Quite recently I embarked on a mini road trip to Death Valley with Ellen.  However, there's nothing very "mini" about this vast, seemingly desolate stretch of desert.  It is the lowest, hottest, and driest location in North America.  I was a little apprehensive because of the heat (about 113 degrees, and high 80s at night), but we had a great time and the landscape was very starkly beautiful.  Though I admit, nothing quite prepares you for the scorching heat of Badwater. 

This is a "self portrait" on a tenacious little puddle of water on the salt flats, how it managed to remain I have no idea.  A sturdy hat is necessary, as strong gusts can cause you to bid goodbye to your only source of shade.

The adaption of wildlife in Death Valley is nothing short of impressive.  Nighttime driving became and unwitting game of Frogger, as we attempted to avoid coyotes, jackrabbits, and countless mice dashing across the road.  Our accommodations were at the kitschy little Atomic Inn.

There is something very peaceful about the stillness right before sunrise, about being the first set of footprints to walk on the dunes at morning.  It's also kind of fun to run down the sides.

Others left tracks the night before. 

A few intrepid hikers managed to walk even further than we did (see if you can spot them in the picture below).

No trip to the Mesquite dunes at sunrise is ever complete without some milk tea, especially when sunrise is at 5:40am.  Thank you, Ellen.

I love the silvery sheen of the desert holly.  It's the only plant I've seen with built-in reflectors.

In Mosaic Canyon you can find marble polished to a smooth sheen from flash floods.  We took advantage of the coolness at 7am and  took a few shots from "Pride Rock" (think Lion King) and also attempted a few ill-timed jumping shots on a timer (very challenging) on Ellen's camera.

This modest, colorful restaurant in Beatty, Nevada had one of the best chili verde dishes I've had in awhile. 

Rhyolite ghost town

An eccentric house made out of glass bottles. 

The lush oasis that is Scotty's Castle is located at the northern end of Death Valley.  It's a surprising bit of luxury in an otherwise very inhospitable place.

Ubehebe crater dwarfs everything around it, and surrounds the nearby landscape with dark volcanic ash.  This doesn't quite indicate how incredibly large it is, it is roughly about half a mile wide.

As accustomed I am to light and noise, nighttime at Death Valley is a bit eerie since it's so quiet and almost completely dark.  You feel incredibly vulnerable, but then you look up, and there are no words to describe how bright the stars are.  Pictures certainly do not do it justice.

The past few days have involved a lot of face time with my computer.  But I definitely can't complain.  The view from my window makes me feel like I'm living in a treehouse.

On a nice day you can see clear to the mountains.

We are also the proud new owners of an orange tree.  Through quite a bit of effort by Tony and our friend Dennis (who didn't know he was conscripted for labor until he arrived at our apartment that day), it now sits in our balcony with little oranges growing as I write.  I am hopeful, despite having a rather notoriously black thumb, that this plant won't go the way of our other plants.  It helps that this tree is a fair size, so I'm hoping it'll be a little tougher, and I'm also hoping that the golden California sunshine will do the rest.

And every so often I venture outside to work.  There is nothing like the lure of a jukebox, a portabello mushroom burger and a milkshake to get me outdoors.  Our neighborhood is full of quirky shops and eateries. 

Here is a teaser from a wedding I shot this past weekend.  

As a wedding photographer you try to be incognito, or at least as close as we can dressed all in black with a lot of equipment dangling off our necks.  It's the best way to get the candid shots that tell the story of the wedding day.  This shot was taken during the bride's procession.  I love the look of anticipation.  It was a wonderful wedding for a very special couple and I'm very excited to share those photos with you soon.  :)

And as nice as it is to be able to run around and shoot freely, it is also an amazing feeling to be greeted by the family of the bridal couple on a first name basis and to be given a hug like a friend by the couple at the end of their wedding day.  It is a constant reminder of why I love what I do, and how blessed I am to work with such amazing people and listen to their stories.

The Los Angeles Arboretum is a lovely idyllic place that can still boast of a few little niches that are left to run a little (pleasantly) wild.

An afternoon visit with Ellen felt a bit like a slice of of Planet Earth (well, a significantly cheaper, non-HD version with no NASA technology and BBC orchestra).  We saw a heron's distended neck swell to double its size as it attempted to gulp down a fish the size of his head and squirrels dexterously peel nuts from a tree. 

It was also a little electrifying to watch peacocks stroll casually around the grounds.  And something was obviously in the air as I watched a peacock chase out an offending male, then perform his little courting dance to attract the attention of a less-than-enthused female.

It's a little mind-boggling to think that by this year all my college roommates will be married.  When I showed up at Gloria's house, amidst all the hustle and bustle of wedding day preparations, all these funny memories came flooding back of the good times in our apartment.

Experiencing weddings as a guest is very different from experiencing it as a photographer.  For one thing, you don't get the best view on the house.  But I was able to hear the oos and ahhs when flower girl KariAnne made her way down the aisle in a radio flyer, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when Gloria and Jason spoke words of thanks and love to their parents during the ceremony.

I'm sure that Jason and Gloria are currently enjoying a gorgeous Hawaiian sunset right now, and getting some well-deserved rest on their honeymoon.  That or they are decked out in matching Lakers jerseys watching the game together.  There's nothing like unity in marriage. =)  Regardless, congratulations!!