Adventures of Yoo

July 7 2016

Pilot Takes Spectacular Thunderstorm Photo Over the Pacific Ocean

What exactly are you looking at? It’s one of the most incredible thunderstorm photos you’ll ever see. Pilot and photographer Santiago Borja was circling around the thunderstorm at 37,000 feet altitude en route to South America when he captured this spectacular sight. The clouds are lit up because the photo was shot at the moment of a lightning flash.

“Storms are tricky because the lightning is so fast, there is no tripod and there is a lot of reflection from inside lights,” Borja told The Washington Post in an email.

“I like this photo so much because you can feel the amazing size of the storm and its power,” Borja said. “But at the same time it’s wonderful how peacefully you can fly around it in still air without touching it.”

Borja is a pilot for LATAM Ecuador Airlines. The photo was taken south of Panama on a Boeing 767-300 with his Nikon D750 camera.

The pilot states that he primarily likes nature, landscape and cityscape photography. He carries his camera with him everywhere he goes, and, since his job requires him to be up in the air, he often shoots storm photos. Lucky for us and him, he’s combined two of his biggest passions, flying and photography, into creating one unforgettable image.

via [Colossal]

Life

July 6 2016

Photo a Day Project: Day 8 of 365, Fozzie Bear

Today’s photo of the day is dedicated to my little dog, Fozzie. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Fozzie is a sweet bundle of joy. He’s the ideal dog, he follows you around the house, sleeps on top of your head, and climbs into your lap. We got Fozzie to keep our first dog, Charlie, happy. We had no idea that we would fall madly in love with this dog, too. Of course, he can be quite the beast. Fozzie loves chasing around lizards and killing them with his pointy teeth. Don’t mess with this dog. Especially if you’re a slow moving lizard.

Art & Design

July 6 2016

Sunlight Through Poppy Petals

Have you ever looked at a picture of flowers and it instantly brightened up your day? That’s what this photo did to me. It was taken by Flora Forager, a self-proclaimed “botanical artist, painter, writer, nature lover, [and] light seeker.” Using flower petals, leaves, and other natural materials she finds in her garden or in urban areas, Flora Forager creates dreamy scenes.

She’s based in Seattle but she’s been vacationing in Venice. You can follow her on Instagram, here.

Below are a few more of her poppy pictures.

You can buy one of Flora’s prints over on her website. (Isn’t chamomile tea the cutest?) She also has a journal you can pick up over on Amazon.

Art & Design

July 6 2016

Paper Cut Typography of Alice in Wonderland Quote

I love dreamy prints like this. Mr. Yen (aka Jonathan Chapman) created this beautiful paper cut typography print by hand. The quote is from Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland. It states, “Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Here’s the context: “Alice laughed: “There’s no use trying,” she said; “one can’t believe impossible things.”
“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Mr. Yen is a Leeds, UK-based paper cut artist and designer who graduated from Leeds College of Art in 2010 with a BA in Graphic Design. Since then, he’s worked with such companies and clients as Oprah magazine, House & Garden magazine, Computer Arts magazine and Unilever/LYNX. He can be found on Society6 and Etsy. (I wish I could buy this print but Mr. Yen is taking a break.)

Life

July 5 2016

Photo a Day Project: Day 4-7 of 365, Fourth of July Weekend

What were you up to this past weekend? We ended up going on several hikes, a few at our regular spot, Santa Rosa Plateau, and one in the small town of Idyllwild, which is about an hour away. Here’s a brief recap of what we did during our three days off.

Logan taking Fozzie on a walk at Santa Rosa Plateau. I’m still surprised that my two-year-old can take a dog his size on a walk.

Logan showing off his huge grin. I love it when his eyes disappear.

Parker taking a break on our walk in Idyllwild.

Time to refuel! The boys after we bought some beef jerky and jam.

Sammy carrying the two boys back to the car after our walk around Lake Fulmer.

Parker throwing a few of the 900 or so water balloons we filled up.

Grandpa filling up a huge group of water balloons all up at once.

Logan climbing his way up a playground.

Parker and Logan conquering a slide while Sammy looks on.

During last night’s walk through Santa Rosa Plateau, the three huddled around an ant hill.

Logan taking a break on a bench.

Sammy and Logan hiking across some rocks. The poor guy fell a few times but he just brushed the dirt off of himself and went on. That’s my boy!

Sammy with our first son, Parker.

Logan pointing the way back to the car.

Art & Design

July 5 2016

12 Pieces of Wall Art for the Inner Child in You

Though I’m a grown woman, nearing the age of 40, I still find children’s art to be quite charming. Whether you’re looking for pieces for your nursery or just for the inner child in you, I hope you’ll enjoy these twelve pieces of wall art. These are (almost) all very affordable.

(Let’s never grow up!)

Em by Ashleyg

Sleeping by Holli

Mother’s Love by Holli

Panda Balloons by DaisyandBump

Bon Puf by Kimberly Genevieve

A Year Older by Kimberly Genevieve

Flags by Shelby Brakken

Smile by Mathilde Cabanas

Have Fun by Mathilde Cabanas

You Are So Loved by AdorenStudio

Choose Joy by Schoolhouse Electric

Every Girl is a Super Hero Sometimes by Ashleyg

Life

July 1 2016

Photo a Day Project: Day 3 of 365, High Tide at San Clemente Beach

Yesterday, we took the kids and our nanny, Cindy, to San Clemente Beach. It’s our go-to beach for the weekdays. It’s not too far from our house, there’s plenty of parking and it’s never that busy. The waves were huge yesterday! We experienced high tide, the water almost washed up the whole beach. Here are my pictures.

I love minimalist photos of palm trees. They’re so “California.”

When I ask Parker if I can take a picture of him, he always gives me these funny poses.

Parker loved getting wet but Logan wanted to hang out on Sam’s shoulder.

I love how Parker can “get lost” amongst his surroundings.

In this photo, you can see how much the water came up the beach. In the distance, the turquoise blue structure is the lifeguard tower, which is butting up against the rocks.

Here’s Sam throwing a rock up into the air and into the water.

I don’t have many pictures of Cindy with the boys. I’m glad I was able to snap this one. (She looks so genuinely happy.)

Art & Design

July 1 2016

Fun Links of the Week

What are you up to this long weekend? Sam and I want to take the kids out of town and into nature. (Have you read this article on how nature can make you kinder, happier and more creative?) We still haven’t officially decided on where but we’ll probably end up in either Julian, Idyllwild, or Big Bear. (For my photo a day project, since I won’t be near a computer on the weekends, you can keep up with me on Instagram.)

Now, let’s get down to business. Here are some fun links of the week.

Party-friendly recipes for July 4th.

I loved seeing Emily McDowell’s cards at Target. She’s got a new line with Papyrus. Here’s a new card from her that I like.

How cool would it be to decorate your house with these die-cut aluminum prints?

Here are the two most impfactful words to say to kids.

Wish I could travel to London and take pictures like this.

This red, white and blue sangria would be perfect for July 4th.

Would love seeing these rainbow floors in person.

Looking forward to Wreck-It Ralph 2 because of the storyline. Hint: It has to do with the Web.

Are you ready to try Starbucks’ latest, mega-popular secret menu item?

I love wearing delicate gold necklaces. They’re so classic and pretty.

The powerful woman behind Whole Foods.

A photographer visited iconic landmarks and pointed his camera in the opposite direction. Boom! An interesting series is born.

Love Dwell? Check out their new website. More about it, here.

I want to go glamping in this yurt.

In business news: Apple might buy Tidal?

Love this print, Suspender by Eelus.

Fireworks photo by Yasuoshi Chiba.

Photography

July 1 2016

Winners of the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest 2016

The winners of the 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest have just been announced! Beating out over 10,000 entries, the grand prize went to Anthony Lau for his photo Winter Horseman. Lau’s incredible image is of a horseman showing off his skills in Inner Mongolia. Aren’t the silhouettes and the snowfall just breathtaking? Here’s Lau describing how he got the shot. “The snow was getting heavier, the wind was getting stronger, the morning snow was getting thinner and the light was moving away from its optimal position. I knew I only had a couple of shots to get the best out of this encounter. With a bit of luck, one of my final attempts managed to capture the moment when one of the riders charged out from the morning mist along with his horses.”

Lau takes home the grand prize, an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime trip. It’s a seven-day Polar Bear Photo Safari for two at Churchill Wild–Seal River Heritage Lodge, a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World.

The quality of the entries in this contest is always outstanding. Congrats to all the winners. You can see all of the top entries below.

Photo above: Grand Prize and People First Place
Winter Horseman
The Winter in Inner Mongolia is very unforgiving. At a freezing temperature of minus twenty and lower with constant breeze of snow from all direction, it was pretty hard to convince myself to get out of the car and take photos. Not until I saw Inner Mongolia horsemen showing off their skills in commanding the steed from a distance, I quickly grab my telephoto lens and capture the moment when one of the horseman charged out from morning mist .
Photo and caption by Anthony Lau / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

People Second Place

Rooftop Dreams, Varanasi
I arrived at my guest house in Varanasi at 5:30am, I instinctively climbed the 7 sets of stairs to the rooftop (which happened to be the highest in the vicinity) to see the sunrise over the famous Ganges River. As the sun was rising I looked over the right hand side of the balcony and my jaw dropped with disbelief. Below were families – mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sister and dogs all sleeping on the top of their houses. It was mid summer in Varanasi and sleeping sans AC was difficult.
Photo and caption by Yasmin Mund / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

People Third Place

Remote Life at -21 Degrees
Kinnaura tribal old women in remote village in Himachal Pradesh carrying big log back home to warm up her house.
Photo and caption by Mattia Passarini / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

People Honorable Mention

Muscle Beach Gym
A weightlifter lifts a barbell loaded with heavy plates while a bodybuilder performs an aerial handstand at the Muscle Beach Gym in Venice Beach, CA.
Photo and caption by Dotan Saguy / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Nature First Place

Wherever you go, I will follow you!!
Romance is in the air. It was the time of day immediately following sunset. I heard a voice. “Wherever you go, I will follow you” the voice says.
Photo and caption by Hiroki Inoue / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Nature Second Place

Double Trapping
Picture taken in the Brazilian Pantanal… when I downloaded the CF did not want to believe it …. The nature knows we always give magnificent events but sometimes extraordinary.
Photo and caption by Massimiliano Bencivenni / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Nature Third Place

Lagunas Baltinache (Atacama Desert)
The Baltinache Ponds, also called Hidden Ponds are a set of seven salt ponds located in the area of the Salt Cordillera, near San Pedro de Atacama, in the second region of northern Chile, in the Atacama desert. After much research, I believe to be the first photographer to publish night photos of this place, but it is still necessary to confirm this information. Tech Details: Photography done in one shot. Foreground was illuminated by the moonlight.
Photo and caption by Victor Lima / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Nature Honorable Mention

Bears on a Berg
This photo was taken far out on the sea ice in the Davis Straight off the coast of Baffin Island. This mother polar bear and her yearling are perched atop a huge snow covered iceberg that got “socked in” when the ocean froze over for the winter. To me, the relative “smallness” of these large creatures when compared to the immensity of the iceberg in the photo represents the precariousness of the polar bear’s reliance on the sea and sea ice for its existence.
Photo and caption by John Rollins / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Cities First Place

Ben Youssef
Even though there were a lot of people in Ben Youssef, still here was more quiet and relaxing compare to the street outside in Marrakesh. I was waiting for the perfect timing to photograph for long time.
Photo and caption by Takashi Nakagawa / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Cities Second Place

Silenced
This photo was taken on my last trip to GuangZhou, China. This place is a school dormitories of South China Normal University. When I was hanging around, most of them were taking a break. After the lunch time, they need to go back to study. The dormitories were smelly and messy.
Photo and caption by Wing Ka H. / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Cities Third Place

Celestial Reverie
Lightning seemingly strikes Komtar Tower, the most iconic landmark of George Town, capital of Penang state in Malaysia. It is symbolic of the rejuvenation that the city, famous for a unique blend of centuries-old buildings and modern structures, has enjoyed in recent years. While many of its old neighbourhoods fell into neglect in the 1990s and early 2000s, UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2008 sparked a transformation, and today, they are all part of a vibrant tourist destination.
Photo and caption by Jeremy Tan / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year

Cities Honorable Mention

Divide
In the helicopter looking south on Central Park West – dividing the architecture and Central Park, on November 5th 2014, a day before my 27th birthday. The flight was my birthday gift.
Photo and caption by Kathleen Dolmatch / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Life

June 30 2016

Photo a Day Project: Day 2 of 365, Best Fries and Grandma’s House

About once a week, Parker goes to his grandparent’s house to sleep over. He’s four-and-a-half now, which means he’s independent enough spend time with them alone. (My baby is all grown up!) Sam’s parents spoil him, they buy him lots of toys and play water balloon fights. Yesterday, they took him to Finding Dory. (He lasted almost the whole time.) He does the “happy dance” when he knows he’s going to his grandparents’ house. They shower him with love.

On our way back from dropping him off, Sam and I hit a Yellow Basket up for the first time. We had the bacon cheddar fries. Covered with ranch and then topped with melted cheese, bacon and pieces of green onion, the dish was a hit! We couldn’t get over how delicious it was.

Here are a few more pictures from yesterday.

In honor of 4th of July, we bought the boys each a flag. Next to Logan and Sam is a gallery wall we put up of Sam’s parents’ photos. As a hobby, they travel the world taking pictures at different locations.

Anything goes at grandma’s house. When we arrived, she gave the boys some popsicles to help cool them down.

Sam’s mom collects Lladro sculptures. Behind some smaller nude sculptures, you can see the woman on a balcony holding a parasol. It’s one of my favorites.

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