PhotoLA was hectic, the first of three art/photography fairs in Los Angeles in January. From the Thursday night opening, working LACMA's Photographic Art Council booth on Friday morning. Viewing fellow photographers' work at the CENTER/ReviewLA Open Portfolio Night on Friday and dinner after with some awesome photographers. Saturday back to the fair to see some of the work and then the Photographer's Party, organized by my friend Aline Smithson. Then Sunday over to Hancock Park to the Michael Dawson Gallery where about 10 dealers exhibited some amazing classical photography images. It is indeed heaven to share the passion with others.

And today, recuperating as we all probably need to do before the next art event (!). The rains sorely needed here have come. In the break between storms there is light, incredible light.

First: venturing out into the eucalyptus grove where raindrops still hung tenuously from the leaves and strong, intense, WET light illuminated the dramatic trunks.


Then, a friend drove me near dusk out to her house in Malibu to check the sandbags against the dunes. The end of the day. No tripod. But light, as always, conquers all.

Next up: the Los Angeles Art Show, this next weekend. Downtown at the Convention Center. As part of Helen K. Garber's GroupSC2009, I will have some of my work photographing the Santa Monica Airport included in her preview multimedial presentation there. The full show will be this coming April. You can download the press release here.


And best, best: friends who have today won the prestigious and critical writing/design awards from the American Library Association at their annual mid-winter event. While concentrating these past few years on my photography, my career in editing and writing books for youth is never far from my thoughts and I celebrate those whom I am so lucky to know who have risen to the top of this field through hard work, curiosity and incredible talent. Among them: Carmen Bernier Grand, Grace Lin, Tanya Lee Stone.