More Than Kids

Photographing Spring in the East Bay

It is spring again. (I thought that it was spring a couple of weeks ago, but I was wrong).

As a photographer, I look forward to the change of seasons. When I say that "I look forward," I mean that I anticipate. I watch the colors on the hills or the sky, and I think about how I can photograph children or families the following year or the next season.

In other words, I am always planning... or day dreaming.

Last year, I was driving around the Walnut Creek / Concord area, and I found a beautiful flower field. The large field was in full yellow bloom right in the middle of the city. Later that week, I took my two children to the field. This year, I have returned. The first time with my daughter pictured below (by the way, she dresses herself). Another time, five children and an old friend joined me for a "photo safari." You can see the photo slideshow here.

Hopefully, the field will be around next year... and many years afterward.

east bay flowers photography - Images by bryan farley

Photographing Winter in the East Bay

So, I thought that Winter was over. I was wrong.

In the East Bay, it is difficult to complain about the weather...not that it stops us. In the Winter, we either have too much rain, or not enough. In the Spring, we have allergy season. In the Summer, we have more Spring....

Children seem to enjoy the seasons. They enjoy playing in puddles.  They get dirty. They don't worry about how the rain will affect the morning commute or how the weather will affect the light or their photography.

I tried to enjoy the rain yesterday as much as my son. He seems to get it; he just drinks it in.

Yuck.

rain - Images by bryan farley

the end of winter photography

it is almost spring. it finally rained for almost a month here in the East Bay. Oakland might not experience severe water restrictrictions during the summer, but i am mostly happy that I have more light and some green mountains to photograph. Kids and people look better with backgrounds that are alive...at least that is how I feel now.

I am sure that once the summer arrives, I will be happy to photograph the next sign of the season, just as I enjoyed photographing the snow. But for now, I am glad that I can photograph kids playing baseball or running in the grass fields with spring flowers.

On the hot east bay summers, I can sit around and remember the cold, rainy days, that end before 5pm.