Ever since meeting Rebecca, I wanted to photograph her. Not only is Rebecca a Top 40 Triathlete in America, she is a wife and a mother of two young boys. Oh, and wait… she also has a full-time career.

Yes, people are inspiring.

It wasn’t long ago that Rebecca fell in love with triathlons; and since training with Julie Hunter (F5 Coaching), she has dominated the sport in an incredibly short period of time. Kudos to both of you on such a phenomenal 2011!

After months of talking about how fun it would be to photograph her, we were finally able to find a couple of days that worked out for both of us. I was so excited to be able to snap a few images of her both swimming and running. And soon, I hope to be able to capture her in action on the bike as well.

Our first shoot took place in the incredible Forest Park, where Rebecca often trains. She planned to do one of her typical 8 mile runs, so I tagged along to grab some shots. We decided I would ride my bike ahead of her, scouting out locations to shoot as she ran by. This worked great, for my first series of images anyway. However, once she ran past me I could not catch up to her, no matter how hard I rode; and yes, I had 4 miles on a BICYCLE to do it. Luckily we weren’t doing a loop, or I’m sure I never would have seen her again! Amazing.

The 4 miles back were downhill, thank god, and gravity gave me the advantage this time. It was so much fun flying down the trails, setting up for a shot, and then waiting for Rebecca to run by. I could do shoots like this every weekend!

Thank you again Rebecca, for letting me tag along and get a few shots of you in action. You rock and I can’t wait for to hear about your next triathlon!

Portrait of Rebecca AFTER her 8 mile run. Photo by adventure photographer Mindy Miller, Red Rock Studios.

Rebecca practicing her swim in the beautiful Willamette River in Portland, OR. Photo by adventure photographer Mindy Miller, Red Rock Studios.

Rebecca running through Forest Park in Portland, OR. Photo by adventure photographer Mindy Miller, Red Rock Studios.

Forest Park in Portland, OR offers endless miles of trails where Rebecca trains regularly. Photo by adventure photographer Mindy Miller.

Towards the end of the summer Mindy and I had nailed down all the basic details of what we needed to pull this “do what ever we wanted” road trip off.

One of the hardest steps, I thought, was going to be explaining our insanity to our seven year old. Trying to explain why she was being pulled out of a school she loved and how she would not be moving on to second grade with her friends was just too much for me…..so I let Mindy tell her.

Kelsey’s response actually surprised me. She told Mindy, “I’ll miss my friends but I want to go on an adventure with you!”. I had imagined tears but instead Kelsey was giggling with excitement.

So with Adventure Mom in the lead my two little Pigtail Explorers have traveled to Ft. Stevens State Park Oregon, Sauvie Island Oregon, Mt. Hood Oregon, Crooked River Oregon, Walker Lake Nevada, Rialto California, Disney Land California, Laguna Beach California, Mission Bay/Ocean Beach California, Palm Springs California, Joshua Tree California, Safford Arizona, Las Cruces New Mexico, Big Bend Texas, Austin Texas, New Orleans Louisiana, Pensacola Florida, and, as of this writing, Paynes Prairie State Park Florida.

Both Kelsey and Whitney have seen dozens of different fish, shell fish, star fish, bald eagles, cranes, ibis, heron, wild horses, otters, frogs, and so much more. The look on Kelsey’s face was priceless as she tried to figure out how the ocean was higher then the city of New Orleans. Its kind of visually freaky to stand on a New Orleans levy and look at the passing ships which are at a higher elevation then most of the roof tops of the buildings below. We both agreed New Orleans is one awesome city and the food is to die for.

Both Kelsey and Whitney have insisted on following Mindy on her landscape shoots, although, most of the time we usually end up watching from a distance. We all hold hands as Mindy disappear over a cliff and clap and shout when we see her climbing up the other side.

This road trip has been incredible but even more so when looking through the eyes of my girls. On more then one occasion my little Whitney has told me, “This is the greatest day of my life!” Usually she utters this cute little phrase as she is about to fall asleep from a full day of hiking and exploring.

Here are a few pictures of the girls exploring the thirteen states we’ve traveled through this year. Happy New Years from the on-the-road Miller family!

Adventure Mom and the Pigtail Explorers

Mindy Miller and Whitney showing off their pigtails

Runnin at Devils Millhopper

Swimmin with the Gators

When in Rome! Cafe Du Monde New Orleans.

I've gotten more hugs on this road trip then ever before. I've been told I'm cool, and awesome, the best dad ever. I'm recording every time I'm complemented by the girls to supplement the teen years. lol

Not the yellow snow, not the yellow snow! The girls loved playing in the snow with Mindy in Las Cruces

Kelsey and Whitney hiking Torrey Pines with Mindy

Kelsey and Whitney "best sister friends" walking on OB with Mindy.

Kelsey and Whitney on the cliffs of Point Loma. We were only willing to go this far and let Mindy play on the cliffs further out.

Kelsey, Whitney, and Mindy look on as I attempt to catch a shark.....attempt.

Hiking the trails at Point Loma with my little explorers Kelsey and Whitney as Mindy took Landscape shots.

Piggy back ride for my Pigtail Explorer.

Old Mesilla has been around since about 1848. The small town has an incredible history; from the Gadsden Purchase and the Civil War, to the trial of Billy the Kid. The culture is a diverse blend of Indian, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American. Thankfully over the years, the people of Mesilla have preserved the traditional adobe buildings and landmarks to keep the history alive. There really is no place quite like it!

The afternoon I spent wandering through Mesilla was perfect. The air was chilly, the streets as quaint and quiet as I remembered. And the sunlight was soft and inviting, bringing the brilliant colors in the town to life!

Below are a few shots I wanted to share from my little stroll. I hope you enjoy! And thanx for stopping by

On one of my many “Huffy” occasions,  half of the handle bar fell off during a down hill ride. The broken handle bar had my one good brake attached, so I held onto it for dear life. At the bottom of the hill I finally caught up to my buddy and told him what had happened.

We were both laughing at how dumb my bike was when I suddenly hit a bump, lost control and the handle bar fell. It swung like a pendulum into my front wheel spokes, locking against the fork and sending me over the handle bars. More laughing.

I did realize that I could have easily let the broken handle bar go while flying down the hill earlier. However, even the thought of road rash didn’t deter me from riding the broken POS home. Besides, I was 16 and invincible.

It wasn’t until I was eighteen that I got the chance to ride a real bike. My boss at the time had a 1997  full suspension Specialized Stumpjumper. OMG, OMG, OMG, was my reaction when I took it for a spin. No chain rattle? No tire wobble? The seat was staying on! The bike glided over rocks, tree trunks, and the rutted out trail effortlessly. LOVE at first ride! I’ve been a Specialized junkie ever since; the days of having bikes vibrate apart as I ride are long gone.

I was riding  my mountain bike in the Dona Ana mountains in Las Cruces, New Mexico when I first met Mike Barrow on the trail. He and I spent the next two years road tripping and racing in the New Mexico Off Road racing series. As I maintained my “Charlie” group status, Mike moved up to the “Alpha” group and continued to improve.

I eventually moved away from Cruces but continue to follow Mike’s racing progress. Nowadays I only get to hang out with him at the annual spring Moab trip, but I’m still inspired every time I see his pictures from all the races he attends. It’s also a huge inspiration to see both Mike and his wife Liz race together. I was excited to find out Mindy had contacted Mike and Liz to ask them if she could shoot them in action.

It was a good time running around the Dona Ana mountains once again with my ol’ riding buddy. Mindy loves that Liz has excelled at mountain biking and wishes she could have spent time riding with her. Mindy loves biking but has not had as much experience on single track trails as she would like. She also likes riding with other women who share her love of the outdoors.

Here are some Hipstamatic shots I got of Mindy getting down and dirty in the Dona Ana Mountains on the mountain bike shoot. I hope you enjoy them.

So I’m not the greatest mountain biker. In fact, lets just say it frankly. I eat dirt… regularly. Every now and then I’ve dreamt of tearing up the trails, only wishing I had the guts to keep my hands off the brakes. And for some reason, hitting the single track once every 2-3 years hasn’t increased my skills. Not one bit. Yes, I do realize that “time in the saddle” is the only real solution for my dilemma. However, being catapulted over my handle bars somehow scares me away for extended periods of time. It’s a vicious cycle.

As much as this sport terrifies me, I also adore it. In fact, I love it so much that I’m pretty sure I’ll continue to give it a shot every couple of years… probably for the rest of my life. All in hopes that one fine day, even I’ll stop eating dirt.

Last week, rather than eating dirt yet again, I met up with two seasoned mountain bikers in hopes to capture some sweet action shots. Thanx again Mike and Liz!

These two are inspiring to me in so many ways. Not only are they champions of this awesome sport, but they do it together. Both of them have made it to the podium of countless races in the New Mexico Off Road Series. In fact, Liz is actually the 2011 champion in her division. Although you would never hear that fact from her. She is the most humble champion I’ve met. Liz can’t hide her passion for the sport, despite her attempts to verbally downplay her mad skills. I’m totally rooting for them both to be champions, side by side, in 2012

Below are few of my favorite images from their ride through “Little Moab” in the Dona Ana Mountains. Enjoy!

Mindy Miller doesn't just take adventure photography gear but everything needed to survive in the wilderness

I had only ridden a horse a handful of times before meeting Mindy. I was a certified city slicker…..a green horn……a dude.

My first ride ever with Mindy was on the Rio Grande in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I slipped off the horse and fell a few feet onto the sandy bank. I landed on my wallet giving me the worst charley horse ever. EVER!

I didn’t want Mindy to see me limping so I tried in vain to play it off. The fall had looked so mild; Mindy didn’t even look concerned. She sat on her horse watching, expecting me to jump up and get back on.

Sunshine, the crazy eyed horse, had turned one way while I shifted my body weight the other and I gently slid off. I wasn’t bucked off. I wasn’t thrown off at speed; I slid off and landed in soft sand. I would of been completely fine if I hadn’t had anything in my pocket.

Why did I have my wallet in my front pocket while I rode a horse? One word, Noob. I couldn’t walk for most of the day and had a monster bruise on my thigh.

Mindy could not stop laughing when she realized what had happened. No sympathetic looks, only laughter. Her cocky boyfriend who wouldn’t listen to her instructions had to learn the hard way that riding a horse actually takes some skill and practice.

Aa I continued to ride Sunshine she soon realized I was such a noob she could take off running without notice. This would scare the living hell out of me every time. Each time I would shout in my best, high pitched cowboy voice, “woah….. STOP dam@#t…….STOP!”

Controlling a thousand pound animal is not as easy as western movies make it look. If the animal has a strong mind and hard mouth pulling back on the rains may just piss it off and make it run faster. I finally broke down and accepted Mindy’s riding instructions.

Several months after my first ride with Mindy she encouraged me to sign up for the Dona Ana Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. We had been talking about fun ways of volunteering our time to give back to the community we loved so much.

Mindy brought up search and rescue and said I could use her horses and dogs for any training.  So we signed up. The Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol volunteers are some of the most friendly people in the world. We were warmly welcomed in and felt at home as we made new friends and started our search and rescue journey.

The training was amazing. We were taught wilderness first aid, mountain rescue rope techniques, how to work around rescue helicopters, human tracking, wilderness survival, HAM radio and GPS use, incident command structure, emergency response procedures, and so much more.

In hind sight I realize having all this training and real world experience has been incredibly useful. I have found myself, more then once, following Mindy into remote wildernesses where our search and rescue skills often come into play.

We basically plan our trips around a worst case scenario. We leave a trip itinerary with friends, take extra shelter and fires starters, and have an exit strategy if we are faced with unforeseen weather conditions.

Soon after joining the Mounted Patrol I received an early morning phone call . Our search and rescue team was being mobilized. We were  asked to meet at the incident command post out at the Truth or Consequence airport. There had been a private plane crash out in the New Mexico badlands and all search and rescue teams where being called in.

I quickly loaded my gear into the back of the truck, hitched up the horse trailer, and spent ten minutes coaxing Sunshine into the back. It was still dark out and I’m sure Sunshine was confused as to why I was trying to feed her from inside the trailer. She’s a sucker for alfalfa so she eventually climbed in and off we went to meet up with the rest of the team.

Upon arrival at the incident command center our team was assigned to cover a grid of desert near Monticello, New Mexico. The terrain was brutal. Thousands of high desert canyons, ravines, and rocky hills made it difficult to search.

Old ranching equipment including windmills made it impossible for the Air Force radar planes to locate the crash site of the downed plane. Our assignment was to ride our horses into areas without any roads and search for any sign of the pilot or aircraft.

The riding was rough, our horses pushed themselves to navigate the steep rocky landscape without slipping or rolling on us. The New Mexico badlands are visually incredible. The general public never gets to see these remote landscapes because there are no roads near by.

At one point I was riding down a rocky incline when I located a windmill some distance down a canyon. We wanted to see if the windmill was actively filling a cattle tank with water for our horses to drink.  As I approached the cattle tank Sunshine reared almost tossing me off.

Before she could make her famous wild eyed run, I gripped the saddle horn with one hand and pulled on the reins with the other. Mindy had just taught me how to pull the reins to the side forcing the horses head to look sideways. To my surprise Sunshine didn’t run off; she trotted/hopped in tight circles until I was able to calmed her down. The idea is the horse will run in the direction its looking. Mindy’s such a good teacher…..especially when I listen.

We concluded the search when another search and rescue team located the crash site. It had been ten hours of riding a horse so those of you with any riding experience can probably imagine the pain I was going through as I tried to walk normally. I was beyond saddle sore.

Mindy and I spent three years with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol before moving to Las Vegas. Unfortunanly for Mindy the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Search and Rescue unit only accepted commissioned law enforcement officers and a few civilian medical professionals.

When we moved to Portland Oregon the Multnomah County Search and Rescue team had a long waiting list. It can take months or years to get onto the team. That’s one of the reasons I love Portland; there are waiting lists for every volunteer program. How cool is it when a community has a surplus of volunteers?

Mindy Miller's crazy eyed horse, Sunshine. One Brown eye and one blue eye.

Re-connecting after being gone for a few years

My first summit, 9 years old!! Organ Mountains, NM.

There is only one log book that I’ve signed 8 times; a book found at the summit of the Organ Mountains (aka, the Needles).

As a little girl, I would eagerly await the return of my father and brothers from the Needles. The story of their ascent was always epic, especially in the mind of a toddler! But their bliss in particular consistently left an unforgettable impression on me. I couldn’t wait for the day I would reach the peak for myself.

For all you hiking junkies out there… although lesser-known, the hike to the Organ Needle is a worthy opponent with a spectacular view. This peak, located in the middle of the desert, has a fairly impressive elevation of 9,012 feet. This is especially true considering that the 4 mile hike to the summit includes 4,100 feet in gain. I should also mention that there is some mild rock climbing involved. Oh… and you should definitely go with a guide, as there isn’t a trail and it can be dangerous. Yeah, it is a bit of a doozy!

I will never forget the way I felt sitting at the top of the Organ Needles for the first time. The warmth of the sun, the gentle winds, feelings of vertigo and the thousands of cute little lady bugs at my feet was impressive enough. But the unbroken 360 degree view of White Sands and the deserts into Mexico was the icing on the cake. It truly opened my eyes as to how BIG this world really is; mind-blowing realization for me at nine years old. Reaching the top of a mountain range was by far the coolest thing I had ever done in my life. I was officially hooked and could not wait to get out there and do it again! There is so much to see, to do and to learn.

The Organ Mountains hold a special place in my heart for countless reasons. There are so many firsts I’ve experienced in these mountains. The first summit I ever reached was the Organ Needle with my father. Vance and I ended our very first date hiking here; he even proposed to me in these mountains. How could I not say yes!? I guess he knew me well very early on in our relationship

While we have been visiting New Mexico, one of my goals has been to get a great shot of these mountains I hold so dear. And let me tell you, it is not the easiest task! Below is my favorite shot I’ve been able to capture so far. I hope you like it, and I hope I get an even better one before I leave!

Being an avid fisherman I hear some great stories; its amazing how BIG a fish can get when no one else was looking, or when the story is re-told several times. Because of my love of tall tales I am careful not to tell fishing stories to people who take themselves too seriously; I end up having to explain the “exaggeration”, “humor”, “sarcasm” or “lie” of the story.

I really don’t want the Sheldons (Big Bang Theory) of the world to take my exaggerated story seriously. Its only fun if everyone is in on the joke; otherwise its just cruel to have someone re-telling the “true” story about the ten pound gold fish I caught, a mile out in the ocean, while floating on a pool toy. Really?

So would you believe me if I told you I just saw Mindy twenty feet up in the air………….in a bucket…………in the middle of the desert………far from any paved roads……..and just few miles from the Mexican border!?! Of course you would, because unlike my fish stories I’m talking about Mindy.

Watching her in action puts any of my fishing stories to shame; I don’t have to exaggerate about her. Sometimes I even have to leave parts out so I don’t worry her mom, (sorry Terry, its just better this way).

Going with Mindy to her photo shoots as the “go boy” has its perks; I get to see the creative process in action. This time that creative process found Mindy in the bucket of a front loader at the base of the Floridas Mountains, just miles from the border of Mexico.

She was working on a top secret project that I’m not allowed to talk about. Her client said he would have to kill me if I told anybody what they were doing in the desert. No exaggeration!

Mindy needed to get a higher perspective to capture the full length of the project. So like any good wife, she asked me if I had any ideas on how to get up higher. I suggested the near by ladder; and just like any good wife, she ignored my suggestion and climbed into a front loaders’ bucket instead.

She had the driver lift her to the bucket’s maximum height and then started snapping away. She also had the front loader move to several locations across the desert to change perspectives. I followed the slow tractor around carrying all of Mindy’s photography gear.

I can’t say I’ve ever been in the bucket of a front loader but it looked fun. Mindy was as happy as could be with her mobile shooting platform. At one point I even heard her yell out, Yee-haw! I think that was when the bucket was being tipped too far forward and Mindy risked being dumped from twenty feet up. Who wouldn’t yell Yee-Haw to that?

Mindy was so engulfed in the “secret” desert project that it took my whining about being hungry for a green chile burger to pull her away. She gave me a, “how can you be hungry when we are having so much fun” look. I returned my best, “I have a burger with my name on it and I’ve got the car keys” look until she gave in.

So its moments like these that have gotten me to sit down and blog. Mindy’s reality is better then any fiction I would come up with. This was a great trip out into the middle of nowhere, and as always  Mindy predictably did the unpredictable. She can now add riding on a front loader to her bucket list.

Mindy Miller of Red Rock Studios in a bucket

Mindy preping her gear in a top secret location

Mindy Miller of Red Rock Studios at an uber secret location

Adventure Photographer Mindy Miller of Red Rock Studios

Tips for alleviating wedding photography stress

For the Photographer:

1. If possible, schedule time to photograph the bride and groom on location, in their wedding attire, before or prior to their wedding date. Ideally, plan the session at least one day before or after the wedding. Even 2 hours before is often better than after. Why? Because it allows you to have more fun with the couple. There will be less interruptions and less stress for them. I have used this approach with many couples and have loved it every time

2. Prep before the day of the wedding. Make sure your gear works, your back up gear works, you are familiar with the location, you know what your shooting, etc… Get all the planning done ahead so the day of you aren’t dealing with as many last minute crisis.

3. Stick to your schedule – no matter what! And communicate with the other wedding vendors involved regarding the schedule, well in advance. Working as a team is imperative to success! Why is your schedule so important? Because it is planned around light. Once the sun sets, you are in trouble and your clients portraits will suffer. Discuss ahead of time so they understand why you are continuing to remind them to stay on schedule. In my experience, the setting of the sun is often overlooked. Your clients aren’t used to paying attention to light and often don’t realize how fast it will disappear.  For instance, I never would have gotten the shot above if I hadn’t put gentle pressure on the bride and groom to delay their receiving line until after the sun had set; and they were so grateful that I did! A priceless shot will be missed if you do not thoroughly communicate with your clients and pay attention to the SUN.

For the Bride and Groom:

1. Defy tradition and schedule photography before the wedding. You will both be more relaxed and have more fun – which means your pictures will be better.

2. Plan how long dressing/hair/makeup will take. Do a trial run of what you need to do before the pictures, so you can plan enough time. The last thing you need is to allow hair styling time to eat into your photography session.

3. Stick to your schedule. Things will come up and you may be tempted to stray from a schedule, but the sunset won’t wait for you. Stick to a schedule in order to have the best light for your wedding pictures.

I had never really looked into it before. But a couple of months ago my friend Adrienne let me tag along with a hiking meetup group in Las Vegas. More than 14 miles later, I realized that I had been missing out on some serious adventures and incredible friendships! We used our trusty gps units to locate an old plane crash site. As my daughter would say, a true Dora the Explorer adventure.

Standing on the diving board at the top of Half Dome! Thanx again for the shot Adrienne

Turns out Adrienne had never been to an official “Meetup” before either… that is until I skipped town, abandoning her in Las Vegas. My hiking adventures with Adrienne began shortly after she had invited me to conquer Half Dome in Yosemite. Umm, yes please! Sign me up!!

By the way… if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have the epic shot of me standing on the edge of the diving board. You know, the shot EVERY crazy person gets after the reaching the summit!! Vance was too freaked out and refused to take my picture. The poor guy was probably suffering from severe vertigo. Embarrassing. Luckily I had backup. (I still love you babe!)

Anyway, back to the original story  ;)

Adrienne and I hiked as often as we could when I lived in Vegas. But with us both being wives, mothers, business owners and so many other endless titles… we didn’t get out as often as I would have hoped.

After I skipped town, Adrienne was left with no one to hike with. So, she turned to Meetup. And Meetup…  well Meetup puts little ole me to shame! Since I left the area, Adrienne has tore up a countless number of hiking trails all across the Las Vegas Valley. Oh the jealousy. Meetup is awesome!

Another benefit to the Meetup groups is a pretty obvious one. You get to MEET so many great people. People who enjoy the same activities as you. And in the outdoor community, these are people who have hiked and explored so many different places. I am digging Meetup, yes I am!

On my last Meetup hiking adventure in Las Vegas, I met an extremely witty guy named Brian. I haven’t laughed so hard with a complete stranger in my life. Good times, lol  :) While hiking, I mentioned to Brian how I am currently traveling in my Winnebago around the United States in search of some epic landscapes and adventure athletes. And I’m so glad I did.

Brian told me that I should seriously check out the Palm Springs, CA area. When he described how the landscape is filled with oasis’ of palm trees in the middle of the desert, I knew I had to go there. Especially since the location is not very well known to the general public. The less crowded a location, the more I seem to enjoy it.

I had no clue exactly where we should hike, but after some on-the-road research via the almight google, I figured we should check out Indian Canyons just south of Palm Springs. We arrived about 1.5 hours before sunset. Not exactly a lot of time left to document an area I had never seen. But at least I had some sweet light to work with! So off I flew, jumping out of the RV with all my camera gear on my back… leaving my husband to tend to the kiddos. Have I ever mentioned that I love this?!

Andreas Canyon was so incredibly unique. The trail I hiked looped around a lush oasis, filled with fan palms and apparently more than 150 different plant species. I only wish I would have had more than an hour to document this magnificent place. Trust me, I plan on coming back, because what I captured doesn’t even begin to do this place justice! I hope you enjoy the few shots I did get. And thank you Brian, for filling me in on the secret location.

Oh, and if you want to hear Vance’s version of his hike through Andreas Canyon, just check out the post below. Apparently I was kidnapped? Crazy. Our girls are so lucky to have such an imaginative father. I am always blown away watching him pretend with them. Their worlds are transformed and unforgettable memories are surely formed with each scenario he creates. Life is good

Warrior Princesses

There was a traitor among us! A guard had sent a secret messages to an evil band of desert thieves to ambush our caravan before it reached the Palm Springs oasis.

The Sultan was wounded by an arrow and fell from his camel as it ran panic stricken from the battle. His head hit a rock when he fell and he lost consciousness.

The two princesses, who the thieves thought where going to be easy targets, jumped from their camels and were chased into the rugged desert canyons. They fought back to back against ten heavily armed thieves. Unknown to the thieves, the two princesses had secretly trained to be warriors and defeated the would be kidnapers.

By the time the princesses returned to the scene of the battle, the sun was rising and only a few camels and wounded guards remained. Queen Mindy had been kidnapped and all the treasure was gone! Princess Kelsey found the unconscious sultan and revived him; bandaging his wounded shoulder and getting him water.

The sultan and princesses sent the wounded guards home and then set out to rescue the kidnapped queen. Princess Whitney was an expert tracker and picked up the trail of the evil thieves, which led directly into a hidden canyon oasis. Whitney would hold up her hand for us to stop; with two fingers, she would point to her eyes and then at a palm tree or rock overhang. Princess Kelsey was an expert in archery and would pick off any lookouts watching the trail. She would pull back on her imaginary bow string and yell out, “BANG, I got one.”

This was the imaginary story/game that developed as the girls and I hiked along the Andreas Canyon Trail near Palm Springs. The story was inspired by the incredible desert canyon landscape and the huge palm oasis at its center. The girls quickly told me that we were hiking at the oasis where Aladdin was filmed; which helped launch their Arabian Night themed adventure.

The story also had some real objectives; we had to find Mindy, she was out there somewhere in the canyon. As soon as I had put the RV into park, Mindy was out the door and charging up the trail carrying all her camera gear. She said she wanted to catch the sweet light as the sun set and needed to quickly get into position. I didn’t even have time to open my door to get out before Mindy disappeared into the palm trees. It took me a while longer before I could start hiking; I had hydration packs to fill, snacks to pack, and sun screen to apply.

Kelsey and Whitney entering the oasis

The girls wanted to catch up to Mindy and watch her photograph the landscapes. Kelsey was concerned Mindy might get lost and while I tried to explain the trail was a big loop, Kelsey was insistent on catching up. We fought our way along the trail; crossing streams, ducking under rock overhangs, climbing large boulders, and sneaking through groves of giant palm trees.

We eventually captured a thief who told us where the secret thief lair was and we found Mindy. We had a fierce battle to free her and fought the thieves up and down the trail and deep into the palm groves. Meanwhile, queen Mindy seemed very unconcerned with her predicament and had set up her tri-pod in the middle of a stream. She was jumping back and forth popping her off camera strobes before the shutter closed. Mindy grinned with delight as she took pictures of the oasis; she was completely oblivious to the battle going on around her.

After realizing Mindy was not going to join in on the imaginary battles, the girls insisted on finishing the adventure by tracking down the thief leader who fled the battle on a magic flying carpet. So off we went stalking the fierce leader of the desert thieves.

Much to my confusion, the Arabian Night themed adventure took a dramatic twist towards the end of the trail when Princess Kelsey turned into an elf archer. We were suddenly battling orcs and goblins! As we battled down the trail it donned on me that Kelsey had recently watched the first two installments of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. She had never even heard of the series until her little cousins introduced it to her a few days before our hike. And just like her daddy, she loved them.

Andreas Canyon Trail where Queen Mindy was taken

Once back at the RV, we were brought back to reality when the park ranger drove up and told us the park was closing and we had to leave… NOW. We realized Mindy was still trekking about the oasis. She was taking advantage of every second of light she could. When she finally emerged from the trail head, I had the engine running; she jumped in and we headed to our campsite at Joshua Tree National Park.

The only problem with our plan to camp at Joshua Tree National Park is that the campsite was closed. We arrived after dark to find a sign saying the trails and campgrounds were closed due to flooding. Bummer. We had planned on hiking a trail in Joshua Tree but like everything else on a road trip, plans change. We did however take some fun night shots of some crazy cacti and the brilliant night sky.

I felt like we were back in college, running around the desert at night goofing off. Every time Mindy would get down low to position the camera up at the cactus, I would remind her of all the times we had found scorpions, spiders, and snakes crawling the desert floor. She would instantly jump back up and use a flashlight to look around. Nothing creepier than thinking poisonous critters are crawling around in the dark. And being in Keen sandals, I kind of creeped myself out too.

I’m not sure if Mindy is going to release her night pictures without a little peer pressure. So feel free to help me encourage her to “show and tell” her night cacti images.

White Sands brings back memories filled with flirting, flips and attempts at flying. Seriously the greatest playground on earth! Standing at the top of a dune in my teens, I would bust out some seriously sweet tricks. My sister and I even used those soft, forgiving dunes to teach our brother how to do backflips. A definite must for any guy working on expanding his flirting repertoire

Although my latest trip to White Sands didn’t include any flips (sad day!), it still included plenty of flirting with my hubby and flying down the dunes with my kiddos! Located only 45 minutes north of Las Cruces, NM, White Sands is a must see. The gypsum dunefields engulf 275 square miles of desert. Breathtaking. Serene. Incredible.

I hope you enjoy a few of the shots I grabbed one evening after playing all day in the sand!

I just adore the natural lines created by the dunes. There’s nothing quite like nature!

The wind creates these awesome patterns in the sand. Super sweet, and ever changing.

Anyone have any idea what the little sticks are in the shot above? Well… this is man’s attempt to maintain a hiking trail through the dunes. The wind moves the sand dunes constantly, and covers up any attempt at creating a trail. So, they just place these markers deep in the sand and move them before the sand covers them up again. Instead of following a typical “trail” you just follower the markers

 This last shot is for Vance. He loves posterized, artsy stuff… so I played with a shot in photoshop. I’d love to know what you think about my experiment

White Sands is one of the most unique landscapes in Southern New Mexico, or the world for that matter. I don’t know of another place on earth where huge dunes of gypsum dominate the landscape.

Even before I met Mindy my brothers and I would drive out to White Sands to climb the dunes and snow…..sand-board down at break neck speeds. The view from the top of the big dunes is mind blowing. Its hard to believe the place is real.

We made a few trips to romp around the dunes under a full moon and enjoy the quiet desert nights. White Sands really does capture the meaning behind New Mexico’s slogan “Land of Enchantment.” This place is a must see if traveling through the area.

On this trip Mindy and Tanya met up with some friends from their high school years to catch up and let all the kids play. Being the biggest kid there I immediately started a game of zombie tag. The little girls and boys would run screaming up the dunes just to go tumbling back down again.

My little nephew, who is three, decided at the start that he was going to be a zombie with his uncle and walked along the dunes growling with his hands outstretched. He was my wingman in our tag of terror.

One of our zombie missions was to capture a kid and try to bury them in pre dug holes; but I ended up in the holes with seven little hooligans shoveling sand on top of me as fast as they could.

The sledding was intense. I held my breath a bit as a child would fly down the sand dune and crash into the hard packed sand at the bottom. I am proud that although I waxed the sleds for maximum speed, we did not have any……serious injuries.

Of course with so many little kids running around laughing it was hard for Mindy to keep her camera in the car and she ended up taking some amazing candid shots of the kiddos.

As soon as I saw Mindy get out her camera and exterior lighting I snatched up a camera to catch her running up and down the dunes with the kids. I even caught her showing the kids how to jump off of the dunes.

It was cute watching the kids try to jump at the same time; the synchronization never happened but it didn’t stop the kids from squealing in delight as they crashed down in the soft sand.

Even after the picture taking was done they continued to jump off the dunes together.

Mindy jumping off the White Sand Dunes

Photographers, don’t judge me.  I’m an auto zombie and the flash didn’t go off . I know you photogs know I should of used a manual setting with the flash, its the first thing Mindy mentioned to me when she saw the picture of herself above.

Like I’m going to remember the photography lessons she keeps teaching me. She’s the photographer, I just fish.

Jumping on the dunes

The gypsum dunes are constantly changing shapes as the wind blows. Some of the biggest dunes remain pretty consistent and take years to move.

Playing with the lights as the sun set

Kelsey and her very first friend ever; they were both born in the same hospital days apart

Waxed sleds for SUPER speed; Kelsey went flying the second time she went down the huge dune

Whitney and Kelsey after jumping off the dunes a bizillion times.

As the sun set across the gypsum Mindy loaded up her photography gear and heading along a trail into the heart of the dunes; if you can even call it a trail, more like markers peaking out of the shifting sands.

The kids and I cleaned up the best we could trying in vain to shake sand out of our clothes. The sand gets into everything but luckily its not silica sand, but water soluble gypsum, so it dissolves once you take a shower.

Mindy eventually came hiking back out of the dunes with a memory card full of classic White Sand photographs. Look for her post with her White Sand scenic shots, she will probably have it up in the next few days.

I saw a couple of the photos already and love them. I am biased; I have created so many great memories among those dunes I now have a sentimental attachment to the area. If you ever have a chance to create some memories at these dunes it will be worth it. White Sands at sunset is stunning.

One expensive photo

This photograph of the Rine River sold for 4.3 Million at a  recent art auction. The artist Andrey Gursky has been creating a photography encyclopedia of life for the last twenty years.

Andrey’s catalogue of images is extensive with some very recognizable pieces showing famous architecture and commercial structures.

Many of his smaller prints sell for a lot less then 4.3 million but if you want this one you will have to pay a bit more; if you could even convince the new owner to sell.

The Rine River photo has to be the most expensive photo ever sold so I am thinking the negatives were destroyed to create exclusive value.

If this photograph becomes impossible to reprint then it becomes a one of a kind collectors piece.

I know Mindy does selective runs of photos in the 100 to 500 range but I don’t think she destroys the negatives. She archives negatives, but she’s never mentioned destroying them. If she does destroy her negatives then I better start collecting my favorite photographs quick, I’m sure I’d get a killer discount; I am her best assistant after all.

Mindy sells her fine art images with the run number printed on each photograph. So you would know if your image was 30/350 or 7/125 by looking on the back of the print.

Just like most fine art photography after the first photo is sold the price starts to increase; so if you buy number 6 photo in a 300 image run for $50 by the time the last image sells your photograph may be worth several hundred dollars.

Thats only a couple hundred and not 3.4 million dollars; but hey, its still a great investment and creates unique beauty for your home.

Over the last few years I have bought several fine art images from local vendors at farmers markets. Some of their works were under priced and a few where over priced. Most of their images fell in a standard pricing range when compared with other artists at other markets.

I’m a sucker for abstract, impressionism, and posterized art images. I just bought a bright yellow posterized images of Ocean Beach Pier from a local artist on Newport St.; I love it. It was an awesome farmers market with lots of local vendors. I spent almost two weeks of my life fishing from the pier, eating at the restaurants, and playing on the beach so the image has incredible sentimental value.

Here is a photograph Mindy took of the Ocean Beach Pier that she posterized just for my own personal collection; sorry this one is not for sale. She knows I love her realism photography but if I can get her to create a posterized version I’m all over it. This image will be added to my Yellow Ocean Beach image in my office.

Anyway, back to my story

The return flight I had purchased was a late one. So late that I would have to be picked up after midnight. My lovely husband, in full blown Mr. Mom mode, asked me why on earth I would choose such a ridiculous hour to fly. I suppose I would be irritated too. Making an airport run in the middle of the night with two small children in tow is not exactly a good time. But… “Vance, it was on sale!”

A couple of days before my scheduled travels, I did some research and found that there were several flights from Las Vegas to San Diego prior to mine. This was great news!! I figured this gave me multiple chances at an earlier flight, so I decided to head to the airport 8 HOURS early and try my luck. Worst case scenario… me, a blue moon, and my iPad. I guess I can deal with that

After making it through the security checkpoint unscathed, I reached a gate with a direct flight to San Diego. And my timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The passengers had just started boarding! In my sweetest demeanor, I approached the counter and inquired whether there was any chance I could get on this flight… without a charge… pretty please? 

To my delight, the answer was YES to both of my questions. Turns out my red eye flight had been delayed, which meant I was eligible for a complimentary flight change. Score! Only one potential hiccup. I was boarding with the C group, with two carryon bags. Risky.

Finally, I was on the plane. But as I approached the back, my “first world” problem reared it’s ugly head. There was no room in the overhead bins. Not a single spot left for my precious cargo. My luck had just run out…

The flight attendant reached for my bag, insisting that it must be checked. I felt panic in my voice as I eloquently explained to her that my bags were ummm… un-checkable. She offered me an inquisitive look. I clarified. “My bags are filled with thousands of dollars of professional camera gear, and most importantly my client’s wedding day images.” Yeah, probably not the brightest announcement I’ve ever made in a public setting. 

Just as I began exiting the plane, and cordially accepting my “first world” doom, a young man stood up. He was carefully holding a hat in his hands. I instantly recognized the emblem and realized this young man was a United States Marine.

“Mam, I would be happy to remove my bag to make room for yours” he stated, a smile on his face. And just like that he grabbed his military ruck sack, placed it below his feet, and offered to place my precious cargo above his head. “Well look at that, a perfect fit.”

I was left in awe and graciously thanked him. His random act of kindness was completely unnecessary, totally unexpected. And his character… inspiring. This Marine had rescued me from my petty fate!

The flight was utterly pleasant. I was seated next to the most jovial sales-rep and spent the entire trip in stitches over his hysterical stories. The world is truly filled with so many good people. As we exited the plane, I expressed my gratitude to the marine once more and thanked him for his service.

San Diego was just as beautiful as ever. My husband immediately whisked me away to our beach retreat, well before the kiddos bed time  

The sunset that evening was breathtaking! I immediately knew my precious cargo had to pulled out and put to work once more. Not making an attempt to capture this magic would be truly criminal.

As I strolled along the sandy beaches, I realized I now had yet another reason to thank the Marine and his random act of kindness. And although he will probably never read this… thank you sir, for giving me the opportunity to capture this once in a lifetime scene.

Life is good!

Sunset at Ocean Beach Pier

Fishing on Ocean Beach Pier

*Disclaimer; Sarcasm Zone Ahead*

Hello, my name is Vance Miller and I’m addicted to So. Cal. I know the congestion, high prices, and heavy taxes are not good for my health but I can’t stay away.

The sirens of So. Cal. have been seductively singing of great weather, clear waters, and excellent fishing. It never gets old watching the sun creep up over the hills of OB or setting into the Pacific Ocean.

Watching the sunrise at OB pier

I heard the siren strongest as Mindy popped her surfing cherry at Ocean Beach. The girls and I played spy and followed Mindy from the Surf and Skate shop, on Newport, down to the beach.

Her instructor took a back alley all the way which allowed Whitney, Kelsey and I to run from block wall to electrical power box without being detected. The little girls had a hard time suppressing their giggles as they peaked around telephone poles and dumpsters watching Mindy carry her big blue surfboard.

It was fun watching Mindy stand up on her board and even more fun to watch her go crashing into the big waves.

Mindy's surf lesson

I want to apologize to all our Portland friends for posting so many sunny pictures; its part of the whole So. Cal. siren song that keeps us here.

Mindy lookin good on the balance board

I thought I would be sneaky and crawl along the concrete wall separating the grass from the beach to get a picture of Mindy on the balance board; Mindy spotted the lone camera creeping up over the wall right away.

She smiled so much while learning to surf she said her cheeks were sore.

After playing around in the surf with this board Mindy said she wants one. So now I have to find a roof rack for the ol’ RV. She also was super excited at how easy it is to move around in a 3mm wet suit; a lot less restrictive then her 14mm scuba dive wet suit.

Getting out to the bigger waves

Every so often a set of 5 to 6 foot waves would come in making it fun to try and stand.

Whoohoo!! Standing up for the first time!

I turned around a caught Mindy standing up in a wave but only capture the last second of her first stand up.

Mindy is also being tempted by the So. Cal. siren and told me she could spend every morning in the water. After the surf lesson Mindy wanted to spend more time playing in the waves but was totally exhausted. She said, “its no wonder surfers are HOT! surfing is a full body workout.”

With that motivating thought I grabbed her surfboard and hit the waves. After about twenty minutes of flailing about in the sea foam I was washed ashore and beached at the feet of the girls. It was the best surfing ever!

I felt a knot growing in the pit in my stomach as I attempted to offer an explanation. An impossible explanation… she is only seven afterall. And yet, maybe she does understand in her own untainted way? The endless rows of soldier’s headstones was something Kelsey had never seen.

Watching her innocence shatter one realization at a time is agonizing, yet inescapable.  I sometimes wish I could keep her little forever. Bottle up her innocence. But as she grows, I realize how much I have learned from her. Her raw admiration, respect and love for a soldier is simply beautiful.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is the most incredible soldier’s cemetery I have ever seen.  Surrounded by sheer cliffs, life-filled tide pools, and a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean… there could not be a more perfect resting place for an American soldier. I am beyond grateful to our nation’s veterans, and the ultimate sacrifice offered by countless men and women.

Below is a poem I love, as well as a few photos I took from the outskirts of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. Enjoy

A Soldier’s Cemetery

by John William Streets

Behind that long and lonely trenched line
To which men come and go, where brave men die,
There is a yet unmarked and unknown shrine,
A broken plot, a soldier’s cemetery.

There lie the flower of youth, the men who scorn’d
To live (so died) when languished Liberty:
Across their graves flowerless and unadorned
Still scream the shells of each artillery.

When war shall cease this lonely unknown spot
Of many a pilgrimage will be the end,
And flowers will shine in this now barren plot
And fame upon it through the years descend:
But many a heart upon each simple cross
Will hang the grief, the memory of its loss.

I am “Mindy’s husband,” Vance, and I have a backstage pass to the adventures behind the photos.

Before I met Mindy I had spent the previous twenty two years of my life thinking I was an adventurous soul. Now I realize I’m just loud. I do even the most simple things in a loud, expressive way.

For example: when I was sixteen I rode my mountain bike downhill at Lake Chabot in San Leandro, California with some friends. I was probably only doing 20 or 25 miles an hour, but because I woohoo’ed all the way down I thought it was the greatest ride ever.

Another example: I consider fishing an extreme sport.

Then I met Mindy, who has lived in the mountains as a river guide, conquered fourteen thousand foot peaks in Northern New Mexico and backpacked hundreds of miles of intense trails.  She’s worn through rock climbing shoes, had to replace well used climbing ropes, and had the most used looking camping gear I’d ever seen. She’s done all this in her own quiet way; not like my loud self-congratulatory shouting.

I realized quickly I was out gunned in the adventure department when she started getting me to backpack with her. It was a clash of outdoor cultures. She had the tiniest sleeping bags, tents, camp stoves, and camping gear I had ever seen. To top it off she wanted to hike ten miles into a remote wilderness, with everything on our backs.

I was horrified at the thought of leaving my oversized sleeping bag and large Coleman stove at home. My backpack was meant to separate my gear from my buddies when I threw it in the back of the truck, and four wheeled up to our favorite fishing lake.

I thought I was a hardcore outdoors man because I once slept under the stars and used a tarp as a cover when it started to rain. If my brothers are reading this, they will be smiling because they were on the same tarp; one of them woke up in a large puddle of water. Good times, but not extreme by any measurement. It was just a light rain.

So I’ve had my adventure bubble burst and now realize I am pretty low key when it comes to being a passionate thrill seeker. I’ve been the one to stay back with the camera as Mindy has jumped out of planes, watched from the ground as she paraglided in Mexico, and held the ropes as she set up a climb.

Do I feel adventurously inferior? Nope; I still whoop it up when I’m pulling in that little trout. My heart still races, I break out in a sweat, and I scream with excitement as I slowly roll along on my mountain bike. If you talk to me you will quickly hear about my exciting exploits.

Here’s the kicker. Mindy rarely boasts about her outdoor activities and you really have to work to get any stories. She just doesn’t brag about herself; I know, strange right? You would have to either be with her, or hear about the adventure from a friend that was there.

Its only been in the last couple of years that I’ve started picking up the camera to capture Mindy in action. You get to see some pretty amazing pictures she’s posted, but almost never get to hear the back story. I have to really work hard to convince her to write about the epic journeys taken to even be in the right spot to take the picture.

So I talked Mindy into letting me have an admin account so I could “help” her manage her website. Here are a few pictures I snapped with the Iphone of her latest coastal jaunt.

Mindy climbing the cliffs at Point Loma with all her gear.

A friend of ours introduced us to an iPhone app, Hipstamatic, and I love it. Its fun to see what type of old school film effect is being used. I also like the way photos from the 60′s and 70′s look, so I over use this app like crazy.

I hope you enjoy this behind the photo’s peek at what my crazy fun wife does to get that perfect shot.

Mindy on the cliffs at Point Loma

Mindy exploring the cliffs at Point Loma

Here Mindy is watching the changing light as the sun sets. She is always changing the setting of her camera and attempts to explain what they each mean…..I keep telling her I’m an “auto zombie” and set the camera to the green automatic setting.

I'm not going to lie, spending a couple of weeks on the coast has its fishing benefits so I kept encouraging Mindy to keep chasing that perfect coastal shot.

Ocean Beach Pier is the longest pier on the West coast. After a storm the sky explodes in color as the sun sets. The place is a magical sea lovers paradise. I’m going to miss this area once Mindy gets that perfect shot and moves on to the desert.

The Point Loma tide pools have some of the best cliffs on the coast. We had a lot of fun exploring them with our week pass.

Mindy should be uploading her images of the coastal shoot soon. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these fun images.

ONLY $195

November 4th, 5th and 6th

What’s included: 20 minute session & digital negatives

Limited spaces available. All sessions will take place at Ocean Beach in San Diego, CA.

Send an e-mail to mindy@redrockstudios.com or call 702-755-4513 to make your appointment today!

Portrait Photographer

Congratulations again to you both! The love and friendship you share is so unique and beautiful. I was beyond honored to capture your day!

The images below are from Josh and Christine’s “first look” or “reveal” prior to their ceremony. I adore when a couple chooses to do a first look… if it’s done right, it is truly such a beautiful moment! In fact, I would say these moments can be even more intimate than seeing each other for the first time during the ceremony.

Most couples choose to do a first look/reveal in 100% privacy. I just throw on my zoom lens, back away and capture the moments. And I am loving these… upon seeing his new bride, Josh immediately took Christine in his arms and just held her close. Beautiful moment

And then of course he had to check her out… so flipping cute! I love these two

I had such a blast creating the images below! I was literally standing IN the river up to my knees with all my gear. I’m sure the guests watching thought I was nuts… and I guess I am, but the results are beyond worth it! Just don’t tell my insurance company the risks I take with my gear, lol.

The endless details and decor at their wedding were beyond beautiful. And I believe everything was created and designed by Christine and her friends/family… pretty amazing

First dance, just after the sun went down. Love it

Congratulations again to Christine and Josh!

Portland Wedding Photographers