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 [...]
I have several antique clocks inherited from my father. Some work, some don't. I decided to get one repaired, but finding someone who repairs clocks that are over a hundred years old isn't easy. From my watchmaker, I got the name of Dorian Clair Antique Clock Repair in San Francisco. I called Dorian and made [...]
I got to Treasure Island about 7:30 last Sunday morning. Because I knew the sky would be overcast that morning, my plan was to take some long exposures with a compressed dynamic range. I also planned to take the new ferry from Treasure Island to the Ferry Building. But its first departure was at [...]
Whenever we get a rainstorm, and the skies begin clearing the next day, I head to the reservoir near my home. I put a red filter on my black and white camera to darken the skies and increase the contrast with the clouds. Here are three photos from yesterday, when there were lots of complex [...]
I like the defocused background that comes with shooting at wide apertures, but the shallow depth of field means it's tricky to get the exact plane you want in focus to be in focus. That's especially true when shooting with a short telephoto—which, for me, is 75mm—at a wide aperture—f/2—with the subject a few feet [...]
Carlos has been my tailor for years, and we see each other often. When he told me he was planning a website for his business, I volunteered to take some photos of him in his workshop. We agreed that the light coming into his shop from a big picture window was best in the late [...]
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 [...]
Before heading out early last Sunday morning, I listened to the local news. The weather report said it would be a warm day, but the Golden Gate Bridge was very foggy. I've photographed the bridge many times, in all kinds of weather, but fog is always promising, and very San Francisco. So even though [...]