Expensive, yes, but well worth the trip.
California (March 2026)
I was tired of seeing Arizona dirt after my last trips to Vancouver and to Las Vegas. So I took a weekend off and booked a flight to SFO to visit a friend and explore some parts of California I hadn’t seen, and it was a great opportunity to test out the new Sony A7V.
I had guessed I might see the Mothership that is Apple Park outside the plane window if I happened to sit on the right side, but I was shocked to actually be able to spot it myself with the naked eye.
I’m very happy with the shot I managed to get.
This is a shot of the San Andreas Fault, out the car window. You can see through the color grading and the shade that it was through some very green glass, even greener than Sony’s normal green cast.
I still think it’s a cool photo though, with the water reflecting the sky and how green the trees look.
Looking up through the canopies of the massive sequoia trees is a humbling experience, and of course I had to take that classic perspective shot.
There’s something awe-inspiring about knowing that these trees, hundreds of feet tall and thriving, have been here long before even my ancestors and will be here long after I’m gone.
Here’s another view of just how green California’s forests are. Compared to the fifty shades of beige that come with living in Arizona, this is a welcome and beautiful change.
Certainly a view I could look at every day and not get tired of. I love the way the green turns gradually more purple the further away your line of sight goes, and the slight mist obscuring the furthest trees from view. It feels a bit ethereal.
Believe it or not, it was actually kind of hot on this day. Hot enough that I didn’t need the jacket I was wearing, and I was made brutally aware of that by all the people in bathing suits enjoying the water in Santa Cruz.
It was a beautiful day though, and the golden light from the sun setting made it even better.
I can’t explain why I like this photo so much, but I think it’s because of the juxtaposition of the green boat and shed with the blue water and the sunset lighting up the sky in pastel orange and yellow, with the sailboats on the water in the distance.
It’s definitely one of my favorite shots from this trip.
Another of my favorites from this trip. I love the way the sunset has cast everything in orange, and the way there’s a palm tree reflecting in the window of the boat.
It just feels like a warm, inviting scene - one I’m happy I got to both capture and be a part of.
There are few photo opportunities I enjoy more than catching birds flying against a vibrant sunset. There’s not much of a story to this one, other than I took this after I fixed a spot on my camera’s sensor.
Spots kept showing up in one specific location of the photos I was taking, so I got fed up and removed the lens to take a look at the back glass element and the sensor. Luckily I had my cleaning kit and air blower in my bag, so I managed to clean the sensor and then took some cleaner images - like this one!
I’ve never seen seals outside of a zoo before, so this was a cool experience!
There was one that kept trying and failing to jump out of the water and onto the scaffolding, and I was rooting for him the whole time. But these two resting together stole my heart entirely.
After the sun finally set, it was incredible to see the lights of the boardwalk reflecting on the water.
I’d love to visit California again sometime.