Tuesday, December 28, 2010

In My Neighborhood: Standing On Guard

Standing on Guard

Caught these guys a block away from me yesterday and couldn't resist shooting them. They were much more interested in a boxer passing by with its owner than they were in me, though.

War Games

Axis & Allies 01

Monday, December 27, 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Poireaux

Poireaux
Winter vegetables on display in the Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Mermaid on the Street

Mermaid on the Street

Christmas came a week early for me, and I've been slowly easing into the new 5D Mark II I got last Saturday. Here's something I shot late this afternoon while taking it out for a walk.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

In My Neighborhood: Right Lane Must Turn Right

Right Lane Must Turn Right

Mrs. G told me about an abandoned couch she had spotted on her way home from work last night, so naturally I had to go find it and shoot it. Along the way, I took this shot of the corner of Post and Hyde Streets, and I thought it came out pretty nicely.

Solstice Moon

Solstice Moon

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Nick Gets Captured

Nick Gets Captured

Photographers shooting each other in the shadows? Must be another Shadow Shot Sunday here in the Pixels World. Check out the entries from these fine folks that helped make up last week's compilation of shadow shots, and feel free to join in the fun yourself.

Oh, and happy holidays to all!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Maybe Someday, You'll See My Face Among the Crowd

Maybe Someday, You'll See My Face Among the Crowd

I never saw BrodyQat, the desaturated Santa at this year's Santacon (unfortunately), but I did get this shot, which I thought looked pretty good after desaturating it. Something about her expression just grabbed me.

The Twelve Santas of Christmas: #12) Desaturated Santa

Santacon 15
This is BrodyQat (her Flickr name) in her second annual appearance as Desaturated Santa. She explains how (and why, sort of) she does it here. More pics below the fold.

More...
Santacon 18

Santacon 17

Santacon 16

Frozen Gutter

Frozen Gutter

I'll post this while it's still relevant. My section of our lake froze over last night, so fall is gone and it's officially winter. I took this shot before I began using a tripod on these leaf shots, and it shows.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

All Watched Over by Murals of Loving Grace

All Watched Over By Murals of Loving Grace

Ran across this scene on my way to work early one morning recently. I love how the colors of the mural are reflected in the leather sofa. I believe the mural artist is Meagan Spendlove.

Don't know who designed the couch.

The Twelve Santas of Christmas: #10) 12 Galaxies Santa

Santacon 38

Crow

Crow

Not easy getting detail on these black buggers. There's another take below the fold:

More...

Crows

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Wipeout

Wipeout
Yes, it's that magical time of year when San Francisco is blanketed with snow and people go skating on the frozen ponds.

Okay, not really. But thanks to the miracle of modern technology there are a couple of seasonal ice rinks, this one in Union Square. I didn't realize it while I was shooting, but I got this kid a second before he crashed; note the look of concern on the girl's face at right.

Shadow Shot Sunday is fun for all ages!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Westside Billiards

Westside Billiards

Very much enjoying Tom's Santa series, but I didn't want to be absent all week. Here's a nice piece of neon that I caught in San Jose the day after Thanksgiving. An artist in the UK contacted me about using this image as the basis for a drawing or painting he wants to create; will keep you all apprised if that comes to fruition.

The Twelve Santas of Christmas: #5) James O'Keefe Santa

Santacon 37
On his way to bring toys and presents and falsified ACORN videos to the good little boys and girls at Breitbart.com.

Blue Jay

Blue Jay
A wily and aggressive member of the Corvid family.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Twelve Santas of Christmas: #1) Accordion Santa

Santacon 07
The familiar legend of the Twelve Santas of Christmas has many regional variations1, but the gist of it is the same all over: the god Santa Claus has 12 separate avatars that come on 12 separate days in December to bring presents or, for kids who have been bad, unspeakable torment. This tradition was ruthlessly suppressed by the medieval church because it conflicted with their belief in three and only three gods2, but happily it has been revived here in San Francisco.


1The Finno-Basque tribesmen living in the Banat of Temesvar, for example, worshipped Bassoon Santa instead of Accordion Santa.
2Not counting the hundreds of minor deities who were each worshipped one day out of the year.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Approach the Bench

Approach the Bench

I love those abandoned couches, sofas found in strange and incongruous settings. Combine a Sofa Free with bright, late afternoon sunlight and some deep shadows and you've got a winning formula for some Shadow Shot Sunday fun. Let's see if some of these fine folk don't agree.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Ornaments
Judging from the titanic Christmas ornaments in the 101 California plaza, it's that time of year again...

And so Shadow Shot Sunday brings another crop of fine photos. Check 'em out, and join the fun...

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Seal Rocks

Seal Rocks 02
Continuing the rain theme here (it's supposed to be wet all weekend...ugh).

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Between Showers

Between Showers

A scant half-block away from that rainy day impressionist picture, I snapped this in the break between showers about an hour later.

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe
A tiny, quick and very shy diving duck.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

City Impressions

City Impressions

It rained here last Saturday. It really, really rained. Here's what it looked like down on Mission Street as I was sitting in my car hoping it would let up long enough for me to carry some photos from the car to the Mission Cultural Center.

Hill

Hill
More playing around with the borrowed camera (& lenses); this one is from Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands.

Edit: And as it turns out, this is the 1,000th post at Pixels at an Exhibition.