doug's photo mission

Please visit my other site

2010-12-07T21:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome, visitors. Thanks for dropping by the Photo Mission. Please enjoy the archives if you like.

Be advised that this site is no longer updated.

Please click here to go to my other photo site, which continues to get new photos posted (and also features all the content available here).

Hummingbird, part IV (mom and the babies)

2010-05-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Concluding the series of shots of the hummingbird nest in our condo complex. These were taken one day after the previous post.

Here the two babies in the nest cry out for their mother (who my wife dubbed Dolores).

There she is.

8 May 2010

Hummingbird, part III (more with the babies)

2010-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

More shots of the hummingbird nest in this tree in our condo complex. Here the two newborns await the return of their mother.

There's Dolores!

It's feeding time.

She is not exactly gentle, but it appears they can handle it.

In case you're wondering, those dark spots on the leaves are... what you think they are. According to World of Hummingbirds, the babies are born nest-trained (so to speak); they won't do that in the nest.

If you're wondering how they're safe when mom isn't around, here's a wide shot of the tree. Can you spot the nest?

7 May 2010

Hummingbird, part II

2010-05-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

Following up on the previous post, here's the hummingbird's nest a little over two weeks later.

What's this? The nest is unattended but there's only fuzz where the eggs were.

No, wait! That fuzz is the baby hummingbirds. They've hatched!

The babies get fed from their mother (Dolores).Their eyes aren't open yet at this point, so they just open their mouths when they sense she's returned.

She really gets her beak down their throats.

2 May 2010

Hummingbird

2010-05-02T22:05:00.001-07:00

One recent morning my wife was leaving for work and I was about to head out for my morning workout, but as we walked toward the stairs I took her on a detour to the other side of our condo's courtyard, past this umbrella tree.

Can you spot the point of interest?

Yes, it's a hummingbird in the nest.

Suffice it to say, I blew off my workout and (with my wife's urging) went and got the camera.

And for just a couple minutes she left, so here we get a glimpse of the tiny eggs.

My wife has named her Dolores.

13 Apr 2010

Butterflies: Monarch

2010-04-17T14:11:00.000-07:00

At the Butterfly Jungle exhibit at San Diego Wild Animal Park, one walks through a room filled with butterflies.

And here we have... uh...

Wait--is that...

It's a Monarch!

And here's another.

In this last one, it lied down that way. It was fine.

2 Apr 2010

Butterflies: Common Blue Morpho

2010-04-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

At the Butterfly Jungle exhibit at San Diego Wild Animal Park, one walks through a room filled with butterflies. These shots focus on the Common Blue Morpho, which is brown with spots on one side of its wings and a bright blue on the other (although when they rest it's generally with their wings up, so it's harder to get that side). Let's start with the one that landed on my shoulder.

And what's this on the window?

It's a Morpho. With the backlighting the pattern of both sides of the wings can be seen.
2 Apr 2010

Butterflies: Giant Owl

2010-04-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

At the Butterfly Jungle exhibit at San Diego Wild Animal Park, one walks through a room filled with butterflies. These feature the Giant Owl butterfly (named for the way the pattern on its wing resembling an owl's eye, I believe).

They even land on your body!

2 Apr 2010

Butterflies in the jungle

2010-04-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

At the Butterfly Jungle exhibit at San Diego Wild Animal Park, one walks through a room filled with butterflies. This post covers a variety of the species there.

Up first is the... well, on the sign in the exhibit the closest one was the Zebra Long Wing, but I think it may actually be a Giant Swallowtail.

Banded Purple Wing (possibly).

These next several may be variations on Grecian Shoemakers.

And finishing up with... let's go with... Pink Rose Swallowtail
2 Apr 2010

Other scenes from Disneyland

2010-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Some of the bits of the Magic Kingdom that don't end up in as many photos as other, more iconic images.

1. The eye of the whale that eats Pinocchio gazes upon this purple flower in Fantasyland.

2. The inside of the book above the entrance to the Alice in Wonderland ride (Fantasyland).

3. Shadow of leaves on lamp bulb outside the entrance to It's a Small World (Fantasyland).

4. Shadow of caballero on the Rachero del Zocalo restaurant (Frontierland)

5. Moon rising as seen from the patio of Plaza Inn (Main Street U.S.A.).

6. Light glinting off C-3PO in the entryway to Star Tours (Tomorrowland).

7. Near-full moon behind the rocket above Redd Rocket's Pizza Plaza (Tomorrowland).

8. The moon behind that rocket. (Hey, what else would you expect from me?)

9. Neon-laced contraption next to Astro Orbiters (Tomorrowland).

10. Tree near Pixie Hollow (Fantasyland).

11. Fountain near Pixie Hollow (adjacent to Fantasyland and the Central Plaza).

12. Tinkerbell (or possibly another pixie) at night, on the entry to Pixie Hollow (Fantasyland).
27 Mar 2010

Baby ducks

2010-04-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Disneyland that doesn't look like Disneyland: In the pond leading in to Frontierland this mother duck and her ducklings were waddling along.

27 Mar 2010

Yes, it's okay to focus on the red part

2010-04-01T22:29:00.001-07:00

Outside the Magic Kingdom, in Downtown Disney, there's these bushes with the red blooming buds. (Wow, I am really not a botanist.)

27 Mar 2010

Kilauea Iki Crater

2010-03-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hawai'i Volcano National Park
Adjacent to the Kilauea Caldera (seen here and here) is the smaller Kilauea Iki Crater.

Yes, those are people hiking across the crater.

And here's a Lehua blossom, just 'cause they're all over the park.
3 July 2009

Hilina Pali Overlook

2010-03-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Down Chain of Craters Road, and then down the 8 miles of the narrow Hilina Pali Road, one arrives at the Hilina Pali Overlook.

The last two shots are scenes from along the road, which has a desolate sort of beauty.

3 July 2009

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park

2010-03-20T21:03:00.001-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i, in the Puna district, the island's most well-known black sand beach, Punalu'u.

3 July 2009

San Diego palm

2010-03-17T22:33:00.001-07:00

In the San Diego Zoo, there's more than just animals.

More pandas at San Diego Zoo

2010-03-17T22:29:00.001-07:00

Su Lin chews on bamboo.

Zhen Zhen shows us her backside.

31 Jan 2010

Gorillas at San Diego Zoo, part II

2010-03-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

31 Jan 2010

Panda cub

2010-03-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Yun Zi, the newest panda at the San Diego Zoo, ambles down the tree as best he can at his age. (More of him here.)

And after he got down he frolicked with mother Bai Yun:

31 Jan 2010

Flowers (yes, flowers) at San Diego Zoo

2010-03-08T20:40:00.000-08:00

A couple shots of lily magnolia, and another one of a red flower I don't know the name of:

30 Jan 2010

Koalas at San Diego Zoo

2010-03-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

One active little guy eating and one taking a nap.

30 Jan 2010

Other animals at San Diego Zoo

2010-03-07T20:17:00.000-08:00

African Spot-necked otters, lion, elephant, meerkat, camel, and a couple monkeys.

30 Jan 2010

Zebras at San Diego Zoo

2010-03-07T19:57:00.001-08:00

Grevy's Zebra at San Diego Zoo

30 Jan 2010

Flamingos at San Diego Zoo

2010-02-28T22:32:00.001-08:00

30 Jan 2010

Gorillas at San Diego Zoo, part I

2010-02-28T22:31:00.001-08:00

At the gorilla enclosure at the San Diego Zoo, the star this day was Frank the baby.

30 Jan 2010

Pandas at San Diego Zoo

2010-02-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

The panda exhibit at the San Diego Zoo had a line to get in, as six-month-old cub Yun Zi was finally available for limited viewing (only in the morning hours).

These first ones are of little Yun Zi and mother Bai Yun.

Wandering in another area is Su Lin.

Chewing on bamboo is Zhen Zhen.

30 Jan 2010

Web

2010-02-21T17:02:00.000-08:00

Some shots of a spider web on the umbrella tree outside the patio last August. (The tree was cut down a few months after these were taken. Never expect that a shot will still be there later.)

30 Aug 09
Taken with the little Canon A1000.

Take a seat

2010-01-23T22:32:00.000-08:00

Killing a few minutes while waiting for the train with some macros of the weathered metal benches.

15 Oct 09

Kohlrabi (purple)

2010-01-23T22:02:00.000-08:00

A couple somewhat over-exposed shots of this unusual... cabbage (apparently), with the leaves removed. (Taken at a farmer's market with the little point-n-shoot.)

7 Nov 09

Lingering Xmas

2010-01-06T22:19:00.001-08:00

So who still has their decorations up on January 6?

First sunset of 2010

2010-01-02T19:48:00.001-08:00

From my balcony here's how the setting sun looked on the first day after the calendar changed.

1 Jan 10

Moon over San Antonio

2009-12-21T22:24:00.001-08:00

The half moon through the tree on the night after Thanksgiving.

27 Nov 09

Eisenhower Park

2009-12-20T21:06:00.000-08:00

A few scenes from in and next to Eisenhower Park in northern San Antonio, Texas.

27 Nov 09

Lava Tube

2009-12-02T23:12:00.000-08:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Thurston Lava Tube, near Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanos National Park

3 July 09

Kilauea Volcano

2009-11-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanos National Park, along the rim. These shots are of and around the Kilauea Caldera (essentially the flattened cap on the top of the volcano). The smoke is coming out of the Halema'uma'u Crater. The red flowers are Lehua blossoms on 'Ohi'a trees which are plentiful in the park.

(Were you expecting there'd be lava? That doesn't come out here; it flows underground and comes out by the ocean, as seen in this post.)

3 July 09

Fern drops

2009-11-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

A few shots from around the grounds of the B&B in Volcano Village (on the Big Island of Hawai'i) where we spent one night of our honeymoon. (Yes, it was in a rain forest, and yes, the drops of water on the ferns were from rain.)

The last one is a candle out on the patio.

3 July 09

Lava

2009-10-06T22:42:00.000-07:00

Here we have the reason my wife and I chose the Big Island rather than another Hawaiian location: actual flowing lava.

The lava is not to be seen from the Kilauea crater in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. It is roughly an hour's drive from there (because of the route one must take to get to that destination), down at the coast. The lava flows underground and emerges where the land meets the ocean.

At the end of route 130 people a dirt parking lot allows the public to start assembling around sunset. Then from there it's about a half-mile trek across hardened lava fields to the viewing area. Which itself is about 3/4 mile away, because the flow is (at least on the day we were there) on private property.

Mostly what one sees is the massive plumes of steam caused by the lava hitting the water. And before the sun has completely set, the orange glow of the lava on the steam is less vibrant. But after darkness is complete, the glow is impressive.

The lava is only visible in two of these (the third and fourth from the end--notice the bright yellow portions) because the burbling spurts of lava that popped up from time to time never occurred when I was shooting. Suffice it to say: These shots don't capture how phenomenal it was.

(The last shot is the spots of glowing lava coming down the hill, peeking through holes in the ground.)

[For the photo geeks: Not having a tripod and not being able to get up to the edge of the viewing area (because of all the people lined there), most of these had to be taken by holding the camera over my head (to get over the people), with the zoom set to its maximum, employing very fast exposures, and trying to hold my arms as steady as possible. So please pardon that some of these aren't perfectly sharp.]

2 July 09

Kahuna Falls

2009-10-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Kahuna Falls (in Akaka Falls State Park) is less impressive than the ones for which the park is named--the first shot is the only one of the falls, and from the vantage point available really all you can see is the crevice and not so much the falls. (That's undoubtedly why everyone recommends one visit this one first, almost as an appetizer for the eyes before Akaka.) However, along the trail to the falls in the foliage there's bamboo trees, little streams, and gorgeous red flowers.

2 July 09

Fern in Akaka

2009-10-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along the trail to Akaka Falls my wife took these amazing macros of these new fern leaves--and with a point & shoot A1000.

2 July 09

Akaka Falls State Park

2009-10-04T18:32:00.001-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
In Akaka Falls State Park, along the trail to the eponymous falls (see previous post) one encounters impressive foliage, and a little waterfall to whet the appetite. Near the vista point are a number of toppled trees covered in moss.

(As with the previous post at Akaka, a few of these shots were taken by my lovely and talented wife.)

Akaka Falls

2009-10-03T22:21:00.001-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Akaka Falls in Akaka Falls State Park, north of Hilo along the Hamakua Coast

We start with two shots of the falls including the sign on the overlook. Why? The first one was taken by me with my S3 (and spruced up a tiny bit on the computer):

And this second one was taken by my talented wife with our other little pocket camera (no post processing):

We were shooting separately, but both recognized the same general layout. However, notice how she went with aligning the bottom with the line of the text on the sign whereas I went with a fairly conventional straight orientation. One doesn't need a fancy camera for good photography.

Now the rest of my semi-worthwhile shots:

2 July 09

Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive

2009-09-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Pepe'ekeo Scenic Drive, north of Hilo, along Hwy 19
This turnoff from the highway takes one through tropical forest and along the coast (and even in to an agricultural area). However, there's not many spots to pull over, so all these shots were taken from a moving car.

2 July 09

Rainbow Falls

2009-09-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i, city of Hilo
Rainbow Falls, where the Wailuku River plummets 80 feet down, surrounded by tropical plants and trees. (And it's an easy hike along the side of the falls to get to the upper level.) Unfortunately we got there on a mostly cloudy day (so there were no rainbows).
Credit where it's due: Some of these were taken by my talented wife.

2 July 09

Saddle Road (Kauman Caves)

2009-09-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200 (a/k/a Saddle Road)
Entrance to the Kaumana Caves
A lava tube from an eruption in 1881 makes a cave just off the highway. A concrete staircase allows for easy access down, and from there one can choose to explore (we didn't have time nor appropriate footwear for the slick ground). The sides of the wall are lined with ferns, with vines hanging down from the upper area. Rainforest plants line the floor of the exposed open area.

Oh, and in case you might forget, back up at the level of the highway there's hardened lava to remind you what created this area.

2 July 09

Hanging in Hawaii

2009-09-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Saddle Road, near the Kaumana Cave, this tree is adorned with these long, streaming vines.

2 July 09

Saddle Road (between Mauna Kea and Kaumana Caves)

2009-09-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200, a/k/a Saddle Road
Scenes from a moving rental car of the area east of Mauna Kea and west of the Kaumana Caves, as the landscape transitions from rocky lava beds to more lush rainforest (or vice versa, depending on the direction). (In the distance in this first shot is Hilo.)

2 July 09

Solar gazing

2009-08-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawaii
Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center
Telescope set out on the patio for looking up at the sun.

2 July 09

Saddle Road (Mauna Kea Visitor Center)

2009-08-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200, a/k/a Saddle Road.
Scenes from a detour up the Mauna Kea Road, around the grounds surrounding the Visitor Information Center.
This was as far as we could get without a 4WD vehicle. But yes, we were above the clouds (at around 9,200 feet).

2 July 09

Saddle Road (detour up Mauna Kea Road)

2009-08-13T22:49:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200, a/k/a Saddle Road.
Scenes from a moving rental car, traveling up (or down, depending on your direction) the Mauna Kea Road to (or from) the Visitor Center.

Next to last is looking back up the beginning of the road (as it disappears into the clouds).
The last one is back down on the Saddle Road, looking over the lava fields toward Mauna Loa.
2 July 09

Saddle Road (near Mauna Kea State Park)

2009-08-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200, a/k/a Saddle Road.
Scenes from a quick stop in part of what I think is Mauna Kea State Park. Flowers, plants, trees, and what's probably weeds.

Saddle Road (west)

2009-08-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

Big Island of Hawai'i
Along Hwy 200, a/k/a Saddle Road.
Scenes from the area in the northwest part of the highway, near Parker Ranch. Shots from a moving rental car.

Slopes of Mauna Kea and clouds.

One of the many one-lane bridges in the western portion of the Saddle Road. I think that's Mauna Loa in the distance.

Shadow of a cloud on a cinder cone, with power lines in the foreground.

Tall grass along the side of the road.

Ubiquitous including-the-side-view-mirror shot.

Yep, sheep.

Morning sun between trees coming through the sunroof.

2 July 09

Turtles

2009-08-12T21:38:00.000-07:00

Kohala region of the Big Island of Hawai'i
In the water by the beach of the Mauni Lani resort, green sea turtles (Honu) feed on algae just below the surface.

(They can hold their breath for a long time, so catching a shot of the head coming up to breathe is easier said than done.)

29 June 09

In memorium

2009-05-25T21:26:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day
Commemorative sign for veterans, Seal Beach, California.

23 May 2009

They call it 'Seal Beach' for a reason

2009-05-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Just off the pier in Seal Beach, Ca., this seal swam and dove near the fishing lines in search of a tasty meal.

23 May 2009

Urban jungle 2

2009-04-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

This shot shows the source of the light for the previous post: the sun reflects off the side of the Bonaventure Hotel and across Flower Street. (That's the walking bridge between the hotel and the YMCA.)

20 Feb 2009

Urban jungle 1

2009-04-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

20 Feb 2009

First bloom

2009-04-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

This week I spotted the first jacaranda blooms of the spring.

What lies below... or rather, hangs...

2009-03-14T22:04:00.001-07:00

Below the flowers from the last few posts there was another interesting subject. Lower in the plants was a spider web that had caught only drops of water (presumably from the sprinklers), so I got the camera down in it.

Park III

2009-03-08T03:03:00.000-07:00

These white and purple flowers were found in someplace one might not expect (see these other posts for where). These shots focus on ones that had not opened completely, or at all, or would not open again.

21 Feb 2009

Park II

2009-03-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

More white petals and purple stamen of these flowers seen in these posts found in a place not typically associated with beauty.

A parking lot.

21 Feb 2009

Park

2009-03-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Another flower post, but this one is not like all the others. These white petals and purple stamen have cupped some water, but that's not the difference.

It's what was next to these flowers.

Beauty is where you look for it. Even a parking lot.
More.
21 Feb 2009

Flower hunting

2009-03-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

Shots taken around Culver City last weekend. These flowers all were outside different apartment buildings.

28 Feb 2009

Tooting my own horn

2009-03-03T23:18:00.000-08:00

About a month and a half ago, I submitted some of my Urban Light photos to a LACMA contest, and some were selected as finalists.

I now can announce that one of my photos was chosen as the winner. That shot is used as the cover for an online exhibit and book, Celebrating Urban Light. (Click those links to see the exhibit and/or order the book.)

The announcement on the LACMA art blog can be read here.

An article on the LA Times Culture Monster blog--for which I was interviewed--can be read here. (That same article also appeared in the Times' print edition--Calendar section, page E3, in case you happen to have that around.)

Here's the image again (and below, how it looked on the page of the newspaper):

Coming clean II

2009-02-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

Bar of soap on the windowsill in the bathroom, by the muted sunlight coming in the window. (Same as with the previous post.) For these, however, I played around with setting the white balance for fluourescent, which created a bit more blue tint to the colors.

10 Feb 2009

Coming clean

2009-02-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Bar of soap on the windowsill of the bathroom, through the muted sunlight coming through the screen (see last shot).

10 Feb 2009

Branching out

2009-02-16T17:19:00.000-08:00

Half moon straight overhead with pine tree, at dusk.

11 Apr 2008

Rocks over the garage

2009-02-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

Over a garage of an apartment building down the street is this rock sculpture on the wall with a single bulb, which casts interesting shafts of light at night.

13 Feb 2009

Fixing

2009-02-12T22:19:00.000-08:00

Four Arches sculpture outside 333 South Hope Street in downtown Los Angeles.

(The light illuminating it from the left is actually from a construction crew doing refurbishments to the building.)

16 Jan 2009

Flowers in morn

2009-02-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

Flowers and leaves in morning sunlight.

18 Nov 2008

Waffle 3

2009-02-02T22:52:00.000-08:00

A leftover waffle proved a worthy subject for photography.

16 Nov 2008

Waffle 2

2009-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

After breakfast one Sunday morning, I didn't throw out this leftover waffle; I turned it into a model. Lighting provided by sunlight coming in through slots in the kitchen blinds.

16 Nov 2008

Waffle

2009-02-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

After breakfast one Sunday morning, I didn't throw out this leftover waffle; I turned it into a model. Lighting provided by sunlight coming in through slots in the kitchen blinds.

16 Nov 2008

After the bubbles

2009-01-24T19:57:00.000-08:00

After the cascade of bubbles (see previous post) subsided, the semi-frozen slush of sparkling cider could be seen down the neck of the bottle.

14 Dec 08

Bubbles

2009-01-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

What seems to be a recurrent theme with my photos: Carbonated beverages left in the freezer too long and what happens when the container is taken out.

With a bottle of sparkling apple cider... it's lots of bubbles.

14 Dec 08

Oath 56

2009-01-21T23:20:00.000-08:00

Urban Light 6

2009-01-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

Continuing with shots of the Urban Light sculpture at LACMA. (For the explanation, see this post.)

The night these were shot, the moon was full (or very close), so with these that gets the focus.

19 Apr 2008

Urban Light 5

2009-01-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

Continuing with shots of the Urban Light sculpture at LACMA. (For the explanation, see this post.)

Tight shots of the dimpled ball of the lamp.

19 Apr 2008

Urban Light 4

2009-01-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

Continuing with shots of the Urban Light sculpture at LACMA. (For the explanation, see this post.)

This shot I share because of the difficulty in taking it. Not that it required great physical exertion, or placing myself in danger. No, all I did was climb some stairs.

Next to this exhibit is the multiple-story Broad Contemporary Art Museum building. On the side facing the exhibit are stairs running along the side. So to get a higher angle on the lamps I strolled over to their base, noticed no sign nor chain nor barricade, and then climbed to the first landing. I made no effort to be surreptitious in my approach to nor in my ascension of the stairs, but only after I was already up there did some men in sport coats from by the building on the opposite side of the exhibit come running and telling me I had to come down.

However, before they got close and I had to comply, I snapped off this one. Had to get something for my trouble. (Apologies for the settings--no time to make adjustments.)

Urban Light 3

2009-01-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

Continuing with shots of the Urban Light sculpture at LACMA--this time focusing on the non-lamp parts of the posts. (For the explanation, see this post.)

19 Apr 2008

Urban Light 2

2009-01-08T22:38:00.000-08:00

Continuing with shots of the Urban Light sculpture at LACMA. (For the explanation, see this post.)

19 Apr 08

Urban Light

2009-01-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

Just outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), on its south piazza, artist Chris Burden restored 202 vintage cast-iron streetlamps in a project he called "Urban Light".
Since February of 2008 this exhibit has featured the lamps lighting up each night at dusk and staying on until dawn. (I am told they are powered by solar cells that charge during the day.) And there's no fee to walk among them; they're accessible from the sidewalk, all night long (even after the museum is closed).
These were taken on a Saturday night last April, about 9:30 at night.

(Yes, it took me all this time to get to posting these. Yeesh, I know. More shots coming soon.)
19 Apr 2008

Pod

2009-01-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

At the orchard in Yucaipa, beneath some trees the ground was littered with these spiked pods, which had opened, presumably releasing some kind of seed.

Update: An astute reader identified this as a chestnut seed. The chestnuts were already gone.

28 Nov 08

Bark with no bite

2009-01-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

One of the trees at an orchard that wasn't used for fruit.

Branching out

2008-12-31T23:53:00.000-08:00

Hillside

2008-12-31T22:49:00.000-08:00

Landscapes of the hills around Yucaipa.

28 Nov 08

Leaving

2008-12-31T22:26:00.000-08:00

On an orchard in Yucaipa there was little fruit but still plenty of leaves.

In the hole

2008-12-31T19:45:00.000-08:00

Holes in a tree. Yucaipa, Ca.

28 Nov 08

Hanging from the tree

2008-12-31T19:22:00.000-08:00

A few shots from Christmas Day.

Night in the city

2008-12-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

Downtown L.A. street light illuminating these flowers.

11 Dec 08

Up in arms

2008-12-14T19:46:00.000-08:00

Some people take pictures of people on Thanksgiving. Some people take pictures of the turkey. I took these shots of the arm of a chair in the host's living room. I presume it was antique.

It's real

2008-11-27T17:37:00.000-08:00

As usual I'm not sure as to the name of this type of tree, but some of its leaves seem almost too smooth to be real, but they are.

Fleur

2008-11-26T17:21:00.000-08:00

Unidentified bright fuschia-colored flower and a tiny blue visitor.

Autumn

2008-11-24T16:21:00.000-08:00

The five-pointed leaves of an American Sweetgum tree showing their autumn colors. (Not a lot of trees in Southern California have leaves that change in this manner.)
(So, yes, these are shots of the same trees as the last post, just focused on the leaves more than the fruit.)

19 Nov 08

Spikey in Autumn

2008-11-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

These spiky pods are the fruit of American Sweetgum trees (which, apparently, are known as "gumballs," amongst other nicknames), as they look with the leaves showing their autumn colors and the pods start to reach... fruition.
(As seen in this post from back in January, within a few months they'll be hollowed.)

19 Nov 08

Night light

2008-11-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

Leaves of umbrella tree silhouetted by lamp outside the bedroom window.

Blue sink

2008-11-17T20:08:00.000-08:00

From the kitchen window through the blue glass.

17 Aug 08

Come in

2008-11-17T17:49:00.000-08:00

The Roosevelt building in downtown Los Angeles was re-vamped into condos. That I'll never afford (if I actually wanted to live downtown). But because it's built over the downtown train station I pass right by the garage, and that's what these shots are: the textured walls of the garage entrace (taken from outside, back in August, when it was still under construction).

Shining through

2008-11-16T18:18:00.000-08:00

Shadows of other leaves in these leaves.

8 Aug 08

What happens to a can of soda pop left in the freezer?

2008-11-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

You can't drink it, but the distended can is a good subject for photographs.

And three hours later it's covered with condensation.

26 Oct 08

There I went again

2008-11-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

Browsing through the photos taken earlier in the year that I had not gotten around to processing I came across these shots taken back on May 30. Yes, it's the same location as the last post--under the 4th St. bridge (along Flower St.) in downtown L.A.--which proves that I have a mildly recurring obsession with these rocks. Here's what they looked like around the same mid-morning time as with the last post, just six months earlier. (Notice the different angle of the sun.) And in black & white.