This is a reflection of the dome of the Conservatory of Flowers in their waterlily pool. The glass is white-washed for historical accuracy and I think temperature control.

This piece is in the main lobby of the de Young Museum. In person, the circles look a little out-of-focus but in a photo it looks like it is much further.

Another from my visit to Baylands. This is a better shot than my earlier Adobe creekimage.

Today, Mother and I visited the Conservatory of Flowers and the de Young Museum. I wanted to take some abstract shots for my photo class. I was not inspired about abstracts but think I might be able to try the “mysterious” assignment instead.

I have been shooting a series at Baylands for my photo class. I decided to show the marshes under different lighting conditions. I will be posting that sequence soon. This is Adobe creek that runs along the edge of the marshes. I had to climb around a locked gate to get this vantage point. Of course, it is easier to go down the embankment rather than back up!

After a rant in the previous entry, it is overdue to list a set of blogs that I visit everyday, enjoy, and find inspriring (in no particular order).

i[daily dose of magery]
A Walk Through Durham Township, Pennsylvania
amatuer commune
aphra pia photos
:: big Alba photography
blog.photoblogs.org
BOXMAX fotologue
c h r o m a s i a
Eggplant
Ephemera – SF Street Photography
every so often
Express Train
Exuvia.net
forgingahead
gapingvoid
gclemenson’s photos
girl inchoate’s Photos
Instinct Numerique
j o e P h o t o s
John Washington
judith polakoff photographs
My Still Life
neverhappen.com
nonaKnits
Northern Exposure
Orange House Photos
Orbit 1
Penelope’s Loom
Photo Friday
Photoblogs de crespo – Propulse par tutoshop.com
Photoblogs Magazine
photoflavor
Photographically
photoplay.lastpromise.com
PIXELGRAIN
Staring at the Sun
Superhero Journal
The BlueHour Blog
tine.blog-city.com
Un-Sinnig?!
Zenith9

Here is a list of places where you can find a variety of blogs. Happy browsing.

photoblogs.org
photoblogdirectory
photo.net

Enjoy!

On a different front, I had a portfolio review from two photographers that I respect and admire. The results were mixed with my take-away that I am not ready to join their group. However, some of the analysis bothered me. The comment was that “Infrared has been done.” This comment has been like a splinter working in and festering. Done… Hmmm…

How can infrared be done? Maybe, my images are cliche or badly composed or too much like someone else’s work or not too your taste but done? After mulling this over night, I do not think any form of image has been done. Even if I plant my tripod feet in someone else amazing photo, it is still NOT done by me. Surely, color is not done even though there are thousands of photographers shooting color images. Same reasoning says that B&W is not done. Therefore, infrared cannot be done.

If I get enjoyment making an image, then it is worth making for me. If someone finds enjoyment looking at the image than that adds greatly to my pleasure. Yes, I am chasing beauty and maybe pictorials. Hopefully, the future will bring better images, a unique viewpoint, a more distinctive style and most importantly, more people who enjoy the work.

My new goal is no cliches. I heard a good description of a cliche image. An image that may be well executed but can be looked at and be understood in a few seconds. I do not care how many folks have already made the image. Once I can consistently make strong individual images, I can start to master this nebulous concept of “a body of work”. Check back and you can see my progress.

One more from my quck trip out to Don Edwards. The colors are somewhat false because this was well after sundown so the scene was fairly dark to my eyes.

I have not been feeling well for a couple of weeks. Today, I spent in bed and got up about 45 minutes before sundown. I looked out and saw the dramatic sky with our winter storms rolling in. I rushed out to Don Edwards and went down to the fishing pier, which is under the bridge. The light was fading and I only had 15 minutes to catch a shot. This is the best of the bunch but I am going to return.

Note: the blues have shifted in posting to the web to a little more teal. Hmmm….

Last nite, we had record cold temperatures and we have snow on our mountains. Just in for my Mother’s visit. The last few weeks, we had record warm temperatures. On a different note, I managed to get black grease on my new camera’s sensor. I am unclear where it came from but I have been swabbing away. Yikes!