It was overcast, and the sun hadn't yet risen. Those were just the conditions I was hoping for as I headed to the seashore to do some long-exposure seascapes along Ocean View Blvd. in Pacific Grove. I had my black and white camera on a tripod, and was shooting with a 35mm or 50mm lens, [...]
I live about a ten-minute drive from St. Mary's College in Moraga, and I go there often late in the day to wander around the campus taking photos. I especially like to visit during the summer, when school's out, and there's almost no one there. Cloudy days are the best times for photography, because I [...]
Snow fell last Thursday on Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County—not an everyday occurrence. The day after, I hiked up a steep, muddy trail near my house to reach an overlook on the Lafayette Reservoir Rim Trail. These photos were taken with my monochrome camera. I used 35, 50 and 75mm prime lenses, all with [...]
Pier 7 is a popular spot for tourists, couples taking selfies, wedding photographers, and me. I've been there at all times of day and in a wide range of weather conditions. The pier provides a perfect example of single-point perspective toward a vanishing point, at which sits the Transamerica Pyramid. Recently, I arrived there before [...]
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, [...]
The MIRA building, at the corner of Spear and Folsom streets in San Francisco, is pretty irresistible for photographers—even if they're not into architecture. The twisty-turny facades make for striking images, whether you're photographing the entire structure (which isn't easy, given that you can't back up very far) or details. Here's the whole building: I [...]
When I have my monochrome camera with me, I'm always on the lookout for good black and white subjects. Heading to a meeting in Marin County, I passed the Larkspur Ferry Terminal and thought, well, there's one. These photos were taken about 9 in the morning. I put an orange filter on my camera [...]
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 [...]