Tule Elk

Lea, it looks like the same fog bank from your wonderful shot at the beach. Summer in the West Coast. This guy is about 1,000 yards from the coast in Marin. In this shot I think the fog works but it was plaguing me all day for other shots.

Blue Heron on Far Bank

Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville is a nice place to visit on a sunny Sunday morning - well, not the dead people's part, but the large duck pond on the edge of the grounds.

The pond has a large permanent population of various kinds of ducks and geese. Like much of the mid-Atlantic, formerly migratory Canada geese have made a permanent home here.

If you get here early enough, you may luck out and spot a blue heron who also makes his home here.

This place is only about a half-mile from my mom's place, so I've been bringing my camera whenever I go to see her, in case I have a few minutes to stop and see my feathered friends.

The Road Less Traveled

I really liked the pattern left from the trekking pole -- squiggly and appearing random close up, but as it continues it becomes predictable. and sinusoidal.. and.. somewhat calming, like a resting breathing pattern or heart beat would be...

Territorial

Nikon F2, 300mm f4.5, Fuji Superia 400

The sea lions once ruled the Coast Guard Pier in Monterey. The breakwater at the pier has been taken over in recent years by nesting Brandt's Cormorants.

This seal lion, like the rest of them, was only looking for a place to sleep in the sun, but this cormorant wasn't about to let him settle down. It's nest was nearby.

--Warren

The World

Nikon F2, 300mm f4.5, Fuji Superia 400

I finally had a chance to process one of the rolls from our Monterey trip. This cruise ship (The World) was anchored in Monterey Bay. I thought this was an interesting shot of three different vessels :).

I was practicing with the manual focus Nikkor 300mm on this trip.

--Warren

Urban Park #2a

Warren, at your invitation took the liberty to crop the dog and owner and do some graduated filter work on the bottom part of the photo. Don't know if it significantly makes it a better photo, but from my perspective the focus changes to the relationship of the people on the bench engaged in conversation with the urban setting in the background. As always, one photo can be used to interpret many stories. Thanx for the opportunity.

Dan

B & W Film Preferences

Hey gang

I have not used a SLR for some time and would like advice on what would be your recommendations for a 100 and a 400 ISO B& W film? Also, has anyone used Infrared films? I had the opportunity to pick up a used Canon 1v for a good price and want to play around with it. At this point I do not have a good scanner so I won't be able to share my efforts, but could not pass up this camera for the price.

Thanx

Dan

Old Gate

Nikon D100, 85mm f1.8D

This old iron gate is at the border of Pacific Heights and the Presidio. It is apparently still in active use (by the spiders :) )

--Warren

Doorways and Banisters

Nikon D100, 85mm f1.8D

Playing with patterns in Pacific Heights (Fillmore Street).

--Warren

Curvy Driveway

Nikon D100, 85mm f1.8D

Looking down a very steep, private driveway. It's so steep that they had to make switchbacks.

--Warren

Let's Vote ;-)

This cropped version or the original?

I rather like this composition - thanks, Leah for the idea!

I used a Soft Light layer with 50% gray fill to do some burning in of the leaf at lower left and upper right, so that the three in the middle would stand out more.

Rocky Mountain Mall

Although this scene may look as if it's taken from the background video for a karoke version of Rocky Mountain High, the actual location is what amounts to a large strip mall just west of Annapolis.

This ties in nicely with yesterday's backyard photography post. The point is that you don't have to travel to exotic locations to make compelling images.

This photo came about as I stopped by my bank to make a deposit early last Saturday morning before heading to City Dock to play around with my new Tamron 18-270mm superzoom lens. As I pulled into a parking space, I noticed how the low morning sun lit up the red-tipped grass planted in the divider between the bank's parking lot and that of Fudrucker's next door.

Shooting from slightly above the grass and at the long end of the zoom's range, the shallow depth of field makes it look as if the grass goes on forever.

In fact, here is what the scene looks like to the casual observer

Lovely, isn't it?

Well yeah, it is, if you look beyond the superficial.

Great photos are everywhere, and as Dorothy said, there's no place like home.

Ship again

Thanx Warren,

I spent a little time with PSK haze cutter is PS. You can even see a seagull just to the right of the bow. You jogged my memory on how to clean up background haze and softness.

thanx

Urban Park #2

Nikon D100, 85mm f1.8D

Another view from the Alta Plaza.

--Warren

Urban Park

Nikon D100, Nikkor 85mm f1.8D

This was taken from Alta Plaza park in Pacific Heights.

--Warren

Tweaked Ship Photo

Dan, I hope you don't mind that I tweaked your photo a bit, just for my own practice. It only took a few minutes. I used a bunch of PS tools here.

--Warren

Backlit Backyard Leaves

Last Thursday after work, I went out of my way to go shooting in a fancy-schmantzy neighborhood of Baltimore. When I came home and got out of my car, I happened to notice some beautiful backlighting on some on these hostas at the side of our house.

After all was said and done, this was the only good photo of the day. I wouldn't say at all that the special trip to that fancy neighborhood was a waste, but it's funny how I found the best image right in my backyard.

Un Touched Ship and Heliocopter Photo

On the previous photo below, I took the highlights and gave them a blue cast, but it destroyed the cleanliness of the ship.

Dan

Garage Door Abstract

Nikon D100, Nikkor 85mm f1.8D

I was attracted to the subtle colors and curves reflected off of this stainless steel garage door in Pacific Heights. The modern architecture of this house is in very stark contrast to the many Victorian, Edwardian and Neo-Classic houses on the block. I have another shot of the neighboring houses reflected off of the shiny stone (marble?) front of the house. I was working with the reflections from those houses when I noticed that the irregularities in the steel surface produced some interesting patterns.

--Warren

Exceptional Day on the Bay

As usual the birds eye view was the best, except for the folks in the helicopter.

water wall

Thought this was a well mixed composition with a shaded foreground leading into the sunny path where this cool wave is splashing up onto the warmth. It will evaporate quickly. And the bladers skating by, leaving the luscious mountainous scenery behind. OH and on the path there just beside the first curve there are flowers growing out of the face of the rock! I was pretty surprised... :) Makes me want to go back already!

high on the 4th of July

Thought we needed a little holiday color for the blog. Our local parade- real corny and fun.

Dan

Nashville - Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

In May I was in Nashville Tenn. I flew in one day early so I could take in some of the surrounding history. These three pictures are at Andrew Jackson's home, or the western White House.

In the late 1820 slavery still existed. This house was home for two families that lived on the estate. They were well thought of because they were closer to the main home; you can see the other slave quarters in the distance.

Like many large estates the gardens, Filoli in SF, had lots of garden walkway that led to dead ends or little shacks.

Comments?

Geometric Shapes

Was biking around San Francisco trying to perfect my techniques using only a 50mm lens. I remember when this was the standard lens to use (prior to zooms etc.) and you had to really use your feet and move your body. Tried to get some angles and perspective with this shot. Taken near the Giants Ball Park.

Dan

Computers for Fortune Tellers

Wow, you can't even get an 'old fashioned' fortune teller without a computer now a days.

Dan

Post 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

brick building. Very few exist especially with the old advertisements. This one is on Battery St., which was once the actual waterfront and served the maritine industry during the Gold rush etc. Note the windows or doors that have been bricked in.

Dan

Carnival Reflections

This is a smaller version of the old Fun House at San Francisco's Ocean Beach torn down in the 70s

Dan

Traditional Bay Bridge

Used some split toning to age the photo. Don't know if you would call it sepia, but I emphasized yellow.

Nikon F2 Photomic in B&W

Nikon D100, Nikkor 85mm f1.8D, 1/125 f2.5

I was playing around with my 85mm f1.8D the other night, and made this picture of one of my three F2 bodies. This one was a very generous gift from Dan (in Marin). I will be keeping this one, and I'll be giving one of my other F2 bodies to someone who will appreciate it.

I used this camera and lens combo (F2 Photomic, Nikkor-S 50mm f1.4) exclusively at our recent weekend in Carmel. I shot a couple of rolls that are awaiting processing.

--Warren

A Moment Alone

Nikon D100

I was sifting through some photos from April and I found this one. It's a little change of pace from all the scenery that I've been posting lately.

This was taken at the Cherry Blossom Festival. A local karate school was giving a demonstration. This boy was deep in thought while his classmates were busily warming up for the performance. I wonder what was on his mind?

--Warren