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2016 Reflections

2016 was a very good year. I traveled to places near and far, challenged myself, accomplished some big goals, and experienced many 'firsts'. This is a year end review told mostly with my photography.

The cover image was captured on my birthday, January 1, 2016 just before sitting down to enjoy a fabulous dinner at Jake's in Del Mar, California. This year's birthday was celebrated the same way.

Travel

Trips near and far. Many for the first time.

First time attending the post Rose Parade float viewing.

January 2 - Pasadena, California

Two weeks later we returned to Los Angeles for a Van Morrison concert at the Shrine Auditorium. It was our first Van Morrison concert and first time at the Shrine. The following day we toured around Los Angeles, which included a first time visit to the Bobby Kennedy memorial. I captured this image of Kennedy's engraved portrait with a reflection of a tent seen in his face. The tent was occupied by a couple living on the streets. I read the tent's reflection as a tear.

January 16 - Los Angeles, California

Tucson, Arizona

In March I traveled to Tucson to work an Adobe sponsored event as the resident Adobe 'expert'. The job opportunity was a first, and the realization of a major career goal.

March 3 - Univeristy of Arizona

The day started early by photographing the desert at sunrise, another first for me on many levels.

Pauly Pavilion, UCLA

Two days later I worked the same event in Los Angeles on the campus of my alma mater, UCLA.

March 5 - UCLA

Central Park, New York

We spent two days in New York on our way to London for our first European vacation. It was my first spring visit to NYC.

March 30 - Chinatown, NYC
March 30 - One World Observatory, NYC

I met Abraham and gave him a print of the illustrated-photo portrait I created of him, title 'Abraham Sings'. We didn't know each other. He didn't know that I had created a portrait of him. It was an awkward and emotional meeting, and very rewarding.

March 31 - Bethesda Terrace Central Park, NYC

Travel is good for the soul, and relationships.

March 31 - Central Park, NYC

Europe

For our first trip to Europe we took an eight day tour of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and spent four additional days in London on our own. I came home with a lot of photos. Here's one from each location we visited.

April 1 - Parliament Building London, England
April 2 - Anne Hathaway Cottage, Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK
April 2 - Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK
April 2 - Shakespeare's Burial Place, Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK
April 2 - York, UK
April 3 - Windemere Lake, UK
April 3 - Gretna Green, Scotland
April 3 - Sterling Castle, Scotland
April 4 - Edinburgh, Scotland
April 4 - April 4 - Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
April 4 - Ayrshire, Scotland
April 5 - South Ayrshire Coastline, Scotland
April 5 - Larne Coastline, Northern Ireland
April 5 - Titanic Belfast, Northern Ireland
April 5 - Italian Bar, Belfast, Northern Ireland
April 6 - Glendalough Monastic City, Ireland
April 6 - Glendalough County Wicklow, Ireland
April 6 - Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
April 6 - National Museum of Ireland - Natural History, Dublin, Ireland
April 6 - Dublin, Ireland
April 7 - Irish National Stud, Kildare, Ireland
April 7 - Irish National Stud, Japanese Gardens, Kildare Ireland
April 7 - Killkenny, Ireland
April 7 - House of Waterford Crystal, Waterford, Ireland
April 7 - Waterford, Ireland
April 7 - John Meade's Pub, Waterford, Ireland
April 8 - Tenby, Wales
April 8 - Winery, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
April 9 - Bath, England
April 9 - Stonehenge, Amesbury, England
April 10 - Abbey Road, London, England
April 10 - London Tower Bridge, London, England
April 10 - Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England
April 11 - Paternoster Square, London, England
April 11 - Saint Paul's Cathedral, London, England
April 12 - Strawberry Fields, Liverpool, England
April 12 - Liverpool, England
Back in the homeland

Oregon

Junction City, Oregon

In the fall we visited our son at the farm where he was interning.

September 1 - Deck Family Farm, Junction City, Oregon
September 2 - Deck Family Farm, Junction City, Oregon

Eugene, Oregon

We spent two nights in Eugene, visiting for the first time. While in Eugene we visited a farmers market, the University or Oregon, and the Oregon Coast.

September 2 - University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
September 1 - Carl G Washburne Memorial St. Park, Lane County, Oregon

Portland, Oregon

We spent three nights in Portland which included a visit to the Pittock Trail. and Mt. Hood National Forest, Cascade Locks.

September 4 - Portland, Oregon and September 5 - Oneonta Gorge Falls, Oregon

Los Angeles, California

After the National election, in search of a happier place, we spent a day at Disneyland.

November 11 - California Adventure Ferris Wheel, Los Angeles, California
November 11 - Disneyland Tea Cups, Los Angeles, California

Blythe, California

The last trip of the year was a single day drive to the desert for business. I spent the morning in search of photo ops while Blaise worked.

November 30 - Blythe, California

We drove through Glamis on the way home. I've never been. Unfortunately we were not able to pull off of the road for photos. I captured this from the window of our moving car. I must return for a closer look.

November 30 - Glamis Dunes, California

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

A year for noteworthy achievement.

PePcon Conference Speaker

I presented two sessions at PePcon in San Diego. This was my first time speaking at a conference, and something that had been on my goals list for several years.

June 6 - San Diego, California

Second Degree Black Belt

I trained, tested and earned a second degree black belt in Taekwondo marital arts.

August 1 - Black Belt Testing, Escondido, California

Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim

I completed a two day, north rim to south rim hike of the Grand Canyon with my good friend Carey.

August 19 - South Rim Grand Canyon, Arizona

Adobe MAX

I gave a presentation at the Adobe Community MAX Summit, attended by Adobe Community Professionals, Adobe User Group Managers, and Adobe Employees.

Also at MAX, I TA'd for three different sessions and worked two different Adobe booths in the Community Pavilion.

November 1 - Adobe MAX Summit, San Diego California
November 3 - San Diego Bay Sunrise

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

A creative year for drawing

Friends from out of state visited in February. They convinced me to join them on a safari excursion at the Safari Park, something I hadn't previously done. (surprising because I live only two miles from the park). The close encounter experience inspired me to begin a series of zoo portrait drawings with Adobe Draw on an iPad. I completed eleven zoo portraits during the year.

The zoo portrait series motivated me to visit the park more often than in recent years. I spent long periods of time photographing different animals.

February 11 - Safari Park, San Pasqual Valley, California

Here are some of this year's photographs that became illustrated zoo portraits

February 11 - Safari Park, San Pasqual Valley, California
July 2 - Safari Park, San Pasqual Valley, California

I spent an hour photographing Lemurs on a day when they were uncharacteristically active. I captured some great portraits, but realized later that Lemur's are defined more by their tails than their face. I still haven't captured the right image for a drawn Lemur portrait.

July 2 - Safari Park, San Pasqual Valley, California

Lake Hodges

A year of sunrise hikes

My friend and I have a standing commitment to hike twice week. We made it to the trail more often than we missed. My camera was with me for most of them, but I didn't shoot every time out. Here's a photo from each of the mornings that inspired me to take my camera out.

January 22
January 28
February 19
March 2
March 22
March 30
August 6
November 30
December 6
December 6
December 13

Close to Home

I did a fair amount of photographing people and places close by, something I admittedly should be doing more of. I am extremely lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

The background image is a sculpture at the UCSD Extension campus where I teach. I've been photographing this sculpture for four years now. This was taken on May 11.

I photographed Crusin Grand in Escondido twice which is not nearly enough.

June 10 - Escondido, California
August 12 - Escondido, California

I spent a very enjoyable morning walking the city of San Diego with my camera before meeting family at Petco Park for a Padre Game. It felt like being on vacation.

June 15 - Horton Plaza, San Diego, California

We celebrated my parents anniversary at the track. I spent some of my time taking pictures while the rest of the family picked ponies.

July 30 - Del Mar, California
2016 was an exceptional year indeed.
Created By
Theresa Jackson
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