Saturday, December 29, 2012

Revisited:

Revisited:

Someone who receives this blog suggested posting photos already taken, since I won't be in any situation to shoot new photos in the foreseeable future. After giving it some thought, I concluded that this would be a great idea, as I'm in the process of updating my web site, and in doing so, have created new photos and reworked many older ones.

The existing web site is in sore need of a fresher, modern face, plus I've shot many more photos since the last time I updated and loaded new pics. The new web design is still a work in progress and won't replace the aging site for some time to come.   Andrew Kliss Photography

I'll periodically add several photos with each new post and pretty much going down the alphabet starting us off with... (Remember: one can view photos as a slideshow by clicking on any one of them.)

Revisited: The Anza Borrego Desert

 

Sunrise view from Font's Point overlooking the beginnings of the Anza Borrego Desert basin.

Went on a photo excursion several years ago with a group of photographers
to visit various sites throughout the desert. One such area are the mud slots
where periodic flash floods have carved out these slot canyons from muds
once deposited by an ancient sea. Above, is an entrance to one of these slots.


Inside one of the slots. In order to get to this point, one had to perform various contortions
in order to navigate some very low and very narrow passageways. Complicating matters
was the inclusion of backpacks full of gear and cameras attached to tripods.


Our main intent that year was to capture photos of the wildflowers that blanket this desert on a good year. Alas, it turned out to not be such a stellar year, plus we visited past the peak of what did show.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas to All!

Andrew Kliss - Yosemite Valley 2008


Monday, December 17, 2012

The Salton Sea Adventure

Visited the Salton Sea out in Imperial County with one of the photography clubs I belong to. It was a fun shoot, taking pics in the Bombay Beach area on the east side of this inland sea. Below are some photos shot there.

A little Salton Sea history: At the beginning of the 20th century, an aqueduct was built to feed the new Imperial Valley agricultural farms of southeastern California with water diverted from the Colorado River to the east.

After completion, the water burst through the dike and flooded the desert floor for two years, forming the present day Salton Sea. The Salton Sea is below sea level and is the largest lake in California, even eclipsing in size Lake Tahoe.

At one time many moons ago and being a part of the Sea of Cortez to its south, this region which includes the Anza Borrego Desert nearby, was submerged underwater. Eventually, this northern terminus of the Sea of Cortez was cut off by silt deposits built up from the Colorado River dumping into the Sea. Over time, it became off and then on, a lake that dried up and reformed to the rhythms of cyclical rainfall variables. The latest iteration of this lake formed in 1905 with the consequent flooding by the dike breach.

It is saltier than the Pacific Ocean, although not as salty as the Great Salt Lake in Utah. It also contains large amounts of minerals derived from the soils below it, from the Colorado River water itself, from agricultural runoff, and the fact that there is no outlet in order to flush out these accumulating salts and minerals.

At one time during the 50's and early 60's, its shores became a mecca for water and sport fishing enthusiasts. Land was parceled and divided, lots sold and small communities sprang up all along various sections of the lake. One such area was Bombay Beach that boasted a sizable marina, four bars along the shoreline and scores of homes and trailers for visitors, snowbirds and permanent residents.

Fish such as corvina and tilapia were introduced, which spawned a popular and noteworthy sport fishing industry. In fact, record-size corvina were commonly caught that rivaled the largest catches from the Pacific, its original home.

Over time the lake became more and more saline and the buildup of minerals, coupled with reduced water flow into the lake and agricultural runoff full of leached out minerals that is also infused with pesticides, the lake began to deteriorate ecologically, and the imbalance and eventual biotic collapse began.

Large algal blooms caused by the warm water, little water circulation and increased fertility of the sea itself caused oxygen deprivation, which killed off countless thousands of fishes. The buildup of pesticides and heavy metals affected the bird populations here, resulting in massive die-offs too. The Salton Sea is a critical overwintering and migratory stopover for birds.

Periodic die-offs of birds and fishes are now commonplace. There was a massive fish die-off just recently (I think this past year or two) of which its aftermath can be witnessed along the shores of the lake by large bands of white fish bones.

Some old and abandoned pilings left over from a little pier or boat landing. Notice the salt and mineral buildup.

Dead tilapia floating along the shore.



This is not common flotsam or jetsam. It is the piled up and bleached bones of countless dead fishes, mostly tilapia.

What's left of a vacation trailer by the shore.



One of the reasons we went out there was to do some light painting. Light painting in photography is the application of artificial light on a subject in order for it to show up or stand out in a darkened environment. Here, we opened up our shutters for a period of time (anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes) and "painted" the old pilings with flashlights.

Here, one of the members brought some steel wool, stuffed it in an egg beater and attached it to a three foot cord. After lighting it on fire, he twirled it around while we had our shutters opened for the duration of the flaming steel wool.

Same thing, this time inside one of the abandoned and dilapidated trailers.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

A Wedding Shoot, La Jolla Pics and Thanks for the Lunch Date

 Last Friday the 16th involved shooting  floral arrangements for a wedding that my oldest daughter and her mom put together as Soleil Flowers. I had a blast! They are such fun to be around with, and after all of the hubbub and rigamarole settled down, we all had a chance to let out a sigh of relief and bask in the sense of accomplishment. These things aren't cakewalks when putting them together!

Bride's maid bouquet

Bride's bouquet

Custom crafted centerpiece. Soleil Flowers took clear glass vases, applied custom lettering and stenciled out Mickey Mouse when coating with white paint. Added a rhinestone band around the lip, plus glitter inside to simulate Tinkerbell's pixie dust. A LED light was placed at the bottom inside of the vase that changes color with time. The bride is totally into Disney stuff.


Reception was held at the Storm stadium in Lake Elsinore.



On Saturday the 17th, I met in La Jolla with one of the photography clubs I belong to for a little photo outing. Myeh: it was a so-so event. Bad planning on the organizer's part. He started it too late (8:00am. The sun was well up in the sky by then), and he didn't take into account the + high tide which crested that morning.

After our obligatory group shot, we headed down to La Jolla Cove to start shooting. One basically couldn't get around 'cuz the tide was so high, as it was up against the bluffs mostly. After about ten minutes of this mickey mouse attempt at photography, I bid adieu to the group and peeled off on my own in order to salvage the rest of the day.

I managed to capture two photos down there. The air was cool and crisp and the colors so vibrant after the little shower that dropped minutes before we arrived, but the tide was crappy and the sun too harsh to snap some decent pics. The day would have made for some awesome snapshots if one was from Iowa on a vacation stopover. 

Our obligatory group photo.


Some La Jolla Cove swimmers from a swim club that was meeting there.
Climbed out on to a shelf just north of La Jolla Cove. Greeted by a freshly showered upon, slippery, gooey film of bird guano and possibly sea lion crap covering the rocks. The aroma is like, well... a generously applied cheap perfume: it pervades the whole room and lingers long after the perp is gone. I got to take some of it home with me - it being firmly embedded in the waffles of my boots. My vehicle still stinks. Lesson: Don't go climbing around on guano-infested rocks after a squall.


I was up in Laguna Beach Sunday the 18th for a birthday party for a friend. Also met some dear friends for lunch at the La Sirena Grill off of Wesley Drive.

From left to right: Eli, Marion's nephew visiting from N.Y., Marion, Helga, Sharon, Beck, et moi. If in Laguna Beach, this is one fine place for Mexican food. The atmosphere is casual, the food is tasty, large-portioned and very fresh, and the prices are quite reasonable, especially when you take into consideration this is in L.B. (Taken with my camera phone.)

After lunch, Helga and I took a walk down by the beach between Aliso Creek and Treasure Island below The Montage. I saw this rock outcropping jutting out of the bluff which reminded me of a craggy face. It even has vegetation for hair! (Taken with my camera phone.)
I would have to say it was a busy weekend.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

While I've Been Out...

I've decided to create a little blog featuring the photos taken during my hiatus from work. It'll be a fun, exciting, thrilling, adventurous, action-packed, um, let's see... frebocious fun-fest of, well, all-of-the-above fun-ness factor!

The idea was conceived, hatched, plotted and executed after sending the last pic taken, to all of  you. Why not just create a short-term blog with all of the pics I've sent and will be sending? How fun is that, eh? Aren't we excited? I'm so excited, I have to go tinkle...
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THERE! That's better.

I'll start by posting some of the pics I took previous to the conception/inception point of this blog. Please feel free to unsubscribe at any time you desire. Please don't all do so at the same moment, as I don't wish to down the servers of the good people at Google hosting this site.

Soleil Flowers

Kellways Winery Wedding


My ex and oldest daughter Sarah, L to R. Laurie is the creative one,
while Sarah is the business end partner. Great teamwork!






Table Center Piece. Kelways Winery Wedding, Temecula. 10-13-2012.

 

Temecula Creek Inn Wedding

 









The photos of my recent Julian fall color shoot:








Next two: Scroll, baby, scroll.





And of course the latest:




Until next time...