When you think of summer, what is the first thing that pops in your head? For me, it’s the beach. Luckily I live close to it. I can walk to the beach; it is only eight blocks from my home. It has been almost a month in a half since I had seen the beach. So, I want to talk about the photo that I took when I went for a walk with my husband, Ian, and my mom. On a Sunday afternoon, the beach was crowded with people and their pets. My husband and my mother were getting ready to head home when I saw “The Huntington Beach Pier” from the parking lot. It was such a beautiful site, almost as if I hadn’t seen “The Huntington Beach Pier” in years. I knew right there. I had to take a photo.

It was a Sunday afternoon and Maggie, our 5 years old German Shepherd, was anxious for her walk. We decided on the dog park at Bruce Pit to allow her some freedom as these parks allow pets to be unleashed all at the owner's discretion of course. The sky did not look favourable upon our arrival but we decided to take the trail for Maggie's sake. She bounded away and we followed. I have not visited this trail in quite some time so when I came across this scene I was stopped in my tracks. My partner did not realize that I was no longer beside him until some few yards away when I saw him in my periphery looking back at me.

It was a cold winter day, the month was February of 2016 in South Lake Tahoe and it was my first time ever visiting. During the road trip to Tahoe there was snow everywhere making it feel like a winter wonderland. Me and my family had just gotten back from snowboarding and we were on our way to check in to our hotel room which was right in front of the beach. Whenever I go to any beach my main focus and instinct is to walk toward the crashing waves to touch the water. I was walking on the icy sand heading toward the water without even looking at my surroundings. I felt the water with my bare hands and yes it was cold. I then stood up and took a deep breath of the cold fresh air. I turned to my left and just stood there in disbelief and in awe. The view of the mountains straight ahead, the lake on my right, the icy sand on the left, and the sun shining down from the top left corner took my breath away and it immediately took away the numbness from my cold wet fingers. The feeling of every natural element surrounding my entire body gave me a sense of peace and tranquility. I took out my cell phone (Motorola Droid Turbo) to take a picture of the incredible view. All it took was one shot and done. In moments like this I like to take one picture and then immediately put my phone away to really appreciate the views and be in the moment.

Being a photographer brought many benefits into my life. Besides doing something I love, creating beautiful moments in life, working with other creatives, creating beautiful photos for so many people in my life, one of the most beautiful benefits of being a photographer is exploring and the drive to see more.

When I was a kid, I had an art teacher who used to tell me all the time that "less leads to the best". What he meant by that is that we make better art when there are constraints because it pushes us to the limit of our creativity. Although I understood what he was saying, I couldn't entirely grasp it until I took this shot you're looking at right now.

There is an inexplicable feeling of being somewhere alone. The absence of alternative human presence almost forces a person to become completely immersed in place itself. Something I have found is that every place has a very distinct feeling that is almost always entirely unique. This place, tucked away in the vast expanse of the California Desert, produces a feeling of remote and off grid lonesomeness that is hard to replicate.

PICSART😘

Adobe Photoshop is a powerful editing tool that helps you create and enhance visual elements. From photo retouching to creating designs, there are several features that will suit your artistic needs. These are nine of the best things you can do with Photoshop to unleash your imagination and creativity.

What is Snagit?

“You Have Stumbled on In Darkness, You Have Been Pulled in Different Directions”

Kareem peeks timidly around the archway, into the frame. The man drops his camera and smiles at the boy, who ducks back into the vestibule of his home. The man snaps a few more photos of his wife sitting, standing, strutting up the stairs. The man and his wife depart; two more take their place. Kareem peeks timidly around the archway, into the frame.

I don’t necessarily understand all art. I accept that I’m not meant to know or understand everything, and people laugh when I say that, but it’s true. Art that I do understand, is something I can touch or taste. I don’t get anything out of going to museums and looking at paintings or sculptures I can’t put my hands on. If I can’t actively engage with it in a way I like, I’m not interested.