Auntie Erica visits...

Julie was in a 3 day class so I had the kids all to myself all of Thursday and Friday. Luckily, on Saturaday, Erica came down to help watch the kids. After each of the boys woke up from their noon nap, we fed them and took them to the park. After the early morning rain, the blue sky and sun returned to San Diego so we took advantage of the setting sunlight with some photos.

Jason is not walking yet, but he's just about there. Aunt Erica helps him practice.

I see similarity with Erica's younger brother James in this photo.

It gets fun when the camera is pointed towards Erica a lone without the kids to hide behind.

Didn't know my sis-in-law was so camera shy.

I explain to Erica that I aim to capture the "moments in the in between" borrowing a line for Jasmine Star. Which means, the photos I try to capture are the ones in between moments you think I am taking the photos. Your smiles, emotion, demenor are more authentic. Compare...

Here's a photos when Erica was ready for the picture to be taken. Stance is nice. Hair is beautiful. Smile is there...but the eye's aren't smiling. I usually toss these types of photos out on a paid shoot. People don't smile for the camera the way they smile in life. My aim is to capture life...and your unique way of smiling.

One doesn't need to be looking at the camera to get a good picture made. Looking away can add lots of feeling to an image.

Add some golden light and the image makes itself. I like this technique for vacation photos more than the typical look at the camera, stand in front of the scene and grin. Remember this tip the next you're on vacation.

I love this b/w one.

The grass was soaked. So we didn't get to play on it.

You're probably wondering where Terrence was. He was off playing, climbing and doing what boys his age does best.

And a last shot of T planting the tip of a tree branch. He looks really excited with his accomplishment. I like the way the sunlight hit the leaves.

Some photos from earlier in the week...Charles at play

One of the things I like about the community is the abundance of parks. While enjoying the morning and coming back from the bank, I got a text from my old house mate that she and her boy are at the the local park. On that particular morning I did not have Terrence with me but I did have my camera. So I stopped by on the way home to say hello and grab a few shots of Charles playing on the playground set.

Charles was in the sand when I got there. Here he is with his mom.

Navigating the steps with care.

Adorable. I just can't tell who he resembles more. His mom or his dad.

I like this shot. He spied me through the hole and was playing with me. I had to grab a shot.

Morning Light...

With kids, there is no rest for the weary. At the first sign of morning light, they are both wide awake and ready to play. These moments are certainly precious indeed...if we are alert enough to enjoy them. ;)

What soft light through yonder window breaks. The morning light changes so fast.

On this morning, I am in love with all the people in these pictures moreso than ever before. Just don't ask me if I feel that way lacking a good night's rest though. However, on this morning, I am glad to be awake and alert enough to capture these precious memories.

Happiest when eating...

What does it take for us to be vein popping out of the neck happy? Not much for Terrence. A little freedom in front of the house with a Guava in hand is all it takes to get these happy expressions. It's sometimes that simple huh?

Discovering the world around us...

My hike the other day to discover the small pond near my house reminded me of my various exploration trips as a kid. Back then, it was just me and my bike and I rode everywhere. At one point from Diamond Bar to La Puente and as far as Ontario. Through the streets of Pomona and the many hills of Diamond Bar, I got to see my immediate surrounding differently than the usual drive by in the car. It's always my desire to know what's around the corner that edges me on.

Even today, I like taking a different route home if I get a chance. It's always interesting to see the different parts of our city. And with today's technology, I use a combination of Google Maps and Bing Maps to get a birds eye view of the world around me while at my desk. But even with the amount of details in the satellite maps, it still requires one to go see things on foot.

Sunday evening, Terrence and I took a quick sunset hike before dinner, to see a hidden pond that is nestle in the local hills. The pond was just out of view from the street. We found a trail that we guess would take us to the pond.

On the trail, Terrence got to stomp on a ant mound, picked up sticks to flick at weeds and destroy gopher holes. Definitely a boy in every sense of the word. But it was his way of discovering the world around him. It was fun watching him at play, and we didn't even get to our destination yet. All along the way, we got to see prickly weeds and natural cactus that pickled what left of the native landscape.

Here are some photos from that sunset hike.

God's majestic display almost daily here in So.Cal. It's nice to be able to enjoy it practically in our own backyard.

Sunsets are rewards to end the day. Love it's warm light through the leaves.

On the trails surrounded by track homes, but you quickly forget. With the recent rain, the desert landscape we call home is blooming with life. And it's still winter.

A stick and the outdoors provides a kid with hours of amusement.

Breaking through the reeds to get a glimpse of the pond. It's our version of the midwest's cornfields I suppose.

A serene little pond.

Check out this old dam. It was surrounded by a fence to keep people off the dam, but no sooner than I try to decide on whether to ignore it or not, Terrence found a way around it and was through. It's hard to tell, but it's a pretty steep drop to the creek below.

Night falls and the mosquito start to swarm. So it's time to escape the threat. But the horizon still glow from the sunset.

A last look at the same little tree as before, silhouetted by the sunset.

The following morning, I set out to hike to the same pond from the western side. I brought my camera a long with me to try and capture some of the beauty lit by the morning sun. These little trips by myself helps me recharge my creative juices and helps to balance me. I once read a quote that said creativity is learning to hide ones' source. I don't need to hide the fact that for me, the source is the world around us. It inspires me to try and capture it's beauty on display. Not always the easiest in two dimensional form. We just need to train ourselves to see it amidst our busy life. Here are some things I discovered a long the way.

I love the look of sun flare through the camera. Each lens display the rainbow of colors hidden in the sun ray a different way. But the effect is nice, warm and golden sunlight.

Orange trees in the middle of nowhere. At least it appears that way. I can't help by wonder if the entire landscape was full of orange trees a century ago.

A dead tree branch allow me to practice seeing it as a tool for composition. I was never able to find the angle but I am sure the practice will come in handy when I least expect it.

I saw remnants of an old bee hive in a man made bin. Nature adapting itself as we learn to adapt to nature when needed. Before this experience, I wasn't sure if it was a bee hive or hornet's nest. But a friend points out that hornet's nest are made of mud and wasp nest are paper like. Looks like some animal has gotten to the honey long before I arrived.

I couldn't help but marvelled at the honeycomb structure. It was so perfectly made. Waxy and light to the touch. So cool.

I have seen this pattern drawn before, and I now know the source of inspiration. It's crazy that little bees created this.

A morning view of the old dam from a different vantage point.

From this side of the pond, the shade provide an environment for the moss to grow. I like the look of moss on stone for some reason. It just feels out of it's element here in So.Cal.

A pretty steep decent over the dam. But looks shallow due to the tricks of the camera optics.

Looking eastward.

A father with his son out to try their luck fishing in the pond. I will have to try my luck here on a future date. They came from the side Terrence and I did the night before. The side I hike up this morning was a bit more treacherous to say the least.

Trees and plants blooming in the middle of Winter as if the Spring season has started. I guess we're not too far from Spring.