In October, I took a trip to Nevada City, California. Even though shooting fall color wasn't the reason for the trip, I thought I might find and photograph some there. So I got up before sunrise and went scouting. I didn't find much good fall color, but I did find, or rather, was found by, [...]
I prefer portraits where the photographer and subject plan a shoot together ahead of time. But I rarely do that. I still like portraiture, though, so I take street portraits. These are somewhere between a planned session and a candid shot. I talk to the subject ahead of time and ask them to pose for [...]
For the fifth year, I went to Carnaval in San Francisco over Memorial Day weekend. It's ideal for street portraiture and event photography. The participants are in colorful costumes and are all willing to pose for pictures. Despite that, there are challenges. The overcast day provides even, soft light, but it's also a flat, dull [...]
Up Your Alley (also known as Dore Alley) is an annual leather and fetish event in San Francisco, known as the little brother to the much-larger Folsom Street Fair. This is the second time I've gone there to photograph the day. The attendees are friendly, and without exception, happy to pose for portraits. This year, [...]
I see this topic discussed on photo forums from time to time: Can one make good portraits with a 28mm lens? The most open-minded respondents always say that you can make a good portrait with any focal length, and I agree. Maybe 85mm is perfect for head and shoulders shots, but, depending on the subject [...]
Along with the Embarcadero, North Beach in San Francisco is at the top of my list of places to go in the city for street photography. This past Sunday, I walked around for a few hours, and came across several people I had short conversations with before asking if I could take their photo—my standard [...]
I know the Tenderloin isn't the most photogenic, or safest, neighborhood in San Francisco. But it borders Civic Center, where I often go to photograph the government buildings and walk up and down Market Street. This past Sunday, instead of heading "down" to Market St., I headed "up" from Civic Center into the Tenderloin. I [...]
I've visited Martinez many times because it's close, the downtown is picturesque and uncrowded (especially on a Sunday afternoon), and all the picture-worthy sites are within walking distance of each other. Incorporated in 1876 (!), the town has lots of history (birthplace of Joe DiMaggio) and well-preserved historic buildings, like the John Muir National Historic [...]
Very early last Sunday morning, I walked to the end of Pier 14 in San Francisco. It's a good spot for capturing the city skyline, and I've done that many times. On that day, I found this young man with his guitar looking out at the bay. I liked the composition from behind, so I [...]
Walking along the Embarcadero last Sunday morning, I came to a small grassy area near the Cupid's Span sculpture. Dogs were playing on the grass, and one, a Vizsla, whose name, I found out later, is Lyra, was scouting for birds to chase. At the end of a low concrete wall, she was posing perfectly [...]