Saturday, July 12, 2025

Nowhere In Particular (boat tram)

Collage of open-topped streetcar on SF streets

One of the conductors pretended to row…  I ran my errands in style today!


Sunday, July 6, 2025

Reddest Bathroom

White counter with sinks in a very red room

SFMoMA is a rare place where I am glad to use the bathrooms, because they are visually so satisfying.

Red bathroom with red stall doors

 

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.

Good font (5 July 2025)

San Francisco in 3D text on a white wall

Good font, good shadows. 

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Out and about on Independence Day (4 July 2025)

Collage: a sunny downtown plaza; highrise reflections on a granite and glass building; a cylindrical building on stilts over a triangular atrium; a bubbling fountain; a complex shadow.

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. 

Collage including hydrangeas and a range of other plants.

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)

Two mannequin arms on a metal box

There was no reason for these to be here, on a utility box, and yet there they were... 

June Highlights: Nightclub

Collage of nightclub lighting enhanced by a smoke machine

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)

Entrance labeled Building 12 with glass and rusty steel supports and corrugated metal all around

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)

Collage with near-sunset views of Baker Beach, Golden Gate Bridge, and mouth of the Bay with container ship

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)

Three interior museum displays: bamboo sculpture, weathered Buddha legs, white and gray moon jars

I dropped by the Asian on a hot afternoon, and refreshed myself with gorgeous art.

Three Views: exterior steel ribbon lantern shapes; chandelier from below; Japanese teahouse interior

 

June Highlights: Yerba Buena (15 June 2025)

 

Three colorful sculptures based on mythical creatures
These are festive - and VERY large!

June Highlights: Mission Festivals

Collage of four dancers in Brazilian Carnaval costumes

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

Collage of flowers of various colors and textures

I went for a walk on an overcast day with friends in the Presidio: the lighting was just fine for flower portraits.

Collage of flowers of various colors and textures

 

May Highlights: Expired Polaroid Originals SX-70 Photos (31 May 2025)

Collage of Polaroid prints (faded atop more faded images of buildings); the SX-70 Camera; and the camera with film packaging

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)

Dancer in indigenous costume adorned with feathers

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)

Grid of Instax Mini photos of houses, streetcars, and plants in the Castro District

My Lomo Instant Square is my best Lomo camera so far: Instax film delivers!  (Even when expired!)


 

May Highlights: Matilija (24 May 2025)

Five close-up images of Matilija poppies, resembling fried eggs made of crepe paper

Such a large and cheerful flower! 

May Highlights: Dolores (24 May 2025)

View of throngs of people on blankets enjoying sunshine in Dolores Park

Good weather is appreciated! 

May Highlights: Glen Park Stone (24 May 2025)


I love this wall every time I see it.

May Highlights: Chase Center (21 May 2025)

View of an atrium-like stairwell space within Chase Center, bathed in sunlight

My Cousin referred to this as the Starfleet view, and I giggle every time I remember it. 

May Highlights: Alhambra (18 May 2025)

Alhambra Theater Marquee with Minaret

I'm glad the sign has survived, even though it hasn't been painted recently. 

May Highlights: Classic (18 May 2025)

Oldsmobile chrome logo on a deep blue car

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

Two views: interior and exterior patio of Twelvemonth, Burlingame

Twelvemonth food: chilaquiles, avocado toast, soft serve, salad

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. 

24th Street BART Mural (refreshed)

Two panels of panorama of mural at 24th Street BART Plaza in San Francisco
I was afraid it would fade away, but it has recently been refreshed!  
 

Glam Window (Lan Jaenicke)

Shop window of Lan Jaenicke
What shiny, lovely dresses...



 

Lady of Wheat and Snakes

Cobblestone wall with marble-looking relief of a woman holding wheat and snakes

Such an interesting wall, this is... 

Verticals

View down a street of tall skyscrapers

 

The tower (has birds nests in it)

Shingled church tower

And I watched the birds come and go...

 

M for Mission

Old fashioned pink M box sign with bulbs

 

Past Posters

Photo of a wall covered with torn posters

 

Monday, May 5, 2025

Sunshine at Land’s End

 

Photos of Sutro Baths, yellow lupine, and a stone lion

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

Bird of paradise and pincushion protea in bloom

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.


Collage of blooming flowers in pink, violet, green with red edges, and reds

These plants at Salesforce Transit Center's fourth floor rooftop garden are bursting with color.

Two nasturtium flowers: one yellow with orange markings, and the other orange

Here at home, nasturtiums are brightening my walkway.

 

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Lilac of the moment

Close up of a lilac in bloom

I've seen it from the stairwell, but I finally went out to look at my lilac up close. 

Unnatural colors of the fun type



Reflective plastic tiles in yellow and blue

 

Reflection with subtle blues

Complex reflection with subtle blue and brown tones

The blues and tans in this are quite satisfying...

 

Geranium showing off

Pink and white geranium

 

Violet radial

Violet flowers on a blooming succulent

 What a color!

Verticals

architectural detail of vertical slats over a UCSF parking garage

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)

SF Federal Building by Morphosis

And Morphosis, the firm behind the design, made the other side of the building look COMPLETELY different...

Cherry Blossom Festival

Collage of festival dancers and flags

I love cultural festivals!  The SF Cherry Blossom festival is lively, and the grand parade is colorful and accessible.

Two floats of superb taiko drummers
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).
Collage of festival dancers in motion
A friend is going to be in our local Carnaval parade in May, so it was fun to point out the success of this collection of dancers - how they fill the street with color, energy, and music.

Collage of the Cherry Blossom Court (Pageant Winners)
The Cherry Blossom Court, resplendent in gorgeous kimonos as always... 
 
The Taro Mikoshi (a portable shrine with large sake casks and two men, topped by a phoenix), carried by a sea of volunteers
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!