It’s a GREAT BIG SEA.

So this post should have been up weeks ago, maybe even over a month ago by now, but alas here are some photos from recent adventures with my ’southern’ San Fran friends.

The best part about living in the Bay Area, is that people are constantly networking, socializing and discovering new things.  As you may have noticed in recent entries, my friends who ventured here from the ’south’ (North Carolina) adopted me into their clan.  Although no ritual was performed to initiate me into the club, I find myself participating in acts of southernity.  For example, ‘ya’ll’ has become a part of my everyday vocabulary.

Even though we live in a GREAT BIG COUNTRY, they seem to gravitate to California.  So the roots were planted and I am hitching along for some fun adventures.  Recently two adventures include a trip to Petaluma (near wine country) for a Great Big Sea concert and a trip to Pacifica in search of the scene from the movie, Harold and Maud.

First, Great Big Sea.  Dakota and I drove about an hour outside of the city (our bubble) to the ‘boonies’ to see this celtic/rock/folk band.  We were probably the youngest of the audience but definitely not the liveliest.  Lots of chanting, dancing, sing-a-longing and drinking was had.  And it was fun.

Lyrics ranged from taking “16 shots of tequila for the price of one” to “way hey and away we go, donkey riding…” all played to super fast banjo-violin-enhanced-accordian-amped jammin’.  Audience participation was definitely key to the whole set. We were aliens dropped into a whole new dimension that night but I’d be abducted again anytime.

Th next adventure happened the following weekend when Brando moved to San Fran from non-other-than Raleigh, North Carolina.  Upon meeting him, I found out he has a somewhat slight liking for the movie, Harold and Maud (which I have seen maybe two times in my life).  So we hitched up the wagon and headed out to Pacifica, about a 20 min drive from downtown SF.

We followed specific steps to get to the scene, aka “follow the footpath till you reach a beige house” and “turn right at the fork” neither of which we actually found to be accurate. We found the spot and it was awesome.  The sun was setting so we were chasing daylight and Dakota and Brandon brought their polaroids to snap a few photos at the spot.

The temperature dropped profusely so we headed back to the Moose Lodge.  No really, the car was parked by the Moose Lodge, which we only found by asking a few neighborly older men on the street.  They told us to go to the end of the block, turn right, go to the end of that road and “you can’t miss it.”  This seemed like instructions to a back road in the dirt somewhere, when really it was around the corner from where we asked the man.

Here’s some photos from the great big sea in adventure #2:

Thanksgiving Hodgepodge.

Thanksgiving Adventure 2009.

North Carolina represented times three. California represented. Colorado represented. Even throw in a Canadian and a couple cats and a dog.  Thanksgiving was just about a perfect hodgepodge of wonderfulness.

We, newly minted adults, threw together our first epic dinner consisting of all the right components to satisfy the different regions of North America where we hail from.

For the meateaters – Cornish game hen.

For the masses – Mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, walnut and blue cheese pear salad, cranberry jello salad, stuffing, biscuts and gravy.

Preparation started the night before as Helena and I ventured to Whole Foods for the ingredients to our overly ambitious feast.  The first thing we see as we walk in the entrance…pies. The answer to our prayers came to us as we were struggling with the idea of food processors and mixers and ahhhhh. Marionberry pie and pumpkin pie, check.

It was 9:30 pm. We hadn’t eaten dinner. Bad combination with the plethora of yummies in our sight.

Scrambling around the aisles for randomly unorganized items on our list, we made it out with everything on our list and maybe a few extra treats.

Back at the house, the kitchen windows steamed up from boiling pots of GINORMOUS potatoes. Literally huge, I will be eating sweet potatoes for weeks to come.

Finally at about 1 am, H and I called it a preparation win and a night.

The other mignons were due to arrive around 1 pm and let’s just say we didn’t do much (or anything) to prepare for the meal later that afternoon.  Coffee, trashy television and crackers and brie were the precursor to our feast.

Realizing a shower might be in order at about 12:30 we peeled ourselves off the couch and away from reality (TV). Showered and met the others at the BART station to begin our holiday festivities.

After quick delegations, we took our tasks seriously (ha ha riiiight), moving around the kitchen, passing utensils and spices, plating and mixing.  The only bumps in the road to success were timing out when and what should go in the oven first. Oh and when I sarcastically asked the question of allergies…nuts might have been a killer if I hadn’t asked. Sorry Brandon!

Hens

Deviled Eggs

Stuffing....balls

Oh my Yum.

The almost perpetrator to Brandon's murder.

All said and done, we set the table and had a defining moment when we all realized we had created our very own, independent Thanksgiving dinner.  Congrats pals!

Cheers!

After literally stuffing ourselves with edibles (yes it was edible and amazing!), we played a game of Pitch, taught to us by the ever-so-patient Brandon.  Some of us may or may not have been lost for the first few rounds or maybe the whole game but it was all in true lazy Thanksgiving spirit.

Marionberry Congressman Pie

We topped off the evening with whipped cream and pie. Pumpkin and Marionberry (which Helena informed us is a genetically modified berry from blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.) (which Brandon informed us is the former congressman of Arkansas)

For the Christmas card…

Definitely good company and a good substitute for the traditional family holiday.  Family definitely doesn’t have to be blood, but the company you surround yourself with.  In true Bay Area spirit our hodgepodge of a group found ourselves friendly familiar from different parts of the country and different histories.

Changing Color Palette

So it’s autumn and this time of year is known for the changing colors of leaves and trees.  The summer greens and vibrant blossoms begin to dry out and lose their fresh pigments.  So for my recent color project I decided to document the hues before they turn to more muted tones.

Little did I know, but after I turned in these photos, the colors really started to change and my mood became somber and sad.  This past week, my grandmother, Patricia Barry, passed away after battling with ALS for several months.  She went peacefully, and I was so thankful that my dad had the chance to see her to say goodbye. She was such a loving person, who always made sure I knew about the history of my family and how important it is to remember that.

A few other sad changes of events happened this week, due to medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.  It has definitely been a time of reflection and appreciation as we only have limited time with those we hold close.

With the changing seasons and the holidays already in the mix, remembering to take time to tell the people who mean the most to us could not be more important.  The following photos are from the house and garden here in California and I would like to dedicate them to those who have lost loved ones to medical conditions such as ALS, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  We’re all in this together. 

Let me know what you think about these photos and any other posts!  Use this post to dedicate any photos to your loved ones or to tell their story.

Touring as a “local.”

The joys of being a tourist!

The best part about being a tourist is the excuse to sport a fanny-pack, take lots of photos in ridiculous locations (I do this on regular occasions anyway), and go out for fabulous meals in new places.  Who says you have to be a tourist?  I am making a point to do this on a frequent basis from here on out.

After spending just under a year thousands of miles away, Liz came to visit me in San Francisco.  Our weekend was a whirlwind, jam packed with great opportunities to explore a place that I have been fairly familiar with for several years.

Our first night opened in true musical fabulocity with my first viewing of Wicked.  Let’s just say it didn’t disappoint and I have been humming something about defying gravity for about 10 days now.

Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre

The next day was a fun-filled-double-decker-rollercoaster-riding adventure through the famous scenic areas of the city! We headed to Union Square from the East Bay to start our journey.  We rode on the top of a bumpy red D.D. bus through the city’s shopping district, over to the Civic Center and Capital Buildings, passing through Hayes Valley and peeking at the Painted Ladies on our way to Fisherman’s Wharf.

I needed my sunglasses at this moment.

Full House made famous Painted Ladies

Outside Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop in Ghiradelli Square where they sell Ghiradelli Chocolate (did I mention Ghiradelli?)

Scary...?

We basically hit the city by storm, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, cruising through the Haight-Ashbury delirium and past Presidio to get to the wharf.  When the daylight was about gone we headed back to save a little bit of adventure for the next day.

An evening of good company and amazing food awaited as we met Helena for sushi at Domo.  The night was not super eventful but we did spend about 2 hours consuming some of the most amazing food I think I have ever had. (maybe it was the wine, company and sushi that made it so great but nonetheless fantastic!)

The next day was going to be another journey, so at about 1 or 2 in the morning we headed back to the other side of the bay.

Powell/Hyde Street Cable Car

Another gorgeous day in the bay and we were off to try and escape Alcatraz. Little did we know we wouldn’t need to escape because apparently Alcatraz was at full capacity and unable to accomodate two more criminals.

We wandered around doing a little souvenir shopping and such at Fisherman’s Wharf and just soaked up more of that California sunshine.

BIG?

This was one of the cutest pair of buddies I have ever seen.

All in all a fabulous time.  We couldn’t have asked for better weather (no rain and definitely no midwest frozen rain).  One thing is for sure, whether a tourist or a local, discovering unfamiliar territory is AWESOME.

Inverted Portraiture

This photo exemplifies exactly how I have felt lately in life.  Busy, bombarded by information, overwhelmed with readings and crowded with competing ideas.

For a class project we had to turn in 36 portraits.  Whether or not they were all one person or many people was up to us, but I decided to do the project based on a subject that I am supremely uncomfortable with. Self portraiture.

I have firmly stuck behind the camera for a reason.  I’d rather point and capture than turn the lens around and have to face looking at myself.  As the saying goes, “we are our own worst critics.”

Well through a serious of set-ups and one outrageous personality change, I forged through and completed the assignment (which took a lot longer than I thought it would).  It was a good chance for me to reflect on who I have become and what brought me to here.  I decided to photograph various parts of my personality through steteotypical depictions of those characteristics.

My conclusion on this assignment was a few thoughts:

1. I learned how difficult it is to do self portraiture.

2. Portraiture takes time.

3. The best portraits come from honest moments and being comfortable with your photographer.

4. I think Ill stick behind the camera for a while.

Ultimately, discovering what makes me who I am was the biggest lesson I learned through this project. The strangest combination of characteristics lead me to believe that I am just a little bit crazy.  Maybe we all are.

So here’s a few…

The Snowboarder

The Photographer

The Punk

Just Me.

And on to the next one…

Spirits. Well, no, yeah.

Ghosts of Wine Country

A positive spin on a weird, rainy, slightly unsuccessful afternoon/early evening of shooting produced some interesting images. Cohesion may not be the exact term I would use for this post but bear with me.

So we drove about an hour and a half from San Francisco to Dry Creek Valley, Greg, Elaine, Helena and I.  We stopped at a oh-so-fabulous-well-known-west-coast-burger-joint before heading into the valley in search of “pictorialism” or “soft and hard lighting”.

The vineyards and landscapes were beautiful eventhough a little uncooperative (as far as lighting was concerned). The colors up in that area at this time of year are absolutely breathtaking even in subdued sunlight.

We all had our take on the subject matter, wandering far and wide searching for the rays that were rapidly disappearing. After the sun had completely passed into oblivion, we went to taste wine in spirit of the entire experience.

Meh, we had fun. We tasted wine. We shot “ghosts.”

Helena, Elaine and Greg - Aka Photo Crew

Helena and all her glory (paper mustaches)

Until next post.

A little more bizarre.

Get a couple of ‘art’ students together and bring along some props.  You may be in for more than you were asking for.  Helena and I took a trip recently to Half Moon Bay in hopes for a glorious day of gourds at the famous Pumpkin Festival. Well, turns out the cute little festival was a little more commercial than the scene we’d hoped to encounter.

The couple of hours it took us to get there turned out to be more worth going to the pumpkin patches just outside Half Moon Bay we encountered along the way.

Mad props (pun intended) to Helena for supplying the mask.  Some of the photos turned out to be lit really well as the sun was setting behind us. A real Halloween feel if I must say so.

Then there was the Treasure Island Music Festival the next day.  Half Moon Bay/Treasure Island…there seems to be a theme leaning toward spoooooky.

The T.I. Music Festival was fabulous and the view from the island is incredible. I will go back.

Among bands there were Grizzly Bear and Beirut, both amazing.  The Flaming Lips headlined the Sunday evening shows with a special opening…let’s just say they were graphically “born” onto the stage.

A definite success of a weekend. Hopefully more to come just like this one. Special shout out to the social networking queenofthepavement for the ticket to the festival!

Soon to come: Napa Valley daytrip and Self Portraiture.

Searching for Inspiration

Its not hard to find inspiration in SF, most people would say.  I mean there is so much to see and do and something to take a photo of on every corner right? Well yeah, there is, but how do you make all of those everyday photos unique to every other photo you have seen already?

There lies my problem.  I love photography. Making photos has developed into an everyday passion.  So my mind wanders everyday to find new subject matter.  Sometimes I don’t know where it comes from but recently simplicity has taken over and I guess my mind has gone primitive.

With my last entry, that one about caffeine, I took photos of coffee, cafes and the whole cultural phenomenon of caffeine addiction has taken over my life.  The simplicity continues with the next two projects I completed.  The themes in two words: acoustics and podiatry.

I visited The Fifth String in Berkeley, to take some photos of some gorgeous guitars and various acoustic instruments. They made for some really fascinating lines that’s for sure. Plus it was great to talk to the store owner, Jim Hyatt about the latest guitar he was building from a broken piano.

Interesting and fun, but a little bizarre I will admit. Take a look and tell me how crazy I am at the end.

Store Owner of the Fifth String Making a New Guitar

Now here’s where it might get a little weird. My feet.

We’ll see what the future brings to my creative palette!

A little too caffeinated. (If that’s possible.)

The wonderful aspect about going to school for photography is that my entire body and soul starts to shake with excitement when I start a new project. Well ok maybe that was just this last project due to the subject matter that I chose to shoot.

Coffee. Café. Espresso. Drip. Hot. Iced.

One word – Addicted.

Another word as a result -  Over-caffeinated.

This week’s assignment was to produce creative and interesting photos while using my knowledge of color temperature and manually adjusting the white balance in the camera.  We ultimately practiced manipulating light to our advantage.  To make the assignment interesting we were supposed to photograph something that we are passionate about or interested in. So here was my thought process…

What is one thing I adore, that I do everyday, that is a large part of my life…coffee. I have recently given up my hypocritical act of trying to stop drinking caffeine.  I have a problem and I am going to embrace it for this project.

So I “yelped” for the best coffee shops in SF and found a list of a few great places in the same neighborhood. I must say this city can attribute its “buzz” or fast paced lifestyle to the amount of GREAT coffee it produces at the numerous cafés and houses around town.

Now this may not be the most informative/cultural/sophisticated entry yet…but the result led me to find the best coffee I’ve ever had. Here’s what I found…

The few places that really stood out to me in San Francisco were:

Blue Bottle Co. – by far my favorite coffee in the world.

farm:table – great little “hole in the wall” with a nice drip coffee.

Sugar Cafe – right by my classes on Sutter St. which is a huge plus but the atmosphere is magnifique.

Ok now I have to give cred to a few places that do it well in Berkeley:

Cole Coffee – strong flavor on a cute street corner with outdoor seating.

Local 123 – My favorite coffee house in its entirety because of the chic interior with a great outdoor patio. (photo with red tables and chairs and friendly neighborhood cat.

Now that I’m all jazzed up on my faves around the city, I definitely think we need to promote local businesses and frequent the little cafes too.

Infectious Vibing at Lovevolution

How to make lovevolution:

1 part electronic music

1 part flourescent attire

2 parts toxic substance

add people, floats, sunshine, and finally an overall theme of celebrating the human emotion that dictates every part of our lives…

Shake, stir, vibrate, fuze, whip, beat, rock, and blend.

Result: concoction Lovevolution.

Love was definitely in the air. Along with other substances to enhance the potency of the overall effect of this massive dance party in the heart of San Francisco.  A four block radius enclosed thousands of thousands of dancers, partiers, wanderers and the like to trip the light fantastic all night long.  A personal bubble would rupture by just looking into the vicinity.

At least a dozen floats/stages housed the featured DJs of the evening buzzing a different track at each designated-self-made spintastic-mixing booth.  It was hard to stand remotely still either due to the infectious vibes and beats of the music or by the push and shove of the ever moving crowd around the area.

If you weren’t tripping before you got there, you certainly were once the beat hit you.  Each person sported their own form of love from neon colored madonna wigs to rainbow brite tights complete with matching glitterized sunglasses.

Fueled by the energy from the crowd to cases of Red Bull electricity waves could have been read off the charts of an ekg machine.

I will be there again next year. Amazing.