A Blissful Day in Half Moon Bay

This post is dedicated to Steve Jobs.  To having the courage to follow your heart and intuition.  To trusting that all of those dots will connect at some point in the future, and to the creative inspiration and progeny he leaves behind.  Thank you Steve.
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I spent a blissful day in Half Moon Bay about a week ago learning how to take better pictures on a photography "tour" offered by Susan Rosner and Fotomentours.  As her website says - "Fotomentours supports amateur photographers to build a library of beautiful original images."  I would add that the tours are a great way to slowly develop your photography skills in the company of interesting, like "hobbied" people.  Plus - Susan's knowledgeable, easy going style matches the "practical application" way I personally like to grow and learn.

First stop on the tour was Moss Beach Ranch - a full service equine boarding and training facility - and every little girl's (and this big one's) dream. 

I have yet to come across a stable that doesn't have a few resident cats - and I was happily snapping away at the first ones I saw - when the ranch owner's gentle reminder of "we have plenty of horses to take pictures of too"  floated through the air and brought me back to the true purpose at hand.

And of course - he was right!  In fact - of the 850 pics I shot this day - about 350 were at the stable alone.  These are just a few of my favorites. 

Per Susan's instructions, we had just set up our cameras to take photos of horses moving in the ring, when this beauty was brought in.  The first thing he/she? did was throw themselves to the ground for a long and hearty role. I was lucky to capture this shot as the horse was standing up.  Their beauty, strength and power was memorizing - it felt like such a joyous and carefree moment for them -as it was for me.

 

I was lucky to be in the right place / right time when Derby rested his head briefly on his brother Firecracker's back. Seeing the two "snuggling" together is what drew me in for a closer look in the first place.

 Spending time with these magnificent beings - I can truly appreciate their therapeutic impact. 

One final parting shot on the way out to our next stop on the tour.  I'd like to think this horse is checking out the action in the distant ring.  Then again, he might be napping, or, gracefully ignoring the paparazzi.

Our second stop was the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve .  Before heading to the tide pools, we climbed to the bluffs above to capture images of this magical and misty gray world.

After finishing up there, we made out way to the tide pools - down to the left.

    Just past the the harbor seals....

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Concentrating hard on taking pictures of the pools, I almost got drenched by a wave of water rushing in.  They can be sneaky that way.  As it turns out - the waves made for better images than the pools. 

Our fourth and almost last stop was Romeo Pier.  A locals beach.  You won't find many tourists here.

A family of four walked along the beach.  One ran ahead to catch up with their dog  The round blob on the right is a radar,  and was apparently used to help track the satellite that recently came back to earth.

Our final stop was the harbor were our cars were parked, but by then, my concentration was shot, so I won't inflict any pictures on you from there.  But I'll end this post by sharing that all the way on the drive back home, I couldn't help but look at the world through the eyes of a photographer.  Oh that's great light.  Look at the color of that car, that tree, that house. Is that a rainbow?  Should I stop and take a picture?  

All the way home....and into the backyard, where I took a few parting shots of the sunset.

All the way home....I was a photographer......at last.