It's Fall

I have been walking the same daily to-and-fro path for over 6 years. In downtown San Francisco most fallen leaves scuttle across the concrete with no place to land...there are few receptive plots of open earth where they can happily return into mulch. However, for those of us who stroll the sidewalks with open eyes, there is an October expectation of change—captive color, transitional patterns and beauty. I have come to know the advent of fall by the first leaves that vie for my attention. Here is this year's "first leaf of fall" winner, escorted by a stray feather from a parrot of telegraph hill.

Make bad art

agave nights

My photography playmate Tina Kelly Green shared a homework assignment given to her by Mark Lindsay—to spend a period of time making “bad photography”. Break all the rules…no attachment to the outcome…loosen the tyranny of perfection. This inspired idea came to me with a laugh so I jumped in. In the course of a thousand plus blurred, out of focus and upside down images, I began to see the occasional surprise, temptation, hint of brilliance. Tracking moments of awe, I allowed the camera direct me toward more intentional rhythm and movement, smaller aperture settings, lower light conditions, searching for distinct lines and patterns. "It feels like passing through the light of day into dreamtime". More images on my website in Beyond Form portfolio.

yellow flower on slate

Eating clouds for breakfast

Every morning, I head to the coffee grinder by way of our small balcony where I stop for a moment to greet the morning. In San Francisco things are fairly predictable...the sun cracking the ridge over the East Bay. Either a few stray clouds or impenetrable fog (no sun at'all) Then there is the occasional cloud show. On this morning I gave up breakfast (but not the coffee) to attend the neighborhood cloud revival.

Following the Light

Walking to work on an overcast morning the question arose, "what might be created if I played with 'what light strikes'". Within moments the sun broke from its hiding and lit up a towering cloud overhead. The building in front of me lit in a swath of light, and then the light was gone. I walked into my office and where light fell on the binding of an Andy Goldsworthy book, Stone. Pulled from the shelf I opened the pages to the image of a beautiful twig-wrapped rock.

What would happen if I wrapped a building in clouds? Or wrapped a cloud with buildings? Three images, one cloud...

300 California Street, San Francisco

Embarcadero Center, San Francisco

Vaillancourt Fountain reflecting Embarcadero Center