San Francisco!

It's been a while, I know. This post is long overdue! My mom came out to visit from Ohio last month, and we took a girl's trip up to San Francisco for a weekend. It was my second time there, but my mom's first, so of course we did all of the touristy stuff.

We visited Alcatraz in the late afternoon, which offered really great lighting.

The hospital upstairs is probably my favorite part of the prison. It's just so spooky with the old equipment and furniture. The peeling paint on the walls add to the creepiness as well.

We also made a point to ride a cable car. I don't find them to be very practical, but if you're feeling touristy (and we were!) it's a must.

Of course we'd stop and see the Golden Gate Bridge. Why would we have ignored that?

One thing we did on this trip that I didn't do on my first trip to San Francisco was visit Muir Woods. It was chilly and a little damp, but oh so pretty.

We also visited the Sea-Lebrities of Pier 39. I somehow missed these guys on my first trip, and I'm not sure how!

Overall, being touristy is a great way to see the sights, but with our back to back to back tours, it was exhausting. While my feet and legs were killing me, I can definitely say it was worth it!

Given Life - Orange County Band Photographer

So my brother in law just happens to be the drummer of this band, Given Life. You might remember them from this post back in September. They've recently had a few changes in members and asked me if I could snap a few shots of the new line up.

These photos were all taken on the lead singer, Ryan's property down in Alpine, CA. While we shot in a few different spots, this simple shot in front of some barn doors was my favorite. The others that worked out the best were taken on the backside of a hill which was all natural granite. The textures and levels provided a really interesting environment. And also, they're a rock band? Rock band? I couldn't resist.

38th Annual Winter Cookout

You read that right. A winter cookout. I never realized how crazy that was until I moved to California from Ohio. To me, it was normal as it's been happening since before I was born. It started with my dad and his brothers, cooking some meat outside in January and has amassed into an annual gathering of family, friends and Crock Pots.

Last year, I found myself frustrated with trying to get well-lit shots but without a harsh flash. This year, I decided to chill out and roll with it. When it came time for post-processing (because I'm addicted to Lightroom) I found a way to make it work. What I came up with is kind of an homage to Winter Cookouts past with these vintage-looking, over-exposed shots. Here are a few of my favorites.

Uncle George didn't want to stick around for a photo, so I had to paparazzi that guy.

My mom made two gallons of apple pie shots. They taste like apple pie, duh.

There's always a portopotty, with Christmas lights and a space heater.

Peach schnapps to toast my dad! This was the first Winter Cookout after he passed and we all miss him!

Who wants to come next year?