Sunday, May 31, 2015

Palo Alto

Atrium in Rain - Palo Alto  2015

Umbrellas - Palo Alto  2015

When we left San Francisco it was nice and dry, but by the time we got to Palo Alto it was really coming down. Time for the 20mm Panasonic lens with the rubber lens shade.

I'm thinking that the umbrella-toters are Palantir employees. No proof, but Palantir has quite a large presence in that part of Palo Alto.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

From Caltrain

Overpass, Tracks - San Francisco  2015

Skyline, Tracks - San Francisco  2015

More from the Caltrain window.

I featured that tall building to the right in an earlier post.


Friday, May 29, 2015

Chimney

Chimney - San Francisco  2015

Chimney - San Francisco  2015

I'm labeling this a San Francisco scene, although the photos are probably taken somewhere south of the city, from a Caltrain window. Shot at 1/1000th second.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Cotton Belt / UP 1068

Cotton Belt - San Francisco  2015

"The St. Louis Southwestern Railway (reporting mark SSW), known by its nickname of 'The Cotton Belt Route' or simply Cotton Belt, is a former US Class I railroad which operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and various points in the states of Arkansas and Texas from 1891 to 1992.

"Many former SSW locomotives are used by Union Pacific today, although few still sport unmodified 'Cotton Belt' paint. Most of the remaining units have been repainted into the UP scheme, while others wear patched SSW paint with a UP shield logo and new numbers applied over the SSW number."

This engine seen from the window of a Caltrain commuter car.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Made With Real California Grapefruit

California Grapefruit - San Francisco  2015

Wow! Under 70 calories! From Austin!

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

, , , from the archives #85: Datura Blossoms, Mojave Desert, 1975

Datura Blossoms - Mojave Desert  1975

"Oddly enough, Datura is known both as the Angel’s Trumpet and the Devil’s Weed. Much of the contemporary interest in Datura is traceable to the writings of Carlos Castaneda, and especially his popular book The Teachings of Don Juan. In this work, Castaneda describes the philosophy of Don Juan, a Yaqui sorcerer and shaman, whom he had met in the early 60s, before psychedelic drugs became popular with the hippie movement. In Castaneda’s writings, Don Juan appears as a typical shaman who teaches his apprentices to navigate through the fantasy realms carried by the wings of Datura.

"Although typically associated with Peyote, Castaneda’s first drug experiences were actually with Datura. In a series of fascinating dialogues, Castaneda learns from Don Juan, his teacher and shaman, about a spiritual helper—an ally—living in Datura plants. The name Don Juan uses to refer to this spiritual entity is one of the Spanish names for Datura: Yerba Del Diablo or 'Devil’s Weed.' The shaman’s power is vast and unthinkable, but it comes to its full use only with the help of the ally who assists in transcending the realm of conventional reality. In one of his infamous experiments with Datura, Castaneda transformed into a crow and learned how to fly—just like medieval witches on their broomsticks."


From a 40-year old negative!

Monday, May 25, 2015

Monday Geese Blogging

Geese - Central California  2015

Geese Landing - Central California  2015


Two more photos from the Cosumnes preserve.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Cosumnes Water

Cosumnes Water - Sacramento County  2015
Taken with the wide-angle zoom.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Bridge over Sacramento River

Bridge, Sacramento River - Central California  2015
Just past Isleton the road, built on the top of the levee, twists and turns, with views of a number of bridges spanning the river. This one wasn't open to passenger vehicles, but there was a nice turnout for photos.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Cosumnes Marsh

Cosumnes Marsh - Sacramento County 2015

Taken at the Cosumnes River Preserve. Taken in April . . . please compare to a similar shot taken last year in the winter.

A three-vertical-shot merge.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Isleton #2


Lee Bros Dry Goods - Isleton  2015

Lee Bros Door - Isleton  2015
Others have photographed this particular building.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Isleton #1

Old Union Icehouse - Isleton  2015

Bulletin Board - Isleton  2015

I parked the truck and walked up and down the short, almost-deserted main street in Isleton, a small town located adjacent to the Sacramento River levee.


"The city has many preserved 19th-century era storefronts along its main street, some of which show distinct Chinese influences. Chinese began immigrating to Isleton around 1875, and at its peak, the Chinese population numbered approximately 1,500."

- Wikipedia

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Highway 12, Windmills

Highway 12, Windmills - Central California  2015

Highway 12 going towards Rio Vista. Taken during a little photo excursion last month exploring the California Delta area.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Monday Blackbird Blogging

Blackbird - Sacramento County  2015

Taken during a recent trip to Cosumnes River Preserve. Taken using an Olympus E-M10 and a 14-150mm zoom lens.

Alas, it doesn't seem to be the rare tricolored blackbird.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Near 19th Avenue

Church - San Francisco  2015

Stairway - San Francisco  2015

A break in the series of photos taken in the grittier sections of San Francisco. I took these photos after I had set up my booth for the Stonestown Farmers Market in the southwest part of San Francisco. Early morning, as you might be able to tell from the shadows.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

HDR Truck

Truck - Marin County  2015
I took this as an HDR experiment, using an Olympus E-M10 mounted on a tripod, with seven exposures triggered wirelessly using an iPhone.

Interesting, but probably just a regular handheld shot would have worked just as good.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Bay Bridge

Bay Bridge & Plane - San Francisco  2010

Bay Bridge & Clouds - San Francisco  2010

. . . from five years ago. Taken with a Canon G9.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Banana, Self Portrait

Banana, Self Portrait - San Francisco  2014

Me holding an Olympus E-PL5 with the 45mm lens, a very hand-holdable combination.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Mex Express / Bus Stop

Mex Express - San Francisco  2015

Bus Stop - San Francisco  2015
Two more photos taken with an Olympus 45mm "prime" lens. So, it doesn't have the flexibility of a zoom, but is very fast to focus and optically very good.


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Gangway


Gangway #1 - San Francisco  2015

Gangway #2 - San Francisco  2015

"One of the city's oldest gay bars."

Monday, May 11, 2015

Monday Pigeon Blogging

Pigeons near Powell St - San Francisco  2015

Pigeons on Fire Escape - San Francisco  2015

Two photos of the ubiquitous birds in San Francisco.

. . . that recalls to mind another nice pigeon shot, taken in San Francisco in 2005.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

From Twin Peaks, 2005

From Twin Peaks - San Francisco  2005

A ten-year old shot! When I worked in downtown San Francisco I had the opportunity to take a little side trip to the viewpoint at Twin Peaks when the weather promised to be interesting, as it was this time.

I used the excellent Olympus C8080 camera for this photograph, but alas, only a jpeg (the camera could shoot raw, but only very slowly.)

Saturday, May 9, 2015

San Francisco Federal Building

Shopping Cart, Federal Building - San Francisco  2015

iPhone photo taken while stopped at a red light.

Yes, Mike used to work there. For one week.

Friday, May 8, 2015

New Princess / New Century

New Princess - San Francisco  2015

New Century - San Francisco  2015

Two different "news" seen on my recent excursion into downtown San Francisco.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Murals


Master Car Care - San Francisco  2015

Motorcycle Only - San Francisco  2015

A lot of murals in this particular area of San Francisco. (Not the Financial District. More in the vicinity of the Tenderloin.)

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

San Francisco City Hall

City Hall - San Francisco  2015

Looking across Hyde Street. I had taken the ferry into San Francisco, then took BART to the Civic Center Station. Unlike an earlier trip, this time I managed to take some photos using a "prime" - non-zoom - lens, in this case, the Olympus 45mm, used above.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Mt.Tamalpais AM

Gas Station, Mt. Tamalpais - Marin County  2015

A last-quarter photo that I wanted to put on the blog.

Link to an earlier Mt. Tam / Gas Station photo.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Monday Horse Blogging

Horse, Oak Tree - Marin County  2015

Taken at the stable. I noticed this horse framed by by favorite oak tree (among others) . . . never saw that before.

Luckily I had my Olympus 14-150mm "superzoom" with me! Camera was the E-M10.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Richmond Bridge

Richmond Bridge, Clouds - Marin County  2015

Richmond Hills, Sun Rays - Marin County  2015

Very dramatic, I deem.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

San Francisco Sightems



Langton St., Evening - San Francisco  2015

Checking Phone - San Francisco  2015
South of Market.

Friday, May 1, 2015

Oak Tree

Oak Tree #1 - Marin County  2015

Oak Tree #2 - Marin County  2015

Same tree from different angles.