The Great Outdoors

Post # 190

When you're the daughter of two people who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and have a father whose dream is to build a cabin in the woods, you tend to do a lot of family activities outside. The four of us could usually be found hiking in New Hampshire's White Mountains or swimming in some freezing cold fresh water river - mostly because my parents loved it, but partly because they wanted to instill a love of the outdoors to their kids. When we got older, they sent us to summer camp, which, most memorably, meant a 5-week Outward-Bound-style sailing/camping trip.

It comes as no surprise that we took an annual trip to the L.L.Bean flagship store to stock up on every bit of supplies we needed to make the most of our adventures. I've slept in their sleeping bags and tents and I've used their hats, gloves, outerwear, water bottles, backpacks, and countless other items. We were that family - you know, with the Bean Boots all lined up in the mud room. What kept us coming back to L.L.Bean was their commitment to their customers. They want their gear to perform excellently for their adventurers - so much so that, after all these years, they still have their incredible lifetime guarantee.

I was taught that bonds are made in the great outdoors, so whenever friends come to town, I try to take them out on hikes in the area. You really get a sense of a place by getting out into nature - sans iPhones, computers, or to-do lists. Last Thursday, a few of my college friends were visiting and we did the famous Dipsea Trail in Marin County. It takes you through Muir Woods, has great views of the Bay Area and Golden Gate Bridge, and you can swim in the Pacific at the halfway mark. I of course had my new L.L.Bean vest with me!

 Hiking in my trusty L.L.Bean vest on Thursday 

Dipsea trail with college buds

New Ventures

Post # 189

Oakland, California - Over the last few weeks, I've been working on a longtime goal: to sell my photographs. I started getting into photography more seriously when I started traveling for rowing and had a decent camera to take along with me. Over the next few years, I captured tens of thousands of images, learned how to use my camera more effectively, started working with a tripod (a lifesaver) and understood how to get my printer to produce just the image that I wanted. After enough people suggested that I should sell them, I put together a store on my website to collect orders. Click to check it out.

It's always fun to hear the story of how someone captured a photograph, so here goes:

Taken: spring 2014

I'd had my eye on Treasure Island for a long time. It sits in the middle of SF Bay, halfway between San Francisco and Oakland and I knew it would have incredible city views. I roped a few friends into coming along, and we made an event out of it. I took about 250 photographs before we packed up the car and headed home. On the way to the onramp, I saw this view. I pulled the car over, jumped out, quickly set up the tripod (it was a bit of a dicey spot to be standing) and snapped a couple before running back to the car. They turned out to be the best of the evening. 

Taken: fall 2011

My best friend's parents were in town, so we'd spent the day showing them all the sights in San Francisco: Ghirardelli, the Golden Gate, Crissy Field, Chinatown, etc. They were staying in an apartment that they told us we had to check out. When I saw the sweet balcony overlooking the Embarcadero, North Beach, and the Bay Bridge, I was so thankful I had my camera in hand. I spent a solid hour out there getting shots of everything, but this one was the clear winner.

Taken: fall 2013

This is my bestselling image, and it was the least planned of all of them. Funny how that works. It was early fall - perhaps the most beautiful time of year in Oakland. I was coaching Artemis Rowing on one of those quiet fall evenings that has a lazy summer feel to it. I took a couple hundred photographs of the kids rowing, and snapped this one of the city skyline and Port of Oakland when we were spinning the boats to go back the other way. The colors and iconic cranes get me every time. 

Taken: spring 2011

Remember when California got rain? That's when this was taken. My first-ever trip to San Francisco was in March 2011 to train with Julie Nichols for a month. We were both training alone at the time and wanted a training buddy for the upcoming NSR in singles, so I headed west (I was living in Madison at the time). What stands out to me most about that trip was RAIN. I remember calling a friend and saying, "I really didn't know it was possible for this much water to fall from the sky." It was relentless. But that wasn't going to stop me from exploring, so I grabbed my camera and headed to the Golden Gate Bridge on an afternoon off. When I reviewed the pictures afterwards, I put all the bridge ones aside for this unexpected gem. I love the colors, the detail, and the simplicity of it. I always imagined this photograph would be hung in a little nook someone's house - a photograph you'd unexpectedly discover, much like this flower next to the Golden Gate.