One of the conductors pretended to row… I ran my errands in style today!
A.E. Graves' old-school blog. iPhone13 photos; previously: iPhone 7 or 5 photos, topical posts, migrated Google+ posts (2011 to 2019); iPhone 1 photos (Jan 2008 - Sept 2012). My photos copyright A.E.Graves; reviewed/other content copyright remains with their respective creators!
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Reddest Bathroom
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)
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: 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: 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
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: Classic (18 May 2025)
It's July, and I still haven't posted photos from the second half of May... If I were keeping up, I would post a large collection, but since I'm playing catch-up, I'll only post a few of the hits.
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Twelvemonth
A friend who likes to break us out of our SF habits took us down to plant-based restaurant Twelvemonth in Brisbane, on this gorgeously sunny day. The space was pleasant; the food was pretty; the company was fun.
Monday, May 5, 2025
Sunshine at Land’s End
Sunday the forecast delivered what it promised: sunshine. While it remained misty along the coast, it was clear enough for me to test some color transforming film, and to get plenty of exercise while admiring our local flowers and landscapes.
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Spring (springing) around town
The landscaping around town is enjoying the weather, which has been quite foggy and windy of late, and yet they still know it is spring.
Here at home, nasturtiums are brightening my walkway.
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Verticals
All of my plans for the weekend were dependent upon sunny weather with sharp shadows. Luckily for me, I left the house at 9am to follow an opening in the clouds. Unluckily for me, that opening lasted less than two hours... But I was happy to have even that!
Here's that garage at UCSF Mission Bay that I once described as where Darth Vader would park, and I meant that as a compliment.
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Irresistible surface for texture fiends (Los Federales)
And Morphosis, the firm behind the design, made the other side of the building look COMPLETELY different...
Cherry Blossom Festival
I love cultural festivals! The SF Cherry Blossom festival is lively, and the grand parade is colorful and accessible.
The Taiko drumming groups are fun, fabulous, and can be heard from great distances! Their energy is impressive (and it's almost impossible not to move to their beats).The Cherry Blossom Court, resplendent in gorgeous kimonos as always...
The Taro Mikoshi! The volunteers carrying it were so amped up! They are a small storm of energy as they carry the portable, sake-laden shrine down the street...
It was fun, as always!