I was honored when the Bauers chose me to document their famous garden in Running Springs, California. Over 50 years of planting daffodils created a paradise on the mountain, and the Bauers opened their gardens to the public each year in the Spring. Their gardens are now closed to the public.
The daffodil and tulip slideshows posted here were part of the project I completed for them and are published with the Bauers’ permission.
The slideshows are posed on the Bauer Daffodil Gardens page.
Craig Aaron is an amazing artist with a beautiful studio in Lake Arrowhead Village. I was honored when he selected me to document his custom jewelry design process that uses the ancient lost-wax casting method. (No computer technology involved!)
I created a three-part documentary for him – About the Artist (2 minutes), The Lost-Wax Casting Demonstration (5 minutes), and Creations and Collections (12 minutes).
The lost-wax casting process is AMAZING! The videos are posted on the Craig Aaron page.
I decided to include some favorite Mission San Juan Capistrano videos …
“The Great Stone Church – A Treasure in Trust for Tomorrow”
“The Mission Blooms Again”
“Russian Heritage Day”
“Pirates at the Mission”
“Art at the Mission”
“Secrets of the Vestry Dome”
“Christmas at the Mission”
You can see them on the Mission San Juan Capistrano video page.
The Photo Galleries are not up yet, but I thought I would post some of my favorite “other dimensional” (not lens flare) photos.
My first and favorite, the Fairy in the Redwoods …
To see more photos, visit the Photography page.
What an honor to be selected by Orange County Parks to create videos for the Nature Center! And then to win Telly awards in the Environmental, Cinematography, and Government Relations categories!
I produced one 12 minute video in 2005 (“Caspers Wilderness Park: Orange County’s Treasure”) which was replaced by “Caspers Wilderness Park: Find Your Place in Nature” in 2011. Times change!
There was so much good stuff on the cutting room floor and so many still photos, I also created a video montage (11 minutes) and slideshow (9 minutes) that captured the beauty and serenity of Caspers Wilderness Park.
Eight thousand acres. Thirty five miles of trails. Can’t wait to go back!
For more information about these projects, go to the Orange County Parks – Caspers Wilderness Park page.
What a miraculous project!
In 1999, the population of Catalina Island Foxes had been decimated by the introduction of canine distemper to the island. The foxes had no immunity to this disease, and 90 percent of the fox population perished.
In 2000, only 100 foxes remained – concentrated in the west end of the island beyond Two Harbors. At that time virus had not spread across the Two Harbors isthmus. Due to concern for their future, The Catalina Island Fox was listed as a federally endangered species in 2004.
The Santa Catalina Island Conservancy (catalinaconservancy.org) took immediate action and sought the help of Dave Garcelon’s Institute for Wildlife Studies (iws.org) to develop a plan to save the foxes. It was Swallow Creek’s job to document and raise awareness of their efforts. This took me from the ridge lines with the trappers to hikes into the breeding pens in the island’s interior.
It was truly an amazing opportunity to be on the leading edge of wildlife conservation, and to meet so many concerned people working together for the future of the foxes.
Fortunately, the story has a happy ending! Due to the efforts of the Conservancy and The Institute for Wildlife Studies, it is estimated that the fox population exceeded 1,800 at the end of 2013. Although as of Summer, 2014, the foxes are once again thriving on their island home, but are still on the endangered species list.
Here is a 10 minute summary of the Conservancy’s efforts to save the foxes. The full production won Videographer and Telly awards in the categories of Environmental and Fundraising.
So happy to have helped the foxes by raising awareness of their plight!
Wildlife rehabbers are my heroes!
My video, “Second Chances,” documents the work of the Orange County Bird of Prey Center and their efforts to rehabilitate orphaned and injured raptors – and give them a second chance at life. Scott Weldy, DVM, operates the Serrano Animal and Bird Hospital, and the Bird of Prey Center is his dream.
For more information, go to the Second Chances page, and visit the Orange County Bird of Prey Center website, ocpbc.org to learn more about their work.
Between 200-2003, Swallow Creek Productions completed lots of documentaries for Mission San Juan Capistrano, including
A personal favorite was “The Mission Blooms Again” – a documentary on the gardens. Here’s a video montage from that production.
Visit the Mission San Juan Capistrano page for more information.
What started out as curiosity about why the swallows no longer returned to Mission San Juan Capistrano ended up launching my video production company.
Here’s the full 30 minute documentary.
I also cut three video montages set to Sajama’s music tracks. Just cliff swallows and music. Welcome Home, Raising a Family, and The Season.
My “Swallows of Capistrano” page contains more information about the project and the swallows
And there is an “All About Cliff Swallows” that links to a downloadable pdf.
Love these little guys!!!
This project was so much fun! I started with the Mayors’ iPhone videos and put together a little 9 minute movie honoring them on their first birthday.
The premiered at the Mayors’ first birthday party on Saturday, June 7 at the Idyllwild Nature Center! What fun!
Go to the Mayor Max page to see the Welcome Mayor Max slideshow that premiered at the puppy shower in 2013. What a difference a year makes!