Looking down at beaches, looking over batteries

There were a lot of people out, but it didn't feel or look crowded. 

Battery greens

The mix of greens is pleasing... 

Battery Graffiti

There was more colorful graffiti on the battery I first passed through, but what made me laugh was a collection of bird watchers on the roofs, while a hawk just sort of perched on a corner beyond their notice...  (See photo on the lower left, above.)

There was a good range of color and styles.

Batteries to Bluffs

I took a vacation day!  (What?  No, really, this is a thing that sometimes happens.). I went to the west side of the Presidio and had a lovely day, though I got too much sun.  The light was muted by high clouds all morning, but the sun blazed all afternoon. 

Recent Polaroids

 

On October 5th, I took the last three packages of Polaroid film for my SX-70 out of the fridge, and went for a long walk through North Beach and out to Fort Mason before the heat got to me, and I returned home.

The heat appears to have gotten to my film as well, as the newer era of integral films seems to change sensitivity in heat.

I went out today, in similar conditions, using the same settings, and had different results - and had to adjust my exposure settings significantly.

Setting the dark wheel to my preferred settings (25% darker) got me... very underexposed images despite well lit subjects.  This was a shock, considering my results on the 5th.  I also had a couple images which had odd streaking...  but the rest came out more like I was hoping.  So I figured it out with the last two in one cartridge, and the entire last cartridge.  Note that the camera tried in that last image for make the details of the building come out despite the dark palm tree shadow - it wants to show the texture on the white wall, and I love it for trying that!

The heat got to me again, but I lasted longer this time, and even got to see some of the (non-US-military) airshow.

Sunday afternoon, Stables and Crissy Field Area, Presidio National Park

 

I love those stables!  In black and white, especially - some of my nicest black and white, handmade darkroom prints are of this building...  And who can resist the festive colors of these buildings with fancy roofs?  NO ONE CAN, I'm telling you.

Sunday was fun

I had a great photo walk, learned that a fellow commuter is also a film photographer (and she appreciates monochrome films), and wore myself out after weekends without direct sunlight. 

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: Presidio Flora

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

 

Gorgeous Day, Presidio National Park (again)

I returned to the northeastern edge of SF today.  I used up a new roll of film AND the last of my very-expired 120 film, had fabulous tacos from a truck that was generous with guacamole (El Fuego), and marveled that I get to live in this city.

 I usually shoot the Presidio in monochrome, but yes, the reds do call to me.

Spring at Presidio National Park (06 April 2025)

I have cameras to test and expired film to play with, so I went out to San Francisco's own Presidio National Park to enjoy all that it has to offer.

I remain impressed by the development of the park facilities over the freeway: the "Tunnel Tops" area has been turned into a very popular, very attractive destination in its own right.

The landscaping looks AMAZING this time of year, and I am still stunned by the novelty of pincushion protea that aren't blooming symmetrically.  (How?  Why?)

People enjoy the Main Post lawn and those wild, bright red chairs (which also make for vibrant photos). The lawn is giving the illusion of not being crowded because everyone has someone in line at a food truck (outside the boundaries of the image).

I wanted to compare my trusty Yashicamat 124g to the experience I'd had the previous day in a much larger Mamiya, and so took the time to shoot with it to compare.  Both require some work in loading and unloading, and I MADE MISTAKES out of old habits that I didn't even realize I retained (such as loading the film to the 220 mark, even though 220 film isn't even made now!).

 I had a great time, and will be back to test other film soon...

Presidio in Sunshine 2/2

So many good shades of red today...  Also: now I know there is a food truck that serves tahu goreng, and I needed this info!

Presidio in Sunshine 1/2

 It is late November, but it got up into the 50s, and was a visually glorious day.

Tunnel Top Park Views (16 July)

 A nicely landscaped park above a freeway...  Yes, the Golden Gate Bridge is hiding in that fog bank.

An attractive house, with a friendly palm tree

It is just ADORABLE.  (In the Presidio, on Funston.)