Happy Holidays - Lighting of Sante Fe Square

I was able to get away from work to visit my mother this Thanksgiving in New Mexico. She took me on a wonderful trip to Sante Fe over the holiday weekend. We stayed at the beautiful La Fonda hotel on the town square and it was an opportune stroke of luck that the holiday lighting ceremony was the night we were staying in town. I took my Canon 50D and tripod out as dark set in and braved the huge crowds and very cold temperatures to do some nighttime shooting. I had a lot of fun and it was a magical time to behold. The trees were full of lights, and the sidewalks and buildings decorated with lighted luminaries. I finally called it a night when my fingers would no longer work anymore due to the cold night air. Taken at F 20, 25 seconds, ISO 100, 18mm on a 12-24mm Tokina lens.

Happy Holidays - Sante Fe Holiday Lights

Another shot of the town square. The La Fonda hotel where I stayed is on the corner to the right. At the end of the street is one of Sante Fe's old mission church buildings. Taken with 50d on tripod, F 22, 20 seconds, ISO 100, 24 mm .

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

Pictured here is the Christmas Tree at the Fashion Island Mall in Newport Beach framed by stately royal palms. Rhonda and I took a quick stroll through the mall prior to heading down to the harbor to watch the annual Holiday boat parade. Taken with Canon G10, F 3.2, 1/5 second, ISO 200.

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

A gigantic present at the foot of the Newport Beach tree. Of course, my wife thinks it is for her! Taken with G10, F 8.0, .8 second, ISO 200.

Happy Holidays - Southern CA Style

One of the big traditions along the harbors of the Southern CA coast is the holiday boat parade. And one of the biggest parades occurs in Newport Beach. Rhonda and I enjoyed this particular parade from the deck of one of our Coast Guard patrol boats stationed in the harbor. The parade was very enjoyable, and the participants really go crazy decorating their boats. Some boats were definitely over the top, a combination of Clark Griswold from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Rodney Dangerfield from Caddyshack. I particularly liked this sailboat, which had a simple but quite pleasing arrangement of holiday lights strong from their rigging.

Happy Holidays - Union Square

Last year we took a quick trip to San Francisco in the days leading up to Christmas. We stayed serveral blocks from Union Square, which really get decked out for the Christmas season. Here are a few photos I took while we were there. This photo features the Union Square Christmas tree, which must have been at least 100 feet tall, with some of the local stores and hotels lit up behind it. At the foot of the tree, was an outdoor ice skating rink. Taken with my Canon G10, F 2.8, 1/2 second.

Happy Holidays - Wreathes of Light Suspended From the Heavens!

One of the shopping malls on Market Street in San Francisco not far from Union Square featured a very large open air atrium with an amazing display of lighted holiday wreathes suspended from the domed ceiling. I thought it made an interesting picture as well as an amazing holiday scene! Taken with the Canon G10, F 8.0, .6 seconds.

Happy Holidays - San Francisco Elegance

I don't remember which hotel featured this dining hall, but it was quite an elegant sight to behold between the marble columns, ornate arched dome roof, stately chandliers and christmas tree. Not seen in this picture is the arched doorway to the dining hall guarded by two six foot tall nutcracker figures. Taken with the G10, F 2.8, 1/6 second.