We were fortunate enough to participate in the San Antoio Mission Workshop in April of 2011 with Al Weber. This wonderful remote mission is a step back in time. It is located near Fort Hunter Liggett  in south Monterey County. Located on eighty pristine acres on what was once the Milpitas unit of the sprawling Hear Ranch, Mission San Antonio de Padua sits within the "Valley of the Oaks" on California's scenic Central Coast. 

Our accommodations were in the converted areas of the mission that used to be dorms, store rooms and monks quarters. Each room had a huge window, a sink basin for morning ablutions, 2 single beds, a small closet and well located bathrooms with showers in each area. It was very reminiscent of stepping back in time and staying in a rather fancy monk cell. Meals were communal and served 3 times a day with something for everyone. We didn't want for anything. 

We were there during Easter week so we had glimpses of and participated in the ceremony and pagentry of the festivities going on that week. The workshop participants seemed to really enjoy the location, sights, sounds, smells, texture and experience communal living in such an historic setting. A portfolio was developed out of these workshops of the San Antonio Mission. Fernando and I each contributed one image incuded below for the portfolio. 

The entire portfolio goes on exhibit Dec. 2nd at the Steinbeck Center in Salinas, reception at 5PM until closing. Please join us for a great evening rubbing elbows with the artists and seeing this wonderful collection of images.

This image is entitled Primitive Cross, shot with an iPhone and processed through a Vintage Ap, printed on Epson Cold Press Natural Matte with minor adjustments in Photoshop on an Epson 2200. The image measures 6x81/4 inches. Barbara Moon Batista

This image was shot on the night of the full moon. We were walking out to the front of the Mission to join a group who wanted to photograph at night using painting with light techniques. Fernando looked up and saw this image and we stopped to set up and capture the image. It took quite along time in the dark and it felt as if we had stepped back in time and were experiencing the Spanish colonial era in that one spot. The night was cool but not cold yet. The mission was bathed in moonlight that had just risen and the air was pungent with smells from the fireplaces, plants and cooking. It really was surreal.

This image was shot with a Canon 5D Mark II, f/6.3 @ 30 Seconds, 1600 ISO, EF28mm, about 10:00 PM on April 16 2011. This image was printed on Epson Cold Press Natural Matte, Epson 2200, 6x9 inches. Fernando A. M. Batista