MM.Rogers Photography

CHICAGO (Illinois)

2012-02-28T10:56:00.020-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2012.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony A390

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A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you. - Brigitte Bardot

The Windy City was not all that windy when I was there for winter 2011. It was freezing but it was not a scary winter. It was not snowy either. But it was skin-peeling cold. Prior to my arrival, I was warned that I need to bundle up, it gets too cold for comfort. And it was. I translated "bundle up" into 5 layers of clothing, 2 pairs of socks, furry gloves and a dependable pashmina, now that was too thick for comfort. But nothing could keep me away from the bright city lights (ON FOOT), the downtown cheerfulness and the grand architecture. I was a moth to a flame -- a photographing moth, that is. How does one start looking behind lens when everything is so beautiful right in front of you? After a 3-hour rainy drive from Indiana, Chicago welcomes me with a very clear sun-shiny day.

A day and a night in Chicago.


Downtown Chicago. Never miss a day doing the ARCHITECTURAL TOUR. It doesn't require a week, just make sure you have 24 hours to spend. Leave your telephoto lens in the car, carry a wide lens to capture everything in one photo. Leave your car. Go on foot! You will cover more grounds than sitting waiting in car trapped in jam.


More of downtown. More building as I walked towards the Twin Cob (Marina City). I love the buses, they remind me of San Francisco cable cars. Lots of cars, lots of cabs, traffic everywhere you go.


Marina City. Mixed use-multifamily housing, offices, parking. They dominate Chicago skyline and cityscape. Check out the car park! Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millenium Park. A lively square where people gather for a day in the park. What to do here: see Cloud Gate, ice skate at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink and take a stroll at the Daley Bicentennial Plaza. It is a huge park so wear comfy pair of shoes.

Cloud Gate, Millennium Park. The most crowded part of Chicago. This is a side shot of 'The Bean' on a blue hour.

Monroe Harbor. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago. It features a lighthouse, beautiful sunset, gulls and a peaceful sight.I just sat by the pier and as they say somewhere "took the sunshine in".

Wrigley Building. One of America's most famous office towers located downtown Chicago. Two buildings, a clock tower and an open walkway that connects the two structures.

Chicago Tribune Tower

Willis Tower. The tallest building in the United States, formerly known as Sears Tower. Sky Deck can be found here which takes guests way up for a dizzying view of Chicago and the neighboring states. Line is always long outside the building so be prepared.

Chicago River. The river is notable for being the reason why Chicago became an important location, as the link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley waterways. - wikipedia

Me and Chase Promenade (building in the background). There's more to Chicago than just a day. I would love to be back in the summer and see more, do more.

Shrimp Tower at Rock Bottom Restaurant, Chicago. They've got the best food!

Photography Exhibit 2012

2012-02-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2012.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony A390

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A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you. - Brigitte Bardot

Our photography group, organized by Sabrina Huang, had our very first photo exhibit opening at Sushi Hana, Cupertino, California last weekend, February 4. Photographic themes vary from seaside silhouettes, winter snowy scenes, landscape, macro and animal profiles. The exhibit will run from February 4 to March 31. Please do come and visit the site, all of the displayed framed photographs are for sale. Prices range from $160.00 - $100.00. Check them out!

Located at 19068 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA
These are 3 of my photos displayed at the exhibit --

"Waimea Dusk" taken in Waimea, Kauai (Hawaii) Waimea Pier using Sony DSLR, no flash, low light. I shot this amazed at how the sky palettes can be so vibrant and clear right after a week-long storm, as if it didn't happen.

"Avalon" named after our apartment in San Jose California, was taken at about 6am on January 1, 2012 from my living room window. This is a silhouette of the apartment office, far beyond you can see Mt. Hamilton where the Lick Observatory is located.


"Warsaw Morn" was taken last Christmas at Warsaw, Indiana early morning. It was very snowy the night before and the sun was peeking through the clouds, still undecided whether to hide or shine. That was when I decided to shoot it using long exposure, I love dark silhouettes creating this spooky winter wonderland.

Opening Photos:

Food Photography

2012-01-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2012.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony A390

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My photography group had our very first food shoot out a day ago. It was an outdoor photo shoot with play on colors, style and individuality with emphasis on freshness, angle and creativity. It was quite an experience for me having done nothing of food photography prior to this. The day and weather were quite cooperative, we had good solar lighting with the right amount of wind and the right amount of chill. To sum it all up, it was an absolute perfect day. Here are some of my food shots.

Winona Lake and Stone Camp (Indiana)

2012-01-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2012.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony A390

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It was my second trip to Indiana, both times were during the cold winter months. The first time I set eyes on Winona Lake, I instantly fell in love with it and almost convinced myself to move there. It was absolutely gorgeous. The pristine landscape, the neat little cottages that I would like to collect if only they were pocket-size and the dark, almost-spooky shaven trees provided contrast to the entire familiar white setting. It made me wish I was a magical artist who could paint the magnificent surrounding on a canvas in just one brush stroke. But I ain't that. So what I could never paint, well, I could capture in just one click on my camera. Or maybe more.

Winona Lake is a county in Kosciusko, Indiana. One nearby town is Warsaw . Known for the lake that runs through it, Winona Lake is also the home of Grace College. Few more minutes drive further into the area just by the lake is a privately-owned village with huge houses they call STONE CAMP.

Gorgeous pond fronting Grace College

Next: FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

WARSAW (Indiana)

2012-01-03T14:34:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2012.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony A390

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Flying to Warsaw, Indiana requires 5 hours of your time if you were coming from Northern California plus 3 hours drive if you happen to land at Chicago O' Hare. Nicknamed "Lake City" , this neat place is geographically situated among names like Pike Lake, Hidden Lake, Center Lake and Winona Lake, giving me a big chance to shoot a particular body of water in wintertime.

Our neighbor's house has a big back porch with white outdoor tables and chairs that made me wanna sit back and relax even in this cold winter day. They were the first things I see when I look out the window in search of winter ducks and the last before I finally surrendered to this harsh weather and gave my camera a rest and me a big cup of coffee.

A shot from the upper floor window through glass and screen. Luckily, they did not show in this photo. Using a telephoto lens, the screen appeared very visibly so I stepped further back to eliminate other unwanted elements. I was acting on a hunch and boy, it worked. Not as clear as I expected it to come out but this works just fine for me.

Winter Wonderland. I used to see photos like this from snack boxes when I was a just little girl. Yes, they do exists in reality! If you are observant enough, you could catch that perfect moment - that time between snow coming down strong and a short mild rest.

A know nothing about these ducks. All I know was they were there when the lake was not icy, they fled when it was snowy and I never get to find out where they disappeared to. They have black feathers with green metallic feathers on their heads and they have very keen senses.

My favorite shot of the batch. My hubby whom I insist to call "rum tum tugger" this 2012.

Warsaw Courthouse,located in the Square Historic District, is one big, white, remarkable architecture in Indiana.

COARSEGOLD (California)

2011-12-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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My trip to Yosemite started and ended at Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino. We stayed there for three days and although I smelled of cigarette the whole time, it was another beautiful experience ticked off my ONLY-BEAUTIFUL-EXPERIENCE LIST. This hotel is without a doubt the best in Coarsegold, a small town approximately an hour away from Yosemite National Park.

Coarsegold sounds rich having derived its name from historical California Gold Rush. However, the area is not very much a travel destination aside from the casino and of course, Yosemite. One significant stop one should make though is at Coarsegold Historic Village located on Highway 41 between Fresno and Yosemite.

*photos were taken on a rainy day

Very hard to miss - the giant tarantulas on rooftops - WHERE???! Around, as a matter of fact. I consulted wikipedia and it says "every year from mid-October to mid-November, tarantula mating season takes place and the town is full of tarantulas".

I do not see the connection between these two but then again, I'm not from around here.

A wooden carving mock up of The Lady Liberty. Small town Oakhurst is popular for hand-carved arts, signs and statues.

A real tee pee at Coarsegold Historic Village

My very first tee pee visit. This is what's inside.

Next: WARSAW, INDIANA

Madera Wine Country

2011-12-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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On our way back from the gorgeous Yosemite, we couldn't resist stopping by and getting a taste of what Madera is about - wine and nuts. Passing through Route 99 constitutes a rather uneventful yet engaging drive along thousands of acres of pistachio, cotton and grape growing farms located on east central California. And just like in any other wine country, you can never say no to tasting and buying wine. I'm not really a wine person so don't be surprised that this marks my very first real wine-tasting time.

Here are some photos from CRU WINE TASTING ROOM. Visit the website.

Valley Pistachio sells the best HONEY ROASTED ALMONDS EVER!!

Yosemite National Park

2011-11-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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Four-hour drive from San Jose to east central California, passing by wine countries and pistascio nut groves before the majestic nature of Yosemite Valley reveals itself before your very eyes. Visiting in November, I expected colorful fall foliage and seasons transition but instead I was greeted by breathtaking snow flurries and welcoming scent of pine trees.

Tunnel View provides the amazing view of Yosemite Valley including all the big names - El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Falls. Right here is a visitor's favorite photo spot.

Half Dome is the most distinctive monument on Yosemite, can be seen from all points of the valley. Since Glacier Point is closed on snowy days, the best view is from Tunnel View.

Bridalveil Falls and Cathedral Rocks.

Bridalveil Falls is year-round waterfall flowing freely with occasional crashing blow more powerful as you approach it. The hike to the falls takes 10-15 minutes passing by a small flowing stream. El Capitan (below) is a massive granite monolith that stands 3,593 feet considered to be the El Dorado of rock climbers all over the world.

Mariposa Grove protects many giant sequoias and fir trees.

The noble giant sequoia with its massive trunk rising skyward, it can live for over two thousand years with trunks that can reach over 25 feet thick.

me in Yosemite


The gorgeous Awahnee Hotel opened in 1927.

Next: MADERA WINE COUNTRY

History San Jose (California)

2011-10-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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Situated on Senter Road, History San Jose is a little town of preserved developments and restored landmarks, homes and changes that took place in San Jose dating back 1800s. Fenced in wires and iron gates, this quaint community of centuries-old houses, hotels, schools, museums, bank, church and store will give visitors a glimpse of the 'old life'. Walk into one of the Victorian houses and see what 1800s furniture, workroom, kitchen, guest room and even a baby room look like while listening to warm true stories offered by a family member who once lived in the very house.

Ranked as number 8 must-see attraction in San Jose by Tripadvisor (out of 56), a visit to History Park costs about $11 for a century-worth of historical information.

Jim Gard is a very friendly volunteer at the old printing press house at History San Jose. See more of Jim and how the 10 x 15 Liberty Press works. See youtube video by KTEHTV.

V-J Day in Times Square replica

Next: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Alcatraz (The Rock)

2011-09-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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Alcatraz (from the word alcatraces or seabirds) is an island in San Francisco Bay popularly known from early 1930s as one of the world's high-tech penitentiary that housed some of the most famous inmates in the United States. Presently, 'The Rock' serves as a tourist hot spot bringing more than a million tourists and travelers to the island every year.

The self-guided tour took more than 2 hours with audio tour available within the main cells, stories told by former inmates and officers of Alcatraz.

The day in San Francisco was very foggy, cold and windy. Not the very best time to take photos. Most of the photos I took are blurry and dark and without the proper protection gear, my lens was constantly exposed to moisture.

Although many boats can take you to the Alcatraz island for $15, only Alcatraz Cruises is allowed to make stop at Alcatraz. There are early bird, day and night tours for $26 per person. Board the nice white vessel at Pier 33 at Bay Street. They also offer to souvenir photos for $22 (2 pcs 5x7).

The 1910 Social Hall. Destroyed by fire in 1970, it served as what it was - a social hall - to many employees, prison officers and their families living on the island.

First Winter Western Gull. The basic I stage of Western Gull of the Pacific Coast. These birds are cute, they do not shy away from where people are in the hopes of finding food. According to allaboutbirds.org, the First Winter (Basic I) is like juvenal plumage, but head, throat, and breast lighter and more streaked. Bill black with pale base, eyes dark brown.

The cells along 'Broadway'

Taken from the control room using a telephoto lens on a foggy day

Inside the main cell house with audio tours

Photo tip: Wide lens will do wonders inside the cell house, use telephoto lens outside

Chambray Alcatraz Prison Uniform

Michigan Avenue is a cell block just like "Broadway" where some of the racial minority inmates lived.

The garden cared by volunteers

The Alcatraz Lighthouse was the first on the Pacific Coast and has been in operation since 1854.

Next: History San Jose

Road Trip!

2011-09-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

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Down in San Simeon, families found it best to travel by RV trucks. Passing by curvy roads and unrailed cliffs of Big Sur leading to San Simeon, it seems awfully unsafe and poses a threat to other vehicles. But RVs are perfectly convenient for campers and road adventurers.

Chicago

Orange Lily (The Power of Careful Selection)

2011-09-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

by Travis North / Shutter Photo Magazine

see article

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Orange Lily by May Rogers

As a photographer, our job is to capture subjects and present them in ways that our viewers are not accustomed to. When it comes to shooting common subjects – such as flowers, people or otherwise – it can be difficult to present them in a way that is uncommon. In these cases, what could matter more than what we present is what doesn’t make it into the photograph. May Rogers, a fashion writer and designer from Honolulu, understands this concept well as demonstrated in her photograph, Orange Lily.

May has presented us with a fairly common and beautiful flower, a Lily. Lilies come in a great number of colors, but the general shape is pretty recognizable to most of us. That’s not to say that a typical photograph of a Lily is not going to be beautiful. But in admiring such a typical photo, we would be admiring the flower, not the photograph (not that there’s anything wrong with that). For a photo to be noticed as a photograph, one needs to do something more eye catching. As May has done, one could get selective with what is shown. You could also get really creative with the lighting. May has chosen to do both. She has cropped the shot really tight and she has used selective and dramatic lighting to control your focus.

From a framing perspective, May’s choice of crop is a little safe. It’s not so tight as to take a big risk. Alone, such a crop would not have been so eye catching. It’s a personal preference, but I would have liked to see more of a walk on the edge. I would have liked to have seen a really tight crop – cutting off as much as 2/3rds of the shot. But again, that’s only a preference. I don’t feel May’s choice of crop has hurt the photo in any way, and it certainly isn’t turning anyone away. Either way, the crop is not typical, and it will catch some eyes.

What really makes the shot for me is the way in which May illuminated the flower. The lighting is soft and focused, and it accentuates the color gradient of the flower. As the stamen (the pollen tips) of this particular flower are incredibly dark in color, the lighting illuminates the pale color of the petals but doesn’t pull out the stamen. The result is that the stamen are silhouetted against a warm background as they dance around the stigma (the single projection at the center of the flower). The tiny dark spots around the inner portion of each petal – again accentuated by the lighting – serves well to mimic the feel of the stamen. May’s use of light really does wonders to really separate this photograph from other flower shots.

May Rogers has only been on Flickr for about two months now. While this would certainly be enough time for some users to rack up quite a photostream, May has flexed her strength of selection in what she has chosen to share the world. This is admirable and, in my eyes, will separate her from other photographers moving forward. You can of course find May’s Photostream on Flickr.

Allerton Garden (Kauai)

2011-09-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

Find MM.Rogers Photography on Twitter.

Remember those giant trees in the movie Jurassic Park? Now popularly called "Jurassic Trees", they can be found on Kauai's National Tropical Botanical Garden - Allerton Garden. Without a doubt one of the most photographed attraction on Kauai, they bring more and more tourists to the garden everyday to complete a very interesting 2-hour botanical garden tour.

Experience Allerton Garden tour for yourself. To visit, call (808) 7422623. Reservation is required for the tour. Cost per person: $45 adult; $20 children 10 years and above. Kamaaina (Kauai residents) rates are also offered with free entrance on Sundays.

READ! Wear comfy shoes and long-sleeved shirts and pants for your protection against mosquitoes. Don't forget to carry insect repellant with you at all times when touring around Kauai.

See Kauai and NTBG's most distinct plant collections through my Sony camera.

Note: I researched the taxonomy and species the best I could. For more information on these plants, go to NTBG website.


Moreton Bay Fig Trees are well-known on Kauai as Jurassic Trees. They can grow to 50 meters with roots as tall as 6 feet. This tree produces sweet figs up to 2.5 cm in diameter. This is 5'6 tall me.


Cacao trees grow to about 12-15 feet high, beans are mainly used as food by drying them out in the sun and then processed to become our most-loved heavenly chocolates.


Pachypodium Lamerei or Bontaka is a very interesting cactus-like tree from Madagascar. It has thick trunks and scary spikes all over that can grow leaves and white flowers . Our guide also warned us that this is poisonous.

Indian Mulberry or Noni is a shrub less than 10 feet high used for medicinal purposes such as treating sores, infections, cuts, sore throats and toothaches. Read more here.

Red Ginger (also called Eileen MacDonald) is a very attractive plant with large leaves and oblong petals very common in Hawaii used mostly as decorative or ornamental. They can grow very long and surprise you in a place like this (see below).

Our guide called this lily on a tree (almost resembles a Jamaican Poinsettia). It's a tall shrub with green, long pointy leaves and orange flowers. I couldn't find its taxonomy so feel free to comment and give information on this beautiful plant.

Ever-blooming Ixora is a common tropical plant, a native of Asia, this species bloom in colors red, pink, yellow, white and orange. It grows ball-shaped flower clusters with sweet nectar that bees love.

A pond statue from Pompeii from the owners' travel souvenirs collection

Autograph Tree. I autographed it with our funny name.

*All photos are property of MM.Rogers.

Please enjoy them but do not copy.

Shootout Challenge: Crawlers

2011-09-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm self-learning how to shoot buzzing insects. How hard it is! Especially using a telephoto lens. My hand shakes, my subject moves fast, I don't even wanna start on the lack of lighting. Another big factor that could affect shooting an insect - my fear of anything that creeps, crawl, buzz and fly.

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BEE photo by MM.Rogers

Locust on my trash bag

Snail crawling up our mailbox

Iconic San Francisco Sights

2011-09-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

Find MM.Rogers Photography on Twitter.

The overwhelming San Francisco is bigger than the biggest I imagined it to be. My first time to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, I couldn't take a good photo- my excitement prevented me to- and left me wishing we were driving a convertible instead. San Francisco is located on the West Coast of USA, the fourth most populous city in California. Cultures thrive, people and taxes grow and it remains one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

With so many photos to shoot and share, I selected the 8 most photographed iconic San Francisco sights.

1. Golden Gate Bridge (view from Fort Point). To get the best feel of the bridge, people cross it by bicycle or even on foot. It's a long walk but you get to photograph the sights down below and marvel on how red-orange the bridge is. The best view of Golden Gate is from Marin Highlands.

2. Ferry Building Marketplace (view from Bay Bridge). It is the center of a transit hub that connects all of San Francisco's neighborhoods and the surrounding bay communities (read more here)

3. The Painted Ladies (Postcard Row). One of the most crowded tourist attractions in SF. The place is called Postcard Row with 7 pastel-colored Victorian houses located on Alamo Square. Photography tip: use a wide angle lens. I used my telephoto and I had to position myself to the side just to fit all of the 7 houses. But with this lens, I was able to answer my question "who lives there?" and took a shot of a cat sitting inside the living room in one of the houses.

"Girl and the City"

4. San Francisco Bay is of course one of the most photographed and well-loved scene in SF. The weather is often foggy and chilly which is very refreshing when you are in a crowd. The bay is for barges, tour boats, sailors and kite surfers. The best view is right by Fort Point (under the bridge).

5. Powell-Hyde Cable Cars. These electric-powered cars run from Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf. The fee is $6.00, tickets are sold when you hop in.

6. Union Square is the hottest shopping destination in San Francisco. With big malls such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Macys. This is where the cable cars go up and down, where the open-top tourists buses stop, where all the biggest designers are.

7. Transamerica Pyramid. This iconic building will follow you everywhere you go in the city. With its towering height of 853 feet high with 48 floors that make up the Pyramid Center, it remains the tallest building in Northern California and one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. Read more here.

8. Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda is one of the most widely recognized masterpieces that Bernard Maybeck produced and originally constructed in 1915. This Roman-Greek inspired architecture now serves as tourist attraction and events rental (weddings, photo shoots etc).

Next: Allerton Garden

Anini (Kauai)

2011-09-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

Find MM.Rogers Photography on Twitter.

Life on Kauai is a story to be told. All of it. No matter how short, how long. There was never a day with the same sunrise nor same sunset. And that to me is just unique. These color palettes are always worth documenting, worth the pictures, worth motivating myself to get up everyday at 5am.

One day I came across this blog by an old man of 70, a visitor on Kauai. He wrote the most heart-warming photo-blog about camping to see the sunrise in Anini Beach with his loving wife. He said this place in the most romantic in all of Kauai. And I couldn't agree more. But I didn't know about it until we decided to get up at 3am, made the trip from West to North Kauai which took us 40 minutes. We planned our "sunrise in Anini" trip for more than a year. The day came, and what do you know, typhoon came with it.

All photos below were taken on a very rainy day. Still, no good amount of rainfall is enough to conceal a real beauty.

Anini Beach at 5am. We sat and watched how the sun struggled to peek in through storm clouds and this is the result. See the lighthouse? That is Kilauea Lighthouse shining its light until today.

It mirrored a sunset beauty the minute rain clouds took over


Anini Beach is located on the North side of the island, popular for surfing and snorkeling. It has clear water, sightings of turtles' heads bobbing in and out of the water, great sunrise with a huge family park. Campers at the park in tents or green bug-van. Take a pick.

Sea view along North side leaving Anini


Don't you just love this color? Next: Iconic San Francisco Sights

Na Pali Coast (Kauai)

2011-09-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers 2011.
All rights reserved.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR

Find MM.Rogers Photography on Twitter.

I can tell readers of a myriad of wonders about Na Pali Coast. But words pale in comparison, and I won't even try to express an island in writing. But some of it you've probably seen in the 4th Johnny Depp movie "Pirates of the Caribbean". Na Pali Coast means "the cliffs". Where in the world is it? It's on the island of Kauai, not reachable by land so all it takes to be in one of world's best islands is by air or by sea.

For me, I took the Holo-Holo aboard Leila (a sailing catamaran) on my last weekend living there. In 5 hours, I experienced intense sun, blinding fog, brief pouring rain, unnerving wind, endless violent boat-rocking and deep deep sea. But like everybody who has traveled to Na Pali, I was in awe.


Spinner dolphins are inhabitants of the deep waters of Na Pali. They love people and by instinct they know the appreciation and applaud they receive each time they spend 5 minutes of spinning and flying mid-air.

Two men and a giant (cliff). Our catamaran passed these two campers fishing. In minutes, a fish took the bait and he was happy-screaming waving the fish at our party.

Every turn is a breathtaking sight of cliffs in different shapes and sizes.

We stopped here to snorkel. Complete with gears, everybody experienced the buoyancy, the colorful fishes swimming around and the cool deep sea. Except me. I was not comfortable using a water noodle in all honesty.


Na Pali Coast weather is as unpredictable as a woman's mind they say. One minute it's sunny and the next (literally) it's foggy, rainy and windy. I managed to get myself together and not think of seasickness but the minute I smelled food on board, I was defeated.

Na Pali sheds all its colors the second rain clouds pass over.

Before you know it, rain's over and the promise of a sunny day is possible again


Double Door Sea Cave. This was where Johnny Depp stood looking for the fountain in a scene from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean 4.

Cathedrals of Na Pali. The main attraction of Na Pali Coast. Even the best photographs do not substitute for seeing it in person. Everybody should be able to see this even once in a lifetime.

*All photos are by MM.Rogers.

Please do not use any of the images without permission.

Next: Anini Beach

Waimea Town (Kauai)

2011-09-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

My Waimea Town walking tour for iphone and ipad was published early this year. This guide works offline, hence no internet connection is necessary, nor the costly roaming charges when traveling to foreign cities. This guide can be downloaded via the Free City Maps and Walks iPhone app. Download it from itunes here.

Excerpts and some photos from the app.

At the foothills of Waimea Canyon in the island of beautiful Kauai lies the historic Waimea with prized landmarks located within the very heart of the city. In 2006, Waimea Town was listed in Dozen Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historical Preservation and was included in New York Times #1 bestseller book "1,000 Places To See Before You Die" by Patricia Shultz.

iphone download

Waimea Pier

Lucy Wright Park

Old Stone Church

Waimea Reacreation Park

Next: Na Pali Coast

Lick Observatory

2011-09-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers
All rights reserved 2011.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR A390

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Located at 4,200 feet atop Mt.Hamilton, Lick Observatory was the world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory constructed in 1877. Back when the giant telescopes were transported via horse carriages that took them ages. Now we enjoy the fruit of that hard labor - it takes less than an hour drive up the mountain which took those men 5 days rough road climb with heavy load just to achieve a dream. Situated in the Diablo Range east of San Jose, the climb to the top made my feet sweat and my tummy growl in fear, the roads were narrow at 4200 feet! All just to see the 130-year-old telescope, and I say it was very much worth the trip.

James Lick (dubbed the "Generous Miser") was a millionaire piano maker who decided to build the biggest telescope one day, spent his money, succeeded in planning but he died before it was completed. He is buried under the Lick Telescope in the dome.

This dome houses the historic Lick 36" Refractor which was constructed in the 1880s and saw first light in January 1888.

One of the smaller domes

See how big it is! It dwarfed me.

Vultures are the common birds flying around

The hallway. A gallery by photographer Laurie Hatch hang on the walls of the dome. They are amazing shots of the telescopes and of the observatory in winter and sunset.

Down below is Silicon Valley.

Lick Telescope. It was kinda hard to capture the whole thing with such close proximity.

Next: Images of San Jose (California)

Hearst Castle

2011-09-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers
All rights reserved 2011.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR A390

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One of my dream trips coming to life ~ HEARST CASTLE. I believe I've just been to a castle and back. I believe I've just been to Neptune and back. I believe I've just seen the best, most inviting pool ever in my life and I can't believe I didn't plunge in. I'm very thankful I had this. Simply the best.

Hearst Castle has 4 houses, 2 swimming pools, a tennis court and acres of lush garden. Casa Grande alone has 115 rooms, 38 bedrooms, 42 baths, 14 sitting rooms, 2 libraries, a billiard room and a movie theater, all open for public viewing. Owned and built by William Hearst and architect Julia Morgan in 1922, this majestic castle sits on a hilltop located in San Simeon, California.

To visit the castle, go to Visitors Center, choose and purchase a ticket of $25 per tour -(grand rooms tour, upstairs suites tour, cottage and kitchen tour, evening tour). We took grand rooms and upstairs suites tour which took about 2 hours. After purchasing your ticket, wait for the bus that will take you up and down the hilltop.

Welcome to Hearst Castle by May Rogers

Casa Grande (side).This is the biggest house in the castle, this is where Mr. Hearst lived and where many of his invited friends stayed. This side of the castle is where many of the rooms are located with spiral staircases, heavy doors, long hallways and unfinished walls.

Casa Grande (front) and the main entrance. Just got to have my picture taken right this very spot.

One of the many marble sculptures in and around the castle. These sculptures are very well-preserved and maintained by museum curators. Guards surround the castle to make sure visitors keep their hands off everything. Everything.

Neptune Pool is an outdoor 8-feet deep pool completed in 1936 surrounded by ancient Rome-inspired white columns and sculptures Julia Morgan designed, a design sketched from William Hearst's memory of his journey to Europe with his mom when he was a boy.

Roman Pool is the indoor pool surrounded by eight statues of Roman gods styled after an ancient Roman bath. The pool is tiled in blue and gold that glisten with the right amount of lighting, it has a diving port right above this pool and dressing rooms.

Casa del Sol (House C). Dubbed House of the Sun for its location - toward the sun. This house was inspired by southern Spain architecture with Moorish ornaments William Hearst collected throughout the years. Marble and gold statues, beautifully sculpted fountains surround the house with a breathtaking view of Monterey Bay.

ELABORATE CEILINGS IN THE CASTLE

One of the sitting room's ceiling

The dining room ceiling

William Hearst's office

Library with book and vase collections dating back to BC period

William Hearst's bedroom ceiling

NEXT: Lick Observatory, Mt. Hamilton

Wildlife at San Simeon

2011-09-09T14:59:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers
All rights reserved 2011.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR A390

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My memory of San Simeon rolls with the lyrics of The Avett Brothers' TIN MAN. It's like in the movies, playbacks come with background music. My husband was playing "I and Love and You" album singing and humming while I napped. So it got stuck in my head.

the wind upon my face
and caring what it brings this way
the feeling of feeling
these minutes pass away
and caring what I do with them
baby bring me life or something else

so it goes a man grows cold
some would say a man grows strong
they say life only grows short
I say the road only grows long
as long as there's a road
my feet will never touch the ground
if you won't give my heart back
I've no need to stick around

San Simeon was our end destination after the long scenic Monterey Bay drive starting from Carmel down to Cambria. This very laid-back town is breezy with parks, beaches, wildlife, restaurants, ranches and of course, the very famous Hearst Castle.

If you go to a diner around this area, you will see wall galleries of seals and otters - Big Sur's heroes. I was not able to spot otters but sea lions and seals are quite easy to locate. There are vistas around San Simeon where you can see squirrels, bird species and elephant seals.

Squirrels. One of the fastest creatures, for a newbie photographer like me they are almost impossible to capture. But in San Simeon, squirrels smile at photographers in exchange for food. Many tourists feed them because they're cute - right in front the park sign "Don't Feed the Animals". I didn't feed this one so it frowned at me!

Elephant Seals (sea elephant) are distinct due to their noses that resemble the elephants' trunks. They grunt, bicker, snarl, sand-flip, swim and rest. They move slow, dragging their huge bodies inch by inch until they find a comfortable resting spot.

Sparring seals. One of the things they do. Stay and watch you will witness more grunting, sparring, scratching, vocalizing and of course, so much more sleeping. Pretty much what the do all day long. But aren't they super cute?

Feeding? Someone feeds a squirrel, it runs and shares food with others either by this end or the other. I stayed and watched their behavior a bit and noticed that squirrels feed on other's feces. I read an article about it and it says squirrel urine and feces attract other squirrels but it didn't say much whether they do feed on each other's feces or they just like sniffing.

Alarmed. Sizing me up? This squirrel stood still when it saw me approach real close. Squinting its eyes and I'm pretty sure ready to jump on me or run away. Since the squirrels at this vista are very bold, this would even bite a chunk off your shoe leather (well, if they do bite).

Brewer's Blackbird is small with glossy green-blue feathers, almost white round eyes, hopping and foraging parks for food. It was hard to take its photo up close so I was almost satisfied to capture its back but then it turned its head for my photo pleasure.

Western Gull. Very common in California. They are big with white head and body, dark gray back and wings underparts with pink legs. They gather by the shore in groups occassionally flying over water to feed on weeds and fish.

Next: Hearst Castle

BIG SUR (California)

2011-09-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

Copyright May Rogers
All rights reserved 2011.
Photos shot using Sony DSLR A390

Sept 2011. Last Labor Day weekend, we traveled the 90-mile stretch of winding cliff roads, blanketing fog, turquoise sea, sublime sundown and wild nature side. Every curvy road revealed picturesque scenery beyond description. Big Sur is geographically located between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Coming from San Jose where I live, it takes 5 to 6 hours drive. Roadtrip!

I won't bore you with so many words, since this is "postcard travel" I will load my blog with photos and significant travel tidbits. For now, here's my photographic take on beautiful, beautiful BIG SUR (otherwise known as Big South Country). Read more about it here. National Geographic also released a nature documentary called Big Sur.

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Bixby Creek Bridge is one of the most photographed features on the West Coast because of its location along the scenic Central Coast of California. The narrow road gave me the creeps and boy, I was glad I didn't drive. The drive from Carmel to San Simeon (California State Route 1 running through Monterey Bay) takes about 3 hours.

I believe my husband is a fish. He's a born surfer. He loves the sun, the sea, the waves and anything it has to offer. We couldn't help but stop at some of the highest cliff points just to see what's beneath and beyond. While I truly believe I spotted seabirds down below, of course he spotted surfers. (see photo below)

Cold-water surfers. We were way, way up with max zoom in but they're still small. While we watch, my thoughts keep coming back to a question: are there sharks out there? As far as I know from my stay in Hawaii, sharks linger in temperate water to feed but they do love and thrive in cold water.

The blanketing fog can go thick at nights and the drive back is quite a challenge (scary). Some roads are under construction, some with "falling rocks" signages, some are one-way passes. But with the right music and golden sunset, this is the perfect roadtrip. Just pray it won't rain.

We stopped by Lucia Lodge to rest a bit. It has this fantastic view of the sea, delicious-smelling food, meeting of sky, clouds and sea. And a peach tree somewhere out front. Awesomeness! We could have stayed here for the night but if didn't say "no vacancy".

I travel in colors (red pants) so I won't be missed. No, it's not a joke. It helps to wear bright colors like blue, yellow, orange, red, violet, green when you're nature traveling especially when hiking forest areas as safety againsts hunters.

The winding road that I thought was endless. Believe me, your patience will lead you somewhere unforgettable. Just be ready to absolutely do nothing. In Big Sur, you will learn to mingle with the birds, the seals and nature and the cruel cold wind. It's even written in their local Big Sur Guide.

What many travelers can't resist doing - taking sunset photos. It was peaceful, I saw families, couples, friends drive by all loud and talkative and get silenced by the magnificent sunset that lasted for 20 minutes.

What I love about photography - to capture rays of sun, golden sky, peripheral view of the subject and my hubby's curious back all in one shot

We reached our destination San Simeon (see next blog for more). A long exposure shot at San Simeon Beach Park. The beach was so inviting that we decided to go cold water swimming the next day. That was before a cop came and posted "Warning: SHARKS!" by the pier. According to him, a great white shark was spotted circling the beach.

My favorite shot of me (oh no the hair!). All photos shown here are owned and taken by me for personal purposes. If you find any photo to your liking or to repost, please contact me at info.mayrogers@yahoo.com

The first time I pointed my camera lens towards the blinding sun.

Next: Wildlife of San Simeon