Bay Area Book Signing, The National Parks: Our American Landscape

Scott Kirkwood, editor for National Parks Magazine, sees thousands of images of national parks each year. “As much as I enjoy spending time reviewing images of Acadia’s cliffs, Zion’s peaks and everything in between, there’s a point where I start to think seen it. When the magazine sends a photographer on assignment to Glacier National Park, he’s got to execute a shot that not only screams ‘Glacier’ before the reader even sees a caption, but also whispers something new to those who have visited the park dozens of times. Like painting a still life that reveals something more than just a bowl of fruit, it’s not easy to do. But Ian Shive does it. I’m still trying to figure out how.”

Being a photographer myself - who wants to go beyond the average image but struggles - I admire greatly the person who delivers something special, something more in their photographs. Compared to Ansel Adams, award-winning photographer Ian Shive will be in San Francisco to sign copies of his first book, The National Parks: Our American Landscape.

Shive's images have appeared in many publications spanning the globe including Time Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, National Geographic, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Popular Photography and Outside Magazine.

Supporting our national parks is more important than ever, especially with what we know now about the impact of global warming. A portion of the proceeds from book sales will go to the National Parks Conservation Association.

Stop into any of these locations, meet the photographer and get your beautiful autographed copy of this amazing book.

Saturday, September 26 - 2:00pm
Borders Union Square
400 Post Street
(between Mason St & Powell St)
San Francisco, CA 94102

Sunday, September 27 - 2:00pm
Borders San Rafael
588 Francisco Blvd.
San Rafael, CA 94901

Monday, September 28 - 5:00pm
Barnes & Noble
1725 Arden Way
Sacramento, CA 95815



The National Parks: Our American Landscape (Earth Aware Editions, August 2009) presents a wonderfully updated photographic survey of the nation’s greatest treasures. Seen through the eyes of the National Parks magazine photographer and International League of Conservation Photographers member Ian Shive, America’s National Park System comes to life through a collection of more than 200 new photographs.

Sponsored by the National Parks Conservation Association and the International League of Conservation Photographers, Shive’s first book of photography is a journey to the places that have long inspired him. “Since my youth,” Shive writes, “I’ve seen the national parks as the last authentic vestiges of America’s wildest places — symbols of its one-of-a-kind spirit.”

by sfcphotography

And on September 27, on Public Television will be the start of the new Ken Burns series The National Parks: America's Best Idea a six-episode series directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan.

[Above is one of my favorite pictures. I took this photo from inside the gorgeous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, California.]

Everywhere and Nowhere Travel: Your Own Backyard

So today I decided to make this a personal post, not about travel outside of the US or even my beautiful city of St. Francis, but what it is like to travel about my own backyard.

When I started this blog many years ago it was to share my love of travel and photography, hoping that it motivated folks to get out and about, to embrace the world around them. This motivational tack is still my focus because I think many people need prodding to get out and about, especially further than their own backyard.

However in order to better understand the person who doesn't want to leave their backyard for the great outdoors and cities that require plane travel, I thought it was a good idea to look inward today.

The landscape is pretty nice but it reminds me of that town in Spain.....

by sfcphotography

The Day My Husband Was Famous

Spending a few days in Kyoto, Japan, we were walking and visiting the shrines when these girls fell for my husband in his leather motorcycle jacket. It was a proud moment.

Tuscan Fields and Friendship

by sfcphotography

I have a wonderful friend who lives outside of Florence, Italy. We met when we lived in the same apartment building, the Domus Minami Azabu, in Tokyo, Japan many years ago. She is Brazilian and wonderful. We became fast friends in Tokyo and have carried our friendship forward over the years, though we may only write every few months.

A couple of years ago we met up for the first time since we parted ways in Japan. She now has a young son and a wonderful house in a small town that she and her husband used to visit when they were first married. He is from Florence and so they returned to be near his aging parents and other family and friends.

When we finally met, she made a point of sharing with me all the wonderful back roads that I had never known existed during my previous vacations in the area. Before I knew her, I had no idea that you could drive forever and never see another car our tour bus for hours. And be minutes from the city center of Florence.

My dear friend truly has inspired me to be open to exploration off the beaten path, even when returning to a favored city and region like Tuscany.

This photo I took from our car window reflects the lush area and its intense color that seems to just seep into my camera lens. Whenever I look at this photo it reminds me of our friendship and its growth over the past ten years. I feel our friendship growing and spreading across Italy to California and back.

Maybe we will continue our journey south to Brazil and her homeland. I look forward to that possibility.

Summer Concerts in Sierra Foothills

by sfcphotography

This summer ended with a bang for us. We got a chance to savor the final sleepy days with hundred degree temperatures and evening outdoor concerts and picnics in the low foothills of the Sierra Mountains.

Ironstone Vineyards and Winery is one of several vineyards that offers you lovely location to enjoy good food and great music. We have been a few times now and this last series was topped off by listening to the great jazz piano player, Diana Krall (who is married to musician Elvis Costello).

Here is the stage before she arrived and while the sun was still shining. We had a great buffet dinner beforehand. If you go, it is about two hours from San Francisco or an hour from Sacramento. Ironstone offers a great line up of artists including Chris Isaak and others.