Shea Rouda

three silhouette of birds over body of water

I was walking along Newport Beach looking to find a great spot to catch the sunset. When I stopped to shoot, a small kid stepped right in front of me – holding a balloon perfectly in front of the setting sun.

Sometimes the subject you set out to capture isn’t the one you end with, and in this scenario, that was just great.

I saw this location pop up on my instagram feed once. I had no idea where it was, and even after looking it up on a map, I thought it would be a few years until I ever had time to visit.

Last weekend, my girlfriend asked if I’d like to ski at Mammoth Mountain. I’d never been, but agreed to go and drive us there. After plugging in the hotel on iMaps, I saw “Hot Creek Springs” just below our destination – and within a week of seeing this photo on social media, I was able to recreate it in person.

Sometimes this universe will send you a sign, even if you’re not looking for it.

I always love it when nature forms a natural gradient, when colors transition seamlessly across the photo, yet it seems like each part of the picture came from a different shot.

After an 11 mile hike in snowshoes and lugging a sled full of gear to the mountain top, we were finally rewarded with one of the most scenic views of Yosemite from an angle rarely seen in winter. A photo well worth the exhaustion!

Took a nice hike around the Hollywood Hills. It never ceases to amaze me how much beauty and wildlife exists just outside the urban jungle of Los Angeles.

I love when the beaches are cold in winter. The seaweed covers the sand, the beaches are clear from footprints, and mother nature lets her hair down for some awesome photos.

a dog sticking its head out the window of a truck

Heard an incredibly deep bark coming from across the street and walked over to explore. A few moments later, this big old pooch popped his head out to say hi! It’s a friendly doggo from down unda.