Bookshelf at Borders
Books on the shelf at Borders. I read in a photography book that you’re always ten meters from ten good pics. I found one. :-), originally uploaded by Kari_Marie.
I went to browse the photography books, and in one of them I read that you’re always ten meters from ten good pics. So I started looking around. It wasn’t easy–the bookstore’s lighting was flat and fluorescent and it was your standard chain bookstore. So I decided to play with the neat symmetry of the shelves vs. the chaos of the books on the shelves… and I still wasn’t happy. So it was time yet again to play with the photo editing app on my phone. Fun stuff. :-)
Oil drops on wet pavement
Cool pictures of mundane things: oil drops on the parking lot at my bank, originally uploaded by Kari_Marie.
I stopped at the bank today and saw this and had to stop in the middle of the parking lot to take the picture. I think the people walking by thought I was a bit odd… Oh well–it was cool!! And since when do I care about people thinking I’m strange? Seriously now. :-)
Fun with my cameraphone and in-phone processing
I know I’ve been totally MIA lately with regards to this blog. I’ve been working on a HUGE report project for work, and I’ve routinely been putting in 14+ hour days. Yes, I’m getting paid extra for this–it’s going in my trip fund for this summer. And it’s an interesting project–frustrating, but challenging. I thought we were done a couple of times already, but alas, no… but it’s just about there. Have to finish up a few little things this weekend, then it’s going to the printer on Monday, getting bound, and getting mailed off to the people who it’s for. Good times.
Anyway, last night I took a short walk because I needed to get out before I went crazy, and I took a picture with my phone of a neon sign on a car repair place around the corner from me. I’ve been meaning to photograph it for a while since I think it’s kind of a neat sign, and eventually I’ll get back out there with my “real” camera, but I thought this little experiment would be fun for now.
The first shot is the original one I took, and the successive shots are different processing methods done with an app on my phone called PicSayPro. Feel free to click on the title of this post and scroll down to the bottom and leave a comment voting on which one is your favorite–I’d really appreciate it! :-)
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Original shot.
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Duotone.
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Duotone again, but this time I dropped the exposure and upped the contrast.
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Posterized.
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Inverted.
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Cross-processed.
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Sepia and then cross-processed.
So… favorites? Click on the title of this post and scroll to the bottom to comment. :-)
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The best camera is the one you have with you
Leaves: A hundred thousand reasons why I love fall. :-), originally uploaded by Kari_Marie.
I snapped this picture of a tree outside of my work this morning with my cameraphone. I wanted to just stand there and stare at the tree, to watch the morning light play over it.
Instead, I had to content myself with a couple of pictures and a handful of glowing leaves.
I love autumn.
Fire truck
Here’s one last one from Gladding, McBean. They used this fire truck to ferry people from the factory back to the tour meeting area. So neat.
Here’s the rest of those Gladding, McBean pictures
I know that the company is called Gladding, McBean, but I still feel rather awkward and ungrammatically-correct putting that comma in there.
Anyway, here are a few more GMB pics–as always, check out the rest on my Flickr gallery.
The kiln room. I could have spent all day in here, just watching the light change. So so beautiful.
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Glaze on a kiln wall. I'm posting this here because my mom said it was her favorite shot because of the color. I don't think it's all that great, but I'm glad she liked it. :-) It was pretty neat how the glaze coated and dripped off of the walls and ceiling of the kilns. I wasn't expecting to see that.
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Part of an original facade from the RCA building. Can you spot the typo? Yep, they really did that. Whoops!
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Have I mentioned how much I loved the lighting? I have? Well, I'm going to mention it again. Because, wow.
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Close-up of the capstone. I love the detail on it, and as always, the light...
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Urns.
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Gladding, McBean Factory in Lincoln, CA
OK, so I’ve been sitting on these pictures since, er, May. I’ve been meaning to get around to processing them, and it just fell down the list.
Anyway, back in May, I went on a photography tour of the Gladding, McBean factory in Lincoln, CA (about 30 miles or so from me.) The tour was set early in the day, so that we could have the best light possible for this beautiful location, and while the old buildings themselves were neat, the light was absolutely incredible. In fact, now that I’ve had plenty of time to sit on these pictures and then go back and process them, I’m kicking myself because I see shots I would have liked to do differently, and I really feel like I didn’t do the lighting justice. It was so beautiful. Oh well, I tried…
Before I get into the pictures, here’s some background from the tour:
Established in 1875, Gladding, McBean began its long and prestigious history when rich clay deposits were discovered in the town of Lincoln, California. Many historical landmarks throughout the United States were originally made with or are currently being restored using Gladding, McBean products. Gladding, McBean artisans have worked with some of the greatest architects, past and present, creating terra cotta pieces ranging from archways to exterior facades and gargoyles to graceful fountains. In all, Gladding, McBean has produced terra cotta for more than 10,000 buildings around the world. The tradition continues today as Gladding, McBean graces impressive contemporary buildings and landscapes with finely crafted terra cotta and garden pottery, sewer pipe, roof tile, floor tile, and brick.
Here are some pictures from the tour. Because I took so many pictures, I’m going to split them up into a couple of posts–this is the first one, and tomorrow I’ll post one more.The complete set is, as always, in my Flickr gallery.
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Bricks.
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Looking through a kiln, playing with depth of field to get the bricks in the back in focus. Didn't quite get what I was aiming for, but I still like how it turned out.
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Paging Little Boy Blue... Little Boy Blue, to the warehouse please
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A pile of very large pipe. Ignore the green glare off of my lens filter. I'm still kicking myself for that. Need to get a better filter!!
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This was pretty cool! This is our tour guide, explaining the measuring process they use. They have the shrink rate of their clay (from when it's fresh to when it's been fired in a kiln) precisely calibrated. So this is a ruler they use to make their models/molds with--it's sized up so that when you make something and it shrinks in the kiln, it comes out the right size. For example, say you want to make a tile that's two inches on each side, you measure out two inches on the ruler he's holding, which is actually more like 2.5". But when the piece shrinks, it's two inches, just like you wanted. COOL.
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Who would have ever thought that piles of sewer pipe could look so neat?
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Piece of old facade being used as a model for restoration work.
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Obviously this is an old sign. For some odd reason, I always channel Ayn Rand when I look at this picture. Fountainhead, anyone?
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My leopard, let me show you him
Randomness 015, originally uploaded by Kari_Marie.
I went to the Sac Zoo again this year for Smithsonian’s Free Museum Day a couple of weeks ago, and took this. Isn’t he gorgeous? I love this shot. :-)
ChalkItUp!
Ok, I know I promised balloon pictures, but I figured I should stick to chronological order and get these online first. Hence, balloon pictures shall be online sometime in the next few days. (Incidentally, I have quite the backlog of posts to get to–I would like to actually finish my trip to the car museum from, er, last April, and then there’s my trip to the Gladding McBean factory which was incredible, but those pictures haven’t yet made it out of RAW format. And finally, there’s my London/Amsterdam trip from this summer, which is on Flickr, but I’d still like to blog about. So yeah… trying to get everything on here, eventually anyway.)
Last weekend I rode my new (used) bike (my old one was stolen while I was in London) down to ChalkItUp, a street chalk art festival at Fremont Park in downtown Sacramento. I’ve been to I Madonnari in San Luis Obispo several times, and I’ve always loved it, so I was really looking forward to this. While it was nowhere near on the scale of I Madonnari, it was still really neat to see–I absolutely LOVE the colors and watching art come to life like this!
Here’s a few pictures–the rest are at the Flickr gallery here. :-)
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Tools of the day.
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Street chalk artist
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I don't know--what would Scooby do?
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I love these bats. :-)
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It's an egret. Playing a bass. SWEET.
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I absolutely LOVE the color on this one. I SO would hang this on my kitchen wall if I had it in painting form!
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Not only is this awesome for sheer weirdness, but check out the foot shadow.
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I decided to take this next picture:
Neat concentric circles.
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and have fun with a long shutter+zoom. It would have been better if I’d used a tripod instead of handholding the camera, but it still came out neat.
Trippy!
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Evergreen Supertanker
Ever since I read this Wired article Joel sent me about the Evergreen 747 Supertanker, I’ve been mildly obsessed with the thing. I have a somewhat buried fascination with planes(*) that only this morning as I was driving to work did I realize was my mom’s fault. When I was a kid and we were driving to my grandparents’ house, the route took us on the 405 freeway past John Wayne Airport, and if she saw a plane taking off, she used to open the sunroof of the car and try to time it so that we’d cross the plane’s path as it was directly overhead, and we’d be able to look out the sunroof and up at the belly of the plane.
Anyway, when I read in the Wired article that it was stationed on the former military base where I work, I realized I’d seen it from afar, and hadn’t really thought anything of it (while 747s are not really common over here, there seems to usually be at least one kicking around.) Yesterday morning (after I read the article) I stopped and took a lousy cameraphone picture of it. When I first drove over to where CDF/CalFire normally parks its planes, I didn’t see it, and was really disappointed (and amused at myself for my disappointment)… and then I looked the other direction down the runway, and there it was, sitting in all its beluga-whale glory. I actually giggled when I saw it–that’s how much of a geek I am.
This morning I took my good camera out to take a couple of pictures and ogle it some more. This time, the engines were idling–I wonder if it’s headed back to LA for more fire action? I’d LOVE to see this thing take off or land!! Maybe I’ll head over there at lunch and see if it’s still there…
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Evergreen Supertanker
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The center section of the jet. The nozzles for the fire retardant/water dispersal are barely visible on the bottom of the plane on the left side of the picture. Ignore the dark blur on the right side--I was taking this through a chain-link fence.
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Here’s a few more shots that I didn’t think needed to be posted full-size, but you can click on them to get the full-size versions.
- Tail section
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- Front end
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- I had to climb up on the base of a lightpost to get this one. :-)
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(*) and jets
A few neat old odds and ends
A replica of an 1882 horsecar (streetcar pulled by horses) purchased from 20th Century Fox, used in the movies "Hello, Dolly" and "Cavalcade".
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1909 Wolfe Touring Car.
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Wheel from the 1909 Wolfe Touring Car. Check out the chain drive on this!!
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1908 Ford Model T Touring Car. 1908 was Ford's first year producing the Model T.
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According to the docent I talked to, this was the highest-selling Model T ever a few years ago–I think he said it sold for $73,000. Nice. It’s one of only a handful in existence of this type, apparently. One thing that makes it unique is that it has two pedals and three levers (instead of three pedals–gas, brake, and clutch) and two levers, which Ford switched to shortly after this car was built.
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Gas generator for 1908 Ford Model T headlights.
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From the display:
In the top half of the canister is water and in the bottom there is a screen that holds calcium carbide. Turn the valve and let the water drip on the carbide crystals at about 90 drips per minute. This forms highly flammable acetylene gas. It also creates a stinky foamy mess inside the can. During the chemical reaction, the gas is released. It builds up pressure and flows through the tubing to the headlights. Quickly, you open the doors of the headlights and ignite the lights with a match.
Everything works just fine for a while. Then, pretty soon the stinky, foamy mess will start through the tubing also, eventually plugging the little holes in the headlight burners. In the dark, you will have to poke a wire around to open the holes again so that the gas can come through and the lights can be lit again! If the water and carbide last, and the system stays clean and unplugged, you have lights for a while. A lot of trouble, but worth the thrill of motoring!
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1906 Ford Model K Touring Car
Like I mentioned yesterday, over the course of the next few days, I’ll be posting some pictures I took of the classic cars at the California Auto Museum this past Saturday. Normally I’ll mix things up, like I did yesterday, but today I’m sticking with only one car, because someone said that it made his week to see the engine of this car, and I thought I’d put pictures of it online for him.
As I happened to be wandering through the museum, a nice gentlemen asked the docent to open up the hood of this car so he could take a look, and I happened to be right there and popped in for a picture. He asked me to email me a copy, so I gave him one of the Moo MiniCards I had made with my website address on it, and told him I’d put it online. I can’t remember your name, sir, but please email me if you need me to send you this picture–I’d be more than happy to do so!
After I took this engine picture (more difficult than it sounds because of the lighting in the museum), I took a few more pictures of this car, because it was just a really neat car. As always, click on these pictures if you want a larger version.
Engine on a 1906 Ford Model K Touring Car.
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Text from the display:
This 1906 Ford Model K made its debut as a true luxury car. Henry Ford never cared for the car as building it was the desire of his business partner, Alexander Malcomson, who wanted to build expensive, luxurious cars for wealthy customers. Ford eventually bought out his partner and turned his attention to smaller, less-expensive cars. The Model K, selling for $2500, was built at the same time as the much Smaller Model N, which sold for $500.
The K roadster was guaranteed to reach 60mph, which would have taken courage given the roads and tires of the time. Its great weight, cost, and persistent problems with the transmission, combined with Henry Ford’s dislike for the car led to ending its production in early 1908. The Model K was the first six-cylinder Ford, and the last until just before WWII. Only 11 of the 867 Model K touring cars remain today. This car is one of only two known to have its original body, a style called “Victorian” or “Tulip”. A lighter and faster model, called the “Gentleman’s Roadster”, was also available.
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1906 Ford Model K Touring Car.
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When I look at this car, I can’t help but break into song. Come on, tell me this doesn’t make you think of the musical “Oklahoma”… You all know what I’m talking about, right?
…right?
…no?!?!
…sigh. Do I have to do EVERYTHING myself? Ok, here goes…
All the world’ll fly in a flurry
When I take you out in the surrey,
When I take you out in the surrey with the fringe on top!
There, now do you know what I’m talking about?
Ok, back to the pictures.
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Closer up shot of the cab area. Check out the horn and the two shift levers (? I think that's what they are?)
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And now a few detail shots…
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Front wheel.
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Top of a headlight
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Headlight/spotlight. Look at the wood! It's so beautiful!
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It’s classic cars week here at HowISeeLife.com!
Today I went to the California Auto Museum downtown for a photography workshop, where I was fortunate to spend several hours there having fun looking at the gorgeous cars and talking to one of the docents. While I don’t really care about a car’s performance (well, except the one I’m driving!) I’m a sucker for body styling, especially of classic cars. I think I have a slight obsession with anything related to transportation (hence the train pictures I feel compelled to take, and why I love sitting and watching airplanes.)
Anyway, over the next week or so, I’m going to be posting some of the pictures I took, with links to more on my Flickr. Tonight I’m going to start off with the few I took at the outdoors portion of the workshop, where they took three classic cars outside for us to experiment with. Unfortunately, since they were outside, I don’t have much in the way of details about what the cars were. I was able to look up make, model, and year for two of the three, but I’m not entirely sure about the first one (other than that it’s a Ford, which is pretty obvious.) If you know more about this than me, help me out here–take a peek at their inventory list and see which one you think it is. :-) A few more pictures are available in my Flickr gallery of pictures from today, and I’ll be putting more up there as the week progresses. :-)
Driver's side of an old Ford
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Old Ford
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Back in the days when trunks were trunks.
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Logo from a 1951 Ford Crestliner
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1951 Ford Crestliner
They don't make 'em like this anymore
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I love the lines on this. Beautiful.
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Are we there yet? (I was trying to go for the feel of what it would have been like to be a kid sitting in the back seat of this car taking a road trip. Don't know if it worked or not.)
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Dashboard.
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1967 Chevy Camaro convertible
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Hanging out at the park
I live three blocks from one of the awesomest parks ever–it has a duck pond and a library and everything. I totally love it–it’s what made me want to move to my neighborhood in the first place.
So I was there last week hanging out and taking pictures, and stumbled upon this guy, who ever-so-nicely offered to pose for me for just a moment. It’s always nice to get full-frame shots of the smaller critters… I didn’t crop this a single bit–I really was that close. So fun. :-)
Squirrel.
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Camouflage
Look closely. See anything interesting?
Reeds in the duck pond at McKinley Park
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Look again. Maybe try clicking on this picture to see a larger version.
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Do you see it now?
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Now do you see her?
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I was walking along the shoreline at the duck pond at McKinley Park last week, looking for some baby wood ducks who will make an appearance in a later post, and somehow, the faintest bit of movement in the above-pictured reeds caught my attention. I looked, and there she was, nesting away. Neat.
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Out of season
I really think it's time to get rid of this thing...
(Note: this is NOT my tree–honest!!!)
Another tip jar sign
Unlike the one in this picture, the tip jar I saw today at a street fair in Old Folsom wasn’t cute and creative… it was actually kind of sad. But I took a cameraphone picture anyway, because I’m weird like that.
Maybe she was going to use the money to paste together pictures to form an artistic image?
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Wednesday weekly challenge
I keep meaning to do this, but I haven’t been, so I figured now is a good time to start. Every Wednesday a message board I’m on has a weekly photography challenge, and each week has a different subject. Sometimes I go out and take new pictures, and sometimes I recycle old ones, depending on time and inspiration. This week’s theme is graves and cemeteries, and we’re allowed to enter up to three entries. Here are my three for this week.
A child's grave at Sac City Cemetery.
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Last changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
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Unknown Civil War soldiers interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Monday movie night
On Monday nights in the warmer season, a local group of housemates does a free informal movie night in a vacant lot next to their house. Bring a chair, bring some food to share, wait for it to get dark, and the fun begins. I’ve never been to a drive-in, but I can’t imagine it being more fun than this is. I went a few times last summer/fall, and I’m glad it’s started up again.
Waiting for the show
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The movie man. I have to say that I freaking love my camera (ok, my 50mm lens, actually.) It was actually so dark when I took this that I couldn't have read a book... and I handheld the camera for this shot. Sweet.
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Monday's movie.
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Such a funny movie. :-)
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The peace of wild things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water,
and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
For a time, I rest in the grace of the world,
and am free.
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~ Poem by Wendell Berry
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Wide angle lens fun day 5: Able to capture whole murals in a single shot
It's four parking spaces wide, and I was standing right at the end of a parking space. That's *close*.
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100 degree field of view, baby!!
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I love the trees in this town
Sacramento is apparently the world’s second most treed city (Paris is the first.) I live in Midtown (near downtown), and while I don’t think there are more trees than people, it’s pretty close. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed trees as much as I do here in Sac. Last summer, they shaded my (unairconditioned) house and made it pleasant even on 100F days. In the fall, they turned lovely colors. In the winter they stood dormant and skeletal, and now that it’s spring, they’re budding and flowering and leafing and quite beautiful (as long as I don’t think about what it’s doing to my allergies. I’m firmly blaming the weed pollen for my miserable allergies this year–I refuse to believe that trees as beautiful as these could be making me so miserable.)
Anyway, my street is home to some of my favorite trees – saucer magnolias, Japanese maples, and the ones in the following pictures: flowering dogwoods (both pink and white ones!) I’ve been keeping an eye on this tree, hoping to get some good morning or afternoon light, and this morning I finally scored on that count.
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