Landing

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica 40mm f1.8

Seagull in Flight No. 2

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica 40mm f1.8

Couldn't resist posting another one :)

--Warren

Seagull in Flight

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica 40mm f1.8

This was taken at Pacifica Pier today. There happened to be a person there who was cutting up some fish on the pier and feeding it to the gulls. They were all hovering and flying around hoping to get a piece of the action.

An opportunity like this doesn't happen very often, and it was all over in about 10 minutes. I have some other interesting shots that I might post later.

I like this picture in particular because it shows the grace and beauty of a bird in flight.

Note the lens that I was using... my recently acquired, 20+ years old, vintage, manual focus lens.

--Warren

Picked to be Chosen

Golden Sunset Light Reflections

Panasonic DMC-G1, Lumix 45-200mm

This is a view from Lincoln Park. The sun was setting and its light was reflected by downtown buildings.

--Warren

No Help

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica Hexanon 40mm f1.8

Sunset in the Park

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica Hexanon 40mm f1.8

Oregon Coast

D7000 - 50mm

Oregon Coast on a rainy afternoon.  These old pier posts provided an interesting shot against the grey sky and water.

Oregon Waterfalls

D7000 / 80mm

Multnomah Falls Oregon - I was in Portland Oregon last week and heard that this fall is the fourth highest in the continental U.S. What I liked about this shot is the 3D effect of the picture. This camera allowed me to capture the redhead girl on the bridge and her friend...

Flower at North Lake

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica 40mm f1.8

Another from the 40mm test session at North Lake, GG Park. What kind of flower is this?

--Warren

Trees at North Lake

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica 40mm f1.8

The road through the trees is Chain of Lakes Drive that goes from the north side of the GG Park to the south side. The road is narrow and twisty, and tree-lined, so that when you drive on the road, most of the lake is hidden from view.

--Warren

Scenes from North Lake

Panasonic DMC-G1, Konica Hexanon 40mm f1.8

After reading extensive testimonials about the quality of Konica Hexanon lenses, I decided I had to try it for myself. So I found a pair of highly regarded Hexanons, the 40mm f1.8 and the 50mm f1.7. And incidentally, the 50mm f1.7 came attached to a Konica FS-1 35mm slr film body. The FS-1 is itself a very interesting piece of equipment that I'll discuss next time. Because of the rainy weather, I only had time to use the 40mm, the 50mm and FS-1 body will have to wait their turn sometime in the future.

Konica no longer exists as a camera manufacturer, thus the Konica Hexanon AR mount equipment is no longer made. So if anyone wants to experience the superb Hexanon lenses, one would either have to find a still-working Konica AR-mount body, or one would have to adapt them to the new EVIL cameras like the Micro 4/3 cameras or Sony NEX.

Prices for used Konica gear are very reasonable. For the price I paid for my 40mm, just under $50, it's an incredible bargain for a high quality lens. If you want to read more about this lens, go to this link: A Great Web Site for Konica Gear

I was able to take some test shots at North Lake in Golden Gate Park in between the rain showers. Looking at the results, I am very pleased with the 40mm f1.8. The interesting thing about this lens is that at f1.8, the lens renders scenes with an especially dreamy and unique signature. At wide-open, the lens would be great for portraits because of the "glow", or "veiled flare", or whatever other aberrations appear at f1.8. But once stopped down to the next click on the aperture (f2.8) and smaller, the lens is amazingly sharp. Overall, I would say that this lens has a lot of "character". I really like the way it renders a scene.

I will post some more shots from this session, but for now, here are three images of about the same scene.

I would like to know which picture of the three is your favorite, and please also tell me why.

--Warren

Peace Rally

I happened to be passing through the area as this peace rally was going on.

Racing Dinghies

Nikon D100, Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AF

An organized sailboat race sponsored by the St. Francis Yacht Club was happening in the late afternoon in the Bay.

--Warren

NYC Artist Makes It Big

Talk about making it big!

I was walking to the Lexington Avenue subway station on E. 23rd Street when I looked up and saw this giant work-in-progress. There were actually four men working on this - two each on two platforms.

I had my Tamron "super-zoom" 18-270mm lens on my camera. I racked it to full-out telephoto and started to watch the painters. The 270mm position was just enough to show a small but detailed figure against a large section of the painting.

From a superb workshop I took with Karen Schulman, I knew that in an image like this, gesture is important to keep the photo from looking too static. "Gesture," in that context, could mean a lean of the body, an arm or leg extended, in other words, just about anything that departs from "just standing there."

For this situation, I figured that "gesture" would be in the form of reaching out with the paintbrush. It took about 20 minutes, but sure enough, I got a few shots of two of the guys in a good lean-and-stretch. This one is the one I liked best, as he's putting his whole body into it.

In case you're curious, the... er... I don't know what to call the painting-on-the-side-of-a-building... is for a remake of the 1981 film, Arthur.

Surrealism Revisited

I started playing with warping effects of some rather bland scenery shots. Philip Hyde said that nature is dramatic enough, that it doesn't need to be dramatized. But I find it fascinating to bend it and create a new world from our own.. with new spaces, new laws, new definition of time... And yet it still resembles our own world...

I wish I could visit these places... lol!!

Spring

An umbrella left at the bus stop... I can't wait til the rainy season is over! Thought this yellow was a nice colour to cheer up out of the gloominess.

Crissy Field Lagoon Inlet

Nikon D100, Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AF

Man With A Mission...

... as he walks by this blue wall in Manhattan's Flower District on W. 28th Street early Saturday morning.

Opposed

Nikon D100, Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AF

I saw them sitting out at the breakwater at Marina Greens near the St. Francis Yacht Club.

--Warren

Golden Gate Bridge from Battery Spencer

Panasonic DMC-G1, Lumix 20mm f1.7

This was taken during the same session as the "fence" shot.

--Warren

Shrub and Reflection

Lumix DMC-GF1, Lumix 45-200mm

Dolph's reflection picture reminded me of this one that I took last month at Redwood Shores. I liked the symmetry of the shrubs with their reflections in the tidal marsh.

--Warren

Abstract - Not

D7000

 The reflection in the water with the wind causing some nice ripples.

Handrails, Lombard Street

Lumix DMC-GF1, Nikkor 35mm f2

This is the pedestrian walkway at Lombard Street (seven curves).

--Warren

Municipal Fishing Pier, Aquatic Park

Lumix DMC-GF1, Nikkor 35mm f2

I decided to take one of my Nikkor lenses for a spin on my GF1 for our walk that day.

I liked the light in this scene, so of course, I couldn't resist taking a picture of the Muni Pier at Aquatic Park with Alcatraz in the background.

--Warren

Couple at Aquatic Park

Lumix DMC-GF1, Nikkor 35mm f2

Fenced Bridge View

Panasonic DMC-G1, Lumix 20mm f1.7

View of bridge with the City in the background, shot from Battery Spencer.

--Warren

To Colour or Not To Colour

I was looking at these this morning, unable to decide which I liked better. There is a connectivity of colours, but the form seems to jump out at me in the monochrome.

Wondering if either of these plays to your tastes more than the other?

Pilings and SF Bay from Sausalito

Panasonic DMC-G1, Lumix 45-200mm