Okay, so months have passed without a post as the family worked through some health issues. All seems well now, good health reports all around and while the photography never stopped this summer there was certainly a slowing of sharing images via the blog. Over the coming weeks this will be rectified as I share a season in the Napa Valley vineyards and of Napa events.
This first photo, starting in early autumn was actually taken in Sonoma County of Pinot Noir grapes at a vineyard sourced by Chappellet Vineyard & Winery. It’s a beautiful location even when steeped in fog.
Lots of soft rain early this morning. My choice for shooting was the beautiful and very wet To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. As you can see from these Cabernet vines it was thoroughly wet but to me the water was like magic dust on the vines and leaves.
Today I was not shooting in vineyards but rather shooting the bottles and the CrossBarn wines of Paul Hobbs. After shooting all bottles with a plain seamless white background, as had been requested by the winery, I just had to make a pretty picture of it with a bit of travertine as a backdrop.
Looking skyward and past trellised cabernet vines there are the swiftly changing clouds and layered light and darkness of the impending storms. Early this morning I was shooting at two vineyards, one in the Oakville area and the other here in Rutherford at Georges III Vineyard. Soon, with the vines growing so fast, looking skyward will be all vines, a huge canopy of deep green cabernet leaves.
Posted in Napa, Vineyards
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Grapes grow fast! Look below and the small buds breaking through the heavy wood of the vines. Twelve days later this photo of the vines with developing clusters. Seemingly overnight the vines in the valley are turning into ribbons of green woven through the vineyards. Wish you were here!
Georges III vineyard is in Rutherford in the Napa Valley and these Cabernet vines are just beginning bud break. Beautiful little leaves against the deep dark color of the wet vines.
Two photos to share as Napa Valley begins bud break on the vines. With the top photo and Cabernet vines there is just the slightest fuzzy buds breaking and lots of blooming mustard.
The second photo is a closeup of a Syrah vine with the small buds close to opening its leaves. I’ll be back at this vineyard this week to shoot again.
There has been a lot of rain in March, actually 20 days so far, and it was the perfect time to shoot the beautiful drive up to Futo Wines in Oakville. With trees, moss, soil and grasses saturated there was an increased depth to color in the forest; it was beautiful in the light rain.
Happy spring to you and cheers to blooming trees, flowers and soon bud break on the grape vines throughout Napa Valley.
I’m not one to toot my own horn as I believe photos speak for themselves. But, this photo, taken last summer at the Meritage Resort & Spa here in Napa, won a place in the Wedding Photojournalists Association’s Q4 contest. A big deal with this international group as it’s difficult to become and stay a member and amazing to win or place in any contest and Q4 is the best of the best from the whole year. Rather cool and with a really wonderful couple in the photo.
This shot was taken at twilight as the couple was signing all paperwork by flashlight; the bridal party surrounded them in the warmth of the summer evening on the terrace above the resort.
Posted in Napa, Weddings
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