An Odd Sort of Nostalgia

Photos on the Bed, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Today was the last day off that I have for quite a while. I'm working the next twelve days straight actually. And to tell you the truth it was kind of a weird day off. I slept very poorly last night, maybe three hours all told. I wasn't even sure what it was that was keeping me up. Troubles of the heart maybe. I have some women on my mind. I've seen Karen a couple of times in the past two weeks, including lunch on Friday. She called me today after seeing the new Woody Allen movie with it's crazy ex-wife in it. A birthday phone call with an expired love interest in the mid-west touched on her status return to single. The Unmentionable-EX, deleted her entire blog in another sign of upheaval in the universe and the woman I really want to call me hasn't. Like all month. No wonder I can't sleep.

Pouge in The Times wrote a story about a firm in Irvine that will scan a thousand photos onto a dvd for fifty bucks. So i spent part of my day emptying albums and making piles of pictures on my bed. More memories were trapped in that box than I remembered. Strange nostalgia gripping me today. God, I hope I can sleep tonight.

Hooked by Phonics

I'm sitting on the bus watching a young father work some phonics flash
cards with his daughter. I'm reminded of just how much I hated the
phonics portion of reading in early primary school. I'm sure this has
led to my god awful spelling and pronunciation. I was just in such a
hurry to read to understand. I wonder how much my rush to learn only
what I was in a rush to learn has left me with an incomplete education.

Got to Give the People What they Want

Lion Sex Too, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

So this morning I broke down from my artsy photography expressions and just nakedly grabbed for page views on flickr. To do so I broke out the last of my lions having sex stash and threw it up and onto my favorite ratings groups. The reaction was swift and impressive. I've never had a picture make a hundred view in it's first day. By the time I left for work this one had. Right now eleven hours after I posted it is my 11th all time most popular. I have no idea what this means about society or flickr. I do know that I'm considering having business cards drawn up to reflect my personal expertise in "Big Cat Mating Photography"

Beautiful Day Off in San Francisco

Enjoying the Day, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

I stayed up way too late last night cleaning up my Facebook profile. Woke up too early to keep at it. I did manage to get out of the house for a couple of hours and take some pictures. It was a bright, shiny yet mild summer day in San Francisco, exactly the kind of day I love the city for.

As for the pictures, just when I think I'm getting a style down I start playing with each picture so I can't even post 5 pictures that look like they have anything in common. Well, I'm still learning the art.

Like I said, I updated my facebook profile to better reflect where I am at both in the world and on the internet. I got friended yesterday by an old high school buddy. It was nice to catch up. I'm sure that's one reason why I've got Joe Walsh playing after listening to The Cure all night long. Days gone by, you know.

While I was poking around the old internet tubes I came upon yet another of those web 2.0 aggregators called FriendFeed. I like it, it's very easy to use and you can set it up for yourself or anyone else, whether or not they use the service.

Anyway enjoy the pictures. Back soon.

Testing the Prime

Gripman on Brake, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

I took my camera with me when I headed down to the Embarcadero to get a haircut. I spent part of the morning trying to decipher what the moderators were looking for in a flickr group dedicated to my favorite photographer Henri Cartier Brenson. The name of the group is Decisive Moments after HBC's collection of photographs covering 1930 to 1957. There was much debate about what exactly a decisive moment was. Some people took it as the moment when something signficant happens in the subjects life. Other's saw it more as a play of time and alignment between photographer, subject and environment. HBC wrote about the term like this, "...the decisive moment, it is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression."

After having 3 of the 4 pictures I submitted rejected I thought I would try to think more like Henri and only took out my 50mm "Prime" lens. No hiding behind a long lens today. No being lazy and using the zoom instead of my feet to frame the picture. It was tough but I did manage this capture which I like very much. I was sitting on the California line waiting for this guy and the conductor to finish their breaks for the ride home. I like this shot but I'm not going to send it to the Decisive Moment group. The one thing I think I have learned is that those guys are elitist jerks.

Stella!

This is a Berry Stella. It is my favorite baked good from Starbucks.
Ever. I have had one every work day since they started carrying them.
They seem to violate Starbucks rule against any moistness in any
breakfast bread. But they come with an bonus. Whenever the cashier
calls out to have it pulled I get treated to a personal audition for
"Streetcar Named Desire" Stellaaaa!

Vacation Almost at an End

Rincon Tower, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Well tomorrow, scratch that, today is my last day off. I didn't take a lot of pictures, I didn't write on my blog very much. Still I'm not unhappy. I taught myself a new workflow using Capture NX and I'm sure that I'm going to be putting out better and better pictures because of it. I also managed to get all my image files into one place on Aperture and that was no small feat. But the most important thing I did was to finally get some pictures printed. I had 20 8x10 and 8x12's printed on Kodak ENDURA Metallic Paper. I love the way they turned out. I spent Monday mounting and framing 10 of them.

Anyway there are five new architecture pictures up on flickr. This one of Rincon Tower through a chain link fence is my favorite.

Theives!!!

Dykes on Bikes, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Yesterday's column by San Francisco Chronicle muckrakers Maiter and Ross featured this photo I took during this year's Pride Parade. It is not one of the ones I submitted to the SFGate this week. I'm also not the person that forwarded it to the both the Chronicle as well as the Fire Department. Maiter and Ross are stirring up a controversy based on whether or not that is San Francisco FireFighter Sabine Balden's badge on her bustier. I've looked at the full size picture uncropped and blown up and I can't tell although it sure is in the right shape on top.

As the article was the #1 emailed on the Gate last night I guess I'm happy that one of my pictures got so much exposure. On the other hand I'm annoyed that it's up without my credit and that emails requesting my credit be applied to the picture have gone unresponded by both Matier and Ross and the Chronicle's photo editor. And I sure as heck don't want to get someone in trouble with at their job based on a picture I took.

Anyway here is a link to the Column.

Transamerica Pyramid

Transamerica Pyramid, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

I probably should have spent my day off working on the rest of the Pride pictures but I was hit by the desire to hit the road and take some more building shots. JPEG magazine has a submission theme open for "Geometry" so I thought I would take some photos of our city's most famous pyrimid.

Fire on Union Street

So this was the scene about a half a block from my store just about an
hour ago. One of the old buildings that houses a Tibetian shop run by
a wonderful lady named Gity Joon caught fire and it seemed like the
whole fire department responded. It looks like the fire was confined
to the upper floors and the SFFD had it out pretty fast but it sure
caused a stir to end the evening.

So I Took Some Anonymous Advise

So I took the advise of the "anonymous" person that left a comment on my Pride post and submitted some pictures to the SFGate. It's not like I was on assignment or anything but it was very friendly when they accepted all five of my submissions and the Reader Photo's section on the front of the gate was filled with my pictures. Here's the screen grab. Mine are the tiny black and white pictures at the bottom of the page. 

Pride Photos!!!

Brides on Bikes, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Lot's of Brides on Bikes to start the parade thanks to the California Supreme court decision. Yes, I know it is a colorful event and I processed all the pictures in black in white. I'm afraid I'm starting to develop a little bit of a specific style. Anyway I took more pictures today than any other day of my life. I managed to get through about a third of them. So follow this link and check out the first sixty-six with more to follow. I've really got to get some dinner and watch some Law and Order Criminal Intent.

Catching You Up

I've got lunch on my mind so I'll try to make this quick. 

I had a great time at the Old 97's at The Fillmore. It was my first time at the Fillmore as well as my first time seeing the Old 97's. Both were impressive. Except for the heat the venue felt comfortable to be in. That's a lot coming from me who feels comfortable practically nowhere. The band was fantastic, one of the best shows I've seen. Absolutely exuberant. Since the show was right after the Laker's getting pummeled by the Celtics (a game I drank my way through) I had one of my happiest nights in a very long time. 

However that night led to one of my least favorite mornings in a long time as the combination of standing all day at work drinking cider non-stop for two hours and then standing and bouncing up and down for another four hours all without any water left me and all my joints dehydrated and aching. I'm still not back to a hundred percent and that makes me a little pissy. 

Friday I went to the de Young and saw the Chihuly exhibit. That was incredible. Like nothing I've ever seen. Beautiful glass objects set in some stunning instillations. The glass pieces lit on black mirrored glass gave the rooms an otherworldly dimension. It reminded me of that magical novel Veronica that I love. Highly recommended. 

I got in touch with an old friend that I hadn't spoken to in over a year. She said she was busy and would call me back shortly. That was two weeks ago. She hasn't responded to any of my texts since then. It's starting to dawn on me that maybe she just hates me. I'm so bad at reading people I really have no idea. I'm feeling a little out there right now I guess. The Unnamable-X is falling in love again. (Hey, she publishes in the public arena and I read it what are you going to do?) This is leading to a resurfacing of completely unjustified jealousy. Not pretty. Not pretty at all. Of course there is the girl I'm trying to spend more time with who hasn't returned any of my calls for the past week. I'm starting to worry that I sleep-phoned something embarrassingly forward to everyone in my phone book and that's why no one will talk to me. 

That pretty much brings you up to date. More later as it happens. 

Some Bay to Breakers Pictures

baytobreakers08 14, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

I've gone through some of my Bay to Breakers pictures and gotten them onto flickr this week. This one is my favorite so far. I'm trying to get better about writing but it's hard for me to stay focused lately. My neck and right shoulder have been bothering me pretty bad most of the year especially the last couple of months. In absence of longer items I've tried to embrace twitter a little bit more so that I can at least get a little record of what I'm doing down. I've got the feed running in the margin. My lack of writing has extended to the home front too. I've only put three journal entries in my computer all month. This is contributing to my unease I know. When I don't write every day I get a little more lost an anxious. This morning I did manage to get breakfast and have a write at the Sugar Cafe. I had my camera and computer with me and took a stroll down Market where I took some pictures of emergency services responding to someone passed out on the street car tracks. Then I headed here to the Main Library figuring I would try to get back into the swing of blogging. So here I am. Trying to remember how to do this.

New, as in Shot Today, Pictures

Newsstand, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Yes there are new pictures on my flickr page. Yes they are ones that shot less than two months ago. Yes, they were in fact shot today. By popular demand (well one person actually) there are several portrait orientated architectural shots.

I was going to spend another day locked in the apartment working on my photo backlog but decided that it might be better to actually figure out what had become of my camera. So I took a walk down to the MoMA to check out the photography books and then made my way back up to California and caught a cable car home. I know it's territory well traveled for me but I believe there is always a new angle or process.

Where Have You Been?

Girl, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Well to tell you the truth I've been right where I usually am. Spring and Summer are always hard times for me creatively. The Sunshine gets me down. I guess that's why it's good that I have a job that gets busier the more the sun shines. Work has been taking up more of my energy but not so much that's it's wearing me out, just an upturn in the business (though not as much as my bosses or I would like). I bought a Roku Netflix streaming box that I've been loving and using to watch a bunch of documentaries. My favorite was one on Henri Cartier-Bresson. It prompted me to order a couple of his books on Amazon. The main one arrived just yesterday. And it was yesterday that I finally locked myself in my apartment and went through all the pictures that I took when Colleen was out here at the end of April. There are a hundred and thirty new pictures on my flickr pages so click on the girl with her hands on her hips and take a look. I still have a sizable backlog to go with my Bay to Breakers and Union Street festival photos too so stayed tuned. I even managed to hit the street last night to take a couple of shots which I'll try to put up tonight.

Spring Fever

Dancer in the Wings, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Just a quick note to say yes I am alive and I have not completely abandoned my artistic endeavors. While I may have not posted anything in the last few weeks here or on flickr I have actually taken a large number of photographs. I hope to process some of them over the next few days. Let me just say that I hate spring. Everything goes through upheaval in the spring and to tell you the truth I don't like that all that much. I like fall. I like knowing that winter is coming and things are going to freeze for a little while so maybe I can negotiate my way through life a little bit more effectively for a couple of months.

They remodeled my store, it's pretty but easier to rob. In my head I couldn't decide if I was a midwestern family man or a west coast urban hermit. I finally decided on software and a system for processing my pictures, they upgraded both of the programs I use and once again I can't make up my mind. I get the girl I've been chasing for years to spend the weekend with me, we part as friends.

Now I know that these are not catastrophes by any means. But they are the kinds of things that make it hard for me to produce any meaningful work. This is one of the reasons I like photography. I have not been able to concentrate or write or stay on task for very long this last month. Yet I have amassed several hundred photographs that are waiting for me to get my ass back on track. I've found my medium.

Things are looking up though. I have more help at work. I've joined the San Francisco Fine Arts museums and my trips to the de Young and Legion of Honor have already had a great impact on the way I see. I bought the catalog to the MoMa Friedlander show last night and it is changing my life. I know where I belong. I'm staying in the city. If rent control isn't voted out of existence next month I'm probably staying in this apartment. I've spending more time and energy with an old friend that is also trying to work her way out of a corporate rut. Happy productive times are just around the corner. Stay tuned.

Bejing Marches on San Francisco

Bejing Marches on San Francisco, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

My first batch from yesterday's Olympic Torch protest extravaganza are up on flickr. I've got some more to put up that will be coming later. I'm also going to try to label them with more backstory than usual. I'll try to get to that by the end of the weekend. In the meantime check out the set so far.

Olympic Torch Protests

Monday in Front of City Hall

Mayor Gavin Newsom, originally uploaded by lacadaz.

Monday I found myself a half an hour early for the main branch of the San Francisco library to open. So I started to take some pictures of City Hall. That is when I noticed a group of people with a podium using City Hall as a backdrop. So I wandered across the plaza and came upon an endorsement event for Supervisor Mark Leno's race for the State Senate. This gave me a chance to take some close shots of several members of the Board of Supervisor's as well as the Mayor and Joe Alioto Veronese who had dropped out of the race to endorse Mark Leno. I was approached by a member of the campaign while I was shooting and ended up sending him copies of the shots I took for him to use. Who knows where they might end up. Anyway here is a gallery of some of the the shots I took.

Mark Leno Event

Office With a View

We'll not quite an office but as close as I can get. I managed to get an alcove all to myself on the 5th floor of the San Francisco Public Library with a nice view of City Hall. I had power and internet and of course my phone and music with me so it was a nice change of pace from writing in my little room with its alley view of the Hotel Rex. I even managed to take some birds eye pictures of people on the street from up here. I'm definitly going to be doing this again.