But I’m back to blogging!
Well, much has happened lately, but 90% had zero to do with photography and everything to do with life/family. In fact, I’ve only been shooting three times in almost six months. First, we relocated to El Paso, Texas from Yokosuka, Japan after my wife retired from the US Navy (couldn’t be more proud of her!!). It’s a major transition for our family to say the least. Part of that trip from Yokosuka will likely be my next post, watch for it, it’s interesting and falls sternly in to realm of Murphy’s law. Then, after settling in Texas, we bought a new home and that process in itself was no simple task. With moving, being boxed in again after moving to a new house, unpacking hopefully for the last time, getting the former house ready to sell, and all that comes with getting reintegrated in to family here while adjusting to civilian life, means there’s been big things happening. I retired after a 30 year naval career myself, then spent the last ten as a military dependent. My wife retired after a 26 year naval career, so our kids have grown up in the military since birth and this transition has been huge. That means photography hasn’t been a priority, we’ve had bigger fish to fry. This morning is the first time I’m getting in my Jeep and going out shooting, no plan, no idea if I’ll get shots (or not), but just heading out to shoot with no agenda and it feels great! The one thing I do know, I have a full tank of gas. 😎
I’ll be back blogging here so don’t write me off just yet. Just trying to get settled as a family, make new friends at 59 years old which is harder than it sounds, and find my place in life’s next chapter. Below are just a few photos I’ve taken since coming back to the US and hoping to have many more soon. As always, I appreciate your support!
sparky, I’m getting there… When Wallace and Earl arrived in San Diego, they lived for a couple of months near Balboa Park but in January 1918, they moved to Coronado, first roughing it in a suite at the Hotel del Coronado but eventually renting three houses in Coronado.(3) It’s the house they rented at 1115 Flora Avenue that we’re talking about here, in the photo to the left. This house was moved from Flora Avenue to the Hotel Del Coronado in 1999 and is now “the social hub” of the “Club at The Del, an exclusive venue for members and Beach Village owners and guests.”(4) What does that even mean? Simply, it means you ain’t gettin’ in, ever.
soon.” At that time, Vesuvius had lights going up the eastern side from a chair lift that had been installed sometime in the early 1950’s allowing you to see the silhouette of the mountain at night. I left Naples after almost three years in December of 1984, sadly thinking I’d never come back and not knowing that the chair lift also closed. I did come back, a lot, in 1986, 1988, 1996, and 2005, and even after retiring in 2011. Frankly, returning to Naples became more of a hobby than a military reassignment, somebody thought it would be fun to keep sending me back, and I loved just about every minute it. I came to figure that if I actually asked for it, they wouldn’t send me. The chair lift lights were gone at night and the base had changed dramatically from a couple of softball fields, two airplane hangers, and a pool that didn’t hold water, to a modern military facility; but that silhouette of Vesuvius was still amazing, especially in the mornings. My final tour on active duty began in 2005, it was also about this time I again became interested in photography. For 20+ years, like a moron, I traveled all over Europe and Asia on the Navy’s dime but didn’t have a camera. Why? Mostly because I was younger and much smarter than I am today, apparently knowing it was much better to blow one’s money on beer rather than some trivial photography hobby. That’s basically sums it up, it’s also a major regret today and up there with not paying attention, ever, during high school… A SQUIRREL!!! Stay with me, in 2005, I
bought a Sony Cyber Shot (DSC-W7) not knowing if photography was something I’d continue. This digital photography thing kind was kind of scary. I had been used to mailing in rolls of film to get developed and waiting weeks to see how my skills did, or didn’t, improve. Taking pictures had changed and instead of paying a lot of money for multiple blurry shots of one subject, at multiple f stops and shutter speeds, there was now a touch screen where the undesirables could be deleted forever – and free of charge! How cool was that? We take things a little for granted these days, my kids find it unbelievable that there was a time without cell phones and Google. During those last years of active duty in Naples, I’d get in to work early and go to the top of the parking garage and get some shots with a little tripod. It was almost always incredible and in the years to come this was my spot for morning shots. I did this mostly out of not wanting to forget the huge part of my life that Naples had become. Even though the above photo was taken with a little pocket camera, it’s still an important memory for me because it’s the first photo I took that kind of wow’d me. Below are a few other photos taken from the same basic location where blue, orange, and purple skies can be found if you get there early. I’m not one for photography without clouds, but the above photo, 
Selling stock photos has been going well this year. However, while most photos for my website make it to the stock sites with logos and trademarks removed, the reverse isn’t true as many stock photos don’t make it to 
Last summer one of my best friends retired from the US Navy after a long and distinguished career. His retirement ceremony was held near 
The nice thing about the Norfolk area is that there is so much to see that I actually found thing to shoot on the way to thing I PLANNED to shoot! One of those times is in the photo at right, 
F8 & 🐝 there 