Tag Archives: munchphotos

Desert Beauty

This winter I made a couple of trips out to the desert. As a photographer, it is always so inspiring to change your scenery now and then for a boost of inspiration. The desert definitely delivered!! I love the otherworldly landscapes, shapes, textured and color palettes. Joshua Tree was the first stop which was expansive and amazing. I enjoyed the cholla cactus garden and winding roads through the variety of landscapes. It was a quick trip but it motivated me to plan to come again and explore more in depth with some hiking and camping next time.

A Photo Trek to Slot Canyon

As a photographer, there are so many places I have always wanted to visit and photograph. This year I have created a “bucket list” of places I would like to go and Slot Canyon was one of them. It is near Page, AZ on the Navajo reservation and is within driving distance from my house so it came in high on my list. The desert southwest has a beauty all its own, unique from any other place. It has become super popular so it was crowded and tricky to get shots in this canyon without any other people but worth the effort. The lighting and shapes and color were awe inspiring. The best part of the trip was the night tour we took in the canyon led by a great Navajo guide.

First Friday Exhibit Opening- “Bloom”

Every year when the winter rains come I get excited about spring. It is my favorite time of year when the hillsides turn green and then burst with color. Mostly I notice the bright colored mustard flowers that brighten up my drive along the 101 freeway. This year they were especially abundant where there had been a fire in December. Such a bright reminder of the renewal that comes in spring. The hill had been charred to black and now was something of exquisite beauty.
I also love to spend many days in search of other wildflowers like poppies and lupines. It is a beautiful time of year!! Come by the gallery this month to see images from our new collection-“Bloom” Friday, May 6th is First Friday in Downtown Ventura, which means there will be lots of new exhibits at all the galleries and everyone will be staying open a little later and enjoying the festivities- be sure to get a map and check everything out:
http://firstfridaysventura.com/

Latitudes Fine Art Gallery
401 E. Main ST
Ventura, CA 93001
805-642-5257
“Bloom” Opening Reception
6pm-9pm May 6, 2016

Our Earth Day – Little Things Make a Difference

We think about the earth every day around here! Sharing it’s wonder and beauty is what we are all about. I recently went to Santa Barbara’s Natural History Museum and saw a little acrylic box with jellyfish swimming around. On closer inspection I realized it was a display showing how plastic shopping bags look in the ocean. I was truly shocked at how bad of a problem this is for our sea life and for us.

Did You Know?

Each year plastic kills more than a million sea birds and 100,000 mammals and sea turtles who mistake it for food, such as jellyfish.
52% of sea turtles and 60% of sea birds have ingested some form of plastic.
Plastic toxins end up in fish, which end up on our plates, which end up inside our bodies.

The simple box of water with bags in it at the museum, really made me realize that even my occasional plastic shopping bag can end up in the ocean and harm our sea life. So when it was time to re-order plastic bags for the gallery, I set out on a quest to find something better. We are thrilled with our new reusable cloth bags and by the response so far, our Latitudes Family is too.

Tasha Cleaveland is Latitudes Fine Art Gallery’s Manager and Design Consultant. She has been working with Stephanie and Steve since 2014 and is always excited to help Latitudes customers find the perfect piece to transform their space.

Learn more at http://www.seeturtles.org/ocean-plastic/ and https://www.norwexmovement.com/the-trashy-12/

Big Prints for Beautiful Walls

Fill your walls with big beautiful prints and transform your space! We have been busy at Latitudes this week making homes come alive with photographs that capture your eye and imagination. Have you been looking at boring walls for too long? Are your walls empty because you can’t find the right piece? It is time to create a space that you love and that you are proud of when friends come over. Let us…”take your breath away!” If you would like help envisioning it, we are happy to have our in-house designer, Tasha Cleaveland of Cleaveland Designs, create a rendering for you from a photo of your wall. Just email us your wall photo and some ideas of your favorite images from our website and we can get started right away.

Fine Art Handcrafted Wood Prints- Photos on Wood

Looking for that perfect piece of art for your wall? Has your wall been empty for too long because you just cannot find the right thing? Latitudes artists Stephanie Hogue and Steve Munch have created something super special with their photography: Handcrafted Wood Prints. Because they are handmade by Steve’s brother, wood artist, Michael Munch, each one is a unique art piece. The wood grain and carved edges add a rustic and textured quality to the photograph. This special printing technique also adds a painterly effect to the image, often leaving the viewer to wonder if it is a photograph or a painting. Latitudes Handcrafted Wood Prints are really something special and will be the perfect conversation piece on your wall. They can be made in all sizes from small 12″x18″ up to 48″x72″ as the largest. Browse our images online and just give us a call to get your wood piece started!! 805-642-5257

Mother Whale and Mother Dolphin Introduce Their Babies

Beautiful aerial drone footage of two new mothers introducing their precious babies!
Captured just of the coast of Po’ipu, Kauai in March of 2016, by Steve Munch, an environmental photographer based on the island of Kauai. Each year he photographs and videos the humpbacks visiting Kauai. He had been carefully observing this new mother for a couple of days. On this special morning, she had her new baby and this curious dolphin mother who had also been staying close by, couldn’t wait to have the two meet.
Watch closely as the interaction is fascinating. The whale sounds were recorded the next day in the same area as this video was captured.

First Friday in Downtown Ventura- April 1, 2016

“Ocean Blues”

April exhibit: April 1, 2016-April 30, 2016

Join us at Latitudes Fine Art Gallery for an opening reception of “Ocean Blues”
For the month of April, Latitudes will be featuring the ocean inspired exhibit called “Ocean Blue’s”. This special exhibit highlights the many moods of the ocean with its ever changing beauty. In conjunction with Earth Day on April 22, we will be promoting awareness and celebrating the power and importance of our oceans. Environmental photographers Steve Munch and Stephanie Hogue are dedicated to showcasing its beauty to inspire fascination and connection. With connection and awareness comes education and compassion. Though massive and powerful, our oceans are extremely delicate and impacted by our actions. Real change can happen when people are inspired.

OPENING: Friday April 1st, 2016
5pm-9pm
Latitudes Fine Art Gallery
Downtown Ventura
401 E. Main St
Ventura, CA 93001
805-642-5257

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
Jacques Cousteau

Champagne on Main- April 16, 2016

SPRING STREET FAIR / 11 AM – 6:30 PM / FREE
Start your day with the Spring Street Fair starting at 11 am on the 300, 400 & 500 block of Main Street with vendors and live entertainment. Shop local artists, crafters, non-profit organizations, and commercial vendors. The street fair and entertainment are FREE and open to the public starting at 11 am! MoreCHAMPAGNE ON MAIN / WINE WALK / 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
At 3:00 pm, the Champagne on Main Wine Walk gets started! The Champagne on Main Wine Walk will showcase Champagne, Sparkling Wines, and Craft Beer sampling in your favorite downtown businesses. Each guest will receive a Champagne on Main Wine Walk wristband, tasting cup and a map of the participating tasting sites throughout Downtown Ventura. Each tasting site will have a designated area set up for Champagne on Main Wine Walk guests to sample! Champagne, Sparkling Wines, and Craft Beer sampling tasting will end at 6:00 pm.LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Live entertainment will fill the streets as you stroll through the Spring Street Fair until 6:30 PM. Come enjoy Spring in Downtown Ventura!Event will go on rain or shine!

Super Bloom in Death Valley

I have lived in California for almost 30 years and somehow never made my way out to Death Valley. So this year, with all the buzz about the Super Bloom and the Centennial Celebration for our beloved National Parks, I thought it was the perfect time to go. I only had one day which was definitely not enough…it is a very very big place! Being early March, the temperature was manageable but got a little toasty by mid day. We brought our golden doodle, Cali, but if I were to go back I would have to leave her at home, the trails and hikes are definitely not dog friendly. We saw quite a bit of the main sights, though I would love to come back and spend a few sunrises and sunsets…and the stars at night have got to be insane! We checked out Mesquite Dunes, Zabriske Point, Artists Drive, Badwater Basin, Devil’s Cornfield and lots more along the drive. It was beautiful to see the fields of golden flowers among all rugged terrain. We were in awe of all its majesty and beauty. We will definitely be back.