Shops, Parks, and SoCal sun!

Hello again! This week was crazy, but definitely not as crazy as next week will be! Here in SoCal, the weather is nothing but hot and beautiful! And only going to get hotter! And with Spring just around the corner, I'm getting really excited for all the fun to come! 

I took a few trips to the park this week, and with the sun out every day and such beautiful lighting, it was an opportunity that I just couldn't pass up! My sister-in-law to be, Jessica was lovely enough to join me on my outings and be my model! Plus, how could she pass up a free photo sesh?! 

 I also took a trip to a lovely antique shop, The Shop Around the Corner in Simi Valley, Ca. The women there are such wonderful people and love having people visit and search through their treasure trove of vintage items! Seek and you shall definitely find! I found quite a few future props to use as well as some oh so perfect photo ops! I hope you enjoy this weeks series of photographs! As always, feel free to comment, ask a question, or just give an opinion! I always look forward to hearing from the people out there! 

Week 1: Chaos and Beauty

With a mix of Winter weather and splashes of Spring sunshine, this week was one for the books down here in SoCal! Floods wreaked havoc for the first half of this week and sunny skies and terrible heat brought the week to a close. I guess its just another reason to love California.

I originally wanted to make a post once a day for my photos, but between three jobs and a fiance, that's most likely not going to happen. So I have decided that I will continue to take a photo a day, but I will only post once a week (time management skills at work here!). That should make it at least a tad bit easier to deal. Right?

So, here are the rest of my photos from this week (in order). I hope you like them. If you are interested in seeing my first photos posted, you can find them here.

As always, feel free to comment or question as desired! I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Day 1 of Project 365!

Well, I said I would start a Project 365 as of today, and surprisingly (even to myself) I actually did it. My goal is to take a picture a day from today until March 1st pf next year. I don't have anything particular in mind. I just want to do this for myself and to expand my photography. I aim to take a photo of what inspires me each day and to make sure it exemplifies me and my life. I know this is a big project but hopefully I will learn from it.

Here are my very first photos from today. It is a very rainy day here in SoCal, which is unusual for anyone who lives here. But very much needed and appreciated. I decided that I should get a picture in the rain considering how rare an opportunity it is. So, I went out with my Nikon D3000 and my 55mm lens (my personal favorite) and take some quick snapshots on my way to the bank.

I hope you enjoy them. I enjoyed going out and getting wet while taking them. Luckily the big storm didn't hit until after I was safely inside. 

Old Abandoned Train Depot

The Santa Susana Train Depot is an old historical building located in Ventura County, CA. It was once an old run down train station but the county decided it was a historical treasure and had it restored to its former glory days of busy bustling crowds awaiting the train. Its not an active station any longer, but it is the perfect little spot to see what an old station once looked like when compared to the modern thing.  Nowadays its a tiny little treasure tucked away in the hills. But after having heard about it, me being the girl obsessed with old things, had to go to see it and maybe take some photographs there. It seemed like too perfect a spot to pass up.

Winter Nights and Summer Daydreams

I recently took a trip North to Sequoia National Park with my sister-in-law, Jess. The mountains, despite the recent drought, were blanketed in the most beautiful, pure white snow. The perfect set-up for a week of hot cocoa, snowballs fights, a nice fire, and (of course) a few snapshots in the gorgeous winter weather. These photos were all taken on my Nikon D3000 with my 55mm lens.

Of course, feel free to leave feedback. I'm not exactly an expert at this, so some criticism is always appreciated. But with this entry, I have also decided to start myself on a 365 project starting this March. I don't think I will have any one object in mind. I really just want to capture everyday life. But hopefully, by the end of this big project, I'll be a more accomplished photography and a better judge of myself. 

We Adopted A Zoo

Okay, time to be truthful. I was never an animal person. I hated everything about them. The way they smell. How they whine for everything and never shut up. I mean, they're nothing but messy, stinky, fur balls that beg for attention...
Or at least, that's what I thought. Until we adopted a zoo. Now maybe for some people, 7 animals really isn't all that big a deal. But for me, a girl who grew up without pets (my sister was allergic to most animals), its crazy ridiculous, and oh so much fun. We now have a 3 years old pug named Zoe, a 2 year old chocolate lab named Cera, 3 young cats who aren't quite a year yet, and 2 lovebirds (who think they rule the house). But you know what, I have come to love every single one of them. I cannot believe we have so many, but when I come home from a long day of work and all they want to do is show me that they love me, I can truly appreciate them. They're my babies and my family. I wouldn't trade them for anything. So, meet my zoo :)

 Zoe

Harry

 Draco

 Gibson

Cocoa

 Athena

Cera

L.T. Photography

Remember when I said I liked photography as a hobby? Well, I wasn't lying. I bought myself a Nikon D3000 this year (for those of you who know nothing about cameras, its a beginner DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses) hoping to learn how to use it. I haven't really taken any classes, mostly because I cannot afford it (HEY! California ain't cheap!) But what I have been doing is taking it everywhere with me and snapping photos left and right. The resulting photos have been a pleasant shock to me. Not to toot my own horn or anything, I just like the way they came out. I'm not planning on making a business out of it or anything like that. It's just something I truly enjoy. I hope you enjoy them too...