SFMoMA is a rare place where I am glad to use the bathrooms, because they are visually so satisfying.
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Art: Possibly Watersheds (5 July 2025)
I like the arrows and topographical forms! This is a detail from one of several panels on (South) Van Ness between Market and Mission Streets.
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Out and about on Independence Day (4 July 2025)
The sky was clear and the light was great by the time I got downtown on our national holiday... I had two types of expired film to use, and so visited downtown to continue my architectural details series in Lomochrome purple, and the botanical garden for expired color slide film.
The fact that it is expired makes for low expectations and the opportunity for the pleasant surprise of my expectations being exceeded.
I shot the slide film with a portrait lens, and realized that my golden era of plant photography involved the special recipe of a single lens reflex camera, a fast (f1.4) lens, and various cheap close-up lenses which provided soft backgrounds of high quality. I've been trying to get the same results with other equipment (including my newest digital camera), and hope to be pleased with yesterday's experiment, but must admit that my old approach gave me unusually good results... I understand how special they were more now that I struggle to achieve similar looks. (I can't easily go back: work I had done on the camera created new problems...)
So let me say: I appreciate phone photos very much: they give me very satisfying results.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
June Highlights: Arms Alone (26 June 2025)
There was no reason for these to be here, on a utility box, and yet there they were...
June Highlights: Nightclub
I have just one friend who enjoys dancing, and I don't know how this is possible, but she joined me, and we had a great time!
June Highlights: Near Pier 70 (20 June 2025)
I have a rust fetish that exceeds normal ranges, and had a great time with wonderful light at and around Pier 70.
June Highlights: Sunset (18 June 2025)
I rushed across town after work in hopes of seeing the cliffs lit by the setting sun, and made it just in time.
June Highlights: Asian Art Museum (15 June 2025)
I dropped by the Asian on a hot afternoon, and refreshed myself with gorgeous art.
June Highlights: Mission Festivals
Carnaval returned during a local street festival, when the dancers who had worked so hard for the parade were able to share the spirit with locals by dancing again and posing for photos.
June Highlights: Presidio Flora
I went for a walk on an overcast day with friends in the Presidio: the lighting was just fine for flower portraits.
May Highlights: Expired Polaroid Originals SX-70 Photos (31 May 2025)
As part of my 'refrigerator project,' I am consuming all of the expired film I've been hoarding in my refrigerator. This Polaroid Originals film was manufactured and expired in the same year, just over 7 years ago. While shooting it, it remained completely blank... So I fired off wildly, figuring that nothing would come out, only adjusting the exposure toward the very end. I put the photos in a bag, and later that day realized that some of them actually developed out fully! Faintly, but fully.
So: use your film while it's fresh, people.
May Highlights: Carnaval (25 May 2025)
Carnaval is one of our best local festivals, and I took SO MANY PHOTOS this year... I have two galleries up on my photography website.
2025 Carnaval SF - People and 2025 Carnaval SF - Cars. These are favorites among many favorite scenes...
May Highlights: Instax Mini Walk (24 May 2025)
My Lomo Instant Square is my best Lomo camera so far: Instax film delivers! (Even when expired!)
May Highlights: Chase Center (21 May 2025)
My Cousin referred to this as the Starfleet view, and I giggle every time I remember it.
May Highlights: Alhambra (18 May 2025)
I'm glad the sign has survived, even though it hasn't been painted recently.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)