Welcome To My Blog!
Throughout my career I've embraced photography as my passion and livelihood. As a photojournalist for daily metro newspapers, I had the privilege of documenting the human experience - capturing the moments of a cross-section of society and events that reveal who we are. As a marketing photographer I've applied that experience, working closely with clients to feature what makes their business or company unique.
Between the pandemic and protests, 2020 has been a challenge for all of us. As my assignment work slowed earlier this year, I embraced the time to revisit my archives, finish old projects, and start some new ones. This blog is an expression of that effort, and has been an opportunity for me to flex some old muscles, once again pairing words and text to tell a story that might interest others.
The Magic of Joshua Tree National Park
December 12, 2020
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by J.T. MacMillan
Joshua Tree National Park can be described as beautiful and surreal, rugged and tortured, relaxing and sublime. It’s too hot and too cold, and often too windy. Its namesake trees are unwieldy and Suessical and would be forgettable if they weren't so odd. The giant granite rocks scattered throughout are striking, as if the gods ha...
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The Great Blue Herons of La Playa
September 15, 2020
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As avid recreational sailors, we have spent a lot of time on San Diego's bays and coastline, marveling at the abundance and diversity of marine and bird life that make their home here. Photographing and learning about these creatures has been a wonderful part of our time on the water, especially in the case of the Great Blue Herons of La Playa.
(C...
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San Diego Skies
August 01, 2020
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When you think of San Diego, many things come to mind:
Perfect weather, great beaches, the San Diego Zoo, the Padres, world-class live theater and schools, cutting-edge biotech, Comicon, the military and more. But what about San Diego's skies?
As so many of our favorite San Diego summer diversions have been spoiled by the pandemic this year, it s...
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In Search Of NEOWISE
July 20, 2020
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After deciding not to wait another 6,800 years to catch a glimpse of comet NEOWISE, we recently took a quick road trip to the local mountains. To escape San Diego's persistent marine layer and light pollution we packed a picnic and made the 90-minute late afternoon drive through beautiful east county up Palomar Mountain. With more than 20 hairpin t...
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The Boatyard
June 19, 2020
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For boat owners, having your vessel serviced at a shipyard is both a scary and fascinating experience. Scary, because you don't know for sure how bad things have gotten below the water line since your last haul out. Even if you're just addressing basic maintenance issues like applying a fresh coat of bottom paint, there are going to be surprises, p...
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Bioluminescent Surfers
May 05, 2020
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Rippin' The Blue Wave
S ince late March, parts of Southern California have been treated to a bioluminescent plankton bloom. At night the agitated waters in this red tide come alive in electric blue. When it's really active, the crashing waves explode in light, and you can see a blue ring spark around each sandy footstep you take near the water.
S...
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Aerial Escape
April 21, 2020
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Aerial Escape
By J.T. MacMillan
B efore the first light of dawn on a chilly November day, our small group of weekend adventurers were shuttled into rural wine country, east of Temecula, California. We huddled around our coffees in the dark, with murmurings about what the heck we were doing out in the middle of nowhere before sunrise on a Saturday...
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Anna's Hummingbird
April 02, 2020
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Welcome!
I hope you and your families are well and safe in these uncertain times.
For 27 years I've been lucky enough to run my photography business from home here in San Diego. It's been a great way to raise my son and has given me a lot of control over my work and play schedule.
In the spring of 2012, I was treated to an interesting diversion...
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© J.T. MacMillan