Joshua Tree National Park (Part2)

After a day of exploring we found ourselves here, on a small, dirty, side road. As we walked, the sun began to set and I couldn't help but reflect and smile. I'm very lucky to have such a wonderful family. Every time I look at these photos a tremendous warmth overtakes me. The power of a photo... taking you right back to that moment.. right back to that long dirty road. This just happens to be one of my very favorite moments. Kuma, reminding me in the last photo, to stop taking it in behind the camera, to hurry and catch up. 

 

 

 

Joshua Tree National Park (Part1)

Sometimes we have trips that you don't realize how much you need until you are there. Joshua Tree was one of those trips for me. I had seen dozens of photographs of the park, but as we began driving through, I could not believe how beautiful it was and how peaceful the desert felt.

We had decided to drive to the park on short notice, despite it being a holiday weekend, and were certain it was going to be packed. Chances were high that all the dog friendly hotels were booked, but we took the risk and jumped in the car. A few hours later I started calling every hotel. As luck would have it, a hotel near Palm Springs had one room left. I quickly booked it, and our spontaneous weekend began! 

We skipped the first, most popular park entrance on the recommendation of some random person online, driving another 20 minutes to a smaller and less crowded entrance. With virtually no one around we flashed our National Parks pass (thanks Kondrats!), and headed in. For the next few hours we drove all around, stopping for a few quick walks, and finishing in a large open field to watch the sunset. The warmth and beauty of the sun going down will stick in my memory forever. It was absolutely magnificent. 

Decisions...

Beginning to edit my photos from my trip to Joshua Tree national park. Oh.... choices. Yearning for the beautiful sunset and evening glow, so I think my mind is pretty much set. 

 

How Could I Say No?

When we stay at hotels the dogs are always allowed on the bed. This was the look Sadie was giving me when I told her she couldn't get on the hotel bed this time. Someone is mad at me..... 

Becky & Jay

Becky and Jay were married several months ago in New York city. I didn't have any intention of shooting this video, but as soon as I overheard Beckys mom state she was sad she wouldn't be able to see the ceremony, I decided to jump at the challenge. Day of, I made the decision and started figuring out the video function on my camera. I didn't tell anyone except Nick I was making the video. If it turned out like crap, no one would know. But, as I built, over many hours, the final product I became increasingly proud of it.  For my first go, Im very pleased.  

If you are interested in hiring an actual wedding videographer, my best friend is one of the most talented people I've ever met. She is my muse. Her amazing work can be found here: http://www.fortunafilms.co/ (Music rights to FortunaFilms)

You can be that lucky..

Quick trip to San Fran wouldn't be complete without a trip to view the Golden Gate. The day before I had sent an article to Nick about the views, and how whales were recently spotted traveling right under the bridge. Since reading that article, we'd put the bridge on the must-see list and figured a trip to the city wouldn't be complete otherwise. 

Right before dinner, Nick and I (and the dogs!) stopped to watch the sunset. For the majority of the time the bridge was completely covered in fog. To be honest, I was fine with that because it looked beautiful! Right before we were going to call it, Nick yells to me, "Sarah! There are your whales!" A half dozen people snapped to look at Nick. I couldn't help my reaction of "NO WAY!" After all, I hadn't even considered looking for them. They had been spotted DAYS prior. I didn't think for a second that we could be that lucky. Yet, there they were: two beautiful humpback whales, hanging right under the bridge. My lens had a hard time fighting through the fog, but it was such a beautiful reminder that you should never just expect those things to be left for the articles. Always expect that impossible can happen to you too. 

Let the Hat Fly

Several weeks ago my husband and I drove to San Francisco to watch my cousin and 3.500 of his peers graduate from UC Berkeley. The ceremony was held in the enormous Cal Memorial football stadium, which left very few people with the opportunity to capture anything other than large-scale photos. Armed with a 300mm lens, I was fortunate enough to get a unique perspective on the big day. 

From the depths of my lens I watched as few kids remained attentive... and don't get me wrong, I was there once too! With plenty of distance from their families and the safety of numbers, there was little inhibition in the crowd. I saw a handful of students who seemed genuinely interested, but a majority simply laughed with friends and continued partying from their seats. I watched as kids fixed and re-fixed their hair, and even spied a few who picked their nose and, in one instance, flicked their new-found discovery at his friend. A carefree air permeated this gaggle of graduates, and most tried to capture the memory with their phone. There were so many photos being taken - everything from silly gangs of kids crowding into one shot, all the way to sexy, "I'm an adult now" selfies. As the long ceremony drew to a close and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, it came time for the freshly-minted grads to let their caps fly... and yet many did not. Instead of a celebratory farewell to one part of their life, and bidding hello to the future, many just watched from behind iPhone screens, trying to catch a photo. The fear of losing that precious moment is real, but it was a powerful lesson that we should not be so afraid of missing the moment that we choose to be passersby instead of participants.

I want this to be a lesson for myself: when it's time, let the hat fly. There are so few times in your life that are full of sheer joy and abandon, you simply can't be too worried about capturing the moment on film. You have to trust that even if a camera fails to capture it for you, your memory will not.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mothers Day to my fabulous mother, and the woman who taught me to always keep my eyes open for the beauty all around us. 

Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay in northeastern Vietnam is known for, as Google tells it, "emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped with rainforests." It's one of those otherworldly places that many people recognize even if they've never been there. 

We arrived by boat to Lan Ha Bay, weary from a solid week on the go and a bit frayed by the bustle of the larger cities. It was an otherwise dreary day, full of mist and rain, but the weather could not obscure the vivid colors of the landscape, nor the magical sensation we felt as we drifted up and around limestone peaks. We were totally awestruck, and so content to finally be there. Translating all of this to the camera was difficult though - my lens and I were both struggling with the precipitation. 

After taking a junket into a central part of the bay, we jumped into kayaks and paddled around the floating villages that are sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by neighboring peaks. Maneuvering was not too difficult, but we had to make sure to keep our distance from the floating walkways; each community has its own guard dogs, and they have been known to leap from their floating homes to ward off bandits... or unsuspecting tourists!  After a few hours of paddling and a quick dip, Nick and I took the remainder of the day to go rock climbing. Little did we know we'd have a shell-strewn beach and the limestone faces all to ourselves - such an amazing experience! At the end of our climb, an island taxi driver (pictured top) gave us a lift home. Without a doubt, one of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam, and something I would do again in a heartbeat. 

River Cruise...

The first stop on our bike cruise through the backcountry was more of a pull over, so I could run across the street and snap a photo of the beautiful boats floating down the river.  (HoiAn, Vietnam) 

Red Bridge Cooking School, Hoi An, Vietnam

We had heard rumors of the cooking schools in Vietnam, specifically in Hoi An, but we weren't set on one until we arrived. A quick internet search led us to the Red Bridge Cooking school. The day began early at a local coffee shop, proceeded to a comprehensive tour of the local markets (perhaps another post all together!), and then had a beautiful trip down the river to the cooking school's remote location. The river trip alone - past the streets of Hoi An, and then the rural houses with their enormous fishing nets - had me smitten. When we arrived to a beautiful fresh cocktail, I was totally sold... and we hadn't even started cook yet!  

After arriving at the school and getting a cold drink, we walked around the herb gardens are were taught about the depth of flavors in Vietnamese cooking. We took a seat in the open-air kitchen and got instruction for our first dish: Hoi An Pancakes (Banh Xeo) which consist of shrimp, pork, bean sprouts and spring onions wrapped in a beautiful rice pancake. Next, Nick was selected (of course he was!) to help build a seafood salad with Vietnamese herbs, served in a half Pineapple. The salad ingredients: green papaya, sour green mango, lotus root, carrot, cucumber, onion, squid and shrimp  - YUM! 

These dishes were delicious and fun, but the highlight of the class was learning to make fresh rice paper! With the right tools (and expert instructors) it ended up being far easier than we expected... easy enough that we're planning on trying it in our own kitchen (e-mail me for the recipe!). We finished the class with a quick decorating competition.... which I dominated :) Turns out making tomato skin roses is my secret talent!




Vietnam Street Food.

I haven't had much time to go through my photos from our trip to Vietnam a few months ago. Every time I try and sit down to pick a few to share, I find it hard to choose.  So, instead of going through all of them at once, I've decided to slowly share some of my favorites. 

Vietnamese street food has to go down as the most memorable aspect of our trip. Just a few steps on the streets of Hanoi, and we knew that the hype was legit. From that early moment to our very last steps in Hoi An, we spent nearly every minute talking about what we had just seen or tasted... and what we planned on trying next. Some of the very best food was the unexpected treats following an already delicious meal, when we'd decide to try just one more thing. We were never sorry. Well, Nick was never sorry. My first-world, middle-America stomach got pushed to the limit one day, but it was still totally worth it!

Below are a few of those moments, mostly some portraits of the friendly street vendors... just regular women cooking and serving their specialty on a daily basis for some extra cash. And don't worry: there will certainly be more Vietnamese food photos coming soon. 


Valentines Day

I've never been a huge fan of Valentine's Day, but I've begun to appreciate it more over the years. Don't get me wrong: it stills seems like a cheesy greeting card holiday that is awkward and insensitive. It capitalizes on people's insecurities, driving them out to buy cheap cards and candy as a way to validate their feelings. Do we really need a holiday for that?? 

With that said, I've tried harder to focus less on commercial notions of romance and more on the beauty and love we all share. Doing so almost always makes me reflect on how lucky I am, and that was especially true today. I spent the day outside with my lovely husband and adorable dogs, made time to talk to my family, and took dozens of photos. I still don't know if I need a whole holiday, but it doesn't hurt to have a reminder of how lovely life can be. Happy Valentine's Day everyone. 

Keeping Memories Alive and Well....

When my 11 year old nephew recently shared some of his writings, I couldn't help but feel drawn to the piece below. This afternoon I combed through numerous photos in an attempt to find one that fit. There were several options that I shared with him to ensure this post was a collaborative effort. It seemed only fitting that he chose a photo of his sister, taken from one of my fondest memories of my nieces and nephews. 

* * *

Throughout some years of my life, I have questioned why we take photographs at some places we go, and if it's really worth going through all of that positing of the face and body, especially in fancy pictures. Although now, I realize that photographs are memories, and even though we may remember them for along time, they start to fade away. With photographs, you can at least remember something, and when we are not of this Earth, future generations will hear the stories of pictures, and will pass that down to other generations as well. As painful as pictures may seem, they are a crucial part of keeping memories alive and well. 

By: Oscar Bender-Stone

1955

After 60 years, it was time we opened this beautiful bottle up. We gave this bottle of wine to my mother-in-law this year on her 60th birthday,; we found it online and had it shipped all the way from Amsterdam. I couldn't help but get a few photos, taken on the steps of a beautiful old antique staircase. Afterwards, we slowly opened it and shared it among the family while we celebrated the Christmas holiday. Though the wine was a little different that what we were used to, it was a fun experience nonetheless.  More information on where we found the wine here. 

Cheers everyone! Happy New Year! 

Instagram

I would say the majority of the photos I take are with my phone and many are posted on Instagram. Here are a few of my favorites taken in 2015.Be sure to follow me there or click the below icon for a direct link to CorcoranPhotography

Hong Kong Market

It's been a year since we traveled to Hong Kong to visit our dear friends. As they are now just days from expecting their first child, I am thinking of them and the last time we saw them. Our trip to HK was our first Asian adventure, and when I think of it, I think first of the markets. The colors... the people... the smells. 

 

Merry Christmas, from the super creapy santa walking through the market. 

Photos from the Past....

I never knew my maternal grandfather, Ray. Ray passed before I was born, and my grandmother remarried to the only man I ever knew as Grandpa.  About 15 years ago I stumbled on boxes of old photographs, on slides, from his travels. As a international marking manager, he was lucky enough to get to venture to all corners of the world, and while he didn't take many photos, he took a few from each place he traveled.  I had come across the photos at a time when digital photography was just starting to take off; shooting film was still fairly typical, but it was done far less frequently. The desire and ability to have perfectly crisp photos has been facilitated by the digital format, so I was quite surprised with how drawn I was to the grain and lack of focus in these images.  When I first saw the photos I remember being particularly fond of the random street photos, my favorite being the first one below. I hadn't thought of those photos in years until recently. While editing photos, I came across one that instantly reminded me of these old photos. Tonight, I finally dug them up. I'm still not exactly sure why that photo (the last one here) brought me back -- the brain is funny like that -- but I am so thankful that it did. Introducing, for the very first time to the internet, photos by Ray Kondrat.