On a business trip in July I was fortunate enough to have time to drive through the redwoods while heading south on highway 101. The 101 between Arcata and Berkeley was a route that I routinely traveled some 22 years prior, but I hadn't been in northern California for at least a decade. It was quite interesting to revisit old stomping grounds and recall faded memories, as if the redwoods aren't haunting enough without memories.

Business trips can be a mixed bag, especially when it's two weeks. We were on our second week, dog tired, and about to begin our return leg when we started off from Long Beach, Washington. Instead of opting for the fast route, south on the I-5, we took a detour down Highway 101. I was prepared for it to be a long, leisurely ride, but what I didn't realize is how many photo opportunities I would stumble across. I've lived on the California coast most of my life, so I'm not a stranger to our western coastlines. I actually thought I might be a little bored and disenchanted.

Yes, I admit it. I'm not comfortable with being high up in the air. I've also never been in a hot air balloon. You can imagine that I was a bit anxious about hopping into a wicker basket hanging by cables from a big bag of air. I imagined it would be a turbulent and unpredictably bumpy, white knuckled ride. Much to my surprise, it wasn't. It was incredibly relaxing and the ride was amazingly smooth. It was absolutely amazing that once we were up very high, I had completely forgotten to worry at all. Quite possibly one of the funnest things I have ever done.

It took two scouting trips to decide on the final spot for the shoot. Finding the ideal location is hardly ever easy. This particular location had the look I needed but the logistics were definitely difficult. Hiking to the location by myself wasn't too bad, but to bring a four person crew plus three models, along with all the gear and wardrobe was a serious challenge. My main concern was that of the safety of the talent and crew over the rough terrain - unstable rocks, inclines, declines, mud, a slippery stream, and so on.

I can't say I'm a big fan of roses, but this garden was quite impressive. Hundreds and hundreds of brilliantly colored roses tend to stun the eye. It looks romantic, but I assure you, climbing through roses with all those thorns can be painful. Working with a professional model, however, is a pleasure. Just remember to take allergy medication. My poor model was getting watery eyes by the end of the shoot and I was getting a little itchy myself. Most of the time it takes a little while to get a model warmed up for the lens, but not in this case.