seeking bottled poetry

We bought a little piece of land in the redwoods about 115 miles north of San Francisco in 2004 and the wheels started turning. During my trips to Northern California I experienced how special single vineyard and estate wines were. The vast majority of those were not available in Minneapolis, Minnesota where I lived. The thought, the plan started with www.CaliforniaWineOnline.com and it evolved into seeking bottled poetry.

In 2005 the US Supreme Court ruled that states that allow in state shipments of wine couldn't restrict shipments from out of state.  This opened the possibility for people across the country to learn about, purchase and enjoy exquisite single vineyard and estate wines from California. For three years I had hosted wine tasting parties in my house to learn about wine and I saw great potential for a business model.

For two years, from 2005 to 2007, while I ran a small business I had owned for nearly ten years, we prepared our house to put it on the market. In my spare time I learned Dreamweaver web development software, researched all about California wines and their regions and began to develop the website.  In particular I wanted to know about the specific wine types:  Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. and what made each unique because of where they grew.  We sold our house in May 2007.  I closed my business to work on the project fulltime. 

I bought a decent camera - a Canon 400D and started shooting pictures.  I figured a web site had little appeal without images.  I joined flickr so I could learn about photography.  I immediately got attention within that community.  

Finally, February 2008 I took my first expedition to California to do actual tasting and photography, collect wines and put together the concept for wine events, books and other products.  The image below is a cover concept for a book. Click on the image to see it large.

evolution

Some people don't like the concept of evolution but it only means change.  Looking back over the eons, it appears that evolution is usually a slow and steady process but the greatest changes take place as a result of destruction.  So it feels with my life that a cataclysm has forced major change. The end result is in no way clear.  

My photography is going through change along with my life.  I feel things about some images that seem to require something else.  I love to play to try and ferret out the perfect complement. This image is one I was playing with. I love glass.  It is so fascinating to photograph.  I layered a blurred flowery image with gorgeous colors and then another image of a photo I took of my son's cymbals as textures.  I looked at my first post and realized that I mentioned that this is my evolution so I thought it appropriate to post this little experiment.

new life

August 20, 2011

This is a photographic journey of a new life.  In truth this happened a year ago but it has taken me this long to decide that I need to let go.  Transitions are hard for me.  It is hard to know what to keep or not when a thirty year marriage comes crashing to and end.  Everything worked for over years and decades --- suddenly, really, no longer relevant.  Resources are not there.  I have pulled at the threads, knotted and tied but too much is gone to work it into an image.  I am about images and the joy of capturing light and color, form and shadow.  This is powerful to me.

I am presently in San Francisco but in approximately two weeks I will leave.  First I will make my way to Minneapolis, Minnesota where I will pick through the remnants of my past life to decide what I want or need.  Then I will make my way to North Carolina where I will spend the winter and spring with my sister.  Beyond that I have no idea what to expect. It is an evolution and - I am excited about the possibilities whatever they may be.

The poppies in the background were in one of my favorite places which was the Posh Squash Garden at The Sea Ranch in Northern Sonoma County California.  This was a cooperative community garden.   Other than the hummer who visited while I photographed, the poppies were my favorite subjects to shoot.