Absolute Blogmusings from an absolutely blank mind October’s OddityWell OK, perhaps it’s not the image per-se which is odd, but rather how I perceive it in my odd mind – or even the fact that I would notice it at all. As I explored the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco a couple of weeks ago, looking for interesting compositions and angles, I passed a laundromat where people were waiting for their washing to finish. Being SF, the ambiance was funky with books and magazines lying around, and, typical of an older building in earthquake country, a crack. For some reason my brain made an instant connection with the long haired princess of fairy tale fame when I saw how this crack on the wall visually linked with the hair of the woman waiting for her laundry. That’s what I saw anyway.  
Rapunzel Click here to see the image in the gallery. One of the goals of photography, as I see it, is to allow others to see the world through another pair of eyes (mine, in this case!). Would you have made the same connection? If you had been walking down this same street, would you have given this scene a second glance, or, if you had decided to take a picture, how would you have arranged the composition? (Perhaps next time you are out you will spare a second look at the places you pass!) As ever, comments and arguments are welcome. Keeping it RealMy Picture-of-the-Month for September was taken on a recent walk in a small wood near the Pacific ocean coast – a place that was once home to the Miwok people long before settlers arrived here. Late afternoon light from the California blue sky filtered through the canopy and picked out the many possible pathways through the maze of trees, giving the place a sense of spirituality and infinite possibilities that I wanted to capture. 
Into The Woods Click here to see the image in the gallery. There was just one problem: The scene – as my eyes and brain saw it – was impossible for my camera (in fact ANY camera) to record. This is because the “dynamic range” (the difference between the light and dark parts of the image) was simply too much for the technology to cope with. One way around this problem is to take multiple exposures using different settings and later combine them digitally in a computer – a technique called HDR (for High Dynamic Range). Unfortunately, HDR has developed a bad reputation in the photo world recently because it has become overused and synonymous with a certain effect, or look, which is unnatural or “hyper-real”. However if HDR is used carefully and subtly, it can instead be used to overcome the limits of our technology and convey what our eyes really see – and to share that magic with others – as I have tried to do here. Click to see the larger image and look deep into the shadows. All the detail is there and you can enjoy following the winding pathways back into the darkness and becoming lost in the wood. As always, comments welcome! Silence in the LibraryLast month I found myself with some time to kill – and a camera – in the San Francisco public library. Far from being the home of stacks of musty tomes and a reverent atmosphere, this library (inside) is an icon of modern architecture full of interesting angles and curves creating shadows and reflections galore. 
In The Library (#1) Click here to see the image in the gallery. I love to explore how the everyday is made ambiguous and hard to interpret when removed from its context. This is one of a series shot inside the library and this particular image was taken through at least two internal windows so that the shadows – and reflections of the shadows – create an interesting multilayered effect, while the cool natural light from outside contrasts with the warm internal light, adding interest and further separating the layers. There is no manipulation in this image, BTW. This is exactly “as shot”. As always I’d love to hear your thoughts. UFOs over San FransiscoPeople often wonder, “when is the best time to photograph?”. Tourists and families tend to choose midday when the light is brightest, colors are boldest and when their automatic point-n-shoots can catch the action without blurring. Pros and serious amateurs pick “the golden hour” — that magical time just before sunset when the quality of light is at it’s most magical and colors glow. Nutcases and artists (synonymous?), on the other hand, choose to do their photography in the middle of the night! 
Palace-Night Click here to see the image in the gallery. This month’s image was made at Chrissy Field in San Fransisco, down by the Bay, looking back at the top Palace of Fine Arts behind a line of houses mostly obscured by a row of trees. The time is just before midnight. So, no, it’s not really a UFO. Sorry. The lights from the city and the floodlights on the monument illuminate the haze in the air, giving the scene an orange glow, and although the sky is clear, only a couple of the brightest stars can be seen. The silhouetted trees isolate the dome of the palace while preventing the viewer from seeing why the base is not visible (just the bottoms of the intervening houses). All-in-all, a very “Close Encounters” sort of image! Have a great 4th! …and enjoy the summer. Inspiring Sex After SixtyCongratulations to Mary L. Tabor on the publication of her latest book “(Re)Making Love: a Sex After Sixty Story“. This time, four of Mary’s intimate and personal stories included in the book were inspired by artwork from the SPARK project, including one, “The Bedtrick”, inspired by my photograph “Ruby Slippers“.
This book (Mary’s second) actually started life as a blog, which was discovered by publisher Kelly Abbott. (Her previous book, “The Woman Who Never Cooked”, can be found here.) You can read more on Mary’s blog here where you will find a pre-publication review, an interview with Mary and a link to the publisher. |
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