One thing about having to...

go to work so early that you see the sunrise and to have such a wonderful sky to look at.

Desk Toys for Photographers...

This cameraholism is getting bad.  Now making toys with photo gear.

Times are a changin'...

This scene is repeated many times every single day at scenic locations.  This one being the foot of San Francisco's Lombard Street (The Crooked Street).  Notice how everyone is shooting with a cellphone.  Camera makers.... wake up !!

Working Table to Working Desk...

Another photo from the office of Bill Hewlett.  All the decisions that were made in this room.  One can only imagine what it would be like if their (Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard's) "HP Way" survived.

Weathering...

Just like seeing items that have been exposed to the elements change in appearance and character after many years.

Two Desks...

What Dave Packard looked at when he last sat in his chair.

The desk of Bill Hewlett.  Exactly as it was when he left the office.  Couldn't find out why there's all the small change on the desk mat.

Name Plates...

Offices today are full to cubicles.  Sometimes it pays to read those name plates attached to the wall.

Autumn Leaves...

Father and Son...

Probably the toughest....on the planet, except when it comes to the little one.

Bird Community...

Out back of the Boudin bakery, a flock of birds made these storage crates part of their community.

Plaster of Paris...

Hard to imagine that these figures once saw the light of day being made out of plaster of paris and chicken wire.  Thankfully there were some San Franciscans who thought it was important to save this structure from the 1912 Pan Pacific Exposition.  Molds were made from the original sculptures and today we all can enjoy the art from a century ago.

The Palace via Polaroid...

Your comments and feedback on this image would be appreciated !

Feeding the...

Illness, urge, desire, etc... this Polaroid that was last produced in 1960 has a new home.  Converted by a fellow cameraholic, Brian,  so it can use the current Polaroid like pack film from Fuji and after a bit of last minute "yankee ingenuity", she now works like a champ.

I once read an article and it said that there are a bunch of us who will not want to shoot what everyone else is shooting.  I guess I'm now part of that bunch.

Uber Cool...

There's actually a really sweet VW based on this Golf GTI.  Remember the VW Scirocco?  It still lives in most countries.  America is currently the least likely car market to buy a sports car.  That's why we don't get some of the most fun cars to drive.

Thinking about tomorrow...

Missing Heads and Just Add Faces...

Good to see stores are starting to use manequins once again.  So tired to the Walmart way of shopping.  (my BFF would understand this image)

The Value of the Erector Set...

Once upon a time, there were educational toys such as Lego and Erector sets.  You can't tell me these structural engineers didn't play with them as kids.  Today we have computer games where the objective is to kill, break the law and get points.  No wonder why the rest of the world is kicking our...

Building Blocks...

Remember those round, square, rectangle, etc... blocks as a kid?

Fuji X100 // Fujinon 23mm // 1/450s / f/8 / ISO 6400

Dawg...

Wouldn't it interesting to be able to read what's going on in the mind of these dogs?

Look great hunter...

.... a Shelby 427 Cobra Jet with Goodyear Eagle GT's.

Nikon D800 // Carl Zeiss Makro Planar 50mm f/2  //  50mm // 1/1250s / f/8 / ISO 500

That-a-way...

You mean the shuttle flew upside down???

The kid just wanted a perspective of what the astronauts experienced I guess.

I'm just taking a picture of the crowd...

As people were leaving the viewing of the Space Shuttle, a fellow camera dude with his Nikon and 70-200 lens caught my eye.... yeah right.  My BFF would understand this photo....you need to ask her.

Say something interesting...

Farewell and Thanks...

The Space Shuttle Endavour.  For one last time in the air.  Now a museum piece.

Off to History...

Thank you NASA for one last thrill.

Aircraft...

Something Large, Something Deadly and Something Special.

Look, up in the sky...

Off in the Distance...

A silouette of now a distant memory.

Piggy Back...

The Space Shuttle program now ends the way it began.  The 1st Shuttle, Enterprise, started it all on the back of a modified 747 over 30 years ago.

Inspiration...

It was announced today that Steve Sabol - Executive Producer for NFL Films and son of legendary NFL Films founder Ed Sabol, passed away today at the young age of 69 due to brain cancer.

Typically, I will not post images from other sources, but in this case it is a tribute to a man who continued the excellent work that his family lead.  Those images from NFL Films is one of the reasons why I have such a love for photography.

Image - Courtesy of CBS

Not your average food truck...

Now on the Streets of San Francisco, Indian Food on wheels.
One thing, it sure didn't smell of lard, grease and old cooking oil.

What a little bit of art can do...

Take a few plants and an artist who can transform a plain ugly box area into a nice sheltered area.

Today vs Yesterday...

The top photo was taken with a Nikon D800.  The bottom photo with a Polaroid Super Colorpack using FujiFilm FP-3000b film.

The Polaroid image was scanned on a Canon MX300 Flatbed scanner at 4800dpi and was captured using an ISO 3000 speed film.

The Nikon image presented here (all the images presented) are set to JPEG and 5 meg.
The Nikon raw file is 36 meg.

Just a quick poll.  Which one do you like and why?

From another era?...

Still learning the current films and the Polaroids.  This image has the look of another era.  Perhaps fitting for a Polaroid.

( Polaroid SLR690 // Impossible Project PX600 Silver Shade Film )

Lines and Shadows...

MAGIC...

Back in 1971, my very 1st camera was a Polaroid Super Colorpack Land Camera.  My last photo from that camera came around 1979.

Today, I shot this model camera once again.  It is just like riding a bike.  All the sensations and the weird way of focusing this camera came back as second nature.

Pulling the little white tab to get the film pull leader out.  Evenly pulling the film away from the camera, setting the timer and then after 15 seconds.... the magic moment.

33 years after the last time I did it, I peeled away a chemical backing and saw the images above.

Something very special and a feeling that's hard to describe.

Don't get me wrong.... I still love all those other cameras and the things they can do which is light years ahead of this old Polaroid.

There was a single word that was associated with Polaroid.  In news articles, ad campaigns, etc...

That word still holds true today "MAGIC"

Instant Photography...

Not really a good representation.  Just a quick "digital" snapshot of an image from a Polaroid SLR 690 using The Impossible Project PX film.

Recently, the a new bug has taken hold.  The need to shoot Instant Film Photography (aka Polaroids).  The look of an instant photography image is unique and have a quality all of their own.  If you are just looking for pretty and technically sharp and clear images.... GO AWAY.

There was always something special about Instant Photography..  A new world awaits.  A new medium to learn and explore.

More on this subject at my other blog:  http:// journey-into-photography.blogspot.com

Drug Store...

Opened in Walnut Creek just a few months ago, this place has become a favorite.  

Good coffee and food to just die for.  

Considering how wonderful their deserts are.... it's probably going to make me die early - but as a very happy corpse.  

Just hope that their new owners don't mess with success.  

Their new owners.... STARBUCKS.  

If there is a god in heaven, please show them the wisdom of not turing this chain into a fancy Starbucks.

Keeping Balance...

You would think at this angle he would fall off...

He stayed on and finished the ride.

Faster, Faster, Faster...

Hard at work...

Being Labor Day... an image of fellow people hard at work.

Mix and Match...

Coming and Going...

Money making opportunity...

When torn up jeans and worn out clothing was put into the dumpster?  Ladies, save your old pantyhoses.  Guys, dig out those old Ray Ban aviators.