Harmony N Me Photography : August 2013

As we fast approach the 1 year anniversary of Harmony N Me Photography I've spent some time looking back, to where it all started.

Sure I'd like to be one those photographers who's busy busy...Oh Maybe not! I love where this venture is taking me. I love the clients that I work with. It is my heart as a photographer, to not just stand behind a camera and snap a few pictures, but to really capture the family's or person's personality, and their heart.

In my venture I've discovered a new passion for photography, While I love taking pictures of family's because I am a Family Centered, and Love my family dearly! The new photography passion that I have discovered is History Photography. In December of 2012 I relocated my family and business to Apple Valley California, and Town rich in history. Every time I drive down the street I find a new historical landmark, or something that is history related, and I just can not get enough of this. I love taking my camera and taking pictures of these places, and writing about their history! Just recently I did a blog and photo's on the Newton T. Bass house located here in Apply Valley, and currently I am working on a few other photo history projects. (So you will just have to stay tuned for those) If you missed the Newton T. Bass house, it's located here in this blog page, it's the blog before this one!

But Right now I'd like to take you back, over the last year, of the past clients I've come to know and love dearly!

Meet Miss B! Miss B turned 1 last year, and I had the pleasure of taking her pictures for her 1 year Birthday! I can not tell you how much fun I had with this little girl! She is simply adorable! And I am looking forward to doing her 2nd Birthday Pictures.

Meet Miss C....She is very dear to my heart! She is my first niece! So I guess I am little bit one sided here, but I think she is Beautiful!

The Cobos Kids! I Love these kids, these are some fun kids!

This little one has quickly become one of my favorites to photograph. I first photographed Miss Anah when she was 7 months old in November of last year, and Since then I've photographed her 1st Birthday, and few other times! She is one of my favorite little models!

I love this little boy! This was my first Christmas shoot! And this little ham just hammed it up for me for each pose! That face is to die for!

Another Christmas shoot! I love this picture of Miss C, staring in amazement of the wonder of Christmas! When I do photo shoots, I try not to do too many staged or arranged poses, I try to capture natural poses, because when you capture someone especially a child doing something natural and not forced you can see their heart, their soul and what their little minds are possibly thinking.

And there is Miss Lily Pie! As I call her....This girl is all smiles when my camera is around. This picture touched my heart so much, Miss Lily reading the story from the Bible about our Savior's birth!

This is another favorite model of mine! When She lets me take pictures of her that is! But again I might be a little one sided on this because this beauty is my own daughter! This picture was actually used on my personal Christmas cards this year!

Meet the D Family! This Family is so much fun! I seriously laughed so much while shooting this family. They just have so much personality!

Meet the L Family. It was such a joy helping these two proud parents of Miss M, welcome their second child Miss A! This picture speaks so much, the Love these two share with each other just touches my heart!

My 2 Favorite Cheerleaders! Go Rattlers! These two have so much spirit and so much energy!

Miss Bella Grace Stole my heart from the moment she was born! I am so lucky because I get to spend everyday with her....She another one of my favorite models!

Ahhh Remember Miss Anah! Yup Miss Anah turned 1 years old! It was so fun to capture her 1st Birthday!

The L Family was another great photo shoot. I had so much fun with this family, capturing their personalities!

Remedy Church's Senior Pastor Tom and his wife Marci....these two are just great and my camera loves them! As do I!

Remedy Church's Worship Leader Ryan and his beautiful wife Sarah! My camera also loves these two, as do I! These two are so much fun to work with!

And Last but not least, the Newton T. Bass House!

I hope you have enjoyed my year in review!

In December of last year I moved to Apple Valley, and immediately set out in search of photography locations. On a trip to the grocery store I saw this amazing house perched high upon a hill. It got the wheels turning in my head. "What a Great place for photos". I had to find out more about this house. Who lived there?

For Months I would drive up and down Highway 18 to go to Wal-Mart, or to the doctors and each time I drove by I'd get lost in thought.

After asking around, and doing some research I've come to find out that, this house once belonged to Newton T. Bass the founding father of Apple Valley California. In my search to know more about this house I've heard all kinds of stories about this house. Stories such as this house is haunted, and no one who buys this house and property stands a chance because they are chased away by the "spirits of the pass". I however do not believe this.

This is what The Bass house looked like when Mr. Bass lived in it.

Photo Credit: Maynard L. Parker

This is what is looks like now!

Kind of Sad if you ask me! How would Mr. Bass feel if he could see his beloved home now?

Newt and his partner Bud Westlund set out to buy property for the purpose of starting a cattle ranch. So they headed to the High Dessert, where they purchased 22,000 acres all for the estimated price of $2.75 an acre. After purchasing this 22,000 acres Newt. and Bud saw some potential, not just for cattle ranching, but Newt. and Bud had an idea to turn this land into a resort community. On that land they bought they built what is known as the Historical "Apple Valley Inn" which still stands today, and has been turned into a strip mall, with various business in it, such as, insurance agents office, a thrift store, and a Church just to name a few. (Not sure how Newt. would feel about this either)

Newt contracted an architect named Francisco Artigas from Mexico. Mr. Artigas dreamed up a home with Newt that was simply amazing. Being a millionaire, money was no object to Newt. Newt wanted his home to be perched high a top a hill where he could watch over his resort.

What kind of resort could Newt and Bud build in the middle of a dessert, and hours from Hollywood? Newt built an oasis in the middle of the dessert. Celebrities such as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, and Natalie Wood frequented Newt and Bud's Apple Valley Inn Resort.

Francisco Artigas dreamed up the plans for Newt's castle on a hill. The details of this house we're simply amazing. Mr. Artigas used materials taken right from the hillside, one feature included building around a huge set of rocks that were in the dinning room of Newt's home, a feature I am guessing not found in anyone else's house.

Photo Credit: Maynard L. Parker

Above is a picture of what Newt's dinning area looked like. Below is a picture of how it sits today, again a sad sight.

You might ask, what happened? It's outdoors now? In 1967 after Newt moved from his house, a fire burned the house. It was rebuilt but it was rebuilt for office purpose. It was said that the after Newt used the house (building) for meetings, for his oil company. So therefore a portion of the house or structure was rebuilt. I personally think this makes a cool patio area (without the graffiti of course). After the rebuild what was the dinning room and living room was turned into a patio area with the pool. Before the fire a portion of the pool was actually part of the living room. (A coolness factor on a whole other level)

Photo Credit: Maynard L. Parker

Above is a photo of how the living room looked when Newt lived there. Below is what the living room looks like.

I can imagine that when the structure was rebuilt after the fire, it made for a nice place for Newt to have meetings and wow his clients. But I do not think Newt would be proud of what it has become, and it would wow his clients in a whole different way.

The part of the structure that was rebuilt was what was Newt's bedroom and bathroom, and what I believe was the kitchen. (I could be wrong, I still have some more digging to do about the layout of the original blue prints of the home; please feel free to enlighten me if I am wrong about the layout of the house)

Photo Credit: Maynard L. Parker

Above is a picture of what Newt's bedroom looked like. With a built in TV to the fireplace, and his bed steps away from the indoor part of the pool, this was a dream.

Below is a picture of what Newt's bedroom looks like today.

I think this is one of the things that broke my heart the most. To see this garbage, it just makes me mad to think that something as historical as the home of the founder of Apple Valley can not be preserved, and protected by the town. Instead is lays in ruins, belonging to birds, and the vandal's and homeless who choose to destroy it.

Before hiking up to the house, I researched the house, and it's history as much as I could. And I know there have been attempts by residents, and others to "rebuild" the house and make it into something that the community of Apple Valley, and visitors can enjoy, such proposal's include some type of nature park where people can hike, and ride horses. Other idea's include turning it into a restaurant, or banquet hall for weddings, and other events.

As the property sits today, it is currently for sale with a list price of $750,000 for the house and 26 acres. Some might ask why doesn't the Town of Apple Valley buy this property and do something to honor the founder of their town? One would ask that, I know I asked many times. It blew my mind that the town leaders would not to want to preserve this place, and make it into something worth wild, something Old Newt would be proud of today.

Even if the Town did buy the property and the structure it would take so much money to bring everything up to code. I once sided with residents who tell stories of this place in it's heyday to rebuild it, and even dreamed of buying it myself and fixing it up. But after going up there and seeing first hand what is left of this once legendary house, I must say there is not anything to save. I am all for the town doing something with the property, something of the sort of hiking/horse trails, so that the community can enjoy this hill top, but as it currently sits the community can not enjoy it.

What will become of the Newton T. Bass home? Who knows? Only time will tell.

Below are some more pictures I took. I do hope you enjoyed my point of view of this subject matter, and again if I have got any facts wrong about Newton or the home please feel free to correct me.

(Above): This is what the house looks like as you walk up the drive way. A sight for sore eyes.

The Stairs leading to the pool area.

The front of the house, and carport. I haven't found any mentions of a recent fire but there was evidence of one, the roof of the carport area is burned, and the drop ceiling is collapsed.