decided on a studio shoot for Samuel's 1 year photos. I have to say, the studio is not my strongest area. I always have all these lofty ambitions when it comes to studio lighting but when you add an active 1 year old they go right out the window! Why? Well, you set up some nice lighting for one specific spot and then they move. So, I try to light the whole scene as best I can. Luckily Samuel is the happiest little kid ever! He made this soooo easy on me. Plus, those big brown eyes and those curls are just to die for! This kid seriously can not take a bad photo! 

Tried going for a Dr. Seuss theme, but that didn't last long... I had these ideas of him standing, holding onto the chair with the Dr. Seuss animals around him... haha yeah, right! He's 1! Way to put me in my place, Samuel! How quickly this mommy forgot what it's like to have a 1 year old.  

That hair! Someone took his hat off and then tried to put it back on, resulting in the cutest hair I've ever seen! 

Just dying over this expression! 

Couldn't get him to stand holding onto the chair so Samuel's Mom suggested an activity table! Thank goodness I had one. What a lifesaver! Thanks Deanna! And can we please talk about those cute suspenders?!?! 

After he had it with the studio, we let him crawl around. He went to the back door to watch my dog, Piper. He loved her! Couldn't resist snapping a few natural light shots :) 

Those big brown eyes! 

Jianan & Stephen

These two!! Ahhh! What an incredible wedding at Byington Winery and Vineyard! I actually met these two the day they got engaged in Halfmoon Bay. They stopped me while I was hiking with my sisters and asked me if I could take a photo of them. Of course I said yes, and the rest is history! A serendipitous meeting, if ever there was one :) 

The couple said private vows to each other before the ceremony. It was beautiful! 

Moody wine cellar lighting! My favorite! 

Such a short but sweet ceremony full of love and laughter! 

Seriously, the best first dance I've ever seen! 

In the vineyard at sunset. :) 

Cocktail hour in the wine cellar! 

Eating out under the sky! What a beautiful setting! 

Walking through the vineyard once the sun set.

Despite the crazy heat, this was an awesome day! You can't help but notice how much these two love each other. Melts my heart editing these photos. They just have so much fun together and their friends and family have the most incredible love for them too. It was infectious! 

I have to give an extra big shout out to Whitney for helping me again. Especially on this one since I had just got back from Norway and was fighting some pretty rough jet lag. Couldn't have done it without you!! 

I'd also like to mention that they had some incredible vendors. If you're ever looking for any of these services for your big day, these guys come highly recommended! Great working with all of you! 

DJ -- www.thewarrenwong.com-- warren@thewarrenwong.com

Byington Winery -- http://byington.com/events/ -- bbauer@byington.com
Photobooth -- http://photobombsj.com/ -- louisxngo@gmail.com
Videography -- www.sworksdesign.com -- sworksdesign.films@gmail.com

Traveling with a Toddler: Lake George Edition

As promised (albeit a  little late), a blog post about traveling across the country with my two year old (and flying one way without the husband!) and kicking it for two weeks (solo parenting for one of those weeks) with my little dude.

Honestly, it didn't come without its challenges but I have to admit that it was one of my favorite trips so far. As you'll hopefully see from the pictures below, the kids had a fantastic time! My stained clothes and exhaustion are testament! 

A side note: No we aren't traveling all the time even though social media makes it look like that. I'm just a busy working Mom so my photos tend to go up wayyyy after because I can never find sufficient time to sort through them right away. So for reference, this trip was taken July 1-13. Ya know, a month ago now... 

Checking out the planes at the airport. iPhone photo. 

I'll be the first to admit that two is a tough age to travel with. Lee is going through an "independent" stage where he insists (sometimes super loudly) that he get his way. Along with that comes the "I'm just going to randomly run away from you" phase. So how'd the flights go? Surprisingly well. I set my expectations about as low as they could go. I've seen kids throwing tantrums for up to 30 minutes on planes before. I expected at least one if not two or three of those. Luckily, we got away without any major tantrums. I still can't believe it. In the moment, every loud protestation seemed like the end of the world to me but looking back I have to laugh at myself and say "damn, woman, you have an easy kid." 

First class luxury. This kid is unbelievably lucky and super spoiled when it comes to travel... unfortunately we spend many nights away from Daddy for this kind of status to be obtained. Thanks for the upgrades, Daddy! iPhone photo

Alright, so my mantra when I travel is "the journey cannot last forever." And insert whatever word in place of "journey" that you need to... like "tantrum." I also like to replace most of it with "he cannot stay awake forever." And while these help, they are also true. My other method of coping is giving up all "rules" I previously held at home and letting the kid get his way almost all of the time. Now, I put my foot down when it comes to respecting other people and being kind but rules on screen time and snack time do not apply when on an aircraft. He can watch as much Paw Patrol and eat whatever he wants on the airplane. Although I say he can eat whatever he wants, I really only bring his favorite healthy snacks... popcorn, cheese sticks and fruit. Lots of fruit is key, actually. I have a theory that he would be a worse kid if he didn't poop. A lot of times when traveling you can get a bit backed up. Not the case for this kid. He has a knack for pooping when we take off. Almost. Every. Single. Time. Super inconvenient for Mommy (yes, I changed his diaper on the seat in first class because storms wouldn't allow anyone to get out of their seat for most of the flight and I wasn't about to deal with the fallout from a diaper rash... plus, it stunk!). You do what you have to do. Most everyone I've ever encountered on a plane flight understands this. Oh, and bring dog poop bags. They are super handy to put dirty clothes in, if there's a blowout, or you're forced to change a diaper on a seat...

Living a life of luxury. #somuchlegroom iPhone photo

Now I'll give you just a few specifics on how the flight by myself with him went. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time so I didn't have to worry about that. Lugging our luggage and him to the counter was tough. I stuck him in his hiking backpack and lugged a roller bag, camera bag, his car seat and his diaper bag from the rental car garage to the terminal. I'm superwoman. I should have gotten a cart but I'm cheap... 

This kid wouldn't wear pants... even in first class... oh well, not worth the fight! iPhone photo

Check in and security went smoothly. My little runner didn't allow me to get coffee or food but I had a strong feeling that would be the case so I got some food on the plane. At the gate I had to give up on preventing him from climbing on the window sill (aka the vents for the terminal) so he could see the planes. After he was up there he was super happy and we made it to boarding with no major issues. Waiting in line to board was a bit of an issue. He kept running off because he wanted to go down the "jetway tunnel." Luckily people in line thought it was amusing and saved my spot while I ran after him a total of 3 times. Once on board he was content with his iPad. We have shows and movies and games for him. He has a short attention span so he flits between all three. Then he pooped as we were taking off. Changed his diaper in the seat... I was repulsed but no one else seemed to be. The first leg to Chicago was pretty short so he was happy with his iPad and snacks the whole time.  

Nap time on flight number two. iPhone photo

Transitioning to flight number two wasn't bad, behavior wise, but I had trouble keeping up with him and convincing him he couldn't ride on all the passenger carts. On top of that, there was a lot of construction equipment because of renovations that he was interested in... dragging him away tended to lead to a few loud shouts of disapproval. But we made it on the second plane and he fell asleep immediately. I got 1 hour and 20 minutes to eat lunch and re-charge. I credit a bigger seat for this. He was able to readjust mid-nap without waking up. This flight was around 4 hours. The last hour and a half he was super antsy. There were the occasional shouts of disapproval (like when I told him he couldn't crawl under the seat in front of us...) but after dozens of trips walking/running up and down the aisles, he was mostly well behaved. We arrived tired but in one piece. 

Overall, not an experience I'd jump into every day but one that is worth it for all the fun we had at the lake. Please enjoy the photos of our lake adventures below, and let me know in the comments section if you have any questions! 

Our trip overlapped with my cousin Shane and his family. Here's Lee with his cousins Logan and Parker and his second cousins Emmie and Molly! iPhone photo

Logan jumping into the lake with her Dad. 

Climbing down into the green abyss... 

Paddle boarding

Playing naked on the dock at sunset with water guns. Best 4th of July ever! 

Cousins! They love each other, I promise... 

Exactly how I'd like to spend every day. 

Big brown eyes. 

Miss Logan and her sparkler. 

Showing off his safe sparkler holding. 

Look, Daddy! 

Miss Logan's hair catching the sunset light. 

Family paddleboat ride!

Lee and the Schraders heading off into the sunset. 

Lee's little hand holding the sparkler. 

Happy Fourth of July!! Lee liked these way better than the "scary, loud" fireworks. 

Happiness is looking for frogs with Daddy. 

My boys! Sooo in love!! 

My little, big guy. 

Mr. Parkie-Man hamming it up! 

Reading stories from little Echo Bay library box with the neighborhood kids. 

Uh... 

The perils of carrying a two year old on your shoulders.. 

Awwwwww

Matt took my camera so I could be in a few photos. The kids decided to take a break in the middle of the road. Thank goodness there aren't many cars...

Miss Logan cracking us up! 

"Carry me, Mama!" OK! I won't be able to do it long! 

This girl is trouble! Clever, strong, beautiful and kind. And her hair!

Garden spider

These were weeds growing next to our driveway. 

Sailing with Daddy

Parker! 

Suns out, tongues out?

Handsome little Parkie Man

That face! Ah! Love it!

Playing with grandpa!

There's a slight resemblence to Lee at that age... don't ya think?

Ha!

Indoor volleyball. 

Trying to shoot the water in his mouth...

Enjoying the view at our campsite

:)

Right to the face!

That's a serious s'amore face!

Grandpa snuggles!

Kisses from Mommy!

A happy evening on the dock!

Fading light. 

Rising Moon. 

Back to the frog pond! (something we did almost every day)

Finally got the nerve up to touch the frog and it natrually jumped away from him...

Ducking under fences. 

When I photograph kids I always try to get down on their level. After a few minutes at the frog pond I had fallen into the pond up to mid-calf and both knees were muddy. Worth it. I love these photos! The higher angle photos work best for me when the kids are looking up. For me, it gives the image a hopeful feeling - looking to the future! 

As a photographer, I'm always chasing light and story. Both seem to allude me. It's like chasing down my two year old... always one step behind and when I catch up, it's a fight. Worth every second. The learning curve both as a photographer and a parent (albeit on different levels) is super steep. Keep climbing, parents and artists! There's got to be a fair number of great views on the way to the top! :) 

Hair blowing in the wind. 

Nap time on the boat. 

Our beloved Echo Bay, where I (arguably) became the person I am today thanks to many adventures and awesome friends and family. 

We got back from a trip to Hagerman Lake in Michigan a week ago now. I'll try to get a post up about that before I leave for Norway on Friday. Follow me on Instagram if you want to see some photos from both those trips before I get the blog posts up! I'm going kid free for this one and I'll be battling some rain on some pretty remote islands. Should be interesting... might get a lot of interesting shots or maybe none at all. We shall see! 

Lake George: Underwater

I challenged myself to take underwater photos while on my trip to Lake George, NY this year. In some ways I was successful and in many other ways, I struggled. I'll, of course, explain below... 

The edges of an abandoned beaver lodge in Paradise Bay. 

I am completely in love with underwater photography. I've done so little of it but I'm totally obsessed. The draw for me is that there are so few people on this earth that even know what it looks like under the surface of most bodies of water. In fact the ocean is truly the last frontier on earth. It's beautiful and scary and surreal. It's like a whole other planet exists right under our noses and we barely notice.

The draw for me to take photos under the surface of Lake George is multifaceted. One, I LOVE Lake George. It's possibly my favorite lake on this planet. I grew up there in the summers. I know the surface of it like the back of my hand. I can close my eyes and tell you where every buoy on the lake from the village up through the narrows is. As a kid (and still as an adult) I love to dive down deep and open my eyes (with or without a mask) and just listen to the underwater sounds and watch the light dance. It's truly the most peaceful and strangely turbulent world I've ever had the privileged of falling in love with. I did a little research and found very few underwater photographs of the lake. Knowing that on good days the visibility is about 30 feet, I figured I'd take a stab at photographing it. I rented a Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens and brought it along. My previous underwater photography adventures included a 50mm macro lens. I wanted to try something new and see if I could master underwater landscapes. As you'll see, it didn't come without challenges (even 30ft of visibility is hard to get sharp wide angle images). But despite it's challenges, I had a blast! 

This stick had fallen in our swim area. I was going to pull it out but after observing it underwater I noticed it had been there for a while. So I let it be. 

So while I botched this one (soft focus on the log) this image is exactly what I think of when I think of the bottom of Lake George. It's a very common scene in shallow bays. 

Lily pads growing in our swim area next to the dock. 

More lily pads. 

Nesting bluegill 

One dedicated Mama! 

Please don't feed the wildlife! These ducks are so used to being fed by humans they came right up to me when my husband threw grass into the water in front of me. I appreciate the interesting photo op but I'd rather these ducks not get so used to being fed! 

Ducks on top, fish underneath. 

Fallen leaves in Paradise Bay

More images of the abandoned beaver lodge, now home to fish and algea! 

One of my favorite images from a framing standpoint but once again I botched the focus! Grrrr! 

From a little further back... focus is much better on this one. 

Beavers sure are hard workers 

Crazy reflections

Drifting weeds

OK, so here's where I tried to capture the dancing light underwater. Paradise bay is quite deep. I asked my twin sister to dive down while I took some photos. With our kids losing their shit on the boat, we had very little time for this. But I captured a couple neat photos. I suppose I'll always be chasing that perfect underwater photo - the one that captures all the wonderment and peace I experience when I dive down deep in this beautiful and clear lake. So, screaming kids or no, I'll be attempting many versions of these photos in the future. 

Mermaid Bri watching the dancing light. So close to what I was hoping to capture, but not quite there yet! 

Halo of bubbles

So this is the part where I talk about all my failures and fears. Boy are there A LOT! They all led to some valuable lessons but I really could have done without them... 

First off, like most people, I think that all successful photographers and successful creatives of all types have no fears. They are successful, why would they doubt themselves? Only people like me doubt themselves. Well, I'm 31 now and I realize what a bunch of bullshit that is. We are all afraid. I am afraid all the time. Especially when it comes to my work. I don't want to fail. Failure blows. I'm scared of it all the time! It's stopped me in my tracks. It's terrible. It causes endless procrastination. That fear and self-doubt is the number one reason I seem lazy and the only reason I have not reached the goals I've set for myself. And even being aware of this, I still can't always face the fear and keep working. Because, shit, it's hard to believe in yourself when the judgement of your work is soooo subjective. The only thing that keeps me going is the work itself. When I can manage to drag my butt off the couch and go out and shoot, I lose myself in it. I mean my husband had to drag me out of the water on numerous occasions to remind me that my other slightly more important job of being a mother, needed to be tended to. I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that when it comes to photography, if you don't love the journey you're never going to survive. Why? Because there really isn't a destination. It's a fluid medium. There's no point at which you're going to say, "I've made it. I don't need to learn or create anymore images." That's just ridiculous. So for me, I realized I DO love the journey. So much so that I'm willing to battle the fear almost every day. Sometimes its an easy battle, but most days it's really f'ing hard. 

Now that we've gotten the fear part out of the way, let's talk about my failures on this trip! The biggest thing was thinking things would be easier than they ended up being. I underestimated the challenges of shooting wide angle with only 30 ft. of visibility. While it's doable, it's not easy to get sharp images. I also did a good job of mucking up the water for myself. Especially if I was hovering in the same spot for a while trying to get the nesting fish. Second, I was staying relatively close to the surface to use ambient light which worked sometimes and not other times. Third, I saw a very inspiring photo by adventure photographer Emily Polar that I wanted to try to recreate for a self portrait and I figured it would be cake! Turns out making a normal face while holding your breath is really, really hard. (See below images... I pretty much gave up). And last but not least, my biggest regret and hardest lesson learned... I spent an extra week at the lake with just my son while my husband flew back to work. Because I didn't want to truck a ton of bags and a 2 year old through the airport on my own, I sent him back with my underwater gear. UGH! Total mistake. The day he left this huge mama bass and her school of babies came into our swim area and stayed there ALL DAY LONG. Without my gear I tried using my ancient GoPro to capture them but as you'll see below, it failed miserably. I was grumpy about it most of the rest of the trip. So lesson learned. Suck it up and keep my equipment around. I'll always hate myself if I keep letting opportunities go by because I'm afraid of a little discomfort. 

This was the best self portrait I could manage... I still look like I'm drowning but it's not as bad the rest of them... 

This one is definitely a winner... 

Yup, I look constipated. 

There are worse... I know it's hard to believe... 

There she is. Those dots all around her are her babies! Ahhhhhhh! My husband asked me a million times if I was sure I wanted him to take my equipment back with him... and I said yes.... 

:( 

AHHHHH :(

They were there... ALL... DAY... LONG... even after it started to rain.... 

So many that could have been soooo awesome... 

So many great shots... 

So much regret... so very, very painful... 

That concludes the underwater portion of my two week trip to Lake George. Next week stay tuned for the kid travel portion. I'll go over flying by myself with a two year old (yikes!) and what it's like to photograph with toddlers around and, of course, some really awesome photos I took of the kiddo and his cousins. 

In conclusion, I just want to mention that I recently watched Chasing Coral on Netflix. I cried through most of it. Please watch it. After this blog post you have to know that I love the water. Watching the oceans die is really emotional for me. I always find myself wondering what the oceans looked like 30 years ago. Especially since I've noticed the coral bleaching and dying on dives I've taken in Hawaii. It's heartbreaking. I'd like to share this underwater world with my kid someday. We need to protect it. That's all! Enjoy your week and let me know if you have any questions or want to share your own fears and failures in the comments below! 

Darren & Arielle: A Shasta Lake Wedding

The long awaited sneak peek is finally here! This wedding took place at Tsadsi Resort on Lake Shasta. In all my almost 10 years living in California, I've never seen Lake Shasta full! But this year we got lucky with all the rain. It was just gorgeous there! There's nothing like hanging out on the lake. Despite the cold water there were some brave souls wakesurfing (including the groom a few hours before the wedding)! What a killer way to kick off the summer! 

Beautiful bouquet! 

Getting ready and sharing happy memories with Mom and sister! 

The dress!!

So much love and laughter in this group! 

Buttoning up! 

The bride!

Smelling the flowers! 

First look time! 

:)

In the woods. 

Serious time.

Wouldn't be a trip the lake without a topless Darren! 

Arielle enjoying the view ;) 

No better place to be than on the dock on a beautiful day sharing a group hug with your girls! 

Go team!

Badass.

Wonder Women! 

The guys. 

Guys that pee together.... not sure how that saying goes... 

Blue Steel

The guys and the gals! 

"Give me your best fake laugh!" 

The boys out on the boat. 

Enjoying the ride!

Picture in front of the bridge? Why not!

Kisses for Mom. 

A reading. 

Married! 

Now for some details... 

Table details! 

The cake! 

The rings! 

The lake! 

Sunset cruise with the couple after the wedding: 

I want to thank Whitney Justesen for helping me out and being my second shooter! While none of these shots on the blog came from her, you can check out her instagram and see some of what she captured! She's amazingly talented and super patient! Thanks again Whitney! 

Happy World Oceans Day!

In honor of World Oceans Day I decided to revisit some of my "rejected" underwater images from last year's dive trip in Kona, Hawaii. While you take the time to enjoy these images, please consider supporting efforts to clean up and protect our oceans! Organizations like @sealegacy and @lonelywhale work to educate and inspire the world to protect our oceans. Please consider checking them out and donating if you can (click on the links... seriously... they're right there... no Googling necessary, I did the work for you)! 

I LOVE diving and being the in the water, so the saddest part of this dive trip was seeing the increased coral bleaching. We had visited Maui the year before and barely noticed the bleaching. The difference in one year was astounding. After talking to our dive guides we discovered that the year over year difference is huge but the most alarming thing is the difference they see in just mere months. And the pace is only picking up! Please help protect these beautiful animals. If you don't want to do it for them, then do it for me! I'd love to keep diving and snapping pictures of healthy reef systems around the world ;) 

Manta Ray in black and white. The lights placed on the sea floor attract plankton at night. Then the Mantas come and feed on the plankton. This Manta has a mangled cephalic fin, likely due to getting caught in fishing line. We were told he/she will likely lose the fin. One of the greatest threats to Mantas is over fishing. Please consider consuming seafood from responsible and sustainable sources.  

Spotted eel on the move. 

Swimming away from me... typical. 

This Lipstick Tang was particularly friendly... actually let me snap a few decent shots. 

I can't describe how majestic and humbling it is to watch a Manta Ray soaring over your head. 

Pyramid Butterfly Fish

When shooting Mantas with a 50mm lens... Anyway, the markings on the belly of a Manta help identify them since no two Mantas have the same markings. There's a data base for the Mantas spotted off Kona but I'll admit I've been too lazy to look this one up... 

Ok, so this was taken in the pool... but its cute! Let's protect our oceans so our kids can enjoy them for years to come! 

And now back to your regular scheduled programming... wedding sneak peek next week followed by New Zealand Day 2! 

New Zealand Day 1

Day 1. So we flew into Christchurch, arriving around lunch time. We decided to then immediately drive to Queenstown and take in a few sights along the way. In hindsight, not the greatest plan since a long road trip after 12 hours of flying is a bit rough on an almost two year old... but the drive was incredible! We weren't able to take our eyes off the scenery and we instantly fell in love with this country! Below are a few photos I quickly snapped along the road. 

Church of the Good Shepard on the shores of Lake Tekapo. 

The incredible blue waters of Lake Tekapo. 

Church of the Good Shepard. It was hard to get a photo without a ton of tourists in it... tried my best! 

We arrived at the very beginning of fall. Here are a few fading lupine stalks blowing in the wind. 

Again, trying to avoid strangers in my photos. So I got down on the ground! 

Can't avoid everyone... but at least that guy provides a sense of scale! 

We were passing Lake Pukaki pretty close to sunset. With the snowy peaks in the background, I was very excited to get out and photograph. Unfortunately, Lee woke up from what was supposed to be the beginning of his night time sleep and was screaming bloody murder. So all I got was the above and below hastily composed and shot images. I wish I could have gotten more because the drive along this lake was nothing short of spectacular! But my kid's comfort definitely means more to me. So off we zoomed and the kid fell back asleep (for another hour or so...)! 

Does anyone know if that's Mount Cook in the center? I figured it was but I'm no expert... 

I know I've sort of dropped off the map, lately. I've been pretty silent on the blog and social media. But please stay tuned for a blog post about Day 2, hopefully next week! I'm so excited to share all the details of our trip and hopefully inspire you parents to drag your little ones along on all your adventures! 

In the meantime, also look out for my next blog post about the incredible wedding of two of my favorite people! I was so lucky to be their photographer and capture their special day! Staying true my my incredible procrastination roots, I shot the wedding back in April and STILL haven't posted a sneak peek! It's forthcoming, I promise! Thanks for sticking with me, folks! 

Enjoy your week!

2012 Lake Powell Time Lapse

Check out a really old time lapse I did of the night sky at Lake Powell back in 2012!

I've been organizing our server and clearing out space on my hard drives to improve Lightroom's performance. I came across this time lapse that I never finished back in 2012. I had shot it and created the video but never graded it. Why, you say? Because back then I shot my images really, really flat with no saturation (see the straight out of the camera image below). The idea was that I would have more room to color grade it exactly the way I wanted it. Which is true. But it's super time consuming! So I never finished... until now! And even now it's not the exact way I envisioned it. But I've learned a valuable lesson... yes, shooting flat gives you more control over the final image but, to use a very famous quote, "AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!" While certain projects in the future may require more precise color grading, I do not use this method anymore. I like the images to come out of my camera a little closer to a final product. Saves me time, even if I have to deal with a little frustration over the final image. After all, time is money! 

I hope to do some more time lapse photography since I haven't done any since this! Maybe this summer I'll find some time... :) 

Unedited image from time lapse

Sneak Peek: Riley's First Birthday Shoot!

I can't believe Riley is almost one! She is such a joy! Boy was this a fun and laid back shoot! I wish more families would do morning shoots. Riley was in an incredibly good mood and the spring light just rising up over the hills in Alamo was incredible! Can't beat the green hills, either! 

So while the Yahrs were totally on top of it, I unfortunately was not... forgot the picnic blanket (Bri saved me on that one!) and messed up my battery system so I thought I had 2 charged batteries when I really had a fully charged battery and a half charged battery... And for some weird reason I used the half charged one first and had to run to my car and change it out halfway through...Thankfully Justin and Megan were awesome enough to put up with my scatter brain! :) 

Happy Birthday Riley!! 

That smile!! :) 

Those blue eyes!! 

Absolutely in love with Megan's hair. I know this is about Riley, but I'm obsessed with the color! 

Daddy's little girl. 

Love these moments! 

My favorite couple moment is always right before a kiss. I sort of botched this one (too low of a shutter speed) but I still love this photo! So much love! 

Loved this dress! Wishing I had a little girl right about now ;) 

Traveling with a Toddler: New Zealand Edition

If you have small children and you love to travel, just do it! I know it seems scary but it's never, ever as bad as you think it will be. Plus, you get all these amazing pictures of your kid having a great time and discovering new things. Look, I know I'm biased and partial to my own kid, but you have to admit, the pictures below show some really great memories! And if you're thinking, "well he won't remember it, he's too young!" that's probably true but he'll always have these pictures that you can revisit and talk to him about. We've even been back for two weeks now and I'm still hearing "go to Queenstown, Mommy?" "Go to Christchurch, Mommy?" "Sheep haircut, Mommy?" "Helicopter, Mommy?" "Go on airplane again, Mommy?" When I tell him we'll take another airplane trip to Lake George in the summer he goes "Airplane again this summer, Mommy?" Seriously, you may dread a long flight but if your kid is anything like my kid, he loves the plane and I secretly suspect it was his favorite part of the trip. Below I'll explain why! 

I suspect most of you want to know about the flight, more than anything. I know it was my biggest nightmare before we left. Turns out I way over-prepared for it and really didn't need as much as I brought. Lee had a backpack for his diapers, extra clothes (at least 2 pairs... between food stains and potential blowouts, you'll use them!), and toys. (Backpack pictured above on Matt). We wanted to keep it to just one carry-on, which we did. But it was majorly heavy so if I had to do it again, I'd leave a few things at home. 

Throwing rocks with Grandma into a stream while waiting on our lunch in Wanaka. Any time there was an opportunity to throw rocks in a body of water, we made sure to stop and do it! 

I bought a bunch of new books and a few new toys for the flight. The books were good but in reality I only needed the thin, light ones I bought (set of 5, 3 of which are pictured below). I could have left the thick cardboard books at home although when he was smaller he loved the lift the flap ones. I also bought a ton of sticker books but the biggest hit was the airplane sticker book (pictured below). It was relevant to what we were doing, had stickers, and he even asked for it as a bedtime story! It's still his favorite now that we're home! As far as toys go, I bought him some small trucks (set of 6, a few pictured below), something I noticed that he really liked at his cousin's house. I also added 2 paw patrol pups since that's his current favorite show. I did not let him play with or even see these before we left. So once he started getting cranky I could pull out the new stuff and he'd be thrilled! Worked quite well. I also brought along the mess free coloring books and markers (pictured below). This wasn't as big a hit since he's used them before but it gave him something different to do when he wasn't feeling anything else. For the next flight, these will probably be all the toys and books I'll bring. 

Lee's favorite things for the plane ride! 

Ok, so now you're probably thinking there's no way my 1-2 year old would be occupied for 12 1/2 hours with just that! And I'd say, yes, you're right. Our other go-to was the iPad. Not only did we find some really great age-appropriate games that he loved but we downloaded Moana and every time we needed him to sleep we'd let him watch it and he'd nod off.  A word of caution, though. Lee was watching the iPad on a windy road in the car and he puked everywhere! He gets slightly car sick on really windy roads when reading or watching a screen (something we discovered when we went to Mammoth last year) so we should have kept the iPad out of his hands in the car but we didn't... lesson learned... again! After that we'd rotate who sat in the back to entertain him. Before we left we also started playing "I Spy" with him on our walks. Since it was something he was familiar with we could sometimes distract him with this game in the car. The other car game he loved the most? Taking off his socks and throwing them at Grandma like he was playing baseball. She'd throw them back and he was entertained for a crazy amount of time! Amazing what simple things can keep a kid occupied!

Another tip for the plane: let your kids walk the aisles as much as they want (when it's safe). Rotate parents (and hopefully grandparents) if you have them. If the kid is happy, no one will care that he's running up and down the aisles! In fact, Lee gets a lot of high-fives and we get to talk to a lot of new people. 

Finally, my last piece of advice for the plane would be SNACKS! Bring lots and bring favorites. I wasn't about to argue with him about eating vegetables but I did pack lots of fresh fruit. I wanted to make sure he had the fiber, to avoid tummy troubles, but it also had to be something I wouldn't have to force into him. Keep in mind they will confiscate any fresh fruit that's left over when you arrive, but that wasn't a big deal for us. We just wanted to make sure he had more than enough for the plane. 

Discovering new critters in the grass on our hike. 

So, you must be wondering how the flights actually went. Well, the flights were the easy part! Lee had only 2 major meltdowns. One could have been avoided with better planning and the other one was completely out of our hands. 

Lee slept 7 1/2 hours on the first flight and woke up relatively happy. He napped the whole 2 hours on the connecting flight and was in good spirits. Not his usual amount of sleep but enough to keep him from falling apart. He was pretty uncomfortable sleeping on our laps (and so were we!) on the plane so if you have the budget I'd recommend getting your little one a seat of his/her own and bringing along their car seat. I bet Lee would have slept more soundly. But I totally understand that travel is crazy expensive so not paying for a seat is ideal. Lee still slept pretty good, so I can't complain. His first meltdown came during the last hour of our 5 1/2 hour car trip directly after we landed. We had decided to land in Christchurch and immediately drive to Queenstown. He slept a few hours in the car but couldn't get comfortable the last hour. I felt horrible for him. With better planning we could have flown into Queenstown and avoided the meltdown. But we also got to see some pretty epic scenery driving (although that's not much of consolation for a mother thinking she's horrible for putting her kid through all this just so she could see the world and not leave her kid behind to do so!).  

Secret to a smooth trip around the world: grandparents! (Other friends or family will also work... just someone else to distract your kid makes a world of difference and allows you to take a breather every once in a while!)

And now the time change... we are lucky on the West Coast because the time difference is only 3 hours. This amount of time is not that big of a deal to adjust to. We got a little screwed on the way back because Daylight Saving Time made the difference 4 hours but it wasn't too bad. My philosophy with the time differences is: let the kids sleep whenever they want, including little cat naps. They will slowly adjust on their own and if they sleep when they're tired you can avoid meltdowns and tantrums. I've found that Lee wanted to be awake when it was light out and asleep when it was dark. In fact he slept through the night every night (I couldn't believe it!). He didn't sleep his normal 10-11 hours, though. It was more like 9-91/2 but with all the distractions during the day it didn't make a difference in his temperament. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it! I would suggest that if you're having them sleep in the car or strollers almost every day, take a day every three days or so and let them sleep at the hotel or rental to get some good quality sleep. You'll know when they're hitting their limit of so-so naps and they really need a good one. 

Hiking with Daddy. 

That brings me to accommodations. Get an Airbnb or a VRBO. It's been such a lifesaver for us when we travel. We've been able to afford places with a separate room for Lee (which we could not afford if we stayed at a hotel) and they usually include a kitchen and some even have washers and dryers! Not eating out every meal made it much easier to avoid public meltdowns. Especially at the end of the day when we pushed him too hard. It's a lot easier to let your over-tired kid run around a rented apartment while eating dinner than forcing him to sit still and eat at a restaurant. It's also cheaper to make a grocery store run and eat in every once in a while, especially since your group is much larger now that you have a kid or two! 

View of Queenstown at sunrise from our Airbnb rental! Epic 3 bedroom for an insanely reasonable price. 

Now you're probably wondering about the unavoidable meltdown. That came in the customs line when we returned to the U.S. Lee didn't sleep great on the return flight so he was tired. He kept it together on the plane and was a little angel. Once we got off he naturally wanted to run around. Unlike other countries you are shepherded immediately into the customs and immigration lines after exiting the plane (no time to let off steam or even go to the bathroom). So we had to contain our overly tired toddler. Not good. The other problem? You aren't allowed to use electronic devices in line... so that meant, no iPad. The last problem? There were only 3 customs officers for 2 international flights! We waited in line for almost an hour before a customs officer let us go ahead because of our screaming child. We endured screaming, hitting and kicking for a good 45 minutes. So, be prepared. There are just some times when a public tantrum is unavoidable. In this instance, everyone felt the way Lee was acting and no one gave us dirty looks... just sympathy looks. Everyone was pissed. So I found some solace in that fact! 

Checking out the jet boat while heading around Lake Wanaka on the Outlet track. A super simple walk with ample opportunities for rock throwing (just watch out for mountain bikers!).  

Another little tidbit. We've traveled to a lot of places with high altitudes. If you're staying somewhere at a higher altitude than your kid is used to and you can't figure out why your kid isn't sleeping, try a humidifier or turn on the shower for a few minutes. We found the dryness of the higher altitudes kept Lee up because he was uncomfortable. Took us 2 sleepless nights in Mammoth last year to realize this! Don't make the same mistake we did! 

Last but not least, you know your kid better than anyone! You know their limits and, even if you're in denial about them like I am, you know your own. Listen to your instincts. You've got this! 

Now onto our adventures! Enough words, already, c'mon Carra! 

Sticks and rocks, the only toys you need out here!

Getting close to the camera.

My hiking buddy. 

Stopping to smell the flowers. 

Tree climbing and peek-a-boo. 

Found a hollow tree! 

Piggy back rides from Grandma! 

Heading out across Lake Manapouri on our way to Doubtful Sound. About that pacifier... anything that brings comfort to your kid, bring it and give it to them without restrictions. You want your kid to be able to soothe himself/herself whenever possible. Even if that means you have to get looks about your 2 year old still being attached to his pacifier. Rather that than the public meltdown! 

Sitting with Grandpa in the Captain's seat. 

Mommy checking in from the top deck. 

Chilly but beautiful ride across Lake Manapouri. 

Checking out the view of Doubtful Sound with Grandpa. No smiles here, but still having a good time! 

Enjoying the view from the boat in Doubtful Sound. 

"Ok, Mom. Enough pictures already."

Attempting nap time with Daddy on the boat. It failed. Fell asleep on the bus ride back over the pass to Manapouri. Late nap but still worked out. 

Helicopter ride! Lee was so excited about his headphones! 

Landing in Mildford Sound. Couldn't have been a more stunning helicopter ride! 

Boat ride in Milford Sound. Lots of boat rides on this trip since hiking and kayaking weren't that realistic with a toddler. But it's a great way to see lots of things in New Zealand! 

Inside the boat, enjoying the view and a little lunch. 

Helicopter ride back from Milford Sound. Detour stop on top of a glacier overlooking the Tasman sea. 

Nap time was a no-go on the boat so Lee fell asleep as soon as the helicopter took off again. Slept through the glacier landing and got a solid nap on the way back. Missed a lot of sights but we've got the pictures to show him! 

Hiking out to the Blue Pools with Grandma in tow. 

Crossing the bridge to the blue pools. 

Checking out the blue pools from up above. 

Throwing rocks into the blue pools. Seriously, Lee's favorite activity. 

No smiles for Mama... 

Kicking over a rock tower. 

Rebuilding the rock tower. 

Back to the car on Daddy's back! Couldn't survive any of these outdoor adventures without our Deuter Air Comfort backpack! 

On our way to Christchurch from Queenstown we took the detour up the west coast. Stopped for lunch at a salmon farm in the middle of nowhere. Spent $1 on fish food so Lee could feed the fish. Best $1 ever spent! 

My goofball! 

On the jungle trail out to a viewpoint of Fox Glacier. 

Made it to Hokitika for the sunset and some fish and chips. Lee's contimplating life in this one. 

Pohatu Penguin Safari. Stopped along the way to take a picture with a view of Akarora on the Banks Penninsula. 

A little higher up. 

Feeding some pet sheep at the Flea Bay farm where the penguin sanctuary is. 

Surrounded by sheep! 

Penguins? Sheep? No, I'm just interested in the garden cat, Mom! 

Back out to the Banks Peninsula the next day for a sheep shearing and dog herding demonstration! 

Can't visit New Zealand without going to a sheep farm. 

Look, Mom, the sheep got a haircut! 

The farm had a little sheep bike. A huge hit with Lee! 

For more on the specifics of our adventures, stay tuned for the next few blog posts. Please leave any comments or questions if you've got some! Happy to share my experiences and advice! Good luck to you all and may you have safe and happy travels! 

New Territory: Product Photography!

I ventured into new territory recently! A client who I did family portraits for last year has her own Fair Trade earring business and she asked me to do some product photography for her site and her social media accounts. I thought, why not? Below is a small sample of the shots I took. Check out her site for more photos and, of course, to order these beautiful earrings! http://www.skyeandgrace.com/ And to see more of my photos and to stay up to date on any sales, check out Skye and Grace on Instagram. @skyeandgrace 

Working with different backgrounds for some of their social media accounts. Check this one out on Instagram! @skyeandgrace

Getting the perfect white background while still maintaining shadow detail for a website is a bit of a challenge... I watched 3 different tutorials before finding the method that worked best for me! 

Working with colors and different backgrounds! 

Putting the earrings in context! 

I also took a crack at studio portraits for social media marketing. What a ton of fun this shoot was! 

Stay tuned for more studio portraits! I will be taking a crack at a studio newborn shoot this weekend. Hopefully I can soon offer that as a regular service!

Also heading to New Zealand at the end of next week. For those of you missing my landscape, wildlife and underwater photography, stay tuned for some epic shots next month! Super stoked! 

I'd love to hear what you guys think so far and what you'd like to see more of! Leave me a comment on this post or head on over to my contact page and give me a shout out! Thanks!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! A special shout out to my wonderful family. Love you all so much! 

Two of my three valentines. Piper and Lee. Image taken back in December. 

And Happy Belated Birthday to my third valentine ;) 

A Los Gatos Family Shoot

Right before New Years I met up with an old friend and her boys to take some photos. I met these guys 8 years ago when they were kids. Now they are practically adults! It's hard to believe! I had such a great time. And boy, what a different experience it is photographing grown ups! Thanks for asking me to be your photographer, Shirley! 

A Muir Woods Wedding

What a unique and wonderful wedding this was! Beautifully executed in just two weeks, this wedding took place in Muir Woods at dusk on the Winter Solstice with just a few guests as witnesses. The fading light proved to be a bit of a photographic challenge for me but resulted in truly unique and beautiful images! Thank you to the newlyweds for including me! 

Almost got swept away! Picture on Muir Beach. Incredible sunset that evening.