Sunday, So Warm

A lovely brunch with a friend, a walk, and then a return to my errands on a roundabout route...  Today has been a good day.

Out in the city with a neutral density filter

After some washed out (pale) Instax prints, I located a half neutral density filter (half dark, half clear) that came with the Lomo Instant Square Glass camera, to see if I can improve my results. 

This succeeded in giving me darker results, though sometimes darker than I had hoped.  I'll get a feel for it with more practice.

 

Ranunculus (which sounds like a cloud, but is really a flower)(21 March 2026)

 

More walking around SF (21 March 2026)

San Francisco can be so visually satisfying! 

Sunny Mission Walk (Instax)

The weather was nice, and I didn't want to work on any of my medium format projects, and so I went for a morning walk through part of the Excelsior and the Mission.  I enjoyed myself!  And quickly used up all the film I had with me.

 

White blossoms

Perhaps it really is spring, though it is hotter than summer this week. 

Ripples (toasted air 17 March 2026)

These patterns mesmerized me...  This isn't the first time, but it's the first time in a while that the horizon has been so brown. 

Dawn with Bay Lights and Birds (17 March 2026)

The light installation on the Bay Bridge called the Bay Lights has been reinstalled, and will officially be back on starting March 20th! 

The Seashore (15 March 2026)

The Pacific Ocean is vast and makes amazing sounds... 

Alcaraz and Nihonmachi on Instax Mini

 The Alcaraz Theater needed a look, and if only I'd brought along a neutral density filter (which I had in a box elsewhere), I could have brought out the colors in the tiles at a level that would satisfy me...

Ah, well.  I also took a trip to Japan Center for tea, and took a few images while there.

My neighborhood's first cherry blossoms (14 March 2026)

 

Fiery Urban Sunset (13 March 2026)

 

Alameda Highlights (13 March 2026)

 There is beauty everywhere...

San Mateo (7 March 2026)

I recently wondered how the San Mateo Japanese Garden is faring, and whether or not Spring properly arrived, so I took Caltrain down to have a look.

San Mateo was festive: several blocks had been converted into lively restaurant and pedestrian districts, with festive murals and abundant outdoor seating.  What a great update!

The garden was filled with people with strollers (despite signage warning that the paths can't accommodate them) and stroller parking: I must have hit the exact time of day everyone decides to visit?  Several trees in the garden were leafless, and so the forms I recall (and shot in infrared) were missing.  I'll have to visit again sometime later in the year.

The park surrounding the Japanese garden is undergoing a playground renovation, and so was mostly fenced off.  The camellias I could access were lovely.

My return walk featured a very odd security camera display plus a lovely mural.  I'm glad I satisfied my curiosity!

 

Night's lights (5 March 2026)

Color at night is appealing. 

Low sun, yellow light (5 March 2026)

I like how the shadows of passersby interrupt the gold sunlight... The fountain is in 525 Market Street's plaza.

Late plum (3 March 2026)

This plum tree has most of its leaves, but one part of the tree just got the memo about spring arriving...  This one is in Alameda. 

Yellow bird with giant echium (5 March 2026)

So small! So brightly colored! 

Wispy Clouds Above the Bay (27 February 2026)

You know what I'm like.  (A partner observed that I speak of San Francisco Bay with such love...) 

San Diego Arrival (23 February 2026)

I went to San Diego for a brief business trip, and went to Coronado for the first time.  Since the time was dominated with meetings, I didn't take photos - unusual for me!