What makes me want to click the shutter button?

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Jenna

How do I decide to click the shutter button?

To click the shutter button may not seem like a difficult decision. It can happen quite quickly and you may not think a lot of thought has gone into choosing what I am taking a photograph of. But despite making it look easy, it’s not. When I go out to shoot near home or travel to get those “epic” shots, I do a lot of pre-planning and thinking. Then once I get to the place I am shooting, I take it all in and start making shots in my mind.

What goes into pre-planning for a landscape shot?

If I hear about a full moon, I will place that on my mental calendar. I love to shoot those unique moons, like harvest, because they appear larger than normal. I stick close to home so my shoot location is usually within walking distance. I like to use these neighborhood shoots to test equipment or a new idea I had. Since I know my neighborhood, I think ahead of time of where I want to set up, what camera and lens I want to use, and what techniques I want to practice. I have all of this info in my head so when I get outside, I set up my tripod and click the shutter button once as soon as I line up the shot. I am clicking the shutter to practice.

If I am traveling, a lot more goes into shooting, especially since I’m not out to test anything. I spend time before we leave looking at the places we will be visiting and getting an idea of what the area looks like. I look at “the shots” everyone gets. I don’t always want to get the same shots as everyone else. I want to look for something new or different. Once I get to the location, I usually will spend some time looking around and trying to determine what the best angle will be. Sometimes that requires me to get low, sit/kneel, or even lay down. Sometimes I look to find a rock or something that can give me a boost. I look behind me.

You never know what you will see when you don’t look at the obvious spot.

Once I have the lay of the land, I will look through my camera lens. Do I like the framing? Yes? Click the shutter. No? Move. A bit to the left. Try again. Maybe if I get lower. No. Ok, this spot isn’t working, let me look for someplace else. It’s all trial and error. Sometimes I don’t even take a shot! I know, shocking. It just didn’t speak to me.

So, what am I looking for when deciding if I want to take a picture?

Lighting – is the sun leaving a pretty morning light across the mountain? Is there an interesting shadow being created? How is the sun/shade working together? For sunsets, I love looking for intense colors or clouds to make an interesting contrast to the sunset.
Framing – what is in the photo? What isn’t in the photo? What story do I want to tell about this place? This is the creative part for me. I get to decide what you ultimately see. That port-a-potty is ruining this beach spot. How can I move to show you this beach but get the port-a-potty out of it?
Subject – what am I showing you. I love to show oceans at sunset. I love waterfalls and volcanoes. I love seeing endless oceans but others want to see something in the water, a boat or whale. The subject needs to speak to me. It needs to be clear to me. If I take a photo, go to edit it, and can’t remember what I was shooting, I leave it out. Usually, with travel, the subject is fairly obvious. This mountain. This building. This national monument.

I need to see something in the time and place that captures my interest or imagination or I won’t click the shutter. I want to find a landscape that takes my breath away. I want to share my wonder, amazement, and love of the natural world with you.

What makes you want to take a picture when you travel?

If you liked this blog, you may also like learning how I create an image from start to finish.

Marathon Training – August 2018

Posted on September 5, 2018September 1, 2018 by Jenna

Marathon training in August was rough.

Marathon training isn’t meant to be easy. We aren’t conditioned to run 26.2 miles so we have to work for it. August had me wanting to throw in the towel. I almost switched to the half because I had such a bad month. It started off pretty well. I was confident I would hit 115 miles but I set a conservative goal of 100. I only ended up hitting 85 miles for the month and only managed to get one long run in the double digits. I was supposed to have long runs of 10, 12, and 14 and was only able to complete the 10.

I started out for the 12-mile run early on Sunday morning but I only made it around the block. I would classify what I was doing more as a shuffle than a run. I also started crying. Sadly, the day before my beloved dog Sheila had passed away. I found her taking her last few breathes and couldn’t get the image out of my head. I wasn’t ready for that run so soon after. My emotions were raw.

The following weekend was a cut back week so I did 8 miles easy.

Then the weekend comes along for the 14-miler. I thought to myself, go out and aim for 12 and if you feel good just keep going. I do loops around my neighborhood so I can grab a cooling towel and Nuun Performance after 3-4 miles. I had two loops under my belt and had finished 8 miles. I started out for another loop and got about a quarter of a mile and sat down. I couldn’t go any further. I had absolutely zero energy. I trudged back home and collapsed on the couch for the rest of the day.

It was at this point that I decided to throw in the towel.

How could I complete marathon training if I kept missing long runs? Those are the keys to the whole thing! I woke up Monday morning and felt like shit. I had a dry, sore throat and a pounding headache. I was in no condition to go for a run so I changed my alarm to let me sleep more. The sore throat went away after chugging water like a mad woman. Tuesday I woke up to the same thing but also had a bit of a stuffy nose. Skip ahead and I’m sneezing like crazy and having a ton of snot. I take this as a rest week because I am exhausted. I went back out for a short run on Friday. It was more of a run/walk because of the whole breathing issue but overall it wasn’t bad.

I have decided to stick out the marathon training. I’ve switched to a less aggressive plan with more rest days.

I went back to Jenny Hadfield plans, which I’ve used for several of my shorter distance races. Instead of running every day with two rest days a month, I will now have one-weekend long run and three shorter weekday runs. Hopefully having a weekend rest day plus two during the week I will have more time to recover (and sleep). Apparently getting up at 4 am is a lot harder for me than I thought.

I also had my sleep test done in August to rule out apnea. I won’t find out until my appointment in October! The doctor is out of the office the entire month of September! (I wish I could take an entire month off, how awesome would that be?)

So, I still plan to line up on November 11th to run 26.2. I am slowly getting a little faster each month. In August I started getting consistently into the 12ish minute miles. September I hope to keep lowering my pace towards 11-minutes. I think it will be easier once it starts getting a little cooler out. I have to finish in 5 hours so I need to keep the downward pace trend up! Summers are always hard because when it is 90 degrees at 4 am it makes it really hard to push the pace. I can feel it though, my speed is coming back!

And now it is on to September! I have set my goal to 100 miles again and to keep pushing the 12ish minute pace. I hope to do just a little bit better than August!

How was your August training and what goals have you set for September?

July Marathon Training

Posted on August 22, 2018September 1, 2018 by Jenna

I started marathon training in July.

I’m a bit behind on blogging. Turns out marathon training is taking a lot out of me this time around. I don’t have the energy.

So I give you a short video on my July training! It’s about three and a half minutes long. So like I said quick! Unlike my running. 😂🤣😂

Photography Equipment I Cannot Live Without

Posted on August 14, 2018 by Jenna

We all know that a camera (and lens) are essential tools for a photographer, but what other equipment is an absolute must for me?

Now each and every photographer when asked to name one piece of photography equipment they can’t live without will have different answers. Some will say props while others will tell you off-camera flash is a must! There is so much equipment out there that it can become overwhelming as to what you need. I know I’ve been in the “oh, I need to buy x, y, and z to be a better photographer!” because I saw fill-in-the-blank photographer recommend it. It is kind of a trap and I’ve finally figured out (mostly) what I need and what just becomes expensive paperweights and/or sits in a corner, never to be used.

My number one equipment that I have on me at all times are polarizing or ND filters.

I have polarizing filters for every lens I own and ND filters for the lens I use the most (although now that I am switching to Fuji I either need new ND filters or at the very least a new adapter for them).

But why are polarizing filters the item I cannot live without?

I cannot always shoot at the “superior” times of the day. I try but it isn’t always easy for me to get out to shoot around sunrise and sunset. I am not afraid of shooting in full sun. But I don’t want a washed out sky. I want the sky to show as blue as it looks in real life. With a polarizing filter on the end of my lens, I can help darken the sky while keeping the rest of the image properly exposed. The polarizing filter can spin, for lack of a better word, and I can see the sky darken and lighten. I took my shot when I have the filter where I want it.

I have ordered polarizing filters from B&H Photo and Amazon. I have a Tiffen, Hoya, and Zeikos. Some people will tell you to get more expensive brands but I have never had an issue with any of these. I think my images still turned out with the filters attached. The only thing I have had to watch for is vignetting but you can fix that by spinning the filter or, worse case scenario, in Lightroom or Photoshop.

An ND filter is a little different. They are square and go from dark to light. There are various levels of ND filters to choose from. The set I have contains three different filters, which you can also stack in the holder. I used these exclusively for our last trip to the Big Island. I love the set but it’s more cumbersome than the polarizing filter. I can’t just get a quick photo like with the polarizer because I don’t leave the filters in the holder. Because they are square they take up more space and I can’t just pull the camera out of the bag and shoot. I have to stick the filter in, shoot, take it out, and then put the camera away. The filters aren’t too bad if you are just driving around and stopping to shoot but if you go to other places you aren’t taking images it becomes harder since I’m not leaving my camera out. The set I have is here, but no longer available. These are also a lot more pricey than the polarizer but definitely a good investment.

What is one piece of equipment you can’t live without for your job and/or hobby?

*Amazon links are affiliated links. If you choose to purchase through those links I will receive a small amount of money.

NYC: Where were you?

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Jenna

Do you remember where you were when the towers fell?

9-11 I was on my way to my business law class. I had been in an earlier class and as I walked through the building I heard rumblings of something going on in New York. A plane, or maybe a helicopter, had flown into a building. It didn’t sound like anything more than a freak accident so I went into class and kind of forgot about it as I dozed off to my professors monotone voice.

I left campus after business law to get lunch. It was only then I started to hear what really happened and the word terrorists. It was hard to believe. I got through the rest of my day and headed home to get ready for work. I was glued to the news at home.

At the time, I worked at a grocery store and we had tv monitors throughout for parent’s to check in on their kids in the Tot Spot. On Sundays, it was changed to the Packer games and on September 11, 2001, it was turned to the news. That night we didn’t get much work done. No customers were in the store and we huddled around the TVs to try and make sense of what had happened earlier in the day.

I don’t think I will ever forget that day.

9-11 On our first trip to NYC, we went to the 9/11 Memorial and it was indescribable. The closest other experiences I have had were at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC and the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. There is a sense of loss in these places but it’s important to remember these tragedies and honor those who died.

I couldn’t speak as we went through the memorial. At one point, I had to walk away from a display. It was the recordings from the flight that crashed in Pensylvania. I had tears in my eyes and was on the verge of losing it. Listening was so much harder than reading and seeing. The memorial was touching, moving, and emotional. It was hard but worth it.

If you have the opportunity to go yourself, I highly encourage you to do so. Be sure to leave enough time to fully explore and feel. It took us a few hours to go through as we looked at and read about everything. Also, be prepared to feel and have a heaviness when you leave. It takes a while for these things to leave me. In reality, those feelings never go away but they are quite heavy for the next few hours after.

Pace

Posted on June 30, 2018September 1, 2018 by Jenna

Pace and running is such a mental game.

I’ve run off and on since around 2003-ish. I would run outside randomly or join a gym and hit the treadmill. It wasn’t until 2012 that I started getting seriously into running. I’m kind of a newbie here. When I started way back when I was around 12-minute miles. I entered a bunch of 5ks and shorter races and just ran three or four days a week, trying to increase distance and speed a bit.

Then I got the bug.

I wanted to run farther. I wanted to conquer the half marathon because 13.1 miles seemed super long to me. I found several training plans, picked one and followed it the best I could. I finished my first half in 2:31:50. And I was quite proud of myself! My ultimate goal was to finish at 2:30 and I was quite close!

When I train and actually run, my races and pace reflect that and stay close to the 10-10:30 pace level. When I’m not training? I’m in the 12s. My worst half marathon, with virtually no training, was 12:24. I am also a bit slower in December, even with training. I blame the cold air. I also struggle with March races because I do a bunch of races in December/January then I tend to take time off and struggle to get back in so then my March races suffer.

Sorry, I was analyzing my races since 2012 this morning! I can be a numbers nerd.

I am getting off track… so I started racing in 2012 and then in December 2016 and January 2017 I got sick. I had been training for my first marathon and cruising right along. I did my longest run on Christmas Eve. I was feeling strong and ready to run 26.2 and then my sinuses rebelled. I went through an entire box of kleenex in about two days. I took about a week off and tried to hop back into my taper. And around 2 miles/20 minutes I’d get dizzy. I assumed it was related to being sick, maybe inner ear troubles. I couldn’t get more than two miles in and had to drop out of the marathon.

I waited a bit, tried running again. Same thing. Waited a few months. Same issue. I figured my running career was over.

So I did not run much at all in 2017. Toward the end of the year, I was itching to run, so I started again. I could go a bit further but I’d still get dizzy. I ran one race, a turkey trot, in 2017. It looks like I’m really fast because it’s listed as a 5k but in reality the course was short. I did some more races in 2018, I just took my time and walked a lot.

At some point, I decided to read 80/20 by Matt Fitzgerald on heart rate training. I switched to heart rate training thinking my pace issue might be a heart rate or blood pressure issue. I had to start out super slow to hit close to the heart rate zones. I started at about a 16:30 pace, which is slower than I can walk! I have been slowly working on increasing my speed and am now hitting paces in the 13:30-14 minute miles after two months of heart rate training. I am getting there! Slowly, mile by mile, working my way back down to my desired 10-10: 30-minute miles.

In case you were wondering, I do not have any heart rate or blood pressure issues. I have vocal chord dysfunction.

So, I know what I have and I take medicine and do exercises for it. I’ve been doing this for about a month and haven’t had any issues. *knocks on wood* *crosses fingers* I will be starting marathon training officially on July 9th and I plan to redo my threshold test because I think I need to adjust my heart rate zones after two months. I am also going to start pushing myself. I know I have more in me. I just need to reach down inside and pull it out.

I have the potential and I have the drive. I just need to do it, as Nike would say.

I think the hardest thing with my current pace is the knowledge that I can be faster. I have been there before and I want to be there again. I am trying to be patient and appreciate the gains I am getting. I know I will never win a race. I am not even an age group placer. I am ok with that. I don’t need to win. I just want to be my best self. I want to be a better runner. I want to make new PRs. I want to improve. When I was at my “peak” before I was working towards 9:30-10-minute miles. I want to be there again.

It’s a mind fuck. But I am willing to put in the work. I am willing to run more. To race more. To focus on my strength and working to fix my weaknesses. I want to finish a marathon. I will finish a marathon and I will finish in 4:45. I am putting it out there and I am chasing it. I will catch it. And once I do? I will find a new challenge and crush that too. I have crushed every running goal so far, so why stop now??

What tips do you have for building speed or increasing cadence? Or form tips? I need to work on that too. I like to keep my head down.

And if you didn’t know I’ve been adding videos to my youtube channel. Here is one I threw together real quick on pace!

Road Trip Roundup

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Jenna

We recently went on a road trip through northern Arizona and Utah.

Oh my god you guys! It was AMAZING! I am ready to go back already. Actually, it has inspired me to sell everything and just drive around the country. There is nothing like seeing the country from your car. Sadly we aren’t selling everything and quitting our jobs to travel but we may look at getting a cabin to escape to when need be.

Road trips might be my favorite thing ever.

The southwest is a magical place with so much to see. We were gone for 8 days and we saw a small fraction of northern Arizona and Utah. We were already talking about a second trip before we even left, now we have to do it! We had to pick and choose from national parks and there are some hikes we skipped because of time restraints. We wanted to see as much as possible and stuck with shorter hikes in order to see more. We had so much fun hiking and being amazed by the beauty this is mother nature.

The road trip has also inspired some future conservation blog posts. Keep an eye out for those!

So… where did we go?

We started by stopping at Sunset Crater on our way to Page, AZ. We wanted to pick up our annual National Park pass and see the volcano. Because we all know I have a weird obsession with volcanoes. I am still amazed at seeing the life coming through destruction. In Page, we toured both the upper and lower antelope canyons. The photos will never do these canyons justice. I insist you go and see for yourself. Also, schedule the tour in which you see “the beam”. It is so worth it. We also stopped at Horseshoe bend to try and get the iconic shot.

road trip After Page, we headed to Zion. We spent the afternoon doing all the short hikes and seeing most of the park. I think the only easy thing we didn’t get to do was the watchman. We went to a few stops that no one else seemed to be going to. It was so peaceful and calming to stand there and take in nature. I could imagine myself having a little cabin by a stream there. I see myself sitting on the front porch, sipping coffee and reading a book while nature played around me.

Our second day of Zion we got up early because we were hiking the Narrows. If you don’t know, the narrows is mostly hiking through a river. It was fun but hard. There were a few times I wanted to give up. We didn’t make it all the way to the turnaround but were very close. We went almost 5 miles, which was just a short way from the end. I would do it again. After doing it, I know what to expect and can prepare even more. I read several blogs and advice on it but you never know until you actually do it.

And afterward, I stuffed my face with nachos, burger, and fries.

Before we left for our road trip I said I bet Bryce will be my favorite. I won that bet. I was disappointed that is snowed the week before and the week after because I really wanted to see it covered in snow. Next trip. Bryce is just another one of those surreal places. You look at it and go this was made by frost? I am amazed at what our earth can do. We saw as much of Bryce as we could from pull-offs and short hikes.

After Bryce, we headed to Island in the Sky at Canyonlands. Next time we are taking the truck we don’t have yet so we can go on some of the dirt roads. But you can still see a lot of different and interesting landscapes with a few short hikes or viewpoints. It’s definitely worth a stop. The Green River overlook and Mesa arch are a couple of the coolest views. We didn’t think we’d have time to the Needles side but we actually did it on our second afternoon in Moab. It’s definitely different from the Island in the Sky side but way fewer people. There’s also not as much to see but was still worth the drive (it feels like you are driving forever and will never reach it). It’s another place where I’d like to have a few days to camp and hike, as most of the trails are longer ones.

We also went through all of the Arches you could drive or do short hikes to see. Add another place I’d like to spend more time to do some of the longer hikes at. I think Fiery Furnace could be fun and a bit intense since you have to have a guide. And after seeing it, I definitely wouldn’t try it on my own. It’s not a place I’d want to get lost it. We didn’t hike to Delicate Arch but it’s another one I’d like to try, as well as Double O.

On our way home we went past Monument Valley. We stopped a few places along the highway to take photos. Again, we would take our non-existent truck next time to see more. We weren’t going to attempt a rough gravel road in our Cruz. It’s a great care but definitely meant more for highway driving.

That is our road trip in a nutshell!

We stayed at a lot of nice places and ate a lot of good food. I was afraid it would be difficult to find gluten-free foods but there were options and they were good too!

Where would you take a road trip to?

Shop now and give back to the National Park Foundation with each purchase. 15% of every purchase is donated to the National Park Foundation because I believe we should save these lands for future generations.

Maui: Road to Hana

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Jenna

If you are looking for adventure and happen to be on Maui try the road to Hana.

The road to Hana is one of my favorite things to do there and you can see new things each time. There’s waterfalls, beaches, cute little shops, and much more! I’ve done it twice and would love to do it again! I really want to spend more time exploring some of the hiking trails. We’ve only done some of the short walks to waterfalls. Plus, I’d really love to sunrise or sunset at Ohe’o Gulch. It is basically the end of the road so you’d have to either stay in Hana or camp out.

The road to Hana is full of wind, curvy roads. Sometimes on the side of a cliff and at spots, it becomes a one-way road. If these things scare you, it may not be the best adventure for you. If you aren’t sure, give it a try! You can always turn around if you decide you’d rather not take the drive. If you get car sick it might be best to pack the Dramamine or skip this. If you do go and take it slow, be sure to pull over at spots to allow others to pass. The line of cars can grow quickly if one person is going under the speed limit.

Five tips for your road to Hana adventure

Leave plenty of time to explore. If you don’t want to be driving these curvy, wild roads in the dark head out early in the morning. If you want to go all the way to Ohe’o Gulch and/or explore all the little spots on the way, it can be a full day.
Download the Gypsy Guide app. They recommend places to stop on the way up and stories for the ride back. It’s $5.99 and well worth it. If you are doing Haleakala as well get the $9.99 version. We used it on both trips.
Even with the app, plan ahead. Know what your must see and must-dos are. You don’t want to miss any stops that you were looking forward to! There aren’t a lot of places to stop and buy food so plan water and snacks if needed. Also, the cell phone connection is spotty so you won’t always have service.
Take cash. Some of the spots and places only take cash. You may want to grab some fresh fruit or banana bread on your way!
Remember, this drive is truly about the journey and not the destination. You are experiencing the road to Hana, not Hana itself.

What is your favorite road trip or drive?

Want to own your own piece of Hana? Head over to the Shop and peruse the Maui gallery.

Book Review – Running is my Therapy

Posted on June 9, 2018June 16, 2022 by Jenna

Scrolling through Instagram one day I stumbled across a post about Running is my Therapy by Scott Douglas and was intrigued.

I immediately went to Amazon to read more about it. And then pre-ordered it.

running is my therapy

I struggle with anxiety and mild depression.

I have since at least high school, more anxiety than depression. My brain is a constant swirl of worries. I struggle to shut down the thoughts that pop up almost every second. I like to tell people my brain is like a browser with 281 tabs open and when you close one you open two or three more. I struggle to fall asleep because I start thinking about everything I need to get done tomorrow. And the next day. And next week, next month. Hell, I start thinking months out. It’s hard to shut down. If I awake in the middle of the night my brain immediately starts winding up again.

I thought Running is my Therapy could be an interesting read, as well as a refresher, and chance to learn more about the relationship between running, anxiety and depression. I would say it was definitely all three. Douglas does a great job of mixing in his own and other’s struggles along with studies to show how running can help ease anxiety and depression.

The book focused a lot more on depression than anxiety but it was still worth the read. It was a pretty easy and fast read for me. I would, and have been, recommending it to many people. Douglas explains the scientific stuff in a way that is easy to understand and not boring. Even if you know all of this information already it is a nice refresher and I think all the personal stories help illustrate that you are not alone. Some professional athletes even suffer from anxiety and depression.

I know running helps me with my anxiety and depression but had been having troubles getting consistent with it. It’s one of those catch-22s. Your anxious and/or depressed and can’t get out for a run because of it. You know running will help but your brain tricks you into thinking it won’t and it’s too hard. Or it’s not worth it. It won’t help but in reality, it is one of the best helpers. I will definitely pull this book out again to ready when I’m having moments like these.

I have been running consistently since the start of May. I am in no way healed, those of us with anxiety and depression will never be fully healed, but I am feeling better. I am having many more good days than bad. It’s a lifelong condition and I need to make running a lifelong habit. Whenever I fall out of it, I get more anxious and depressed which causes me to run less, gain more weight, and get even more depressed.

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You can find Running is my Therapy on Amazon. I am an Amazon associate and will earn a few pennies on each purchase from the above link.

2018 Gluten Free Expo

Posted on May 21, 2018May 21, 2018 by Jenna

The Gluten Free Expo is back in Glendale!

Gluten-free? You don’t want to miss out on the expo. You can hang out in the air-conditioned and sample all sorts of gluten-free goodies. Plus you can collect coupons for great deals on the products you loved. The expo is on June 23rd and 24th from 10 am – 3 pm, the perfect time to head indoors!

You know what’s better than just going to the gluten-free expo?

Going to the gluten-free expo for FREE! I have five free tickets to give away. You get to pick either Saturday or Sunday to attend. I am giving away two here on my blog and the other three on my Instagram, Runs_On_Espresso. To win one of the blog tickets, just comment below on why you want to go to the Expo. To win on Instagram, head over to my account, give me a follow and comment on the gluten free expo post! You can enter on both! Winners will be chosen on May 28th at 12 pm, Arizona time.

If you don’t win, you can always get 20% off your tickets! How? Head over to the ticket page and enter the code ADVANCE through June 22nd. Now that is a deal!

At the expo, you can learn more through several different classes that are offered over both days. Or just check out all the vendors. I would highly recommend Smart Flour. I discovered their pizzas a few years ago at the expo and now buy them all the time. I also love checking out Schar’s booth. I love their products but rarely find them in store so it’s nice to try out different products before ordering.

I see honey stinger will be back. Maybe I need to talk to them about sponsoring me as a gluten-free athlete. I absolutely love their waffles!

*As an official blogger I receive $1 for each ticket purchased through my referral link.