Shooting with the new Canon G12

We just added the Canon G12 to our camera selection.  This is the first shoot with the camera.  We will follow up this posting with a full review of the camera and output after conducting more tests.  In the mean time, this is a couple of shots from the first run.

This is Huntington Beach, CA at it's finest after a resent storm passed through.

Huntington Beach Pier

Life Guard towers waiting for summertime

Surfers, Beach, Snowy Mountain, and bird that flew through at the right time

Surf, Sand and Snowy Mountains a great winter day in Huntington Beach

Thank you for visiting and we will provide a full review after more testing.  Yet first impression is that this is a wonderful camera.

All shots from the Canon G12 and edited by C2T Graphics.

Get out of your own way, and snap the photo

There are many disciplines within the scope of photography.  Ranging from the elegance of a Family Portrait, the ability to communicate a message through a Head Shot or Product photo, preserving a moment of importance with Event Photography to the grandeur of landscape and nature photography.  However, one of the oft overlooked aspects of photography is the power and emotion created from a Candid Photograph.

This rings clear when a situation presents itself and you do not have the time or equipment to create an ideal photo session.  For example, my Grandmother passed away in June of 2010.  Unfortunately we were unable to get her to agree to a family portrait session, and getting our family together from all over the country was a tall order.  Fortunately, a few members of the family were able to spend an unforgettable weekend together and that time together presented wonderful moments.   

A candid photo captures someone as you see them, without the sometimes forced smile or unease of having their photo taken.

Grandma in the moment

Grandma taking in the moment

This sometimes occurs when the subject catches on to what you are doing.

We all laughed until our faces hurt when she let me know what she thought of my shutterbugging

Being in the moment with candid photography can produce the most cherished memories.  We kept on the theme of her finger pointing in order to come up with a memory that can't be touched.

Greetings from Chewelah, WA

The whole family has regrets that we didn't find the occasion to gather for a professional family portrait.  However, by being in the moment and snapping away with the camera, we can laugh, love, cry at our last candid moments with Grandma Sarah.

So get out of your way, and snap the photo!

Photo expedition to Mt. Lowe

Every week we set out on a photo outing.  Last week we took advantage of the great weather and hit the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.  This week we traveled to the San Gabriel Mountains for a hike up to Mount Lowe via Echo Mountain and Inspiration Point.  Again, the weather held out and we took advantage of the temperature hovering around 75 degrees.  This was a great gift, especially being the middle of February and the rest of the country was in a deep freeze.

The hike totaled out at 14 miles and our total time on the mountain was around 9 hours.  We hit the trail head at 12:30 PM in order to summit Mount Lowe in time to catch the sunset and capture some stunning photos.  The day was full of adventure, in addition to the photos, we were able to spend 3 hours hiking down in the dark and got to use our new headlamps.  Below are a couple of the photos from the day.  With the distance and elevation gain, taking professional equipment was a bit too heavy.  Instead we took along our trusty Canon SD800 Point-And-Shoot.  The camera did not let us down and the proof is below.  Thank you for the visit and if you have interest in joining us on one of our photo expeditions, give us a call.

Silhouette on the trail to Mount Lowe

I keep the Canon SD800 in my front pocket in order to capture those magical light moments.  This was at a bend in the trail that opened up to give a great view of the LA Basin and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.

Inspiration Point Sign in Black and White

We decided to bypass Echo Mountain and head straight to Inspiration Point for a quick refuel, a few photos and much needed break.

Pavilion at Inspiration Point

Keith Guyll taking in the view from Inspiration Point

Inspiration Point is a wonderful hike in and of itself.  There is a covered pavilion up there and the trail service set up scopes that point out the attractions that you can see from that point.

Locating Scopes at Inspiration Point

 After a quick stop we proceeded the next 1.5 miles to Mount Lowe.

View of Mount Wilson radio towers and snow capped Mount Baldy

This is the payoff spot.  Mount Lowe gives you a truly amazing unobstructed view of Mount Wilson, Mount Baldy and the entire LA Basin.

Sunset on Mount Lowe

Another successful outing.  If you are interested in seeing more photos of the day, click on the link below.  We are interested in your feedback, so drop us a line and let us know what you think.  Have a great week!

Click here to see all of the photos

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Canon 5D, 85mm f1.8 lens, ISO200 f20 1/200 Retouched by C2T Graphics

North winds in Southern California bring a chill to the air in the winter. Yet the air cleans out the basin and exposes the beauty of the Mountains. This photo was taken at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, CA. This is a great natural reserve that sits just a couple of hundred yards from the ocean and offers a nice walking path, bird watching, clean air and excellent photo opportunities.

Canon 50D, 75-300mm f4-5.6 lens, ISO 100 f7.1 1/400 Retouched by C2T Graphics

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) admiring the view.

Canon 5D, 85mm f1.8 lens, ISO200 f16 1/250 Retouched by C2T Graphics

Cattails with San Bernardino Mountains in the background.

Canon 5D, 85mm f1.8 lens, ISO200 f16 1/320 Retouched by C2T Graphics

A wooden bridge takes you over the inlet giving you views of bird activity above and marine life below. All in all a great place to stretch out your legs.

Thank you for checking in and see you soon.

Cause2exist Photography & Graphic Arts