Packing up to hit the road one more time for Labor Day Weekend

I am grabbing my cameras, and maybe even some lighting for this trip. I am heading south again, this time to the Frio River in Concan, Texas. I would tell you where that is but I do not even really know myself. I hope for a great photo hunt adventure. Meanwhile, back in the big "D" I have been working away. Trying to keep up with myself. Haha, if it was not attached I just my loose it somedays. Amen for key hooks. I am in the process of cataloging and preparing to produce a couple more bodies of work, self publish a couple more books, and more I am sure I am forgetting. Below is "The Happy Bullets" in print. Shot on location in 2008.

Texas Adventures!

I have been one busy gal the last couple of weekends. I have celebrated birthday with two of my best pals, sans the cake. It seems that the older we get the more daring the adventures are becoming. The weekend of August 16th, I headed out east to New York, Texas for Frankie's birthday. The adventure was ziplining and this is some serious fun! I am hoping to go back soon and shoot a proper story on the family that runs this place.

This last weekend I headed southwest to the outskirts of Uvalde, Texas. The destination was Chalk Bluff Park on the Nueces River. The drive was long but worth it. This time the adventure would be rain soaked camping and kayaking. The first day of kayaking we hit the river excited. The storm clouds were building around us but we did not scare easy. The flow rate of the river was at 30 this day so I coined the phrase Kaywalking for this trip.

Well over the next 15 hours or so about 10+ inches of rain fell and the mighty Nueces rose up the banks. All the campers on the trip woke up drenched except us, we had an amazing tent from REI. I felt lucky to still have some dry under garments. We had some breakfast and coffee huddled under shelter and watched the rain. The locals at the park told us we should wait out a storm cell heading toward us before leaving, boy am I glad we did. The wind picked up and the rain came fast, we all heading for our tents. While inside the trusty dome the rain came down in buckets and started to stream around us. We even had a stream running right under the tent. Crazy! After all of this craziness we headed for the river with our boats. The flow was 30 the day before and was now 160.

Let's just say day two had no walking needed, all paddle. Happy birthday to my good buddies!

A day in the Life of... Part 2

After writing the last post I got to thinking about all of the strange and interesting encounters I have had in photo world. So I decided I would start writing some tidbits about jobs past and current. The adventures from behind the lens. I guess we should start from the beginning. One of my first paying jobs ever, I was still a teenager and the job was headshots for a small company. I was really nervous but held my composure and set up my backdrop and lighting. Feeling a bit more confident I lifted the camera to start shooting and the back door to my trusty 35mm just fell off. My face flushed with red and I apologized and stated that I will have to return another day. I have since had many bad, good, great, amazing, embarassing, ripley's believe it or not like and down right sad days while on set either on my own jobs or while assisting another shooter.

Today my phone rang around 2:15pm and I answered. It was someone I have worked with on and off for years. He has been known to be a practical jokester so I did not believe the conversation right away. Here is how it went approx.
"Hey Erica, are you still a certified diver?"
"I am, I believe but I have not dove in years, what's up?"
"Would you get in a shark tank?" (at this point I know this must be a joke.)
"As long as I have a good chainmail suit, I don't see why not."
"Oh ofcourse it will be very safe." (This is when I realize it is real and I become a bit stunned.)
"I will check on my certification and get right back to you."

So I may be in for the adventure of the year. We shall wait and see. Like I said I never know where a day may take me. Stay tuned to see if I make it throught this one!

A day in the life of...

My life has always been full of going different places and seeing different things. I feel very lucky to be a photographer. In the last couple of weeks I have stood on the side of a mountain, drove a smart car and just this morning stood in Texas Stadium with no one around. I have never been a football fan but, standing in a building that is normally filled with the roar of fans when it is silent has always moved me. I took in the environment while snapping a few shots here and there on film. All in all whether a fan or not what a way to spend a morning!

To My Mom on Her Birthday

I am one lucky gal, with one awesome Mom! Happy Birthday to one of the grooviest people I have ever known!

Return to the Big "D"

Well after a intense 14 hours drive with minimal stopping, we are home. It was great to see the wagging tails of two joyful goldens upon arrival. The trip overall was amazing. The beauty of the land around us never ceases to amaze me. I have been working on journaling about the trip. There were so many characters from a little stuffed sheep named "Sheepy" we picked up in Chimayo as our mascot to the straight out of Saturday Night Live shooting glass wearing Park Ranger. It is always wonderful to be home and sad to leave.

Hello from the Road

I have been away from the Big "D" since the evening of July 31st. My journies have taken me through a round about tour of New Mexico and we have been staying in Hermosa right outside of Durango, Colorado. There have been many adventures and many characters met on this trip. There will be an in depth recap upon my return. But below is a picture from one of the Jeep Trails outside of Silverton, Colorado. What a beautiful piece of country, and yes that is snow in the picture left over from an avalanche last winter.