so what have I done today, you ask?

Well I started out with a little workout on Excercise TV, ordered a new photo backpack for my Crown Graphic gear, got out some art festival applications, sent out my email newsletter (which you can subscribe to on my Contact page) and started the second edition of both "Garcia Bend" and "Tree Lovers:"



I'll see what else I can do with the rest of the day...

large format shooter

January 25, 08
afternoon at home
cold & rainy, windy outside
testing the Crown Graphic with Polaroid back - type 55 film (4"x5")

I am now a large format shooter - technically I was shooting medium format film before - and my shooting process has become more cumbersome but I am determined to keep my wandering habits.


Test #1 - out the studio window - zone focus, same old light meter in my head, seems to work fine.


Test #2 - front porch - old light meter has it's flaws, but zone focus looking good.


Test #3 - I'm not used to the film process & forgot to pull out the envelope, so I didn't actually expose the film - need a new mental checklist.


Test #4 - I've figured out a a decent exposure, zone focus is good for a wide open lens - I'm doing my best to stay light on equipment, not use ground glass but see if I can get the hang of the Crown's rangefinder - the focus link doesn't seem right but zone focus is fine, especially for my wide landscape shots - still the gear is bigger & heavier and now I need a new pack, too... Even so, I'll probably take the ground glass & a tripod with me at first, just in case -


new dragonfly stamp

tree lovers

So I worked on the other piece last night & gave it a last polish today -



I call it "Tree Lovers," and besides reflecting my own love of trees, it would make a perfect Valentine for that special tree hugger in your life - this is number one of ten, so there won't be too many. On my screen it's actually larger than life, really it's about 5x6" and would be matted or framed to 11x14". ($200-$250) If you're interested, just email me...

it's been two weeks

since my last confession - uh, post - and I haven't been as productive as I should -

I did get into the darkroom last week, though and today I finally did some coloring, so maybe I'm getting back into a creative routine.

Earlier today I started with watercolors on both pieces that I printed last week - one on the left from Garcia Bend with an overlay of a map of that bend in the river that creates what is known as the Pocket area of Sacramento - and on the right, a little something romantic for Valentine's...



After the paint dried, I put pencil and pastels on the Garcia Bend piece - this one is already sold, but there will be another I'll work on soon - Peggy, this is for you. ;)

sunny new year

Jan 7, 08
1:30 p.m.
Antelope Community Park
sunny w/clouds, light wind, not too cool

A break in the recent storms has given me a great desire to get out. I've come to this park, next to where they're building the new high school, and the high school grounds are taking more park than I expected. It's a small blow to my heart. The "tree along (the) fence" is gone, as is the old fence - it makes me a little sad but glad that I caught it on film while I could.

Many of my favorite trees are still here though - I'm also looking to see how they all weathered the recent 65mph winds, so I'm enjoying my old friends for as long as I can -


An old heritage oak, previously photographed as "oak near Palmerson Drive."

A small flock or doves roosts in the top of the "woodpecker oak" and a few magpies at the top of another.

The ground is wet but not too soggy, covered in short green grass sprouts and fallen oak leaves. I wander around the park and find a well worn foot path that dead-ends at a chain link fence. New taller fences, looking appropriate for sports courts, are just beyond.


One of the "s curve oaks," brings memories of my kids playing here when they were little.

Lots of tiny little finches flit around branches, twittering and calling out to each other.


I frightened a larger flock of doves on the ground around the felled branch of this tree - the only real damage I find from the storm.


This is actually my last piece of known good Polaroid 665 film - I have some very old boxes I might experiment with - otherwise, I could be transitioning to the Graphic 4x5 camera I got last year, in anticipation of this moment - the end of another era -


Quick digital shot as I was leaving - saw this sign that shows what's being built. Not only the high school, but part of the park is being developed as a "joint use improvement project." Sports fields and a swim center for now - at least they plan on leaving the heritage oaks, too bad they can't stay in a more natural setting.