I love photographing people at places they love, where they feel in their element and are engaged in what they enjoy! As such, newly engaged, Cathy and Chris both own and ride horses. So, after doing about a half hour shoot at their home, the idea dawned upon them, to take a short scoot over to the stables, where they keep their horses, and resume engagement photos there.
It was the first time I had been to the Marana Equestrian Center. It was also the first time I ever photographed equine and human, together. To formulate some ideas, I had to draw from imagery, indelibly, collected in my brain over time. I once rode on horseback, about twenty years ago. I, also, enjoyed watching Western movies growing up, all of which undoubtedly helped the cause. Still, there is nothing like gaining hands on experience. For that, I am grateful to Cathy and Chris, for giving me the opportunity.
It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance!Let’s Ride!Happy Trails
Happy Trails, Indeed
Days’ End“Much obliged” to additional cast members, Sonny (left images) an eighteen-year-old gelding and Yogi (right images) a seven-year-old John Mule for their bridled participation and co-operation. The pleasure was all mine!
Happy trails…until we meet again, in October (for the wedding)!
TUCSON, ARIZONA – To the unfamiliar, mention the words summer in Tucson, Arizona, visions of an arid desert and vapors of dry heat usually come to mind. Most outsiders would be surprised to learn that summer is actually the time of year when this region gets most of its annual rainfall. It is also when the surrounding desert is the greenest.
To Tucsonans, summertime is synonymous with the Monsoon Season, an ebb and flow of thunderstorms that provide much needed rain, cool relief and an awesome spectacle that slowly concludes, with the summer heat, near the end of September.
I love being outdoors, in the wilderness. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise, that Monsoon storms fascinate me! One of my ambitions is to one-day concentrate an entire summer, photographing them exclusively. Until then, random serendipitous moments, like the half-hour depicted in the photos below, will have to do for now.
When I arrived a trailhead, west of the Santa Catalina Mountains, an eeriness began to loom overhead.I observed these cloud clusters build quickly, overhead and to the south, like dishwashing detergent under running water.A spotty monsoon storm dumps rain in one spot, while leaving areas around it dry, waiting for the next round to arrive.One storm ends, while another one begins to form. As the sun sets, the clouds turn orange.Monsoon clouds in the distance appear as reversed ridges of the Catalina’s Mountains, silhouetted in the foreground.
Looking west, a Monsoon cloud forms, like a giant mushroom. If you look closely, a sliver of the moon is recognizable to the top right.
Darkness DescendsIt was almost complete nightfall, when I took this image. A lighting bolt, above the clouds, created the bright area. Rain makes landfall, to the left.
All previous images are from August 19. I took the two images below on August 31. I decided to include them here, as the theme is similar.
Remnant Monsoon clouds, hover over the Catalina’s at sunset. Most of the precipitation has already been drained out of them.
Many of the previous images feature the Santa Catalina Mountains, western slopes, viewed from the valley below. I took the image below, while atop of the Catalina’s on September 2. It looks west, to the Tucson Mountains and vividly depicts the conclusion to an active day of Monsoon showers.
Monsoon Horizon
Signed Limited Edition prints will be made available for “Monsoon Horizon”. Contact Paul for information.
