We found these wonderful old olive trees in Gerber. Grafted from 100 year old trees they are like bonsai on steroids. Absolutely beautiful.

The garden looks way better than this photo attempts to show. Joey has been hard at work the past 3 or 4 weeks and here by the pool she’s put bricks and stones around the garden area and made planters with old drawers and an old wicker waste basket. It all looks way cool

Some nice new flowers and a bit of Topaz Adjust post.

Yes. It is that time of year when the weeds need whacking and defensible space is required. Soon it will change from 70s and 80s to 90s and 100s. And then all the cool greens will turn to brown. This year with the drought cycle being broken the grasses and weeds are especially tall and it wouldn’t surprise me if they have to be whacked twice. For now though it all looks pretty cool.

Today I am starting to realize a few things. Number 1 – I think I like using lightroom. I don’t have it all down yet but I am seeing the potential. Number 2 – This new little Rebel I got has got some mad skillz and I starting to love this camera. So many goodies grabbed . from the 7D. 3rd thing is I will be doing some great stuff very soon. Just need one more little invasive ingredient and of course that is time. Getting a bit tomorrow. Should be great.

I do see I’m this one a bit dark. Should fix tomorrow but no time tonight.

Playing around a bit more the LR beta and working on figuring out the develop module stuff. Made a virtual copy and did a black & white treatment also.

I put the fifty on this evening and went to my Dad’s. The flowers are starting to bloom but the rain this week slowed the process a bit. This is one of the early rosebud and in a week or two there will be plenty. I played around a bit (or a lot) with Topaz Adjust for this look.

It’s spring time and the trees are blooming.

Here is a little plant I found today. I think it could be poison oak. I am working on a macro this week for the print competition.

I have wanted to start working the strobes outside. So this evening I took the bare strobe on a light stand and shot some of the plants on our deck. It’s not quite what I am looking for (not by a long shot) but it is the start of some experimenting to find the cool light that I want. (and not bad for a Monday either)