Sleepy Little Town

Healdsburg, California

A patient companion waiting in a shop entrance...you know I will work a dog into a post if at all possible!




At first glance, Healdsburg, California is a sleepy little town. The square has a pretty park where all the benches are occupied by a variety of characters enjoying the green space and the spring profusion of flowers. There are abundant restaurants and shops on the surrounding streets and a mouthwatering market brimming with luscious produce, decadent pastries, fragrant coffee and, of course, wine.




My intention was to capture the vibrant colors of the foliage and flowers and some snapshots of the people, small vignettes to give a sense of place. After the photos were up on my computer, the color felt distracting so I converted the shots to black and white. The candids are slightly out of focus, taken on the run since most folks are intimidated by a big lens pointed in their direction (I feel very unapologetic...I love unposed pictures.) In retrospect, I probably should have used my agile and less intrusive point-and-shoot.




Still, these small views represent the atmosphere of Healdsburg. Scenes that are quiet and relaxed in a way that is typical of California on a sunny, warm spring day.




This store front boasted several blown-up black and white vintage photos. I liked the contrasting tree textures and this has been posted with its natural color.