Guerneville California on December 11th, 2014.  Armstrong Woods Rd. — Guerneville California on December 11th, 2014. Armstrong Woods Rd.

Here in Northern California we experienced a pretty intense storm last week. Some areas of Sonoma County received over five inches of rain in less than 24 hours. My commute takes me down River Rd. from Hwy 101 to the small town of Monte Rio. When I left for work on Thursday and Friday I made sure to take my camera with me so that I could capture what some were calling Stormageddon.

Normally I tend to photograph landscapes and candid portraits as well as some travel photography. I have never delved into photojournalism and never considered it a possible career choice. I do, however, believe that it has influenced my photography style. I have always been drawn to the spur of the moment image as opposed to the posed image. True emotion is captured when your subject isn't aware that it is being photographed or there is a strong personal or emotional connection with the photographer. The latter takes time and energy and can be achieved but the former is truly candid and raw. During my drive I was like a kid in a candy store. My camera sat in the passenger seat, ready to go. I knew of several spots that I wanted to photograph based on what has flooded historically. I also kept an eye out for anything out of the ordinary or something that would help tell the story of this storm. I haven't had this much fun in years. There is an excitement to photographing an event such as this, It's not like you can go back later and retake the image. I know that I am not a professional photojournalist and that some of my images would be considered cliche but hey, I have to start somewhere. So I hope you enjoy these images and if you want, share your personal storm story below!

Wineberg Images

If It Keeps On Raining...... /December 15, 2014 by John Wineberg