Morning Light

The California Photo Festival was a fantastic experience! It inspired and encouraged me to do things with my photography that I'd never done before....like get up at four in the morning to hike up a mountain to capture the sunrise.  If you know me you probably know that:

1. I'm not a morning person
2. I'm not a hiker

And yet I found myself climbing to the top of Black Hill by flashlight, with my camera backpack loaded up and my tripod in hand. Yes, I even shocked myself!

Here are a couple of my favorites from that morning:

Sleepy Morro Bay

Sunrise on Black Hill

What I learned:

1. I CAN get up early AND enjoy it
2. Morning light is SPECTACULAR

One more for the wish list...

There are so many things on my photography wish list. One of the smaller, less expensive items on my list is the Black Rapid R strap, specifically the RS-W1 model made specifically for women.  Everyone I've talked to who has one absolutely raves about it!

Today I stumbled across a blog post from Zenfolio, the company that hosts my photography website, and they are giving away a Black Rapid strap!!

For more info on entering the contest so you can have a chance at winning a Black Rapid strap visit: http://forums.zenfolio.com/blogs/blog/archive/2011/10/13/win-a-blackrapid-strap.aspx

If you have been considering building your own photography website, consider Zenfolio! They are AMAZING! I even have coupon codes for 10% off of your subscription. Leave a comment with your email address and I will send you a referral code!

Sunrise in the Vineyards

Just another quick Photo Fest post...I had to share a shot from this morning.  We did a sunrise shoot at Red Soles Winery near Paso Robles this morning and the sky and clouds were spectacular!

California Photo Festival 2011

This week my mom & I are participating in the California Photo Festival in San Luis Obispo. It has been AMAZING! I don't have time to do a long post right now, but I just wanted to quickly share one of the photos I've taken this week.

Sunset at Cayucos Pier

More to come in the next few days!

Worldwide Photo Walk 2011

Last weekend I participated in Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk! I had a blast and hope to be a part of this event every year.  Last year I led a walk in Sicily. Although I would have had fun leading a walk this year my schedule was too erratic to commit as a leader, but I'm glad I still got to participate!

The walk I attended this year was held in Balboa Park, one of my favorite places in San Diego to shoot. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring and even found a few things I had missed in the past!  It is such an amazing park!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the Photo Walk:

This one is my favorite!

I love the colors & reflections!

Missing Tiles - The inside of a fountain that has seen better days

I love this shot, too! The metalwork, rust, texture :)

Just for fun! Looking up at a lamp on the side of a building

If you are interested in participating in the Worldwide Photo Walk please visit http://www.worldwidephotowalk.com. You don't have to be a pro - just dust off your camera and pull out your walking shoes and be prepared to meet all sorts of interesting people!

Photo Tile Coasters

Recently I've been testing new ways to display my photography - combining my love of pictures with my passion for crafting to create something unique.

Photo Tile Coasters - This photo was taken at the Gambino Winery in Sicily and the ceramic tiles are made in Italy

What do you think? I love how the texture of the tile shows through the image and adds a new dimension to the photograph. I am in the process of creating three new Photo Tile Coaster sets with themes of Paris, Venice, and Wine and can't wait to see how they turn out!

Anything but Normal

I live in the neighborhood of Normal Heights. I'm often asked what makes it "normal" - I  laugh and say that my neighborhood, full of artists and a diverse range of cultures, is anything but normal.

I did a bit of research this morning to find out where my neighborhood got its name.  According to Wikipedia:

The "Normal" part of "Normal Heights" refers to the State Normal School, which is the predecessor to San Diego State University (formerly located in nearby University Heights). A normal school was a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose was to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name.

Last weekend my not-so-normal neighborhood hosted the Adams Avenue Street Fair with over 70 live music acts on six stages. Adams Avenue was blocked off for several blocks for this huge event.

This week's Photo of the Week (hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography) is from last weekend's Street Fair.

For the Love of the Music

I love the expressions that I captured on the faces of these musicians - they love the music and are having a blast!

Here are a few other shots from that day:

I was fortunate to be able to walk to this awesome festival from my house! I heard some great music, took a few pictures, and enjoyed a lot of people watching. You never know what you'll find in "Normal" Heights!

Birthday Fun in Julian

Up in the hills, not far from San Diego, is the charming town of Julian - famous for their apples and apple pie.  My awesome hubbie took me there for my birthday - after a delicious lunch at The Rongbranch Restaurant (the Pulled Pork was YUMMY!) we explored the cute town, cameras in hand.

This week's Photo of the Week (hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography) is from my Julian collection.

The Old Well

Although it was a warm day (mid 80's) the signs of fall were creeping in - a few leaves turning shades of yellow, a nice breeze...

We never got around to having a slice of Apple Pie on my birthday. We were way too full from lunch! Next time - hopefully soon, I will have that pie with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream!

I had a fantastic birthday! A big thank you to my husband who made sure I felt loved and taken care of and to all of my friends around the world who took a moment out of their day to wish me a Happy Birthday! It was a great way to start off a new year of life and I can't wait to see what is in store for me.  So far, its been great!

On Location

Next week I will be doing a family portrait shoot for a good friend and her lovely family. Its been a while since I've done portraits so I'm really looking forward to this shoot! My friend wants to have the photos done near Otay Lakes so I took a drive out there this afternoon to see what I'd be working with.

Isn't it gorgeous? I'm really looking forward to using this location as my backdrop!

I can't wait!

I'm so ready for fall! I've been telling myself that I need to wait until October to start decorating my house for fall, but I just can't wait!

A few weeks ago I came across an idea for an adorable project on The Swell Life for Candy Corn Vases so I bought my supplies and made my own version this past weekend.  I absolutely LOVE them and couldn't wait until October to put them on display.

It didn't help that on Monday I went to Trader Joe's and found pumpkins - big ones, little ones, mini ones!  The mini ones are oh so cute and go great with my Candy Corn Vases.

Yep, I'm definitely ready for Fall!

Sweet Simplicity

For this week's Photo of the Week (hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography) I bring you a single stem of Lavender.

Sweet Simplicity in a Single Stem

Lavender from my garden, sitting in a window sill, catching the soft afternoon light. I had a bit of Photoshop fun with this image using OnOne's PhotoFrame to apply the texture and flourish. 

Have a beautiful weekend!

9/11/01 - Never Forget

This collection of photos was taken in August, 2002; just 11 months after our country was attacked.

Winter Garden at the World Financial Center (Notice the cranes inside making repairs)

The wounds of 9/11 were still fresh - streets were lined with objects remembering those who were lost.

Never forget!

I will never forget where I was, 10 years ago. At home, getting ready for work, watching the news - seeing the towers come down.  The fear, not knowing what to do. I went to work, but my building was soon evacuated since we were next door to a Federal building. I grabbed everything important to my company and headed home and waited to see what would come next.

In the days that followed there was a deep sadness for those who were lost and those who gave their  lives to save others, but I will also never forget how American people came together in a way I'd never before witnessed. Political views, races, income levels, etc. didn't matter so much anymore. We were all AMERICAN!

Never forget those who gave their lives for others and for our freedom.

Never forget those who were senselessly killed on September 11, 2001.

Never forget that we are a people united under one flag.

Never forget that we are American!

In the Edna Valley

I was lucky to grow up somewhere as beautiful as the Edna Valley, just south of San Luis Obispo, CA - and I'm luckier still that my parents still live there! Last weekend I went up to SLO for a bit of work and play and took a little some time to wander around the Old Edna Townsite - an area that has been charmingly restored to include a deli, wine tasting room, bed and breakfast, and all sorts of antiques whimsically decorating the property.

Photo of the Week (as hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography) is taking a break from the regular series, but I'm not! This week's photo is one of my favorites from my exploration of Old Edna.

In The Tin Gallery

Here are a few more shots from around Old Edna:

I hope you enjoyed a peek at where I grew up. Have a great weekend!

Inspiration from the Kitchen Sink

When it comes to photography I find a great deal of my inspiration by traveling and exploring - getting out and seeing new places.  I tend to get a bit creatively blocked when I'm at home, doing all of the things that need to be done around the house. It can be hard to make (and take) the time to get out explore near home.

I think that is why I'm in a bit of a creative slump again. I haven't even posted a Photo of the Week for two weeks! This week I decided that needed to change. I looked around my home for inspiration and found it in the oddest place - the dripping of my kitchen faucet.

Drip, Drip, Drip

I gave myself the challenge of capturing a drop of water, mid air - and let me tell you, it wasn't easy! I really like the image that I captured, though, and I'm glad I made and took the time (even though there were a thousand other things I should have been doing) to creatively explore in my own house.

I'm still struggling with my creative block, but I also know that it takes time and effort to be creative and I just need to make myself do it sometimes.  I'm always glad when I do! Even if I don't capture the best shot, any time I bring the camera to my eye it is good practice and ultimately I'll become a better photographer for it!

Sicilian Memories Magnets

When I changed the name of this blog to Explore-Capture-Create my intention was to share some crafty goodness in conjunction with my photography. I'm happy to say that inspiration finally struck and I have something very fun to share with you...Sicilian Memories Magnets!

Sicilian Memories Magnets

These glass marble magnets (approximately 1 1/4" Diameter) each have a photo that remind me of my four years in Sicily - A Fiat Cinquecento painted like a Sicilian Pony Cart, a Vespa, the Temple of Segesta, a Festival Horse decked out in his finest, a boat on the beach, and of course Geep! Each piece of glass varies slightly which enhances the unique nature of each magnet.

If you or someone you know would like a set of these fun magnets please let me know! They aren't available on my website or Etsy (yet!) but if you contact me directly (angela@angelaandrieux.com) I can make them for you. For now, each set of six magnets is $10. I can also customize the magnets with images of your choice from my portfolio.

I hope you like them, because I love they way they turned out!  They are a great reminder of the four wonderful years I spent in Sicily.

A Sea of Motorcycles

Last week's Photo of the Week (brought to you just a bit late) was taken at Laguna Seca. I couldn't resist the contradiction of a sea of motorcycles behind the No Parking sign - hilarious!

Looking for some photography inspiration? Join in the Photo of the Week Challenge hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography.  Its a great reason to get out and shoot at least once a week!

Vintage Ducati

Keeping with my love of all things Italian, I couldn't help but snap a couple of pictures of vintage Ducati Motorcycles on Ducati Island at Laguna Seca.

Enjoy!

Pizza Hunting

Back in January I shared about my search for Napoletano style pizza in San Diego. I found the awesome Pizzeria Bruno and thoroughly enjoyed their Margherita Pizza with Buffalo Mozzarella. Since then I've been keeping my eyes open for other similar establishments, and though I've had a good many pizzas since January I hadn't found another pizzeria worth sharing with you until this past Friday.

A couple of months ago I took a chance and purchased a Facebook Deal for Osteria Origano.  The menu sounded good and the location was a part of town where I knew good restaurants abound.  My hubbie and I finally got around to using our certificate this past Friday evening and it was amazing!

Our server was from Catania (a city near where we lived in Sicily) and the pizza chef was also Sicilian.  We spoke a bit of Italian with our server and reminisced about the wonderful food in Sicily and we got the inside scoop on the best pizzas at Origano. I chose to enjoy a simple pizza topped with Buffalo Mozzarella and Prosciutto and it was simply wonderful!

I can't wait to go back! I feel like I discovered a little piece of my Sicilian "home" here in San Diego. If you'd like to check out Osteria Origano for yourself (and I highly recommend that you do) you can find them at:

Osteria Origano
3650 5th avenue, #103
San Diego Ca 92103
619-295-9590

Looking Up

PERSPECTIVE

One of the many ways a photographer can turn a so-so image into a great photograph is to look at the subject from a different perspective. For example, everyone can take a picture of a flower by looking down on it. Easy, right? But have you ever noticed that the flower photos that catch the eye are usually shot at the level of the flower or perhaps looking up at the flower? Not so easy - it usually requires the photographer to get down on the ground. It takes more time and effort - which has the potential to make a much more interesting photograph.

Another way of changing perspective is to take notice of details that perhaps others miss.  For example, on my recent trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium I took a lot of photos of the fishies and the gorgeous view of the bay - that is what I was there for, right? Sure, but most likely a hundred other people captured similar shots that day. Knowing this I decided that in addition to my fishy photos I needed to look around and notice something that someone else probably wasn't seeing - and I noticed the duct work and lighting along the ceiling - industrial with very cool textures and angles.

I doubt that ANYONE got a similar shot that day. This three exposure HDR not only took time to compose and shoot but also took a bit of time in post processing to merge the images and bring out the textures and details. I really like how it turned out! It was definitely worth the time and effort.

This image was submitted as my Photo of the Week (hosted by Jessica Rogers Photography).