Hey. … I’ll bet some of you are connected on Facebook! And some of your connections are groups of like minded people for whatever like mindedness ideas you have. … 🙂
Only a Page/group administrator can publish a cover image for the page/group. But, we can all put images up there for the administrator to use for cover art. …
Click on the thumbnail to the rignt, and you will be able to read the directions. ->
This is a little tutorial I put together for a group I am a member of. Now, we are all starting to put up cover images, and we expect the administrator to change the image as our administrator sees fit. But, at least, we have given her/him a choice.
This past Thursday evening, Alexander Salazar Fine Art brought Walter Redondo, and his art to the Zanzibar Cafe. The art remains on the walls. … Pop on down for a cup-o’-Joe and a bite to eat, while you check out Walter’s art. You will have a good evening in the San Diego Gaslamp district.
The evening was filled with snacks, a little wine, and many interesting people. Walter brought his family. They were wonderfully happy, taking it all in.
I love my little iPhone, and the eight megapixel camera it contains. I sometimes use it for photos that I will actually use in one way or another. … I like some of the filters I use with it, and I will use many images to stitch together a complete Panorama, or, in this case, I also love the built in ability to do its own Panoramas.
Click on the photo to the right and you will see a large version that will explain some aspects of the iPhone Cameras Panorama ability.
The reason I am writing this is that I have met many iPhone users who do not even know about this ability. Now. If you are one of those that have not really used that Panorama ability, pick up you iPhone, turn on its camera, and shoot one, right now, wherever you are, whatever you are doing. … After all, you cannot be really busy, you are reading this post. 😉
My father was a Marine. I was a Marine. We lived the Marine Corps life from before I was born.
After growing to adulthood in the Military, I know it is a life I wish for all mankind. You will actively be taught new things. You will be given responsibilities way beyond of those of your non military peers. You will learn to love and honor your friends, your family, and life generally. And, you will protect those things you honor. Even protect them with your life, as so many have done before.
Some people think that the military types want, and even enjoy, war. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those people in the military are much closer to their friends moment by moment. They spend 24 hours a day with each other, and they know very deeply in their hearts how much it hurts having a friend die. They know it every day. The only people who feel this as deeply as those in the militaries, are the parents, husbands, and wives of the fallen. They also understand why they do what they do.
They honor us all.
From the first pledge in 1892 through all changes until 1954, all the pledge versions united the citizens of the U.S. of America, as equals. Then came the politicians who changed the pledge, so that they could get elected by dividing the people.
The Last Good Pledge-1924-1954, the one I recite, always, in honor of the citizens of my country, and what our soldiers have fought for.
“I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America,
and to the republic for which it stands;
one nation indivisible
with liberty and justice for all.”
I love animals. And they love me. Here is a single image of some Boston Terriers that I talked into sitting on my little furniture. My niece gave me the furniture as props to shoot pets with. If you wander through the larger gallery, you will see some very cool shots.
All these gallery shots were taken a while ago, and I have become much better at my work through the passing of time. I think it would be great good fun to shoot another thousand pet photos.
Three Mustache Club Friends, and a new friend whose name I do not recall in front of the gallery. Terence, Harley, our new friend, and Charlene. 😉
Last June, when Charlene was working as an apprentice at the Alexander Salazar Fineart Gallery, she started a closed Facebook group for a small set of friends. For the most part, the group consists of friends that like to don a mustachioed persona upon occasions for fun. … She invited me to join, even though I have a built in mustache.
Charlene still works once-in-awhile at the gallery, but she loves art, and comes to most openings. This opening, I cornered this small group of friends outside before they left. This is the result of that moment. 😉
For almost a year, I have been shooting events for Alexander Salazar, for his Fineart gallery at the corner of 7th and Broadway, and at the Contemporary White Box gallery, between Broadway and “C” street, also on 7th avenue, and most recently, his exhibit space in La Jolla. … Inadvertendtly, the collection of galleries create a reverse chronological history of those events.
You can go and meander through the past year, and you can find all the events that you attended, by name and by date.
This is a link to a single page with all the galeries in reverse order. Link to the 48 Galleries.
The dates are listed like this, YearMonthDate, for example these are the four most recent events. …
Saturday, the second of April, I shot an event for Alexander Salazar. It was the first year aniverssary of his gallery. It was a great event for a party, and the event was also a charity auction, raising money for children.
This is an image of a woman looking at one of the images. The image was eventually bought by the man on the far right, but I just love the image of this woman standing in judgement.
Last weekend, I was invited to an event that was wonderful. The Black Label Table – Underground Supper Club had their second evening of fine foods, fine people, fine wines, and all in a place that is not a restaurant.
That was part of the ambience. It took place in a loft where the food was freshly prepared by two wonderful chefs with a penchant for the unique. The evenings meal was based on Momofüko in New York City. Living in San Diego makes Momofüko a little bit far to travel for a leisurly evenings meal. This was out of the park!
This image is one of my favorites of Ocean Beach. People are going about their business. There are five separate conversations going on, and when I look at the large image, I swear I can hear the voices. 😉
I am not really hearing the voices, but I can read the body language. A few are drinking a beer and watching the sun as it sets behind the ocean. The cops are talking to a whole group of skate boarders. A woman is walking alone, glancing at the setting sun. Some of these people will sleep here tonight.
This was a wonderful evening. These boys had spent the evening dancing across the surface of the sea with the wind and the surf. They had sat on their boards, watching the horizon, looking for any wave that caught their eyes. It did not have to be the perfect wave, the moment was perfect sitting on the gently rolling swells, only occasionally speaking with each other.
Even now, as they leave the sea, walking beside each other, they spoke not a word. The rhythm of the surf breaking against the pilings of the pier, and the call of the gulls, was all that could be heard. The boys of the sun were on their way forward, leaving their love behind, to rejoin common man.
This is what the Ocean Beach Street Fair looks like from the end of the Ocean Beach Pier, looking inland. This day was wonderfully warm, but not hot. And we were at the beach, which is a nice place to be.
The day of the street fair was the kind of Southern California days we think are year-round, but the last few days have been locked into June Gloom types of overcast days.
I hold a Fourth of July drink on the third of July, in toast, “Here is looking forward to the absence of June Gloom!”
I want to thank our friends for visiting us in Chula Vista while we were shooting a Customer Appreciation day for a Bank. We all had a good time, including customers, bank employees, dogs, and even the cats. 😉
You should check out this little gallery. … I think you will be entertained.
I wanted to invite all of my friends that could make it, down to fiesta island with their dogs so we could do a giant dog shoot. (I will set a date for that soon)
But, June 26, I will be shooting pets for Citibank customers at …
People are so very interesting. And random connections are a little bit of a spark.
These four people were just walking down the street, tourists from out of town. … “Hello, do you mind if I take your picture?” So, they say, “Yes,” and just stand there and look at me for a moment. … Then I say, “Strike a pose. Put your cigarettes in your mouths.”
Today I was shooting some bonus shots during Gustavo Romero’s rehearsal for tonights performance with the San Diego Youth Symphony in the Copely Symphony Hall. Everyone worked very hard during the rehearsal, and we were treated to some wonderful music in a great hall that only contained about five people.
I love rehearsals. Rehearsals are the occasions where creativity takes place. Performances are another story because that is where people are performing for themselves, and an audience. Performances are what performers live for. But, I just love the moments of creativity, and the sparks of communication, the small conversations that can only exist during a rehearsal.
After the rehearsal, a few people gathered around Gustavo for the history books. 😉
This is really just a little taste of what will go into the Snapshots Music & Arts Foundation site. Today we shot Gustavo Romero as he was rehearsing. The Snapshots Music & Arts Foundation, is collecting incredible pieces of music, video, and still images of some fantastic musical artists.
This image is the group from the Snapshots Foundation, and Gustavo.
Fallbrook California is the town in which I did most of my growing up. It was not a town really. It was, and I think it still is, just a friendly village. That is what the sign said on the way into town, “Fallbrook, the friendly village.”
People have told me that it has changed quite a bit since I lived there. I have heard reports from young people that say that they hate the town. … I don’t. I still love the memories of Fallbrook. These few images of the Memorial Day celebrations are from a couple years ago, and you can still see the kernel of the friendly village.
Politicians, fools, and the media, have turned us against each other; Left against Right, Rich against Poor, Religion against Religion. By dividing us, they conquer, subjugate, and control us, leaving us without any real voice, disenfranchised. …
We are capable of incredible power. But, we must use our power for good, and not to control others. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. None of us have the right to force our beliefs upon another. None of us have the right to inhibit the development of another. None of us.
I take the pledge unifying all Americans, indivisible, before politicians in search of a vote, used the pledge to divide us.
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
With this pledge, we will all stand together. … Or we will surely, fail, together.
My father was a Marine. I was a Marine. We lived the Marine Corps life from the time I was born.
After growing to adulthood in the Military, I know it is a life I wish for all mankind. You will actively be taught new things. You will be given responsibilities way beyond of those of your non military peers. You will learn to love and honor your friends, your family, and life generally. And, you will protect those things you honor.
Some people think that the military types want, and even enjoy, war. Nothing could be further from the truth. The people in the military are much closer to having a friend die. They know it every day. The only people that feel this as hard as the militaries, are their parents, husbands, and wives. They also understand why they do what they do.
This is a great little group of very creative people, writers all.
This evening, I was thoroughly entertained by everyones writings. … Jill set some tasks and we followed through. I was totally surprised at the turns of the minds of creative people, how they bent the task to their choices.
So here is an image of some creative people.
And here is a sample. …
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Uncomfortable pause.
As I lay abed, wanting to say something to her, wanting to open my mouth and tell her. …
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Looking across the dark, at the green face of the analogue clock with its second sweep moving so slowly, I know the morning will bring pain. … If it ever gets here.
I smell her next to me. I feel her warmth.
Tick. Tick. tick.
Without thinking, as I start to slide into sleep, I reach to feel the small of her back.
Tick. Tick. Tick. …
Dammit!
Alone, still alone, and awake.
Moving through the house, I grab clothing permeated with the smell of her, just to hold it close to my face, and pretend the warmth of my breath is the warmth of her flesh, as I inhale memories of her.
Rummaging around in the kitchen, Coffee? She liked her coffee in the small cups with the pink roses, one sugar, and blonde. This cup has her lipstick still on it.
Looking through the music, I see her songs because she always was at this machine. I do not want to hear them, but do not want to throw them away.
Wandering, touching traces, naked still, back to bed.
Sometimes, when I am wandering around shooting images, a face just jumps out and says, “Howdy.” This face did just that. She looks so comfortable surrounded by suitors.
This little section of beach is part of The San Dieguito Wetlands Project in the San Dieguito River Valley. The project will take 150 acres of coastal wetlands back in time, to when life flourished in the river valley.
It is also where horses can run in the water, and where I caught grunion with my family, as a boy. It is a place of people, kites, volleyball, and dogs. You would like it there. I do.
I like the light of evenings, just after sunset. … Actually, this is quite a while after sunset, and very dark. In this light between night and day, the three fates, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, can be seen in these three young women.
This location is Chula Vista, and the power plant in the background will be taken offline and replaced by a newer unit. … As it sits, I love the lights in the background.
And the young women definitely light up the twilight.
This is another image from the San Diego Fine Art Society’s Hollywood Glamour Ball.
In this image, the dancers are moving at a pace far beyond the pace of mere mortals. They are the Dancers. Twisting, spinning, jumping, moving, in ways most of us can only remember as a child.
Dancers lift the spirits by showing us what we could accomplish if only we tried. … I laugh a little at that statement, because it is not really true. We only imagine it is true. That concept of being able to dance is just like people thinking they are photographers because they have a good camera.
Dancing, and any other art, takes time, and dedication, and a gift of innate adeptness.
