Published! "From Delhi to Bali: Travels in Southeast Asia"

Well, self-published, anyway :) I just finished my 62-page book of photographs from my 3 months of travel in Southeast Asia. You can preview the book by clicking on the link below.

I used Blurb to put my book together and even though I haven't seen the finished product yet, I recommend them highly. I've used a couple of other self-publishing services and Blurb has the best, most user-friendly, and most versatile software that I've seen. There are virtually no limits to what you can do... just your creativity!

I can't wait to see the book in print! I'll post an update when it arrives.

If you're interested in ordering a copy of the book, let me know. I might make it "buyable" if there is enough interest.

Enjoy!

From Delhi to ...

Photography by Del...

By Della M. Huff

Book Preview

National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Entries

One of my photography-related resolutions for this year is to get proactive and enter some photography contests. I took the first step toward making good on that goal by entering National Geographic Traveler's World in Focus competition today.

I entered four images in three categories: Travel Portraits, Sense of Place, and Outdoor Scenes. Here are my entries:

http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813968
The Old Fisherman, Hoi An, Vietnam
I captured this image of an elderly fisherman in the seaside town of Hoi An, Vietnam. Though we did not share a language, we shared the universal language of smiles... and his smile was unforgettable.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813969
Taj Mahal Dawn Reflections
The night before I captured this image, a sandstorm howled in Agra, India and I was afraid the air would be choked with dust for my sunrise photo plans. The opposite turned out to be true, and the morning dawned with an incredible sky. As I was photographing, a local stopped by to say hello. He told me that clear mornings like this happen only a few days per year in Agra. It was a once in a lifetime view, and a morning I'll surely never forget.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813970
Perigee Moonrise, Joshua Tree National Park
The perigee full moon occurs when the moon is closest to Earth, and thus appears at its largest. Joshua Tree National Park was, to me, the best place to capture this special moonrise. The desert stillness and the beauty of the moon create a sense of eternal stillness and timelessness.


http://www.worldinfocuscontest.com/bin/Rate?image_id=1006813971
McWay Falls Sunset
McWay Falls is one of the most beautiful places in California, and probably on Earth. McWay Creek tumbles down a granite cliff directly into a turquoise cove in the roiling Pacific. When I captured this image, I was the only person enjoying this sunset. The solitude and beauty were nearly overwhelming. If a heaven exists, I hope that it looks something like this.

San Francisco Summer Sunset

San Francisco Summer Sunset, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I watched the sunset from my deck in the Berkeley Hills this evening, watching the fog hover just beyond downtown. Lately it's been rushing in just before sunset and obscuring the whole bay, but tonight it held off just long enough to catch a gorgeous twilight settling on the City. I rushed out and took this on Grizzly Peak Road above UC Berkeley, a few minutes' drive from my house.

Canon 5D, 100-400L @ 310mm, f/18, 30sec, ISO 50.

Tree Hugger

Tree Hugger, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

A fun shot from a quick trip to Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Northern California.

Fenway Park at Night - Sold!

Fenway Park at Night - Sold!, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I signed and shipped a 30x40" print of this image for a client today. Usually I have my prints shipped directly to the customer, but since the client wanted the print signed, I had it sent to me first. I love seeing my prints that large :)

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, originally uploaded by Della Huff Photography.

I've just gotten back from 3 months in Southeast Asia - Delhi to Bali! It was the trip of a lifetime and now I have over 10,000 images to go through and process. I think this will be one of my highlight images, however, and one of my favorite moments witnessed along the entire journey.

The night before, a sandstorm howled in Agra, ruining my chances for a sunrise at the Taj Mahal -- or so I thought. The opposite actually happened, and the day dawned crystal clear with an incredible sky full of small, puffy clouds. This image was taken just after sunrise.

5D, 24-70, GND. No HDR.

My 10 Favorite Images of 2008

In no particular order, these are my top ten favorite images from 2008. Thank you to Jim Goldstein for suggesting this exercise! It was fun to go through the archives and pull out my favorites. I hope you enjoy them! To see more, please visit my website or my Flickr photostream. Happy shooting in 2009!

[Click images to view larger.]

A beautiful sunset in Pebble Beach during the last few days of 2008.
"Lone Cypress Sunset"
"Griffith Observatory Moonrise"

I'm going to count the next two as a single image, since they pair together.
"Sunset/Moonset, Golden Gate Bridge"
"Priest Valley Spring"

"Violet Fog and Golden Gate"

"Downtown Los Angeles Twilight"

This is a portrait I took of my dad in July, just a few months before he passed away in October. I'm so happy I have this photo of him.
"Griffith Observatory and Los Angeles Skyline"
"Badwater Salt Flats" - Death Valley National Park
"Baby on Board" - Capuchin Monkeys in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
I got to try my hand at wedding photography this year when my good friends Christy and Scott tied the knot!
"Christy and Scott"

And lastly, an early favorite from 2009 ;) - "Moonrise, Joshua Tree"

Lone Cypress Sunset | Pebble Beach, California

This sunset was one of the most brilliant and riveting I've ever seen on the California coast. It seemed more like a summer in Hawaii than late December in Pebble Beach.

The tree featured in these photos is the famous Lone Cypress, which is the logo of the Pebble Beach Company.

You can see more of my photographs of the California Coast here.

Canon 5D, 24-70L, ISO 50, Lee 2-stop graduated neutral density filter.

[Click images to view larger].

The View from the Top | Hollywood Sign Hike

One of my favorite hikes in LA is up the Hollyridge Trail to the Hollywood Sign. There's a great view from the top of Mount Lee, and on a clear day, you can see Griffith Observatory, Downtown, Lake Hollywood, Palos Verdes, Catalina Island, and all of the San Fernando Valley.

[Click to view larger.]

The trail we took, framed in the Hollywood "O":
Walt Disney Studios is at the bottom right in this photo:
Griffith Observatory:

Fall in Wine Country | Santa Ynez Valley, California

I stopped off in Los Olivos for a quick detour through wine country on my drive back down to Los Angeles after Thanksgiving. There was some beautiful fall color remaining in the vineyards.

Canon 5D, 70-200L
[Click images to view larger.]

Envisioning the Shot | Griffith Observatory & The Hollywood Sign

One of my favorite cityscape techniques is using a telephoto lens to juxtapose buildings or landmarks in ways that are not usually seen. Several weeks ago, I wondered if there were a vantage point from which I could juxtapose two of Los Angeles's most famous landmarks, the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign.

This past Saturday was a glorious, clear, warm day in Los Angeles, so I went out in search of the view. I was so happy to find it! In reality, the Sign and the Observatory are more than a mile apart, but from far away and with a long lens, they look like they are right next to each other.

Now that I know where the location is, I plan to go back when the season (spring) and light (likely early morning) are better.

Canon 5D, 70-200L
[Click images to view larger.]

The Dodd Family | Portraits

My colleague's kids... and Thomas the Pug! :)

Canon 5D, 24-70, f/2.8

[Click images to view larger.]

Christmas Portrait + One More

I snapped a couple of quick pictures of my cousin's family at Thanksgiving for their Christmas cards this year. You can tell that my cousin's kids are pros at having their photos taken!

Cypresses and Magic Light | Pebble Beach, California

While visiting family in Pebble Beach over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I escaped for a few minutes before sunset to take a few photos. There was a fine, hazy mist near the water which created these beautiful rays of light through the cypresses. The first shot is almost straight out of the camera -- just a little warming and sharpening. Best viewed large.

[Click images to view larger.]
Canon 5D, 70-200 f/4, f/6.3 at iso50

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm bringing my camera with me to the Bay Area and hope to do some photography while I'm home over the holiday. Til then, here's one of my favorite Autumn images, taken in Reading, Vermont.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[click image to view larger.]

Golden Gate Bridge | Sunrise, Moonrise

I grew up in Marin County, California and I took these panoramas over Easter weekend this year when I was home visiting my family. One of my favorite places in the world is the Marin Headlands, where these images were shot from. I liked the symmetry of these two together.

I'll be heading home for Thanksgiving and am hoping to get some photography in while I'm home.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[Click images to view larger.]

A Clear Day in Pasadena | The Rose Bowl

It's rare to get such a beautifully clear day in the San Fernando Valley. I felt like I could reach out and touch the San Gabriel Mountains behind the Rose Bowl.

[click image to view larger.]