Fotografia

Fotografia - Ensenada  1979

Another shot from Ensenada, taken with my medium-format camera.

Artistic impressions! (Thus do I translate.)

Monday Dog Blogging

Dog - Ensenada  1979

I can't remember taking this picture, but it's a good thing that I did, 'cause it fits right into the "Monday Blogging" theme.

Golden Gate Bridge / Polaris

Golden Gate Bridge (South) - San Francisco  2012

Polaris & Bridge - San Francisco  2012

- The south end of the Golden Gate Bridge, with historic Fort Point clearly visible under the arch.

- The vessel Polaris with the bridge as a backdrop. Thanks to Google, we are able to get some info on this unique boat.

San Francisco Sightems

Van Ness Red Light - San Francisco  2012

Ticket Machines - San Francisco  2012

People waiting to cross at Van Ness.

Ticket machines at the Ferry Building.

San Quentin

San Quentin Main Building - Marin County  2012

Guard Tower - Marin County  2012

. . . from the ferry. I used my new gizmo for these pix, the better to compose with.

Earlier photos here.

Woodacre Post Office Bench

Bench - Marin County  2012

Poem - Marin County  2012

. . . with poem tacked to tree behind the bench.

Abarrotes

Abarrotes - Ensenada  1979

In 1979 I managed to bring along a medium-format camera, likely a Mamiya RB67 (heavy and clunky). I'm thinking that it was used hand-held. Quality much better than with 35mm.

Ensenada 1979

Pemex Si - Ensenada  1979

Froc - Ensenada  1979

We visited Ensenada for a second time in 1979. The above photos kind of remind me of my Melrose Avenue pix (example). But in black and white. Taken with a Nikon F SLR.

Monday Pelican Blogging

Pelican & Truck - Ensenada  1979

Pelican - Ensenada  1979

1979, in Ensenada . . . down by the harbor. The bird just sat there, inscrutable.

Back Yard Pix

Sweet Peas - Marin County  2012

Corn Stalks - Marin County  2012

From the back yard.

Sweet peas . . . almost at the end of the season.

Corn stalks . . . we'll see. Planted in an Earth Box.

Bay Bridge

Bay Bridge, East Side Construction - San Francisco  2012

Bay Bridge, Self-Portrait - San Francisco  2012

Taken during a recent visit:

- Construction on the new section . . .  nearing completion, one hopes. New span is to replace old section damaged in the earthquake. The Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989.

- Bay Bridge with self-portrait.

How the new section is supposed to look:

Three Heads

Three Heads - Ensenada  1975

Continuing with the surrealist theme.

Clearly, the weather was overcast, with rain now and then. Nice light.

Ensenada Billboard

Billboard - Ensenada  1975

Billboard - Ensenada  1975

I always liked this. Just a little surrealistic.

. . . from the archives #74: Dog Walking, Ensenada 1975

Dog Walking - Ensenada  1979

We were in Ensenada for a dog show. While Hali busied herself with dog show doings, I wandered around with my Nikon F loaded with Panatomic-X film.

It's interesting: by scanning the negatives with my Epson V700 scanner, then using adjustment layers in Photoshop, I have to say that I'm getting better results than I could ever get in the darkroom.

Huh.

New Gizmo (VF-2 Viewfinder)

VF-2 Viewfinder - Marin County  2012

VF-2 Viewfinder - Marin County  2012

I've been using the VF-2 viewfinder on my small Olympus camera for several weeks now. It's a success! It's a gizmo that attaches to the top of the E-PL1 and serves as an eye level viewfinder . . . not an optical one, but a electronic one. Kind of like looking at a mini TV screen.

I was OK with using the LCD screen to compose, but I was having issues when the sun meant that the screen got washed-out. The VF-2 has solved that particular issue, but what's interesting is that I'm using it even when conditions don't particularly warrant it.

Main problem: doesn't work if you're wearing Polarized sunglasses.

Monday Egret Blogging

Egrets - Marin County  2012

Egret - Marin County  2012

Top: Egrets and Richmond Bridge.

Bottom: Egret seen on a Sausalito walking path.

. . . from the archives #73: Half Dome, Yosemite 1983

Half Dome (from North Dome) - Yosemite 1983

Yosemite Valley from North Dome - Yosemite  1983

Taken with one of my medium-format cameras that I must have somehow managed to cram into my pack.

I remember this hike - from high up on Tioga Road to North Dome - primarily because on the way to the trailhead I hit a deer which damaged the headlight on my Toyota Celica. How aggravating! The deer cut right across the road . . . couldn't do anything about it.

Anyway, other than that, it was a pleasant enough day. Among the hiking group was my brother Joe and others that I don't recall. Getting to the top of North Dome afforded a quite impressive view of Half Dome.

Other Half Dome views:

Half Dome from below.

Half Dome from Glacier Point.

Drone Simulation

Drone Simulation - Marin County  2012

. . . seen in the Fairfax Festival AM parade.

Men at Work

Two Workers - San Rafael  2012

Worker - San Rafael  2012

Seen in San Rafael.

I could be wrong, but it looks like the fellow in the bottom pix is working on a toilet.

San Anselmo Sightems

Flower Box - Marin County  2012

Flowers - Marin County  2012

Soothing sightems.

This Kind of Photo

Truck Door - Marin County 2012

Quonset Hut Reflections - Marin County  2012

It's been a while since I've posted this kind of photo.

Broom Pods

Broom Pods - Marin County  2012

"The pods are 2–3 cm long, tough and hard, and are transported easily by flowing water and animals. They burst open with force, dispersing the seeds several metres. The plant begins seed production once it reaches a height of approximately 40 cm, and each plant can live for 10–20 years. One mature plant can produce 10,000 seeds per season. The generous seed production and the plant's ability to re-sprout after cutting or burning help it to invade new habitat vigorously when introduced."

- Wikipedia

Earlier broom pix.

Monday Ground Squirrel Blogging

Squirrel - El Portal  2012

At my El Portal campground. Unlike the bunny, this fellow was quite clear about the fact that he knew where I was, continuously staring at me while he worked on his grass stems.

Buckeye Leaves

Buckeye Leaves - Marin County  2012

Buckeye Leaves - Marin County  2012

Above: taken middle of June.

Below: taken early July.

As we all know, buckeye leaves are the first to emerge in winter, and the first to go in late summer.

Point Reyes Fritos & Beer

Fritos & Beer - Point Reyes  2012

Another in the ever-popular Fritos & Beer series.

Remember the Greenwater Valley shot?

And what about the first-ever Fritos & Beer photo in 1994?

(Note: the little red bandana being held down by the canteen eventually succumbed to the forces of the wind and vanished from the scene.)

Point Reyes Stream #2

Beach, Stream - Point Reyes  2012

Beach, Stream, Ocean, Self-Portrait - Point Reyes  2012

Here's the stream not quite making it to the ocean, at two different times of the day.

Point Reyes Stream #1

Stream, Ocean - Point Reyes  2012

Stream, Gull - Point Reyes  2012

More photos from my backpack into Coast Camp last month. The lagoon on the ocean side of the eucalyptus tree, usually a landlocked pond, was overflowing. The most interesting visual feature was the stream thus created, sometimes running into the ocean, sometimes just stopping short.

At The Stable

Stable USA - Marin County  2012

Stable Flag - Marin County  2012

Patriotic stuff.

Point Reyes Wind

Blowing Sand - Point Reyes  2012

As I said, my last visit to Coast Camp turned out to be windy . . . especially down at the beach, where blowing sand meant hiding the camera under my jacket and at times forcing strategic retreats back inland.

Monday Turkey Vulture Blogging

Turkey Vultures - Pinnacles  2012

Evening at Mike's campsite at Pinnacles National Monument.

A series of swishing sounds, and subsequent scrabbling noises prompted Mike to grab his camera and check out the digger pine in back of his campground.

Yup. Turkey vultures coming in for the night.