How Many Words in a Picture?

I took a big step a few months ago and finally bought myself a serious camera. It's a Nikon (Canon users, keep it to yourselves...) and it's pretty cool. I love taking pictures, but I'm nowhere near patient enough to sit down and really learn everything my camera can do. Instead, I point it at stuff and click the button until I get what I think I'm trying to capture. When I cannot make it do what I want, I get frustrated and figure I'm asking something beyond its capability. Probably, if I get the manual out again I will find a simple explanation of how to do what I wanted to do. But I don't carry the manual with me "in the field." And by the time I get home, I'm more interested in seeing what I DID get than worrying about how to get cooler stuff next time. It's a cycle, you see.

Anyway, my camera traveled with me to California last week. I was thrilled to be going on my first vacation with my own camera. Seriously, this was a big deal. If you're friends with me on Facebook, you've seen just a small amount of the photos I took in four days. I was gone for five, but the first one was in L.A. and I already have tons of pictures from there.

I decided to make this post about a few of my favorite shots from the trip. Hope you enjoy.

1.

 "That's just a flower. What's so special about a freakin' flower?"
Well, if you are reading this in the Midwest or anywhere else that knows about the Polar Vortex, you know that we don't have any of these right now. It was exciting. And it was at the San Diego Zoo. They must spend more on landscaping than anything else. It's cuh-razy!

2.

This is also from the zoo. I can't remember where exactly, but half of the place looks like this. I'm used to the St. Louis Zoo (which I love), but which is arguably less exotic. Also, this zoo delivers the equivalent of a major hiking experience. There are not many flat areas. It's a great workout. Consider that the high cost of admittance (I got in for free...) includes a day's work at a gym, and you've got a bargain.

3.

"I've seen a monkey before, thank you very much."
Okay, but this monkey was unlike any monkey I've ever experienced. I swear, there was a little human in there. It was eerie. He would look directly at his audience members, cock his head to the side, and freakin' smile. A serious, practically on-command smile. Then he'd look at someone else and repeat his efforts. He'd frown and then smile. Look sad and lonely, hug himself, then cock his head to the side and smile. It was unsettling. But awesome.

4.

"Okay, the monkey story was cool. This is sand. Blurry sand! What the heck?"
Well, right. It is sand. But I really like this picture because when I look at it, I can feel the sand between my toes again. Sigh.

5.

La Jolla. So glad this trip happened. I took about 90 pictures of harbor seals right before this. They were lounging on the sand and reminded me of my cat. He looks a lot like a beached seal when he lays on his back. But this was from up higher and further down the beach on the way to the tide pools.

6.

Before you say it, yes. This is a picture of moss. That's all. Moss on a rock. But it's so bright and pretty! I took about 70 pictures of moss right after this one. That's a lie. It was not that many. But this was my favorite.

7.

What is this? Is it a cave? Is it a puddle? No! It's a tide pool. Okay, that's sort of like a puddle. But cooler things live inside tide pools. Not that we were able to identify any of them. Except one big red crab, which was pretty sweet. (Don't try to find the crab in this picture. He's in a different one.)

8.

"That person is going to fall in the ocean! Stop taking pictures and call for help!"
It's okay. That's Philip. He did not fall in the ocean. But he did get out to this super cool rock "island" thing and provide me with fun pictures. This was the best because of the reflection and the off-balance feeling. I promise, he did not fall in the ocean.

9.

This is a fish getting ready to eat poo.
I feel like I should explain further. And also I feel like I shouldn't.

10.

What the?!?
Oh yeah. This is what I came home to. Sure, it's pretty. In that "whatever you do, don't go outside without twelve layers" kind of way. Where's that sand picture again?

So, that's a few out of many. Thanks for looking and reading!