24 Favorites from 2024 | Northern California Photographer
The year isn’t quite over yet, but it’s that time of year when I like to look back over the previous year at my photography work searching for improvements, changes in my shooting and/or editing, and any other little subtleties in my work. This year, I noticed much fewer landscape photos, fewer macro, fewer ‘creative’ images. There are a lot more wildlife images, particularly birds. Overall, I took far fewer photos than in past years which is hard to believe because I took some amazing trips!
A Glimpse at 2024
I started the year with a trip to Klamath Falls with my friend, Beth. We went for the eagles, but we were a little early. Many had not arrived to the area yet. That did not stop us from getting some wonderful photos.
Shortly thereafter, I traveled the opposite direction and headed for Death Valley and the Alabama Hills to meet up with a group of people participating in the B-List Conference. I loved meeting so many talented, new-to-me photographers and came away with some wonderful photos and friends. During the spring months I kept close to home and participated in several photography meetups with some local groups as well as venturing out on my own.
By late spring, I was feeling ready to get back out a little farther from home. I took a road trip to Oregon and Washington, again hoping to photograph eagles. Success! In June I traveled to British Columbia to photograph loons and other wildlife. This was a most successful trip with lots of opportunities to photograph loons and other birds. July kept me closer to home shooting at the various wildlife refuges nearby and participating with the Northern California Women Photographers’ group in several outings.
In fall, I made it over to the coast several times. Fall is gorgeous on the coast… well, actually, I think fall is beautiful pretty much everywhere. My garden also provided plenty of subject matter to photograph. Also, Bryce National Park has been on my bucket list for some time, and I managed to make a quick trip there this fall. Like so many other places, I’m ready to go back! During late fall, we traveled along the Northern California coast. It’s a favorite location for sure with so many photo opportunities.
What’s after 2024?
Here it is almost 2025 and I haven’t locked in any photography trips as of yet. I’m still in the percolating stages trying to decide where to go, what to shoot. For the time being, I’m going to embrace shooting close to home.
I’m excited to be putting the finishing touches on a new Monthly Mentoring class. This will be small group mentoring in person held in various Northern California locations.
My Waterfalls & More workshop is being moved to spring. Although the waterfalls and fall color are incredible, spring should provide some amazing opportunities with more water flow and new spring growth. I’ve added two new locations to this workshop which I’m very excited about!
I’m grateful for all that photography has brought into my life - beautiful places, wonderful people, something new to learn (There’s always something to learn!), and an elevated awareness of the importance of nature conservation. Thank you for following along on my photography journey.
24 Favorites from 2024
Here’s a grid of the 24 (in no certain order) that made the list for various reasons. Are they truly my favorites? For today, yes. It was hard to exclude so many others! I included the grid, but also each photograph individually.

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Utah is home to some of the most striking natural wonders in the world, and two of the most photographed are Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park and Delicate Arch in Arches National Park.
Taking a look back on this memorable trip to Glacier National Park. July 2021was the month that I headed to Montana to attend a landscape workshop in Glacier National Park. Glacier is a national park that I'd been wanting to visit for some time.
June 2025 came and went in a whirlwind, but not without leaving behind quiet stories, unexpected beauty, and fleeting moments that deserved to be paused.
Someone asked me recently how I got started in wildlife photography. I think this old blog post from June 2020 sums it up quite well.
The diverse landscape of California cannot be matched! When there is such surreal beauty in the Eastern Sierra landscape, the cameras have to come out!
As I sift through the images captured in May, I can appreciate all that the month held for me including trips to Utah and (just-for-fun-non-photography) Tennessee, a bit of macro, mentoring sessions, and a commercial shoot.
While I don't recommend photographing landscapes during the middle of the day, sometimes that's what you've got. So, take advantage of being in a gorgeous area like the California coast and click away!
Arches National Park is renowned for its stunning red rock formations, sculpted over millions of years by wind and erosion. It’s a paradise for hikers, photographers, and anyone who loves dramatic landscapes.
Starry, starry nights and oftentimes mornings, my Utah trip included plenty of astrophotography. What better place than the very dark skies in the area of Moab, Utah.
I love walking out into my garden and taking a deep breath. Despite the warmer temperatures, my sweet peas are still hanging in there.
Back to Utah! Nestled in the heart of Utah, Dead Horse Point State Park is a breathtaking destination that offers stunning vistas, exhilarating outdoor activities, and a rich history.
Nestled along the American River Parkway in Carmichael, California, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center offers a sanctuary for both wildlife enthusiasts and photographers. With its diverse habitats and abundant wildlife, it's a prime location for capturing nature's beauty through the lens.
On my recent trip to Canyonlands, we experienced an incredible sunrise and serenity in unexpected corners of the park. Here's what I learned: Canyonlands is full of magic beyond the Instagram-famous spots.
After leaving Capitol Reef NP, I headed to Moab for a photography workshop presented by Nate Leubbe and Autumn Schrock. After our Meet & Greet, we headed out to the La Sal Mountains Overlook.
Every year, as May draws to a close and summer unofficially begins, Americans across the country take pause on Memorial Day.
A few years ago, I set a goal for myself to visit as many of our National Parks as possible. A pretty loose goal, I know. But, the practical side of me knows that I will probably never visit some of the more remote of our National Parks.
April came and went in a blink, but not without leaving behind quiet stories, unexpected beauty, and fleeting moments that deserved to be paused. As I sift through the images captured in April, I can appreciate all that it held for me including…
It’s taken awhile to edit a few photos from the Waterfalls & More Photography Workshop held in April. Fortunately, the waterfalls were bursting!
Vintage spoons and mustard seed come together to create visually captivating still life compositions that evoke a sense of nostalgia and artistic charm. If you’ve followed my photography work for awhile, you are probably familiar with my ‘spoons’ project.
In spring the wild mustard blossoms and seems to flourish here in Northern California. The agricultural landscape and the country roadsides are decorated with this beautiful, cheery plant.
Tulips, with their vibrant hues and delicate petals, have long been cherished as a symbol of beauty and elegance in gardens around the world.
When I first started learning photography, in addition to photographing ALL THE THINGS, I was incredibly interested in macro photography. It intrigued me. The details and the blurry backgrounds seemed beyond reach. Because of this allure, a macro lens was the first lens I purchased (after the kit lens).
During March it was definitely more difficult to keep up my daily shooting/editing practice, but I’m very close! Spring continues to make her entrance and the days are beginning to get warm in comparison to just a month or two ago.
These words are running through my head right now: To everything there is a season. Spring 2025 begins as winter officially ends. Time marches on.
Foxes are fascinating and elusive creatures. So when a friend said she knew the location of some foxes and suggested we go photograph them, I was all in!
When I learned that the grebes were ‘rushing’, it wasn’t long before some friends and I had a plan to photograph them. Just a couple of hours away from where I live, there were foxes in the area to photograph as well.
After reviewing my 2024, I realized that I really only picked up my camera when I was traveling. So, I decided to commit loosely to a daily shooting practice.
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As a published, featured northern California fine art photographer living in the greater Sacramento area, I specialize in fine art landscape, nature, and still life photography. My style is authentic, fresh and personality-driven. I offer several educational opportunities including workshops and photography mentoring. You can learn about them by going to SERVICES and WORKSHOPS. While currently living in rural northern California with my husband and a couple thousand walnut trees, I post regularly to Instagram.
Please CONTACT ME with any questions or to schedule your learning session.
Serving Yuba City/Marysville, East Nicolaus, Wheatland, Lincoln, Woodland, Davis, Roseville, Rocklin, and the greater Sacramento area.
(530) 633-7575
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Some call it the Witches’ Hat, but I believe it is the Wizard’s Hat on the beach in Bandon, Oregon.