Rolling Vineyards: Napa, California

Rolling Vineyards: Napa, California, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

There is something so romantic about rolling hills covered in grape vines, especially when they are so vibrantly green!

All the rain that Northern California has been getting is turning the Golden State into the Verdant State. I hope to get out and photograph the amazing emerald landscape early this spring before it turns into rolling hills of gold again.

Nature Conservancy Brochure Cover

I was excited to learn that one of my photos was chosen for the cover of a Nature Conservancy brochure that discusses the impact of climate change. If you're interested in reading the brochure, you can find it here:

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/northcarolina/files/u_s_climate_adaptation_brochure.pdf

Belgian Street Scene

Belgian Street Scene, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I think I took hundreds of photos of bikes leaning photogenically against walls in Holland and Belgium. This was one of my favorites because of the color consistency balanced with texture variety throughout the image.

Bruges, Belgium
Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L

Redwood Magic: Humboldt County, California

Redwood Magic, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The giant redwood forests of Humboldt County are one of my favorite places in California. They're just magical. It's easy to imagine fairies or elves running around in the wood sorrel and ferns carpeting the forest floor.

It's also incredibly lush and green. This photo was taken last summer when California's drought was particularly severe.

Photographing forests is tricky because of the dark shadows and low light. You definitely need a tripod, and the best time to photograph is soon at dawn and dusk to get as even lighting as possible. A really overcast day can do the trick, too. Either way, you'll probably need a long exposure, which means you'll need calm winds if you don't want motion blur in your image.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/16 @ 8s, ISO 50. No filters.

Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

The Grand Place is a surprisingly difficult photographic subject. The Hotel de Ville (the building pictured here) is REALLY tall, and the square is relatively small compared to the building's height. So without a tilt-shift lens on hand, you're looking at using the widest possible lens you have and dealing with a lot of perspective problems. I tried to correct some of it in Photoshop, and this was as close as I could get.

Aside from the difficulties of composition, the Grand Place is a beautiful and photogenic place in the heart of Brussels. I loved the twilight blues and pinks in the clouds at dusk. The warmth of the light makes it look warm and inviting, but in truth it was about 15* fahrenheit when I took this... brrr!!!

Foggy Alpenglow Dawn, San Francisco

Foggy Alpenglow Dawn, San Francisco , originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A beautiful low fog flowed through the Bay a few mornings ago. I captured this image when the alpenglow was at its best from my roof in the Berkeley Hills.

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11, 1/2 sec, ISO 50. No filters.

Sleepy Swan, Bruges, Belgium

Sleepy Swan, Bruges, Belgium, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I loved watching the graceful swans in Bruges, Belgium. This sleepy swan tucked in for a nap in the snow.

San Francisco's Arteries

San Francisco's Veins, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

This view of San Francisco is taken from the south side of the city, looking almost due north. It's a less common view of the skyline, with the Transamerica Pyramid nearly hidden, and the industrial side of the city on display. I like this view for the movement and curves of the freeways leading into the heart of the city -- thus the title :)

Canon 5D, Canon 100-400L, f/11 @ 15s, ISO 50. No filters.

Sunrise... In Bruges

Sunrise... In Bruges, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

Bruges is one of the quaintest towns in Europe, which is both the best and worst thing about it. It is small and a magnet for tourists, so while it is not entirely authentic, it is also a must-visit place because of its medieval charm and beauty.

Bruges was one of the wealthiest cities in Europe for a short period in the Middle Ages due to its cloth trade. When the river that connected it to the North Sea silted up and cut off the trade route, the city faded into obscurity until the 20th century, when it was dusted off as a top tourist destination in Belgium.

Apparently in the summertime it is nearly impossible to get around because it is packed full of visitors. In the dead of winter, it was nearly deserted and beautiful with a veneer of ice and snow.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L. Blend of two exposures at f/5.6 @ 1/20 and 1/100 to balance the light on Bruges Tower and the shadowy, icy water. ISO 125. No filters.

Beautiful, Icy Boston

Beautiful, Icy Boston, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I lived in Boston for 2 years and I love coming back to it. To me, Boston is one of those cities that the more it changes, the more it stays the same.

It was *cold* when I arrived in Boston for the Christmas holidays -- in the single digits with wind chill -- and the Charles was frozen very early in the season. I took the opportunity to nab a shot of the skyline's icy reflection amidst an interesting, windy sunset.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70L, f/5.6 @ 30s, ISO 50. No filters.

Beautiful Blue Amsterdam

Beautiful Blue Amsterdam, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I just returned from a three-week trip to New England, Holland, and Belgium. I have way too many photos to process!

This photo was taken on New Year's Day on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal in the Red Light District. The church in the distance is Sint Niklaaskerk.

Amsterdam was a stunningly beautiful city, made even prettier by the rare snow that fell throughout the week I was there. I loved wandering along the canals, each prettier than the next, at sunrise and blue hour.

Canon 5D, Canon 24-70, f/13, 30s, ISO 50. No filters.