The Final Stop

"The Final Stop"

If there's one thing I've learned about living in the desert, it's that there is always something interesting to stumble upon. California seems to act as a gigantic treasure chest, with new more absurd finds at every glance. Whether it be something in nature, like a cave or oddly shaped tree, a beautiful animal of some kind, or some man made thing-a-ma-jig you happen to come across, there is bound to be some kind of beauty to be found.

This hidden treasure is often overlooked, and many won't find it unless you know where and what to look for. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, sits the Kern River Valley. The Kern River is known for its dangerous white water as it flows down the mountains into the central valley. The story goes that in 1966, a large amount of water caused the North and South forks of the Kern River to flood, causing bridges to wash out and objects to be swept away with the water. About 20 miles from where it first sat in Kernville, California, it made its final resting stop near Onyx, California beside highway 178. For as many years as it's been sitting half buried in the ground, I think it still has a lot of character and color to show. A path has clearly been paved where others have come to peek inside the now non-existant windows. I have visited it quite a few times just so I can view and photograph this natural piece of art. If you ever have the opportunity to travel though this area, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to try and find this hidden treasure in the ground.

If you would like to purchase this photo, please visit etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. You can also find me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I invite you to like my page, look through my photos and share your thoughts! Your shares, comments, likes and follows are so important to me!

Photo Details:

Canon EOS 70D

Lens: 18-135mm

Focal Length: 18mm

Aperture: f/5.6

ISO: 100

Exposure: 1/400

Other places you can find me:

Instagram: Smileygirl469

ViewBug: viewbug.com/member/smileygirl469

Flickr: flickr.com/photos/shaidphotography

500px: 500px.com/shaidphotography

Twitter: ShaidPhoto

email: shanna@shaidphotography.com

Autumn Beginnigs

"Autumn Beginnings"

Before I moved to California, I lived in an area where I was able to experience all four seasons. At the time, I guess you could say I took the beauty for granted, since it was all I had ever known. Changing colored leaves was just the normal around autumn. Once I moved to California and into the Mojave Desert, I was shocked to discover that the distinct seasons I once knew were pretty much non existent as I had known them. The green grass, rolling hills and tall trees were replaced with brown dirt, expansive mountain ranges, cactus and Joshua trees. Without the water being supplied from rain, very few trees were around that actually had trees that would change color. Because of this, I was adamant about having at least one tree in my yard that could change color and remind me of the home I once knew. Every year, I look forward to seeing the green of its leaves change from green to the bright marvelous colors I remember and hold so tightly to. Every year I'm reminded about how truly amazing nature truly is. So here are some Autumn Beginnings from the Maple tree in my front yard. If you like this photo, you can purchase it, along with other photos of mine at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. I also invite you to visit and follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. I'd love to hear what you think. Have a wonderful day!

Frozen In Purple

"Frozen In Purple"

Growing up in Pennsylvania, I was (and still am) used to having four distinct seasons every year. I loved making snowmen and forts in five feet of snow while trying to catch flakes on my tongue. Saying that, when I moved to central California, I felt as if I was thrust into a new world. Four seasons were not known. If I wanted any snow at all, I had to travel up thousands of feet into the tall mountains for a few hours of delight before coming back down to my new desert home. Now a couple years later, living in the mountains at least gives me a small taste of both worlds. I'm still not used to it though. Granted that during the winters here I still get a couple inches of snow, it still doesn't have the constant freezing cold weather, so I forget that the nights can get chilly. One January day, I was watering my garden, and when I was finished, I had forgotten to turn the hose water off. That night was one of the few nights that it got below freezing for a few short hours. When I awoke the following morning, I was welcomed to an ice wonderland. The cold weather had frozen the water in my hose, causing it to break apart and allowing water to rain freely over my entire yard throughout the night. Icicles covered every flower, tree and cactus I had, with some icicles being well over 4 feet long. Rocks and leaves were covered solid in a thick layer of ice. For a brief moment, I felt like I was little again, enjoying the beauty of nature. I sat there all morning until it warmed up, enjoying my garden being Frozen In Purple. If you like this photo, you can find it for sale (along with my other work) at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. I also urge you to come view all of my work and follow me at facebook.com/shaidphotography. Have a great day!

After the Rain

"After the Rain"

Any time I know there's going to be rain coming nearby, my first thought is to grab the camera, run outside, and start shooting. I love how water works in nature. The way that it acts as a tiny lens giving me views that aren't otherwise easily seen calls to me, begging to be captured. The way the droplets lay on a leaf is nothing short of perfection, and I long to keep this frozen in time forever. Although my camera doesn't like the rain nearly as much as I do, I usually find ways to win the ability to get the photos I want. And so I present to you, my rose garden, after the rain. If you like this photo, it is available for purchase at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography. I also urge and invite you to follow me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography. Check it out and keep clicking!

Memories in the Pole

"Memories in the Pole"

I'll admit, as much as I understand their purpose, I'm not all that fond of posters stapled and taped all over a city. My reason is simply this: as much as they'll help sell an item or find a lost pet, the paper will most likely get ripped down and end up drifting around the city before ending up in a drain. That being said, this telephone pole captivated me. If it would have been possible, I could have stood there all day staring at the two inch deep blanket made from staples and poster corners. What had been there? How was it that this pole was able to bare such a collection? How old was this? Who had stood in my place at one time to either glance at this or add to it? My mind just about exploded with wonder and questions. I guess another person's trash really is another's treasure. I can remember that treasure forever. You can follow me on facebook at facebook.com/shaidphotography and order prints from etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography

Purple Stars

"Purple Stars"

One day shortly after I got my first camera, I was outside taking pictures of flowers in my garden. Since it was new, I wasn't entirely sure how all of the little gadgets on it worked. Somehow, without knowing, I managed to zoom in way too far while taking one of my snapshots. When I looked at the photo, although it was pretty much a scrap picture, I noticed a bit of detail in one small area that I was amazed at. I had no idea a camera could get that much detail! After that, I immersed myself in the art of Macro Photography. I still have plenty to learn, and I'm nowhere near perfect at it, but even so, I'm drawn to get as close as I can with as much detail as I can. Whether it be a flower, an insect, a rain drop or what have you, the feeling of knowing I can capture such a spectacle of a different world is intriguing to me. So here you have it. A Macro photo consisting of one of my garden flowers. I invite you to visit my site facebook.com/shaidphotography to see this, along with other photos I've taken. This is also available for sale at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography.  Also, if you're really up to it, you can find me on Instagram as Smileygirl469. 

Colors of Flowers

"Colors of Flowers"

It's not very often that I do photos with black and white. Although I love B&W photos, I just feel like I'm missing a main ingredient from life. With this photo, I decided to combine both aspects because I felt it accentuates the beauty radiating from the center of this flower. When I first saw this flower, I could do nothing but stare at it. The symmetry of it just took my breath away, with the color as the icing on the cake. You can view this and other photos of mine at facebook.com/shaidphotography and also etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography where prints are available for sale.

If It Walks Like A Duck

"If It Walks Like A Duck"
Sometimes something will shout to me, just begging to be captured as a photo. This duck did just that. I suppose it just wanted a friend to hang out with for a bit, which was fine with me. I found it cute to watch. I would follow it, trying to get the photo, and as soon as I would stop, it would follow me. This continued for the better part of an hour, and I found it so humorous! I could only imagine what was going through this little duck's mind. Sometimes the simplest things are the most perfect. I welcome you to visit my page at www.facebook.com/shaidphotography.com to see this, and other photos I've taken. If you'd like to purchase this photo, or any of my photos for that matter, you can find them for sale at etsy.com/shop/shaidphotography.