Even if you didn't get away for a summer vacation, just looking at one of Michael Warwick's spectacular photographs will give you the feeling of being in the immediate company of some of nature's most spectacular views.

Without formal photography training, this former Chevron consultant and Bay Area native found a creative outlet behind the lens in the 1980s as he began to capture some of nature's brilliant poses.

Some 30 to 40 photographs taken by Warwick, president of the East Bay Artists Guild, will be on display at the San Ramon Community Center's Lindsay Dirkx Brown Art Gallery through August. Come meet the artist at a special reception Aug. 18 from 2 to 4 p.m.

You can almost feel the cool mist rising from the waterfall at Yosemite, the hot Sedona, Ariz., sun on your shoulders or hear the sounds of seagulls and the waves crashing on a California beach when you view the many scenes he has photographed. A self-taught photographer who learned about lighting and exposure taking photos of flowers, Warwick says his photographs truly represent the environment and reflect his passion for nature.

He says his approach to photography is not unlike his work as a consultant. He listens first and then sees the view.

Warwick says his love of nature has been a lifelong passion that keeps expanding with his photography. His incredible photos involve "paying attention to nature, and appreciating the beauty of nature.

"Wherever

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I go, magical things happen," says Warwick who says he enjoys being in the moment and his "special relationship to nature." He explains that he knows what he wants to see and just waits for it to happen like the spectacular soft oranges and vivid reds of a fiery sunset reflecting in the surf at Pigeon Point or the spring snowstorm that turned Sedona white for two days.

The effect of some of his work goes beyond a typical photograph. His use of a photographic canvas enhances the subject and gives it the look of an illustrated watercolor painted on canvas. As a result, photographs can be enlarged without losing the quality. Warwick uses this method in black and white and in color photographs.

Some of Warwick's photographs have also captured special moments like the picturesque steam engines of the Niles Canyon Railroad on opening day, gorgeous seasonal colors of the Napa Valley, San Francisco landmarks, picturesque farmland, and breathtaking scenes of the Hawaiian landscape.

For more information about Warwick and to view some of his work, visit Natural Visions Fine Art Photography at www.naturalvisions.com.

BLING BLING: The San Ramon Historic Foundation will present its Black, White & Bling Victorian Tea on Sunday, Sept. 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the San Ramon Community Center.

The traditional tea service will also include a no-host champagne bar, prizes for the best dressed and the best hat, fabulous fashions by Moda Mi, of Danville, and a complimentary opportunity basket ticket.

Tickets are $35 per person and can be bought online via PayPal at the Foundation's website, www.srhf.org. The reservation deadline is Aug. 29. For more information, call 925-828-0586 or email questions to info@srhf.org.

Contact Monica Lander at landerfamily@comcast.net.