A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 67~ Photographic Evidence

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."


~Aldous Huxley Complete Essays 2 1926 - 29.

 

I have proof! I have the evidence! But that's the middle. Let me start at the beginning. One of my favorite movies is The Graduate. Great acting, Great cast. Great soundtrack. It was partially shot in Berkeley, in around the Cal Berkeley campus... which is Great. What's not so great? That irritating scene where the character of Benjamin Braddock drives up the coast from Los Angeles to Berkeley, to talk the girl he loves out of marrying another man, and his car is shown driving into San Francisco on the Bay Bridge. Why should that bother me? Well... see... if he did that he would be going away from Berkeley... not toward it. LOL. And yes, it bugs me every time I see it. Why did director Mike Nichols do that? If the scenery was such a big deal, why not have Benjamin fly into SFO and then drive across the bay into Berkeley? Oh yeah, that's right, when going from the city into the East Bay... you take the lower deck. There would be nothing to see. Okay... reluctantly... I get it. It was an important scene, and the sight of San Francisco did make the emotion of the scene come together. Okay.


But enough is enough. Today I found a promo for a new ABC show, set the debut in 2013, called RED WIDOW. Apparently set in San Francisco, RED WIDOW is about a young widow who finds herself reluctantly drawn into organized crime in an effort to keep herself and her children safe. Ummm... huh? On it's most basic premise it doesn't sound particularly new or interesting. That premise has been done before, but who knows maybe it will start out old hat, but go to new places. Let's hope so. It seems like scripted shows are having their share of struggles, with "reality" based shows becoming all the rage, not to mention they are cheaper to produce. So don't get me wrong, I really hope the show does well, I just wish Hollywood would stop changing the skyline of San Francisco, especially when I think it's beautiful just as it is. 


I mean look at these photos... what's not to love?





I love San Francisco, and all the crazy beautiful bridges in the area. If Hollywood wanted to show off the gorgeous San Francisco skyline, why didn't they just photograph it from either Oakland, or Alameda. From Treasure/Yerba Buena Island for that matter. Come on Hollywood... you can do better.


:)


~Me :)


Now, go see what my pal JR was come up with. His photos are awesome...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-65.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day66~ Another Attempt At Natural Monochromatic Conditions

"No matter how much water a sink takes on, it never lives up to it's name. The Titanic would never have sunk if it were made out of a sink."


~Jarod Kintz, The Titanic Would Never Have Sunk If Were Made Out Of A Sink.


Well, I almost posted a new photo each day this week, but this morning I got up and could barely move. For whatever reason, my Fibromyalgia has decided to knock me down. It's okay, this happens from time to time, and all I need to do is rest and do my best until it passes. We had a few really hot days this past week, then a sudden cool down, which sometimes triggers it, but who knows... only the Fibromyalgia. Alan is a lot of help when it hits me hard, and as I have shared in previous posts, he is a trooper about the situation. He speaks ME. LOL. It's hurts, and days like today it's all I can do to move, but I know it's important to try.


So, lets discuss the photo for today. I am still working on spotting those opportunities to photograph naturally occurring monochromatic scenes. I think I came close here. I  was out with the camera while back, when I decided to grab some lunch and take it down to the Pacifica Pier. It was around 2 in the afternoon, and there wasn't much going on, even the surf was down that day, but I did begin to notice, that the sun was beginning to cast an even tone onto everything. Over all I was very happy with what I got that day, and I suppose if I had waited another hour or so, it may have delivered that grayscale I was looking for, but I think I came pretty close here. But then again, you know what they say, a miss is as good as a mile. Right? SHRUG. :)


Oh well, I will keep trying. That's all I can do... right? :)

"Always be like water. Float in the times of pain or dance like waves along the wind which touches it's surface."

~Santosh Kalwar




:)


~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-60-64.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 65~RRC: On The Walls

"There are no walls at the edge of the universe... absence of gravity is the limit of space existence."


~Toba Beta, Betelgeuse Incident


RRC: On The Walls


Above you see one of my very favorite paintings at The Legion of Honor, in San Francisco. I took this photo in July of 2006 on my first visit to the Legion of Honor, and so it was the first time I had actually seen this piece titled, Dorothy Spreckles Munn, by Salvador Dali, in person, but I instantly loved it. I was at the museum that day to specifically see the Monet in Normandy exhibit, but was thrilled to be able to just get lost in all the art at the museum. The picture I took of this painting, really doesn't do it justice, it should really be seen in person. Her eyes are mesmerizing. It is absolutely stunning!


Now, take a look at what I have found on other walls in my many travels...


Autumn Leaves On The Wall At The Ghiradelli Candy Factory...
Late December 2011



The Bubblegum Wall San Luis Obispo California...
October, 2005
Yep, that is really random bubblegum, deposited by random people along a full sized wall on an alleyway. 




On The Wall Of A Business in Berkeley, California...
January, 2007



"Free Paris Hilton", Berkeley, California...
December, 2007




Brown Moth I Found On The Wall Of Our Gardening Shed...
(2007) Obtuse Euchlaena - Euchlaena obtusaria



Clock On A Wall In Lafayette, California...
2006




Okie Doke. That's my round up of ON THE WALL. Click here to visit the official Round Robin blog which contains a link to the posts of the other participants for this round. Better yet, why don't you join in the fun. You can find all the information you need by clinking the above link!


:)


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 64~ Ooops!

"Exerperience is the name every one gives to their mistakes."


~Oscar Wilde


LOL. Ooops might be an understatement. I was out with my camera a while back, when I saw this pretty bird, so I thought it would be a good time to get in some practice with action shots. As you can see, it didn't exactly turn out as I hoped it would, in fact it was way off. As frustrated as I was, I couldn't help but see the humor in the situation. LOL. You see, this bird had been buzzing me, and my lunch, while I was enjoying a really pleasant day at Chrissy Field in San Francisco.

After about 25 minutes of solid buzzing, I decided to get the camera out and give the pesky bird the attention he was apparently demanding. I got it out, got my settings a fixed and ready, and what do you think Mr. Bird did? He came to a landing almost directly behind me on the picnic table behind me... LOL... where he settled in and refused to fly for the remainder of the time I was there! When things like this happen, I am pretty sure it is a message from the gods of photography saying... meh... you aren't so great!


Well, it could be, you never know about these things. LOL.

Anyway, Alan and I did have a good laugh about it, and as it turns out it's kind of a fun photo... don't you think? I mean you can tell it's a bird, and if you look really close, you can see one of the bird's eyes, and his beak. See. Wings, skinny bird feet. One eye and a beak. Yep, that's a bird. Right? LOL.


Sure it is.

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

~Mary Tyler Moore


:) By the way, Chrissy Field is absolutely gorgeous, and one of the best places to visit in San Francisco. It is great place to do some birding as well as enjoy the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. If you ever come to San Francisco... don't miss it!


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 63~ Unrelated Subjects

"The first rule of hurricane coverage is that every broadcast must begin with palm trees bending in the wind."


~Carl Hiaasen

Photo #1... PALM LEAF (palmate)


Okay, so just to be different I thought that I would take on two subjects that I rarely find myself photographing. Palm Trees, and almost anything related to commuting. I dislike palm trees with a passion, probably because they are just so darn common in California, but it could also be because they provide very little in the way of shade, and because they are so very uninteresting. Once in a while, however, I do see something about one of them that I will find photogenic, and earlier today that's what happened. The sun just happened to be shining through the leaves of a palm tree, in such a way as to be very  pleasing to the eye. SNAP. 


Tell me what you think about the photo. Good points. Bad points. Indifferent.


Now on to photo #2... TAKING THE FAST TRAK...

"Americans will put up with anything, provided it doesn't block traffic."


 ~Dan Rather

 

Now, there are a lot of things about FAST TRAK I find amusing... like why didn't they just spell it FAST TRACK? And isn't it amusing that it's called FAST TRAK and yet the little light that tells you to go through the toll booth, because you have already paid your toll with your FAST TRAK device, is yellow, which means SLOW DOWN. Okay, okay... I know... the powers that be want you to go through the poll booth area at a speed that is safe, which I completely get, and observe, but it's still odd to me. LOL. Was FAST TRAK the best name the powers that be could have come up with? Probably... but I kinda like... PREPAID CAREFUL. Nah... too long. Hey... how about... PAID SLOW. Nah... what does that mean? It sounds like I made payments on my device, and now everyone knows I had to buy it on layaway. Nope... that wouldn't work. Okay... I guess FAST TRAK was the way to go. But it's still kinda funny. Well, to me anyway. 


:)


To be serious for a moment. Every once in a while the news will report that someone, who isn't observing the proper speed limit, will go racing through the toll booths in the FAST TRAK lanes without slowing down. NO A GOOD IDEA! Humans work in that area. Driving really isn't that hard. Follow the rules. Leave early to avoid being late. SERIOUSLY CALIFORNIANS... PUT THE DAMN CELL PHONES AWAY ALREADY!

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 8 Months: Day 62~ Garden Update

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plants point of view."


~H. Fred Dale 


Time for a garden update. As you can see, the veggies have finally begun to make an appearance. The ones you see here are my beloved Heirloom tomatoes. Mr. Stripey to be exact. I have two Heirloom tomato plants this year, the other one is a Black Krim, and while he is coming nicely too, he is just a bit behind Mr. Stripey, but I think I will have some pictures of the Black Krim soon. Alan is also growing some lovely Momma Mia tomatoes along with some Zucchini and some yellow Crookneck Squash. The veggies are all doing well, and I think I will be posting some pictures soon of some wonderful homemade pizzas and perhaps some soup, stews and pies. I have several recipes I am working on developing. We'll see. I always look forward to coming up with my own recipes, and I love cooking in the autumn.


 

And now the roses...

 

 

What can I say, I have no complaints about me lovelies. Since I first began the rose garden, 4 years ago, I have had my ups and downs. Aphids. Cats who enjoy a good rose as if it were a box of popcorn, and the occasional gopher... lol... well... you know about gophers... but this is the strongest and most disease resistant the roses have been. They are all really strong, and I am confident they will do really well over next winter. We have added some white rock this past week, which give them a lot of protection when weeding. I am planning to do some cuttings in October, and if all goes well, I will have some second generations to plant in the early spring. At least that is what I am hoping for. Last year we took 5 cuttings and 3 survived. That's not too bad... is it?

 

:) Heirloom Tomatoes YUM!
 


~Me

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 61~ Black And White Revisited

"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence."


-Ansel Adams


I am definitely in a black and white mood, both in my photography and in day to day life. I made an observation today on Twitter regarding the upcoming presidential election, and just how weary I feel about it. Odd. Most years I can't get enough politics, but this time around... well... sigh.


It all feels incredibly dismal. 4 years ago I wasn't ready to put my faith in Obama because it seemed like he had too much figured out. Its not that his theories seemed unsound, no, but rather he was so very sure that every step he had planned was going to absolutely work.


I found him to be unrealistic then... and four years later... he is unrealistic now. NO DOUBT... he inherited a MESS. He has tried in good faith to help America undo the damage left behind by nearly a decade of incompetence by the Bush administration, but I am out of patience watching Obama hope... yes... hope that the GOP will wake up one morning, ready to compromise.


President Obama announced yesterday that he wants to see the tax cuts for the middle class extended for another year. Okay, what about those fat cats who haven't paid their share? What about them? Obama says he wants those tax cuts to expire. Haven't we all been to this dance? It's Tax Cut Roulette. Is there one reason that I should expect that this round will end any different?


Its exhausting.


It makes me want to turn my head and look away.


But the resistance to that is that I have NO patience for folks who don't care enough to pay attention.


By my own standards for myself... I have to pay attention.


And I want to pull my hair out.


Vote Obama? 


I am finding that prospect nearly impossible. I don't have much faith in him. He refused to listen to the experts on how to rebuild the economy, and here we are, 4 years later, and the best we can realistically say is, we could be worse off. How sad is that? The thought that we could already be in better shape, on our way to financial and social prosperity, if it wasn't for those damn republicans. We may not have made much ground,  but at least we know... it could be worse.


Sigh.


Vote Romney? 


All I can say is... A WORLD OF NO.


Let's pretend he never strapped the family pet to the top of his car and drove to Canada. Let's pretend he doesn't seem to know what his own values are. Let's pretend he isn't indecisive. Let's pretend he doesn't have tax shelters in the Cayman Islands. Let's pretend he doesn't own 8 houses, and his wife, Anne, doesn't drive 2 Cadillacs. Let's pretend...


I would rather not thank you.
 
Shrug.

~Me :)


As always, please feel free to share your opinions. Agree? Disagree? Indifferent? It's all good. Share away. However, respect is expected and encouraged.

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 60~ Summer To Autumn

"If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment."


~Linda McCartney

 

Linda McCartney took amazing photographs. I have loved her work and style since I first saw her photos in the 70's. It was heartbreaking to me when she passed away from breast cancer in 1998. I have a few books of her photography, and at times I have tried to style certain photos after some of her lovely photos. My winter photographs mostly, and of course my black and white ones as well. She had a lovely, soft, uncluttered style to her photography. I find them comforting. While capturing a single moment, she at the same time, reminds one that life need not be rushed. She understood life and it showed in the gentle photos she took. Someone told me once..." If you love the subject you are photographing, your pictures will convey that love." When you look at her photos, it was apparent, she knew about love.

It's nearly the middle of July, and I am already thinking about the coming autumn. Photography speaking, I will have a very full October this year. Alan and I have a lot of special days planned for this year's vacation month. Along with the usual photo jaunts, we are adding a ride above the San Francisco Bay in a Cessna, and now we have added a whale watching trip on board a catamaran. I don't get seasick... not even a little bit... but this is the smallest boat I have been on, so it will be a new experience. I am so excited to step outside my comfort zone and try these new opportunities. With my camera in my hand, I am always braver. LOL. We'll see. I know both are perfect ways to spend an October day. October is a lovely time of year in the Bay Area. 

So, this week I am putting one foot back into the water, so to speak, by doing all new photography. I am particularly interested in doing some black and white scenes. Some simple, everyday scenes is a start. It's been too long since I worked with that. I need to also do some summer photos that are as interesting in black and white as they would be in color. That takes a lot of thought. Weather, time of day, and choice of subject must be planned out. On the other hand, just getting in the car and photographing subjects as they introduced themselves is fun also. I want to begin a transistional file of season to season. Summer to Autumn has challenges of it's own. Should be a good way to exercise those creativity muscles that have been neglicted while my thyroid needed attention.

Again... We'll See.

 

 

:)

~Me :)

Today's Awesome Photography...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-57-58-and-59.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 59~ Outrageous Color

"Imagine a delicious glass of summer ice tea. Take a long, cool sip. Listen to the ice crackle and clink. Is the glass part full or part empty? Take another sip. And now?"

~Vera Nezarian, The Perpetual Calender of Inspiration 
 



Color... Crazy, Vivid, Picturesque... Color. I enjoy photographing grays and muted earth tones, but how could anyone with a camera ever pass up the bright, cheerful shades of summer. Blue like the ocean, purple of royalty, the bright sunny oranges, which will transition to soft pumpkin shades in autumn. Color.... Crazy, Vivid, Picturesque... AMAZING COLOR.

 


Happiness.


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 58~ Luck

"Not all those who wander are lost."


~J.R.R. Tolkien


Alan and I tend to have some pretty magical luck. More times than not, we have found ourselves in the right place, at not just the right time,  but the perfect time. A couple weeks ago, he and I decided that we would go to San Francisco on the 4th of July to watch the fireworks. It had been a few years since we had done so, because of my lack of energy or because he was scheduled to work. But this year he decided to schedule the 5th off, so we could revisit one of our favorite things, driving along the Embarcadero, in search of the perfect timing, to have a front row seat for the fireworks show.


We left at around 7:00 pm, and headed to the Bay Bridge for the 9:30 pm show. There was a lot to consider about going, in that there was the usual threat of some low fog expected to come through the Golden Gate at about the same time the fireworks were scheduled to begin. We did a bit of debating back and forth. Would it be a washout? Would it be a wasted trip? Finally, in the end, we decided to brave it, because the thing is with San Francisco fog, it seems to have a mind of it's own. In years past, the fog has showed up when not really expected, and other times it has stalled just short of the Golden Gate.


It's San Francisco. It's fog. LOL

 

When we got into the city we were pleasantly surprised to find the traffic wasn't all that bad. We inched along the Embarcadero, until we were we were forced to take Bay street up the hill away from Pier 39, the first sight of where the fireworks were to begin. It was a disappointing turn of events, but we held out hope that we could somehow make our way over to Aquatic Park, which sits just down from Ghiradelli square for the second sight of the fireworks show. Unfortunately, we were also directed away from that spot as well. After moving through traffic for about 12 blocks, we decided to head back toward the Bay Bridge and call it a night.


About 2 blocks later, all the traffic came to a stop. We were on a hill, high above Aquatic Park, and to our amazement, in an apparent front row seat for the most beautiful fireworks show the city could have done. We had NO idea when we turned back toward the middle of the city, that we were actually heading in the right fitrction for the show. As soon as it began, all 4 sides of the intersection was stopped until the show was over. There was no one in front of us, so we had a completely unobstructed view. It was magical. I managed to snap off a few decent photos, but mostly Alan and I cuddled and enjoyed the romance of the moment. Then, about 5 minutes into the show, Alan handed me a box, and whispered... I Love You. Inside... an amazing pearl Y necklace set in 14 carat gold, with one large pearl in the center, and several smaller ones around it.

 

It's Gorgeous! Silly man still loves me and spoils me after almost 22 years. :)


Silly man.


I love my fella.


It was a good night. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE my necklace, but our magic doesn't come from material things, our magic comes from having found each other in a very big world. And a love that will last beyond this lifetime. You could say we have good timing.

~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 57~ Fun With Crickets

"If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos."


~Edward O. Wilson


According to the University of Minnesota, this is a House Cricket. I just call it BLECH! When I first got my drivers license, I thought it would be fun to drive a convertible, and at 25, when I decided to go car hunting, I  considered purchasing one. I had fallen in love with the Pontiac Fiero, and was all set to buy one, when  my dad pointed out some obvious pitfalls. Rain... a lot of convertibles leak. Sunburn... so don't forget to stock up on lots and lots of sunscreen. Incontinent birds... or at least some that don't care how cool I look behind the wheel of sporty little car, when you have to go, you have to go. And the one pitfall that he knew would absolutely cause me to come to my senses... UGLY, FLYING CREATURES.


Ummm... yep. UGLY, FLYING CREATURES changed my mind. Yep. 


As I watched this House Cricket hang on to the windshield, it reminded me of that conversation dad and I had all those years ago. Since that conversation back in the 80's I have heard of more than one close encounter with a FLYING BUG. My brother-in-law was driving his truck down HWY1 one warm summer afternoon, when he was broadsided, in the left cheek, by a large dragonfly. It had a big beak, that took a huge chunk out of his face. Luckily he kept his head and was able to stop safely, but now he can't stand to be around them. Which, of course, I completely understand. Wouldn't you?


So, while I will never own a convertible, driving a hard topped car allows me to photograph moments like this one. I wasn't really thrilled that the cricket was there, but getting out my camera and getting to work on photographing it made me feel better. My camera has done a lot to alleviate my fears and phobias. It inspired me to I read a bit about this House Cricket and learn about what he was about. It's a rather interesting critter, both in actuality and in myth and lore. I am sure the HOUSE CRICKET has his place in the world, but I would rather it hadn't been on my windshield. Like I said... BLECH. LOL.


~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-55.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 56~ The One

"Look what happens when preparation meets opportunity."


~Seneca


Just a short post today, as I am absolutely exhausted from last night's fireworks show in San Francisco. It was an event filled evening. More details to follow over the next few days...


~Me :)


Today's Links


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-55.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 55~ Happy 4th Of July

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself."


~Thomas Paine


Happy 4th of July! :) Take LOTS AND LOTS OF PICTURES! :)


~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-54.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 54~ Studying The Archives

"There are two kinds of light. The glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures."


~James Thurber

 

One last posting of archived fireworks, before the 4th of July. I have been studying different online articles about photographing fireworks and I have done a small amount of practicing with low light. It has been a while since I have done a subject as demanding as fireworks. Gosh so much goes into preparing for the outing. I was hoping to be able to perhaps purchase a small amount of home fireworks, to get some practice in, but, alas, fireworks are prohibited in Alameda County. Sigh. 

 

I have looked at a lot of fireworks photos online, and while absolutely gorgeous, most are Photoshopped to death, and therefore not a whole lot of help. One thing that makes me feel better, a lot of photographers don't seem to let the inevitable smoke that tends to hang in the air bother them. I guess it's a necessary evil. Well, I am ready I think, now we just have to decide if I want to shoot up towards the fireworks, or try for a spot that looks down on top of them. As always, that old reliable San Francisco fog will lead me. One thing I do know, without having to think about it... TRIPOD, TRIPOD, TRIPOD.



Wish me luck. Please.


:)

New York Institute of Photography: Photographing Fireworks With A Digital Camera
National Geographic: Photographing Fireworks


~Me
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-53.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 53~ When Foregrounds Attack

"The details of life have a tendency to interfere with the actual living of life."


~Richard Diaz


LOL. I am pretty sure I know where I went wrong here. LOL. It's so funny, but when I took this photo I was really happy with the color, lighting and composition. When I got home and uploaded it to my editing gallery, I saw that there were glaring mistakes. No balance. Dull focal point. Rule of thirds? What rule of thirds? LOL. I love photography because I am always learning from it, and about it. My photography is a work in progress. LOL. Note to self... STOP THE CLUTTER. Well, unless I am photographing...ummm... CLUTTER.

 "Little details of life have special talents in creating big problems."


~Mehmet Murat Ildan

NEXT...


:)


~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/apadf6-52.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 52~Fireworks Photography

"Everything is created moment to moment, always new. Like fireworks, this universe is a celebration and you are the spectator contemplating the eternal fourth of July and your absolute splendor."


~Francis Lucille


Generally speaking, I have had pretty good luck photographing fireworks. The very first time I did so, came about as a bit of a surprise. Alan and I had spent the day in San Francisco and were on our way home by way of Marin County, when we decided to stop at the vista point on the Marin side of the Golden Gate. All of a sudden the sky lit up from the area around AT&T Park, which is south of the Bay Bridge. Apparently the Giants had a fireworks show after the game that night, and I got a great opportunity to do some photography on instinct. The photo above was the first one I took, and while I think I did okay with it, I still wish I would have zoomed in tighter as to not has so much black in the foreground. I have considered doing some cropping, but I always seem to go with the photo as it is. Over all I kinda like the balance of the bright city lights, and the solid forefront. 


With the Fourth of July only a few days away, I am spending a lot of time in my fireworks folders from previous events, to see what I did right, and what didn't work at all. Lets face it, Photoshop is a good tool to have for events like fireworks, if for nothing else, to eliminate the noise and small odd reflection, but my goal is to not have to rely on the editing tool. It takes some work to compose a successful fireworks photo, you have to know your camera and your general surroundings. To tripod, or not to tripod? Relaxation is a good thing to practice, as to not make mistakes by getting anxious or feeling rushed. The two photos below were taken on July 4th, 2007, as Alan and I drove along the Embarcadero in San Francisco. It was the best shot out of about 200 or so photos taken that night. I was happy that at least 1 came out well. It was a difficult shot to achieve, in that every few feet, as we inched along, completely changed the scene and conditions. 


I did have to do a small amount of editing, mostly to tone down glare and noise. The natural lighting had an orange cast to it, so I kept that and did a small amount of back light enhancing. Over all, it was pretty much what I hoped to get from that moment. It had taken me longer than I thought it would to get my focusing set, so it felt good see something good come from the work I put into it. I have tried displaying the photo in both color and black/white and I am not sure which I prefer. So, that's where you come in. I would love some feedback about the three photos in this post. Help me be a better fireworks photographer. Give it to me straight... okay? If you have some fireworks photos, please post some on Monday, and tell me about your experiences with photography in that type of lighting. 


Natural Lighting...



Black and White Editing...



Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?


~Me :)

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 50~ RRC-Keys

"No one can drive us crazy unless we give them the keys."


~Doug Horton


RRC: Keys Hosted by Karen, of the blog, Outpost Mavarin






The current challenge subject for the Round Robin Photo Challenge is "KEYS." It's an ironic subject, because for the last month or so it has been a subject that has played LOUDLY for Alan and I. Keys to our cottage, keys to our cars, keys to our fence, keys keys keys. I was going to tackle this assignment by posting a little about all the different KEY situations we have found ourselves in, but at the last minute I decided to choose one situation to share. The quote above serves all the situations, and I know that someday it will all seem funny, but I am preferring not to dwell... for now.


So, how about we talk about my car Lilith...


 


We bought Lilith in late September of 2006. My old car Angelica, aka a 2001 Saturn SL1 had lived a good life, but was now ready to move on to her final resting place. Alan's car, was also tired from having served him well, so off we went to the Saturn dealership to find two new rides.


We both chose 2007 Saturn IONs. Alan chose a gold one, and I picked one in Cypress green. Well, actually, I had chosen a candy apple red one, but after further consideration finally took the green one. I love the color of my car. In the sun it is either green or gold or a combination of both when the sun hits it just right. Lilith is a confortable car, and we were both happy, until 3 weeks after my warrentie expired... and you guessed it... Lilith broke down.


The estimate was about $4000. It was two years after I bought her. She had 3 more years of car payments. And it was going to cost $4000 to get her running again. $$#@*&^! Coincidentally, Gov. Schwarzenegger had just decided to furlough state employees by taking 3 days pay out of their checks per month, and Elvis was becoming ill. It was a perfect storm of stupid. So, Alan and I made the decision to continue to make the car payments, and deal with Elvis's illness. The car is not a living, breathing thing, but my boy was.


So, though all the various ins and outs of the last few years. Alan and I are once again on an upswing. Don't get me wrong, we don't have endless piles of cash lying around, but we were able to get my car fixed, finally, about a month ago.Now, how does a key fit into all this... well... you see... Lilith ran well... for about a month, and then suddenly a couple weeks ago, the mechanism that the key fits into got stuck. We couldn't get the key out of the car. UGGGGGGGG! No worries, 2 days and $400 later, she is driving like a dream. Half waking NIGHTMARE and half SURREALIST COMEDY.

 

In that Lilith wasn't driven for 4 out of the last 6 years, she drives like a brand new car. And that's great because I always loved her, and while she might be a 2007, she is a gal with low miles. LOL. I am a happy camper. I wouldn't have wanted to get rid of her, and she should have a few more really good years left in her. She only has 30,000 miles on her, and besides, she takes me to see beautiful things like Golden Gate Park and the Monarchs in Pacific Grove. I love my car. She's my Lilith. So the key you see above... that is the key to a lot of happiness.






Although I did read not too long ago that the Saturn ION is one of the worst cars ever made. But I don't think I will dwell on it. LOL.


~Me :)

** Today's APAD Link...
JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/apadf6-50-51.html
 
**If you would like to see what the other Robins came up with for the challenge, just click here.

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 50~If lincoln Were Here

"Life is not merely to be alive, but to be well." 

 ~Marcus Valerius Martial

If Abraham Lincoln were alive today, I think he would be happy with today's ruling by the Supreme Court, but would he still be a Republican? Would he be a Republican by today's standards? Would he support torture? Would he be for or against Healthcare Reform? In that some want to think he actually did hunt vampires for God's sake, would he stop there? Just so we are on the same page, HE DIDN'T HUNT VAMPIRES. But if you look around online, you will find out that some absolutely insist that he did. God, it sounds like something Sarah Palin would say while doing a photo op at the Lincoln Memorial. LOL. But if he did, why would he stop there? Wouldn't he want folks to be healthy? I know what I think... but what about you?

 I have to admit that I was expecting the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the Patient Protection and Affordable Car Act, aka ObamaCare. After the ridiculous ruling of Citzen's United, who wouldn't feel a little cynical that Supreme Court would once again bow to the will of the GOP? But as it turns out, they did the right thing. Was I completely happy with PPACA? No. I wanted to see the Public Option included and wasn't happy to see it negotiated away, but the fact that America might just be a healthier place in a 100 years makes me feel like finally we are doing something positive for future generations. There is a lot more that can be done, but for now, this is a start.


Keith Olbermann originally made this Special Comment back in 2009, while he was still at MSNBC. It was a passionate, focused observation about the necessity of Health Care Reform. Valid then. Valid Now. If you haven't seen it, do so.



 ~Me :)


Today's Link...


JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/apadf6-49.html

Kat
 http://inmydreamssfk.blogspot.com/2012/06/terns-at-nickerson-beach.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months:Day 49~ Beaches

"The three great elemental sounds in nature are the sound of rain, the sound of wind in a primeval  wood,
and the sound of outer ocean on a beach."

~Henry Beston

Surprise! An early post of all new photos! I took all of these photos on yesterday at Crown Beach in Alameda. Beaches, are another one of those subjects I am determined to tackle this summer. The Bay Area has no shortages of amazing beaches. San Francisco, San Mateo County, Marin County. Santa Cruz. And if you want to push it, the Mendocino coast to the north Carmel-By-The-Sea . Lots and lots of beaches, all with their own unique vibe. I chose Crown Beach yesterday, because I was also interested in doing a little bird watching, and at the south end of the beach sits the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. We got skunked on the birds, they were otherwise engaged apparently, but the beach itself was quite lovely, and we pretty much had it all to ourselves. It was nice, well, except for all the sand I brought home with me. LOL. Oh well, sand happens... right?

:)

The mountain range in the background of the photo series is Mt. San Bruno in San Mateo County. And yes, another place that's on my photography Bucket List.

:)






~Me :)

Today's Link...

JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/apadf6-47.html

A Photo A Day For 6 Months: Day 48~ Palace Of Fine Arts

"There are three forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, sculpture is art you can walk around, architecture is art you can walk around."

~Dan Rice

 

The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco is one of my favorite places to do photography. The grounds are so lovely and peaceful, I have found myself getting lost in the beauty of the place many times. When I am not enjoying it for it's trees and plant life, I am often amused by the birds. I have photographed many ducks, egrets and a heron or two, but the swans are the royalty of the palace. Its a lot of beauty to appreciate. It has a rich history in that it was built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific Exposition, as a place to display works of art, and later becoming an and a 966 seat Exploratorium theater.

"Architeture, of all the arts, is the one which acts the most slowly, but the most surely, on the soul."

~Ernest Dimnet

The earthquake retrofitting that was being done a few years back was finished in 2009, so now it's time to go back over to the city and revisit the palace and do some more photos of this amazing place. I CAN'T WAIT. As I have been revisiting all these photos from my archive, I had a really good idea where I want to jump back in with my photography. San Francisco has NO end to the wonderful places to take the camera. I completely love it here. Gas prices are stabilizing. My health is doing better, and I am ready to get my groove back. So, the first week in August is it. New Photos. New experiences to share. New adventures. No more excuses. Hold me to it... okay?


;) 

"The mother of art is architecture. Without an architecture of  our own, we have no soul of our own civilization"


~Frank Lloyd Wright

My friend Steven, who I miss very much, every day, once told me, that if I couldn't get out daily to do photography on a grand scale, then try backyard photography. Flowers, bees, birds... . He said it would help me keep moving forward. He was right. I wish I could tell him. I wish I could say THANK YOU. I hope wherever he is, he knows how much I appreciated his advice and friendship.


~Me:)

Now, here is where you can find JR and what he is seeing today...




JR
http://jrclinephotography.blogspot.com/2012/06/apadf6-47.html