Water Fall

Water Fall
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January 2011

Detail of the small-stepped water runs that flank the steps leading to the main fountain in Balboa Park. The chatter of the falling water is peaceful and calming.  I love the soft patterns left on the walls of the run by years of mineral deposits.

Read more

Remainders

Remainder
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

The small fenced yard behind the botanical garden holds the remains of projects past.  A boneyard of all the things needed to make the immaculate displays in the garden possible.

Read more

Art Shadows #4

Art Shadows #4
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

The splatter and spray, the disused doors, the battered but functional trash can.  These things remind me of my days in New York's Soho, when nobody lived there but artists making due, and making art, with whatever they could find.

Read more

Art Shadows #3

Art Shadows #3
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

The walls around the loading dock are just as decorated, and just as interesting.

Read more

Art Shadows #2

Art Shadows #2
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

Second shot of the echoes of past painting projects.

Read more

Art Shadows #1

Art Shadows #1
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

The loading dock behind the Prado theater has been used, for years, as an assembly and painting area for the scenery used in the various productions staged there.  The overspray patterns and paint splatters that cover the dock are fascinating ghosts of all that creative energy.

Read more

Seed Pod

Seed Pod
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
December, 2010

The last few seeds, hanging on a few days more.

Read more

Palm Seeds

Palm Seeds
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
December, 2010

Palm seeds, formed and dropping.

Read more

Fig and Leaves

Fig and Leaves
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA
December, 2010

Before I decided on the Canon T1i, I had the opportunity to borrow one and try it out.  Before the holidays went crazy, I had one shot at trying the camera in my favorite photographic stomping grounds.  All through the park, fig trees grow.  It's late to find one on the ground that hasn't been trampled or started decaying.

Read more

Red Spike

Red Spike
The back yard, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

Newly forming leaves.  I love the scarlet spike that appears before these leaves spread.

Read more

Loquat Leaves

Loquat Leaves
The back yard, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

Late-turning loquat leaves.  The colors on these leaves are spectacular this time of year.

Read more

Ivy

Ivy
The back yard, San Diego, CA
January, 2011


Ivy, threading its way through the fallen leaves from our Asian Pears.  I'm not totally happy with this one.  Basically, I'm not sure the ivy in the foreground, as a focal point, is interesting enough.

Read more

Camphor Leaves

Camphor Leaves
The back yard, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

New leaves on the "camphor" tree.  I love the delicate texture.

Read more

Camphor Bud

Camphor Bud
The back yard, San Diego, CA
January, 2011

Another shot with the new camera and lens, this time with the lens wide open.  You can see the very limited depth of field and the thoroughly blurred background.

I'm not 100% sure this is actually a camphor tree.  It's a "volunteer" in our yard.

Read more

Vine Bud

Vine Bud
The back yard, San Diego, CA
December, 2010

For Christmas this year, my lovely wife gave me a brand new camera.  I'm now the proud owner of a Canon T1i, with the 28m-135mm lens.  I took my new toy out into the back yard to see what I could find to shoot.  I'm very, very happy with this lens' ability to take sharp pictures of foreground objects while blurring the background is a pleasing way.  The amount of blur is easily controllable by setting the aperture.

Read more