Daddy wants a GTO

Had a great Weekend. Spent Sunday muscle car shopping with my youngest son James. Even had enough time for a sweet little stop at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Postcard from this Week . . .

If you'd like to be on my e-mail Postcard list send me an e-mail. (info@randysantos.com)

Spring Blossoms

The Azaleas, Dogwood, and Lilac are in full tilt bloom throughout my yard. Took advantage of the beautiful day and shot a whole mess of images. Think I'll do more today. Here's a few from yesterday.

Simple is Beautiful

Playing guitar relaxes my mind (and my overstimulated hyperactive brain needs relaxation). I am fortunate that over the years I have acquired a few truly great guitars. Guitars that inspire me to play and playing keeps my creative juices flowing. Here's one I was playing last night, my 1955 Les Paul JR, feeling the love and feeling inspired. If you're not familiar, a Les Paul JR is one hot P-90 pick-up with a wrap-around tailpiece bolted to a slab of mahogany. There is no set-up more basic. I took this last night, just with available room light, to illustrate the beauty of it's simplicity.Speaking of Creativity, I read this morning on John Harrington's Blog what I thought to be a great quote:

"If, by some strange convergence of the force, you have been able to combine your creative talents with a level of business acumen necessary to sustain it, do not forget about that creativity. That tap is a well from which you can always draw. Yet, to leave those well waters stagnant, is to neglect your sustaining abilities. The more you draw from that well, the more clear, and refreshing it will be. If you neglect to think yourself, and use other people's ideas for great imagery, giving them utterance only, you will fall far short of your own abilities, and what you are capable of."
~adapted from George Augustus Sala (1828 - 1895), Journalist

Saturday Morning . . .

. . . in Glenwood, MD. With my Canon G-9 and a pass through Lightroom.

I Love this Earth

The Earth Day Celebration is this Sunday on the National Mall. I haven't been to an Earth Day Celebration downtown in a few years. It's not like I don't love the Earth, I do love this Earth. As it turns out my favourite guitar player on the planet Earth is on the line-up to play, Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule, Allman Bros, ect). So, we're loading up the SUV, gassing up, and heading down to this one for a full day of re-connecting with Mother Earth.

Nothing says Earth Day to me like firing up some fossil fuel to power up a couple thousand watts of Marshall Amps so Warren can spew noxious ozone depleting licks into the upper atmosphere. Take a little break and view this clip of Gov't Mule doing War Pigs. Here are a few I shot of Warren, the first one from a DC show in 00, the second in 03 in NYC.

Yesterday at Renee's Studio

Dinner with Nigella

This past weekend I had a chance to catch up on some of my reading including my Oprah at Home and Martha Stewart Living Magazines. One issue of "O" at Home featured a number of recipes by my favourite culinary goddess Nigella. Anything the ever zaftig Nigella does is wondrous but two recipes in particular, Grilled Sirloin Skewered on Rosemary Twigs with Horseradish Sauce and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, sent me into salivation mode. Since I was going to roast a bunch of Red Peppers anyway, and had a bundle of fresh Rosemary, I decided a good side would be one of my Mom's secret recipes, Roasted Red Peppers with Feta Cheese, Valdalia Onion, Balsamic Vinegar, and Rosemary. Life is Good, Thanks Nigella!

Spring has Sprung

Saturday was one of those wonderfully perfect Spring days. A beautiful afternoon, the sky was on fire above my yard as the day ended. All of these (and the previous post) shot with my amazing little Canon G-9.

Good Eatin' Tonight!

Stopped by the Asian Market on my way home today. Had a craving for fresh Bok Choy. The H-Mart always puts a little spring in my step. So many good things, great produce and fish. Here's a few:

Your Weekend Weather is . . .

We decided to head up to Deep Creek Lake this past weekend for a much needed change of scenery. The weather forecast was for Sunny and Beautiful. Unfortunately conditions more resembled the surface of Ceti Alpha V (class-M planet the genetically engineered tyrant Khan was banished to by Capt Kirk in 2267). Even as we sat in our house engulfed within a rain cloud, the weather on the local station reported " . . . and in McHenry it's 64 and Sunny". At 13,000 ft it probably was Sunny and Beautiful but being that we are surface dwelling creatures of the planet Earth here are a few photos of conditions we experienced:

Postcard from this Week . . .

SpringTime in DC

After a shoot downtown yesterday thought I would stop by the Tidal Basin and try for some Cherry Blossom photos. With all the Cherry Blossom mania I couldn't even get close to parking anywhere remotely nearby. I gave up all hope, convincing myself I had plenty of Cherry Blossom images from that area already and headed towards the US Capitol Grounds where I knew there would be blossoms. Little did I know that on Capitol Hill they were evidentally celebrating National Penis Day, what a bonus. Yesterday was the only day this week predicted to be sunny and beautiful. These Cherry Blossoms happen but once a year. They are such iconic images of Washington DC but come and go so quickly. You have to get them while they're out or wait again until next Spring. I made so many good images but it's so easy when it all looks this good. Here's a few from yesterday.