Tag Archives: postaday

Beach Contrasts

Beach walks are full of surprises…if you are looking for them. Summer Saturdays are jam-packed with people…families, birthday parties, couples, teenagers, and so many more. Parking is a challenge and a beach walk means dodging paddle ball games, frisbees, sand castle builders, surfers, toddling just-beyond-babies, footballs…

And today’s surprise was all the flowers strewn on the beach. My husband loves to pick up trash as we walk and we noticed the petals immediately. They weren’t trash, but they were quite a contrast to what we usually see on the beach. At first we wondered if there had been a memorial service–not so unusual in the surfing community. But the flowers and petals continued as we walked and walked.

Was it a wedding? There were many different kinds of flowers…purples and whites, yellows and oranges. White roses, red roses, yellow roses… Like a trail of bread crumbs leading to a story not yet told.

I imagined a flower truck overturning and dumping its load into the ocean…a flower festival on a boat offshore where flowers were thrown into the surf as part of a ceremony…a flower field for fish that washes onto the shore when the growing season ends…my imagination took over creating more and more scenarios.

By then my mind was tuned for contrasts and I began to notice others, like the pair of surfers with their boards on their heads…one in a full wetsuit, the other in a bikini.

And the patch of nasturtiums growing along the cliffs instead of the usually bare sandstone.

And then there was the colorful seawall…someone whose property extends all the way to the beach. This stretch always reminds me of that Kevin Costner movie, Waterworld, with the floating buildings made of seaworn wood, metal, and whatever could be salvaged…this seawall has that quality.

And there was more…light and shadow, age and youth, affluence and poverty. The beach is full of contrasts, when you take the time to look and notice.

In the Spaces Between

Exploring Natives…and Some Extras!

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If you’ve been reading my blog, you may have noticed my obsession with weeds (here, here, and here are some examples). So when I heard that the Lux Art Institute was hosting an artist whose work features weeds, I couldn’t wait to visit. And I wasn’t disappointed. Beverly Penn makes exquisite sculptures by casting what others might classify as ordinary or weed-like flora in bronze and then creating beautiful art that seems to breathe, move, and reflect light. I wish I could have taken photos of the art–but the museum requested no photos in the studio.

And as an added extra, when I had a minute to chat with the artist, she talked about how her current work (that she is working on as she is in residency at the Lux) uses the native plants that grow prolifically on the Lux grounds. As we left the studio, we headed out into the grounds to see the sculptures installed in the native plant trail…also surrounded by even more native chaparral.

I took this photo of the native buckwheat. And if you look closely you will see a little extra in the background–one of the fanciful birdhouses that is a part of the sculpture collection at the Lux.

As I walked the natives, I couldn’t resist stopping to put my macro lens on to get closer to these often unappreciated beauties. Seeing Beverly Penn’s sculptures inspired my curiosity and had me wanting to look even more closely at these plants that seem to grow like weeds…and many consider weeds. Lately, they have been celebrated for their resilience in drought conditions, requiring considerably less water than the decorative plants that many like to cultivate around homes and businesses.

This Hummingbird’s Trumpet uses its brilliant scarlet to attract pollinators…and my eye.

I was surprised to learn that this vibrant yellow bloom is called the California Brittlebush. I love the bumpiness of the centers when when you get close.

I’m really not sure of the name of this purple flowering plant. The bloom is interesting because it includes a spiky ball and then a delicate flower.

My interest in weeds has also allowed me to find the beauty in the stages of blooming that some might dismiss as ugly or uninteresting. This plant, the Seaside Daisy, had a few blossoms in full bloom with white petals and a bright yellow center. But I found myself interested in the blossoms that were past their prime, “gone to seed”–reminding me of dandelions and their tenacious seed dispersement and the beauty of the husks as the seeds blow away.

I was also drawn to the black sage…a common plant in these parts. The blossoms are now skeletons, and yet somehow their intricate beauty draws me in and the fragrance evokes San Diego summer.

I loved the extras that presented themselves as I headed off to the Lux today. I was reminded to appreciate the natives…and look closely to find their beauty and intricacy. And one more extra: I ran into one of my students (and her little sister who will be my student when school begins in the fall) as they came out of the art studio and I was about to enter. Their mom mentioned that they were there because we had studied weeds…they just couldn’t wait to see what the artist was doing with weeds as her subject! What a great beginning to summer!

Beach Rooms

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As I’m sure you have noticed, I take lots of beach walks. And since I take lots of photos on those walks, in order to keep from taking the same pictures over and over again, I have to be ready to find a new focus each time I go.

I saw the new Daily Post weekly photo challenge last night…room. And as I headed for the beach, I started to think about what room would mean on the beach. My first thought was that the beach offers lots of room to breathe. While that is true, once I arrived, I saw a variety of rooms on the beach.

As I headed down toward the shore, I noticed the lifeguard stand. This particular one had been put away during the winter, but is back out now…complete with a lifeguard. This is definitely a room for the lifeguard and he was making himself comfortable as he watched all the people on the beach.

Heading down the beach, I started to notice the spaces that people who live on the bluffs above have built right above sand level. It is clear that they see the beach as an extension of their home and have gone to elaborate lengths to create some comfortable rooms and spaces to keep their beach gear.

Notice the beach stones used to build the lower wall on this one!

Not long after, we came across a group of people with surfboards who had built this teepee-like structure from reeds that grow nearby. They seemed to be gathered to honor one of their own. The women gathered in beach chairs and the men with their surfboards, clutched flowers as they readied themselves to enter the waves. It is a common ritual to gather on surfboards in the ocean to pay tribute to a fellow surfer…a memorial at sea, choreographed by the friends of the one who has died.

As we continued our walk this maze of stairways caught my eye. Unlike the ones I saw earlier, these seemed to emerge from rooms far above on the bluffs rather than near the shore.

And some rooms are more temporary in nature. I love this room…a fort made from a boogie board and beach towels. A perfect place to hide away from the sun and easy to pick up and go…either into the waves or to head back home.

The beach is filled with rooms. Some have roofs and no walls, providing shade without privacy, while others are almost tents, blocking wind and offering shade–and a great place to read!

As we got ready to leave, I couldn’t help noticing the sign behind the room-less showers…of course the full sign read bathrooms, but I couldn’t resist taking this photo!

I love the beach for the room it offers to breathe and to think, the cool frothy waves and briny sea air seem to soothe worries and offer space in an otherwise full life. But today, I also noticed all the other rooms at the beach…for shelter, privacy, ritual, storage, and service. I’m reminded that rooms serve many purposes and come in endless varieties. And now I’m wondering…what unexpected places have you found room(s)?

En Plein Air: Beach Photography

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As a writer, I’m trying to pay attention to the stuff the people aren’t paying attention to.
JONATHAN FRANZEN

When this quote came across my Twitter feed today, I found myself thinking about how it applies to photography too. And establishing a habit of taking photos every day…with the express purpose of posting at least one…pushes me to consider new ways of paying attention to the potential images around me. It’s not that I don’t see what others see…I do, and I often see that others around me take photos and post photos that are similar to mine. So that means I need to pay attention to the details of composition, lighting, angles…

I realize that I use photography for a variety of purposes. Sometimes I am documenting events in my life, sometimes I am teaching myself some new techniques, sometimes I am relaxing and enjoying the outdoors…and sometimes I am working to create art.

Some photos turn out just the way I want them to, with the colors and focus and frame all in perfect harmony. And some pictures benefit from some editing…cropping, light adjustments, filters and such.

When I saw the Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge today was “work of art,” I knew I would focus on photos taken at the beach. I headed to the beach today as a break from worrying about the wildfires in our community. School was canceled, the weather was still hot, and the sand, waves, and briny sea air called to me. As I got closer to the shore I noticed the juxtaposition of the bright blue sky to the west and south and dark smoke rising from the north. The fires on Camp Pendleton had flared this morning, and firefighters were hard at work knocking it back down. As I walked in the cool salt water I aimed for the shot that would capture the brightness of the blue sky and also capture the dark, ominous smoke in the distance.

The carefree playfulness of the children on the beach was contagious! Even though the water is still cool…in the mid 60’s, it seemed that everyone was enjoying the water. I saw this group of kids heading into the surf and wanted to get a sense of the activity. It’s interesting to me that the photo looks like the beach is empty, just by the framing of the shot, when in reality there were lots of people on the beach today. I also played with a filter in Snapseed, creating a bit of a vignette effect, highlighting the children at play.

I ended up back at the beach later this evening when my husband came home from work. It was still quite warm out and I had enjoyed the beach so much earlier in the day that I wanted him to have the opportunity to feel the relaxation and the cool of the ocean. As I walked down the ramp toward the shore I noticed this gull on the roof of the beach building. With this post in mind, I decided to play around with the image a bit, cropping to bring the bird closer and then using a black and white filter. I’ve noticed that black and white is great for some photos…and terrible on others. I like it on this one.

It wasn’t yet sunset as our walk came to an end, but the sun was low in the sky and created a shiny reflection on the water below it. As we sat on some benches on the hill above the beach at the end of our walk, I was drawn to the silhouette of the palm tree in the distance. I’ve photographed this tree before, but not quite at this same angle or at this same time of day. It’s funny that this filter is called redscale, it seems to give the photo a yellowish, sunset kind of glow.

As a photographer, even an amateur, there is a lot to pay attention to. And the more I practice my craft, the more I find that I am able to pay attention to the stuff other people aren’t paying attention to, resulting in some interesting works of art…or alternatively, some interesting prompts for writing. The beach is a rich resource to draw from, a source of inspiration, renewal, relaxation and fun. And for me, today, it was also a welcome distraction.

A Mother’s Day Adventure

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Sometimes one invitation creates space for new adventures and unexpected opportunities. And for me that invitation led to today’s Mother’s Day adventure.

Tomorrow I will attend the 100Kin10 Summit at the Exploratorium in San Francisco–an effort focused on improving STEM teaching by bringing interested stakeholders in lots of different fields together to support teacher development and retention. But more about that later…

So this morning I was on the move, heading to San Francisco on Mother’s Day to spend the day (and night) with my son and daughter-in-law. And all of today’s travels were adventures…trying some new ways to getting where I needed and wanted to go.

I started my morning on an airline I hadn’t flown before. I made my decision based on both price (of course) and on my need to fly into SFO. There were lots of choices…and Southwest is usually my go to airline for short jaunts like this. But this time I decided to try out Virgin America. Advantages: same cost as Southwest, secured seat assignment (no worries about checking in exactly 24 hours before your flight to get your line-up number). It also has a very different vibe…feels a bit “retro” and “hip”…especially the safety features video (a music video piece…quite amusing!). The purple light decor and the music that played during the boarding process added to that feeling.

My flight arrived early into San Francisco…another plus, and I headed off to find the BART. Today I would ride the Bay Area Rapid Transit system from the airport to my son’s house in the east bay. I’ve ridden BART before, but not from SFO and not to my son’s house. And you probably know, when you don’t do something very often, each time feels like something new. Figuring out how to buy the ticket was probably the trickiest part of my journey…and it wasn’t too challenging.

I spent the BART ride people watching and taking photos of the scenery passing by. While the train was relatively empty when I got on at the airport, it continued to fill as we headed from station to station toward the city. There were travelers with luggage, young people with backpacks, families…a cute family with three exuberant boys got on at one point, the young couple with the bouquet of flowers for her mom, the guy with the electric bike that he positioned between his knees so he could sit and work his crossword puzzle for the journey, the older woman who was off to spend the day with her son, the cute older couple who held hands as they found seats, and more…

I took this shot by shooting out the window while we traveled at a fast pace through a tunnel, capturing the reflection of people in the car with me.

It was fun to watch and notice and recognize the different communities along the way, from the colorful houses on the hillsides between the airport and the downtown area to views of the oil rigs and shipping containers outside of Oakland, and then the expansive hillsides of the suburban east bay communities. I arrived as scheduled, ready for my son to pick me up.

After being treated to lunch out with my son and daughter-in-law, we had a relaxing Mother’s Day, hanging out at their house, catching up and talking, and playing with Roscoe…their Corgi. We were still on the move as we headed out for a walk into the sunny and warm afternoon, giving me an opportunity to explore their neighborhood.

And…it gets better…my son cooked a delicious dinner for us! The perfect ending to a wonderful day filled with adventure, movement, and love. I’ll be back on BART tomorrow, commuting with my son this time, as he heads in to work and I head in for the conference…

Morning Light

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When you live in a place with moderate temperatures all year long, the end of winter and the beginning of spring often pass unnoticed. Plants grow and flowers bloom all year long…outdoors! So this week’s Weekly Photo Challenge at the Daily Post was a hard one. I feel like I have already posted photos of beautiful blooms and outdoor fun…so what does spring really mean to me?

We had a few days of unseasonably hot weather last week…it felt more like September than the end of April/beginning of May. But this week we’re back to more usual, cooler temps (in the 60’s).

I came across this quote from photographer Henri Cartier Bresson last night and realized that I, too, use my camera as a sketchbook, capturing moments and feelings as I come across them.

“For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.” ― Henri Cartier-Bresson

I’ve been paying attention to changes in light and color, especially when it comes to my photography, trying to capture those instances of soft glow and light that seem to kiss the subject. And I have instances in my camera roll that capture these noticings.

This morning my eye was drawn to the clouds on my way to work…and I had to pull over to snap a few shots of the ocean and the clouds above.

And while the original was nice, I love the way the filter adds even more dimension to the clouds.

Even before I left the house this morning I had my camera (phone) out as I noticed Phil laying on our new rug (no furniture in that space yet) in the morning light. This is unedited and unfiltered.

On Saturday morning my husband was up early baking. I could smell his handiwork as I woke up, knowing that he enjoys the early morning quiet for his cooking creativity. When I made my way down to the kitchen, I saw the blueberry pie cooling in the morning light and couldn’t resist taking a photo.

Later that morning, when I was walking on the beach I noticed the reflection of this fishing pole on the sand. And I managed to not only capture the reflection of the pole in the wet sand and also the soft light on the beach on a sunny Saturday morning in May.

Now that spring is here, the days are longer and I’m noticing differences in the quality of light, especially in the morning and early evening. So maybe spring is about light for me. At least right now it is.

On Top…Perspective Matters

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There are so many ways to see the world and each has its own advantages…and drawbacks. All too often, we see the world by looking at eye level. We often don’t consider that things will look different if we crouch down, climb up, or change our angle.

This week’s photo challenge from the Daily Post is On Top. And that had me thinking about how my photos reflect that theme.

This first photo shows the scaffolding on the top of the bridge over the Cumberland River in Nashville. But what I think is even more interesting than the bridge structure is the clouds on top of that. I love the layers in this photo and the dimension and depth visible in the clouds.

And in another picture from Nashville, I looked up to see this fire escape on top of me. I have found that I like to take pictures looking up into the sun through structures (both man made and living). I notice so many interesting things about the sky, clouds, buildings…when I shoot from this perspective.

This third Nashville photo captures the tourists on the different balcony levels of the honky tonk…as the country music blasted into the streets. Even before noon, these folks seemed to be having a great time on top of the different levels of this establishment.

This final photo is from on top of the Ocean Beach pier looking towards the beachside community. The funny thing about this photo is that it looks like the large kite is well off into the distance, over the beach goers on the shore. In fact, this was a tiny kite flown by a girl standing on the pier…probably not ten feet away from me when I shot the photo.

When I look through my lens, I find myself intentionally looking in new and different ways. I try to see places and things and people anew…through a fresh perspective. And when I do that, I see what I had often overlooked or seen differently before. On top, from below, up close, from a distance…perspective matters.

Monumental: Old and New

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I love the complexity and juxtapositions of urban spaces. They are crowded, often teeming with tourists, business people, and very often, the down and out. Downtowns are an amalgam of old and new, history and current events, a place where wealth and poverty rub shoulders.

I’ve noticed this in my hometown, in big cities like San Francisco, New York City, Chicago…and I saw it again today in downtown Nashville, TN. Music City. Downtowns have their own personality. Some are all about food, some all about architecture, and some, like Nashville, are all about music. Live music poured from bars and restaurants…even before noon. Guitars and banjos were prevalent, and street performers were also in evidence. There were the requisite bars on every corner and tucked into alleys and happy hour seemed to start early on this warm Friday afternoon.

And today I was especially tuned in to the contrast between the old and new. New (ish) restaurant chains occupied historic buildings…and springing up in the background were shiny, reflective, skyscrapers.

And in some instances, the new buildings seemed to emerge from the top of the shorter, older ones. Almost like they were grafted on, breathing new life into an older, more classic and established host. (Isn’t that how it works with fruit trees?)

And while taking a photo of the Ryman Auditorium, I noticed that the more interesting shot was the reflection of the auditorium in the facade of the glass of the building across the street. A reflection of the past in the shine of the present? A mirror of the interconnections of history and current events?

There is something monumental about this juxtaposition of the past and the present, the intermingling of history with life today. The present keeps the past alive and relevant…the past keeps the present grounded and forward thinking as it reminds us all to learn from history.

And then there is the river…the powerful force that gives us energy and life, and if we are not careful, takes both away. Downtowns always seem to be close to water too. Maybe water is the true monument.

The Threshold of Possibility

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Long skinny boats, a sunny and cool spring morning, and enthusiastic college athletes…and so began my spring break.

I’ve never been to a crew event before, even though the Crew Classic happens in my hometown every year. I’ve watched rowing on TV and seen it during the Olympics. But recently, my nephew, a college sophomore became the coxswain of his college crew team…and their team was participating in our local event. So I had to go…and who wouldn’t enjoy a morning on the beach in beautiful San Diego?

The long skinny boats lined the beach, propped up upside down until each team carefully lifted the shell up over their heads and carried them down to the water.

There are interesting traditions within the sport. Coxswain are smaller and lighter than the rowers–and charged with keeping the rowers on cadence. They wear high-tech equipment, magnifying their voices above the wind and water for the rowers to hear. Apparently coxswain don’t wade out to the boat (or carry it either), and are lifted into the boat by a rower on the team. I caught this picture of the coxswain being lifted to his perch at the front of the boat…or is it the back?

I find myself thinking about all these young people on the threshold of adulthood. I know they are technically adults, after all, all of them are 18 or older. But I also know they are still in the process of figuring out how they will live their lives as grown-ups, separate from their parents. And it seems that the camaraderie and teamwork from sports and other team-oriented activities in college support these young adults as they find their way to independence. And it was fun to see the families cheering their young people on…and delighting in their efforts, even if the result of the race was 4th out of 4 or the boat came trailing in much later than the others in the race. It isn’t about winning or losing…it’s about playing, being together, learning together, figuring how to be a team.

My spring break is bookended with two threshold events: cheering on my younger nephew as part of his rowing team and then celebrating the wedding of my other nephew at the end of my break. They are both embarking on new chapters of their lives, figuring out their places in the world.

And there is something about standing at the edge of water on a gorgeous spring morning, the threshold of my spring break, that suggests possibility, play, and learning for me too. Sometimes just taking the time to try something new or explore a new aspect of my hometown is enough to break up the routines of the ordinary. I can’t wait to see what these days ahead will hold for me.