Guerrilla Photography In Capitola . . .

So many of you have been waiting a long time for my Guerrilla Photography workshop, and I am very excited to announce the first session (see below) - since this type of image capture is at the top of my fun list these days.

And, many of you wrote to say you wanted to see more of Capitola, CA, either because you have never been there - or because you have and you want to experience some very special memories.

These two subjects dovetail very well because my travel photography now days is mostly of the “guerrilla” variety and I use it mainly to illustrate my art “travel” journals.

For those who have never been there, Capitola is a charming paradox - a Southern California beach town in Northern California. There are other beach towns in Northern California, but they are Northern California beach towns which is a whole different thing. The Pacific Ocean is cold in Northern California, the surfers wear wet suits, and beach blankets are mostly wrapped around people instead of spread out under them.

But Capitola is located on the northern coast of Monterey Bay and the water is warm enough in Summer for swimming. The beach, which is directly connected Capitola’s charming shopping and dining areas, is sheltered and great for sunbathing.

Guerrilla photography causes you to be hyper-observant of details because everything around you is potentially an image you can capture. I was so excited to see this t-shirt in a shop window that not only matched the sky color so perfectly, but also reflected the city itself. The echo of the palm trees is especially nice! This was the first photo I shot in 2009 and I hope the rest of the year goes as well!

Even on January 1, folks were relaxing on the beach - albeit wearing jackets and huddled a little more closely together than they might in summer!

I loved that this lady and the dog she is walking are going in opposite directions.

I think the most interesting fact about Capitola may be that in 1961, it was attacked by birds - hundreds of them who were affected by a toxin found in red algae (the probable cause only recently discovered).

Alfred Hitchcock was a frequent visitor to nearby Santa Cruz, and . . . well you know the rest of that story.

The three photos above are pretty ordinary “travel” photos. They’re nice but when I visit a place, I want to remember the details and the feelings of being there, and that takes some not-ordinary shots (like the t-shirt above). A detail can bring you back to the moment just like a song can. Your memory fills in the rest - without the “definition” you would get from a snapshot of the whole scene.

So, the images below are “guerrilla” photos that are much more about my New Years Day in Capitola. They bring me back to the special “touches” that make the place charming.

A charming figure in a craft gallery window.

Loved the angles of this chair against the window sill - and the evidence that it has been *too* close to the window sill at least once.

Sunset turns the palm trees bright red.

Street art - this spiral was etched over two sections of sidewalk.

Not a beach town without a surfboard even if a wetsuit is required.

I think this sign in Zelda’s may keep some folks from running into each other. We went around - just in case!

Many flowers do thrive in Winter in Capitola,

These can be enjoyed there anytime of year.

Certain details of the architecture impart a European feeling and the subtle colors are wonderful.

So, these photos did not come out of the camera like this, of course. Most were too dark, too light, or too cluttered with unwanted chaff, digital noise, artifacts, and color shifts.

But because we have PhotoShop and Elements, guerrilla photos are great raw material for creating the perfect images to record our experiences.

Announcing the first Guerrilla Photography Online Workshop

At long last, I am offering a 6 week, 6 lesson workshop to teach you what to look for, how to get the shot no matter what, and how to use the computer to turn the compromised photos into images you can be proud of.

See more samples and find out all the details at this LInk:

http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/onlineworkshops.html