Stellar Views, Wind, and Lots of Dust

I’ve driven this dirt road a few times prior to this day and it has become an area I’ve grown quite fond of. Sean called me one afternoon saying he was driving south on his way back from a surf trip, so I figured it would be perfect to meet here and drive this road together. So without any planning, I immediately packed my cameras, sleeping bag and pad, my toiletries, and set off on the two-hour drive north. I shot a roll of Kodak Gold 200 on my Olympus mju I alongside my DSLR.

I put an emphasis on shooting this trip on film having already photographed this area extensively on digital. It turned out to be my best roll thus far and have been consistently stoked that Kodak Gold gives me images that are quite close to how I typically edit my digital work.

Taking Things SLO and a Newfound Love of Film

The Central Coast is probably my favorite region in California. The rolling hills, the rugged coastline, and the unmatched light in the evenings are a few of the things that keep me coming back. I shot a roll of Kodak Gold 200 not expecting much to come from my first trip shooting film. Got to tick off a little-known forrest service road from my list, drove on the only beach you’re able to in California, and lucked out with a perfect sunset.

I was pleasantly surprised when my scans came back from the lab and have since continued to make an effort to incorporate film into my trips.

Desert Adventures - Part 1 & 2

In Search of Winter

A well-timed trip to the Eastern Sierra in search of the cold and ultimately snow.

Our initial plan of heading south into the desert changed as soon as the forecast called for snow at low elevations in this region. We were met with sub 20º temperatures all night (we weren’t just prepared, but we welcomed it) as we camped and woke up to one of the most stunning sunrises I’ve experienced in some time. The idea of ultimately driving the Land Cruiser in snow, soaking in my favorite hot springs, and my love for cold weather was exactly what I was after.

Leaving the year-round (mundane, but grateful for) sunny weather of Southern California for something more rewarding for just a weekend was just what I needed.

1st Day Off-Road: Anza Borrego

Back in November, I decided to take the Land Cruiser on her first off-road adventure. These awe-inspiring badlands had captivated me from the very first time I heard of them but never had the means with which to traverse the miles of sandy riverbeds to get here until now.

Looking forward to more of these kinds of adventures in the months to come.

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A River Getaway with Friends

Back in late May, I had a work shoot and brought a few friends together to spend the day off the grid in an often overlooked area of Southern California. We basked in the sun, swam in the slow-moving river, and had a really good time. A friend of mine, a longtime local of the area, recommended this place to me for this shoot and it surpassed all my expectations. Its remoteness has allowed it to remain a hidden gem unlike closer, more accessible locations that have suffered from irresponsible visitors.

Nevertheless, this little adventure was one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in a while, especially with how things have been lately.

Pro Tip: Always ask a local for their favorite spots. Nine times out of ten, you’ll find something even better than what you were hoping for.

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Woke Up On Another Planet

Recently, life has been slow and with so much time indoors, I’ve taken the time to analyze my process in hopes of truly understanding what it is that I try to convey with my images and why I choose to do so. Photography is such an evolutionary process within yourself that it’s often difficult to gauge progress or even improvement. This trip back in late January helped me see the difference.

Trona Pinnacles. First visit, March 2017

Trona Pinnacles. First visit, March 2017

By the beginning of January, I hadn’t really spoken to Brooklyn (@brooklyn_madden) since the previous July, so one evening I thought I’d reach out. It was actually just a few days prior to her flying out to California for her short winter break, so timing was spot-on. I suggested we go on a quick trip somewhere, she agreed, and I got straight to doing what I do best: plan all the logistics.

It had been three years since I had visited Trona and in the weeks leading up to this I yearned to return. Brooklyn felt the same as she also hadn’t been in years. The last time I made the trip I hadn't yet taken photography as seriously as I do now, my gear wasn't as great, and my eye for things hadn't developed enough yet. In the years since I’ve also found friends who shared the same passion for being outside. Brooklyn was one of them.

We set out early on the first day along with my friend Artemio (who I went to Trona with the first time). We spent the two-and-a-half-hour car ride catching up on the last few months, talking about some future plans, joking around, and laughing. It seemed like we picked up right where we left off the previous July. I feel like I say it all the time, but for me, being outside is more about the people I choose to spend time with rather than the location itself. Sure, an awesome view is always a plus, but without good company or a particular activity, the view is just that, a view with no real depth. I strive to capture what it feels like to be in a particular place and more importantly, to tell a story.

As we approached and got onto the dirt road signaling the home stretch, we could see the rock spires get taller and taller. The Martian landscape is hard to get over. It's certainly one of the most unique places I've ever seen. Upon arriving, we took some time to walk around and explore the various groups of spires, something I failed to do the first time around.

Finding a spot to set up camp turned out to be harder than we expected, but upon climbing a hill to take pictures we saw that a nice, big clearing at the base would be perfect. After setting up camp we continued taking pictures. The sunset came and went hidden by thick clouds in the distance, but the real treat came after. Blue hour turned out to be quite incredible. We all had a good time spending blue hour atop a 200-foot hill with spires at the top before coming down in the dark.

We then settled down on our campsite and made dinner consisting of cup noodles, some Cheese-Its, and some canned wine. Brooklyn and I still laugh about that wine to this day. We sat around and talked for what seemed like hours before getting ready for bed. We tucked into our sleeping bags looking forward to waking up for sunrise. We woke up about an hour before the sun came up to make breakfast. On the menu, we had oatmeal and some bananas, with some fresh coffee as a post-sunrise treat.

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The air was brisk and dry as we got ready to venture out to a spot we thought would be perfect to see the sun rise. It was such a surreal experience not seeing a single soul around. We had the entire 3,800 acres all to ourselves. The silence combined with the sheer magnitude of the spires all around us really added to the imagination of what being on Mars would be like. Aside from Jordan, where most of the Martian movie footage is shot on Earth, I think Trona is no question the next most Mars-looking place on Earth. The orange landscape just glows as the light hits it and the spires cast shadows hundreds of feet long.

I was atop a steep incline when I spotted a framing of this landscape I had never seen captured before. It was a view that perfectly encapsulated the views, feelings, and wonder that this place instills in you. I immediately knew how I wanted to photograph it so I asked Brooklyn to walk to the ridge opposite from me. With the sun rising faster and harsh light beginning to take hold I was unsure if what I had in mind would even work. But a few moments later, with her help, I captured what I feel is the best landscape picture I've ever taken.

I knew instantly that this picture was the one I came here for. I came with an open mind, letting myself take this place in. Years ago when I first visited, no matter how identical the conditions might’ve been, I probably never would’ve captured pictures or a story remotely close to this.

It’s amazing how time changes your perspective and allows you to experience a place completely differently the second time around. I look at the first image in this article and then at this last set (where I share my coffee-making process with Brooklyn) and I see countless hours of shooting, hours of brainstorming, writing, reading, and the itching passion to tell my story the best way I know how.

Hiking to my favorite overlook in Santa Barbara

After weeks of slowly working on pitches and work-related stuff, I found myself in a creative rut due to the lack of time outdoors. I found myself uninspired and unwilling to do the part of photography that I always loved: the picture-taking part. Instead forcing myself to finding new leads to work on. Something promising had been in the works that my friend Jason (@jsn.s) and I planned to work on so on this particular day, we had a meeting in Santa Barbara to further discuss details with the client. After that concluded we decide to make the most of our long drive by going on a hike to shoot. I reached out to my friend, Jenna, who I've shot with on multiple occasions in the last few months. Fortunately, she was free and came along as the model we would shoot.

This spot has been close and dear to my heart ever since I found out about it almost four years ago. With help from a fellow photographer to narrow the spot down to a general area in the mountains, I then took to Google Earth to find the overlook which was even unknown to locals. I scouted a route that seemed to work but there was only so much I could see from the software's resolution. A few days later, my friend and I decided to check it out in person to see if the route actually worked. To my surprise, it did and we were greeted by the most unreal view at the top. It's not the highest point in SB like La Cumbre Peak, but the nice and strenuous hike made it that much more rewarding. Combined with the fact that it's still unknown to the majority of the city instantly made this spot my favorite in Southern California. I just hope that this gem doesn't lose its charm the way flocking crowds have overrun a multitude of places across the country for that one Instagrammable picture.

Jason, Jenna, and I continued to hiked up the barely-visible trail up to the top that afternoon, taking time to shoot some stuff along the way. Golden hour was especially good which brought out the incredible layers of the Santa Ynez Mountains. I've seen the view more times than I can count at this point but it's impossible to get over.

After shooting blue hour, we were led by our headlamps down the mountain. It's always a surreal experience hiking down in the dark knowing that in that moment you're probably the only three people on the entire mountain overlooking Santa Barbara. The lack of infrastructure development up there is appreciated such that it allows wilderness to be easily accessible in a place where the city often takes center-focus.

Finally, it's reassuring that the barely-noticeable trail to the top will continue to be devoid of signs of human presence for months and years to come.