m. j. kelley's blog

Corridor

2012-01-24T05:30:00.000-08:00

Shot with Kodak T-max 3200 black and white film. Experimenting with the grainy style of this film. I really like its effect on concrete.

Cube of Light

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

Continuing to experiment with 3200 black and white 35mm film. Shot with no tripod.

Best Conditions for Writing:

2012-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

An environment where your cell phone has to be turned off.

Limited access to the Internet and no access to social media, chat or personal email.

A place where you have to sit for long periods of time in front of a computer.

Limited to no contact with other people or distractions.

This, for me, has been the ideal writing environment lately.

Escalator to Fog

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

Photo taken on January 3rd, 2012.

Streetcar Tunnel before Midnight

2012-01-11T05:30:00.000-08:00

Pine Street at 7:20AM

2012-01-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

More grain-tastic Kodak 3200 on a foggy San Francisco morning.

Old Federal Reserve Building

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

Captured with Kodak 3200 black and white film.

Powell Street Station

2012-01-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

Photo taken one hour before midnight on new year's eve 2011. Shot on super grainy 3200 Kodak film.

First Photo and First Omelette of 2012

2012-01-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

Six egg omelette with bacon, grilled onions, jack cheese and sprinkled paprika. A nice way to start the new year and get my first photo of 2012 in. Happy new year.

"Grunge Box" created with Inkscape

2011-11-11T20:24:00.000-08:00

I worked with Inkscape alongside a friend today and created this RSS box icon from scratch. There is a great listing of tutorials at the Inkscape Tutorials weblog where I discovered how to make this and other cool things. The great thing about an exercise like this is that it teaches you some useful techniques to employ in your own designs. Inkscape is a great vector graphics editor, and it's free. To learn more about vector graphics, there is a pretty decent wiki on the subject.

I made this box from the "Use Inkscape to Create a Grunge RSS Box Icon" tutorial. Enjoy!

New Sci-fi Movie "Rage of the Yeti" vs "The Thing"

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I had to laugh at the title of this new sci fi horror movie premiering November 12th, 2011 on the Syfy channel. However, I still maintain that nothing can beat John Carpenter's "The Thing" (1982), which will always be the ultimate 'snowy wasteland' sci fi horror movie.

(Update: 11/27/2011) Unfortunately, the embedded Yeti trailer no longer works, so I removed it from this post. I wasn't able to find the trailer any where else online. So enjoy "The Thing"!

On National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

2011-11-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yes sir, November is National Novel Writing Month. Every year people gather to write novels together and sign up at nanowrimo.org. I've never been a fan of online writing communities. I tried some out in 2001 and found that I was much better off writing and tracking my progress offline. I carefully choose who I show fresh work to, especially if it is far from being complete. But that's what works best for me.

I say if it helps you write, do it. But then keep on going. Don't stop on Nov. 30th. If novels are what you want to write, write 'em, damn it! And write 'em year round. If you can make time for one month, you can make time for 11 more.

If you're going to sign up for this 30 day novel writing extravaganza, use it as an opportunity to learn about your own writing process. Your mission:

Find out what works best for you.
Do what works best.
Make it so you can do it the rest of the year.

Sounds simpler than it is... but hang in there. Write. Write. And write some more!

Here's some nice sentiments on NaNoWriMo from S. Misanthrope: Stupid of the Week #3: National Write a Novel Month.

Sunset Landscapes from San Francisco

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was out walking with my wife through the city on a Sunday evening when we witnessed this sunset over the ocean. The day had been really hot, October being San Francisco's late summer this year, and the clouds began to form in front of the sun.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax 50 - 200mm f/3.5; Settings: 1/90 sec, f/19, ISO 200)

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax 50 - 200mm f/3.5; Settings: 1/90 sec, f/22, ISO 200)

Moody and Empty Glass

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I did some speculative product photography for my company Dexter Washington and captured this shot as a test shot. I was working with a 50mm 1:1.4 prime lens.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax-M 50mm 1:1.4; Settings: 1/3000 sec, f/10, daylight balanced, ISO 200)

The Four Eyed Gor Monster

2011-10-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

A monster named by and created for my daughter in Inkscape.

The Ups and Downs of Script Writing for Beginners: A Review of "Tales from the Script"

2011-10-18T05:00:00.001-07:00

Tales from the Script is a collection of sit down interviews with prominent screenwriters who have made money at their craft. If you're any kind of beginning fiction or screenplay writer, this movie is worth watching for insight into the business and the reality of working in the film industry. But not just the film industry, a lot of what these screenwriters describe and the advice they give is generally applicable to almost any other kind of creative writing.

I think writers with 5 years or more under their belts, who have experience with rejection, submitting, finishing stories and scripts, and completing many, many drafts, probably won't find any new advice or insights in this film. So if you've spent time in a writing program, reading books for writers, or doing the hard work in the trenches, many of the points in the movie will be familiar to you. But if you're interested in starting a career in screenwriting, you may find the movie helpful in making your decision.

There are some moments when the "writing process" and " what makes a good script" are briefly discussed. But this is not the primary focus. The movie is mostly about what to expect from the job. The primary position it takes is "This is what you're getting yourself into, so be prepared and don't have any delusions about it."

It was enjoyable to see masters like William Goldman and David S. Ward and prominent writers like Frank Darabont, Steven E. de Souza, Guinevere Turner, Shane Black and John Carpenter speak about the ups and downs of the film industry. A total of 50 screenwriters speak in the movie.

Here's a summary of some points that stood out to me:

It doesn't matter how good you are. It's extremely hard. Success is close to impossible.
For most people it can take 10 years to break into the industry.
Chances are high that your script will be rewritten, changed and altered by someone else.
Some successful screenwriters in this movie have written more than 30 scripts only to have 2 or 3 sold.
Selling a script doesn't mean it will get made.
You only need one person to like it.
Approaching your writing like it is a full time job is greatly beneficial.
Persistence and hard work can pay off, but it is best not to be attached to what the end product will be.
Get ready to draft and redraft and draft some more. The movie mentions that Peter Shaffer drafted Amadeus around 40 times for the screenplay version. And Antwone Fisher states that he drafted his first script over 100 times.
Get used to rejection. Embrace it. Grow thick skin.

If you're new to writing scripts and fiction, you might think the above is pretty harsh or depressing. And if publication and making money is all you want out of a career in writing, I would suggest finding something else you love about it. Because the thing(s) you love about it will keep you going until you gain that monetary or commercial success. I think you have to believe you'll make it. But you also have to keep in mind the realities of the business. Most of the time your head will be buried in the work itself. And the majority of writers spend many years submitting before they find success if at all. You got to love it. You have to make sure you do.

Here's a clip from Tales from the Script:

Silver Pinwheel Man

2011-10-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 50mm -- 200mm, 3.5; ISO 200)

Mercedes Reflections

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 50mm -- 200mm, 3.5; ISO 200)

Bicycles on Grass

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 50mm -- 200mm, 3.5; ISO 200)

Ms. Oink: A new digital creation

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

The 5 a.m. Writing Schedule: How to Make Writing a Priority

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you're like me and you have a pretty busy work and family life, you may find it hard to get that writing time in. One solution I've found is the 5 a.m. writing schedule. That's right, waking up at 5 a.m. to get the writing in before anyone else gets up and before I have to be at work.

Making writing the first priority of the day, and not having any distractions in the morning, makes for efficient and productive writing sessions, even if they're only two or three hours. As you complete projects using this schedule, you will gain confidence and begin to really enjoy it.

In 2001 when I was in college as an undergraduate, I began a daily writing practice. Since then I have worked on many short stories, novels and screenplays. It meant making writing a habit every day, and although I thought this was challenging at the time, I now look back on that period and see how much easier it was to fit writing into my life. As the years went by, I accumulated more and more responsibilities and writing often got pushed to "when I can fit it in."

Now in 2011, I have a wife and daughter, and I run a photography company--so family and work make it difficult to find that writing time that I need to keep my stories, novels, screenplays and ideas flowing. I used to save my writing time for the last thing I did before bed, but I was so tired I often only got a page or two before I was ready to pass out. Also, during the day, I'd often worry about whether I would even get any time between my other responsibilities--but if it's the first thing you do, all these worries go out the window. You've already accomplished your writing for that day, before any loved ones are awake, before you check your email or surf the web, before you even make breakfast (if you want).

You may be surprised how quickly you adjust to waking up this early. I started by setting my alarm for 6 a.m., then 5:30 and then 5, making it a gradual adjustment. I also caffeinate myself immediately by making black tea when I wake up. In a couple weeks I was waking up at 5 a.m. on my own without an alarm.

I will warn you that it does take some preparation. If your house is arranged anything like mine, sleeping people are near the printer which can be really loud if I need to print drafts. I always print them out the night before and have all my writing tasks recorded in notes from the previous morning. That way I do less thinking about where I left off, and I can just get down to it. Make it so you already have a project to work on or something to revise; make it easy to just start.

This process has been extremely helpful for me. So far I've been ten times more productive at this early hour than any other time of the day. If writing is important to you, then this schedule will help make it a priority while still allowing you to maintain your other responsibilities.

Find other writing schedules or solutions helpful? Post them in the comments.

New Head Shot: Self Portrait

2011-09-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

There's a little rubber ducky inside all of us.

Mr. Quack: A Rubber Ducky I Designed

2011-09-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

"Light Streaks Series on Ocean Ave."

2011-07-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

I did a series of these every Thursday night in February, 2011. This is also my 100th post:

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Kodak Ektar 100, ISO 100; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi)

Two Church and Duboce Shots:

2011-07-24T17:19:00.000-07:00

Taken at the same time as this digital streetcar photograph.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm, f/3.5; Film: Fuji Acros Neopan 400; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 4800 dpi; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Glance into Shadow"

2011-07-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

New portrait photography shot for Dexter Washington Photography.

(Model: Judi Mao; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm, f/3.5; Film: Agfa APX 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"View from Nob Hill"

2011-07-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 Super, ISO 400; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi)

"Powell Street Workers"

2011-07-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 Super, ISO 400; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi)

"Oakland Downtown"

2011-07-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 Super, ISO 400; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Watching the Fog Roll"

2011-07-14T20:17:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm, f/3.5; 1/2 secs, f/3.5, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Rotational Skylight"

2011-07-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm, f/3.5; 1/30secs, f/16, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Car through Rain"

2011-07-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N, 6 x 4.5 mask; Film: Ilford XP2 Super, ISO 400; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround"

2011-07-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Took this one stormy night in SF around late February or early March, 2011. I was walking up to visit a friend on Nob Hill and shot this at the turnaround. Had an umbrella to cover the camera and used one of the permanent stands as a stable surface. Shutter speed was between 2 and 4 secs.

(Camera: HOLGA 120N, 6 x 4.5 mask; Film: Kodak Portra 400VC; Scanner: CanoScan 9000f, 3200 dpi)

2011-07-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

I started the new Dexter Washington Photography blog today. It will document my company's journey in business, photography and the web.

This concludes any Dexter related posts on this blog. Well, any exclusive Dexter posts--I may still link relevant material on here.

"Which Way's Up?"

2011-07-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm, f/3.5; 1/180secs, f/4, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Which Way Out?"

2011-07-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm, f/3.5; 1/250 secs, f/4, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco, CA)

Making a New "Business" Blog

2011-07-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

I think I've decided to create a new blog specifically for the commercial photography business that I've started, Dexter Washington Photography, and reserve this blog for my artistic endeavors: fiction writing, art photography, video making, filmmaking etc.

I'll post a link here when the new one is ready.

Update (July 13th, 2011): New Dexter blog for my company.

Dexter Ad #3: Wedding Photography

2011-07-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

My third ad for Dexter Washington Photography going up tomorrow on Monday the 11th.

Portrait: "Judi"

2011-07-10T12:36:00.000-07:00

I rate this photograph among the best portraits that I've taken. The lighting, the tones, the pose and model--all contribute to it being one of my favorites. This one is from a shoot with the lovely Judi Mao for Dexter Washington Photography.

(Model: Judi Mao; Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm, f/3.5; 1/90 secs, f/5.6, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco, CA)

Ads for Dexter

2011-07-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

I created two ads for Dexter Washington Photography today. One for product and ad photography and the other for a special summer rate we're offering.

I plan to post them on craigslist.org on Monday. These are two of four I plan to create:

More Portraits for Dexter

2011-07-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

More portraits from the Kat R. shoot I took for Dexter Washington Photography.

(Model: Kat R.; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: AGFA APX 100; ISO 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

Product Shots: Pentax ZX-60

2011-07-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

I shot some product photos for Dexter. I used a light-box I built and only did slight touch ups using GIMP.

Dexter Washington Photography Launches

2011-07-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

I just finished constructing the new and improved Dexter Washington Photography website. Dexter is a commercial photography firm that I started in San Francisco, CA.

I used CSS2, the gedit Text Editor, Google Chrome, GIMP and of course HTML to build it. Being new to CSS, I was especially happy with the style sheet and how I was able to make the website completely search engine optimized.

Index Page

Gallery Index

Plans & Rates

Contact Page

Dexter launched on July 1st, 2011

"Streetcar from Darkness"

2011-06-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm; 1/10 sec, f/4.5, ISO 400, no tripod; Place: San Francisco)

"Sunset Corner"

2011-06-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

I recently moved back to the Sunset District in San Francisco. This is my first shot after being back--a typical sidewalk and hill in the neighborhood.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm; 4 secs, f/5.6, ISO 200; Place: San Francisco)

"Trumpet" wins 3rd place & Publication

2011-06-12T17:53:00.000-07:00

I'm proud to announce that my short-short story, "Trumpet," won 3rd place in the Sudden Fiction Contest hosted by the Berkeley Fiction Review.

My story appears in issue 31; however, their website says "pre-order" and the editors informed me recently that issues of #31 won't be available until September unfortunately.

If you're interested in pre-ordering a copy, click here.

I also got the chance to read this story at the Porter Gulch Review reading in May, 2009. Here's a video of that reading.

"Sun in Clouds"

2011-06-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Pro Max 100; 1/350 sec, f/16, ISO 100; Place: Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA)

"The Mystery Woman"

2011-06-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

(Model: Kat R.; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: AGFA APX 100; ISO 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Flare with Kat R."

2011-06-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

(Model: Kat R.; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: AGFA APX 100; ISO 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Nah Nah"

2011-05-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

(Model: Kat R.; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Neopan 400; ISO 400; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Jagged Edge"

2011-05-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Pro Max 100; 1/125 sec, f/6.7, ISO 100; Place: Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA)

"Bending Hat"

2011-05-29T13:24:00.000-07:00

Recent portrait I did for DW Photo. Also seen at Dexter Washington Photography's website.

(Model: Kat R.; Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: AGFA APX 100; ISO 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Building Light"

2011-05-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: AGFA APX 400; 1/350 sec, f/16, ISO 400; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Sea Dune"

2011-05-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Pro Max 100; 1/45 sec, f/16, ISO 100; Place: Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA)

"Mother & Daughter"

2011-05-26T09:13:00.000-07:00

Picture taken after dinner at a taqueria.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Pro Max 100; 1/6 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Viewing the Storm Front"

2011-05-25T19:20:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken with some cheap Pro Max 100 35mm film, but I'm pleased with the detail from stopping it to f/22.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Pro Max 100; 1/90 sec, f/22, ISO 100; Place: Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA)

Under City: Crossing

2011-05-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N, 6 x 4.5 mask; Film: Fujicolor PRO 400h; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 900dpi)

Atheist Billboard near Bay Bridge

2011-05-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

Great billboard mocking the most recent "judgement day" movement.

Under City: Swinging Curve

2011-05-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

I just got back a roll of 120 film that I shot the other night. I was hoping some of these shots could be a part of the Under City series I'm creating. But the Fuji PRO 400h scans really grainy. Usually I don't mind grain, but I think I'm going for a sharper look for this series. Here's one of the shots that came out:

(Camera: HOLGA 120N, 6 x 4.5 mask; Film: Fujicolor PRO 400h; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 900dpi)

[This was originally posted on May 12th]

Ocean Beach

2011-05-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Kodak Gold 200; 1/90 sec, f/9.5, ISO 200; Place: Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA)

Lost Film Rolls

2011-05-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

I captured these photographs at age nine with the first camera I ever owned, a Kodak Advantix. Recently, I found four old rolls of film that had never been developed. One, this Kodak TMY T-max 400 roll, had these three shots on it. I got the prints made with an optical black and white machine.

I don't remember taking them. But seeing them is like looking at a personal time capsule of places I remember visiting and of perspectives I maybe held as a child.

(Scanner: HP Photosmart C6350, 900dpi; Place: New Brighton Beach, Capitola, CA; Date: Circa 1992)

(Scanner: HP Photosmart C6350, 900dpi; Place: Santa Cruz Mountains, CA; Date: Circa 1992)

(Scanner: HP Photosmart C6350, 900dpi; Place: Capitola, CA; Date: Circa 1992)

San Francisco Bay

2011-05-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Fujicolor 200; f/22, ISO 200; Scanner: HP Photosmart C6350, 800dpi; Place: Emeryville, CA)

Port Waters

2011-05-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Fujicolor 200; 1/30 sec, f/22, ISO 200; Scanner: HP Photosmart C6350, 800dpi; Place: Oakland, CA)

Arch

2011-05-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Kodak Gold 200; 1/30 sec, f/9.5, ISO 200)

Space Jump

2011-05-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax FA 28mm -- 90mm; Film: Kodak Gold 200; 4 secs, f/8.0, ISO 200; Place: Futuristica)

Under City

2011-05-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

This evening I shot this in a very hard to get to spot. I'm happy with how it turned out. Especially the different subtle colors on the structures.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 55mm; 20 secs, f/8.0, ISO 200; Place: Futuristica)

PSA included on Climate Change Channel

2011-05-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

My PSA, "Educate Our Forests," was added to the Vimeo channel "Climate Change."

If you are familiar with my PSA, my work in general, and my personality, you'll understand that this is a milestone in my video making career.

The organization I made it for (the Educate Our Forests Foundation) will be ecstatic with this news. They generally find any type of approval valuable, because their fight for legitimacy (even among other nonprofit organizations) has been a fearsome uphill battle. It is a disturbing fact that the majority of Americans do not believe trees are sentient, and therefore, sadly, do not approve of their university education.

My eternal gratitude and special thanks to "Eyes of Truth" for creating the Climate Change channel on Vimeo and helping to validate not only my hard work, but that of the Educate Our Forests Foundation.

"Jet Line No. 2"

2011-04-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/180 sec, f/22.0, ISO 200; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Futuristica"

2011-04-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

Similar to "Double Sun" but taken from a different angle.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/500 sec, f/22.0, ISO 200; Place: Futuristica)

Cloud Glass

2011-04-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/90 sec, f/22.0, ISO 200; Place: Oakland, CA)

Sky & Glass #2

2011-04-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/125 sec, f/27.0, ISO 200; Place: Oakland, CA)

Built with Reflections

2011-04-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/90 sec, f/27.0, ISO 200; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Double Sun"

2011-04-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

I'm really proud of this photograph. I've shot this spot several times, hoping for the shot I had imagined.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/500 sec, f/22.0, ISO 200; Place: Futuristica)

Lexus + Dividers

2011-04-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/500 sec, f/16.0, ISO 200; Place: Emeryville, CA)

'94 Crown Vic Left

2011-04-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

Another from this series.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/750 sec, f/16.0, ISO 400; Place: Emeryville, CA)

"Crown Vic Right" = Low Sun Reflective Action

2011-04-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

I got some sun-low-in-the-sky action off the 1994 Ford Crown Vic in the early evening.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/750 sec, f/16.0, ISO 400; Place: Emeryville, CA)

Dexter Washington Photography

2011-04-08T17:06:00.000-07:00

I recently completed this site for Dexter Washington Photography. Constructed the site using a text editor and web browser, and GIMP for graphics. You can find the site here.

Light over Construction

2011-04-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 15 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200; Color Balance: tungsten; Place: Oakland, CA)

Building Skeleton

2011-04-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to shoot this building at night for a while. Finally got a chance last night. Another photograph to add to my industrial portrait collection:

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 20 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200; Color Balance: tungsten; Place: Oakland, CA)

Sunset vs Creeping Darkness of Cliffs

2011-04-01T00:31:00.000-07:00

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm -- 50mm; 1/125 sec, f/16, ISO 200; Color Balance: daylight; Place: near Montara, CA)

Canon Auto Zoom 814 Super 8 Film Camera:

2011-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

I was just given this Canon 814 Super 8 film camera by my father-in-law for an upcoming project I'm working on. I cleaned it up and decided to shoot it.

I placed it on a glass table in a room where there was a combination of daylight from a window (left) and tungsten (right).

Next I'm going to load it up with a Kodak super 8 cartridge and take a test reel for my upcoming film project. I'll post the best of that footage when it's ready.

(Camera: Pentax K100D Super; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 50mm -- 200mm; 1/30 sec, f/4.5, ISO 800; Color Balance: daylight; Place: Oakland, CA)

"Nuns In Guadalajara"

2011-03-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

I took this shot in downtown Guadalajara. What I appreciate about it are the reflections in the marble sidewalk:

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Kodak Ektar 100, 35mm; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350 , 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Mexico)

"Agave Harvest" Mmm, Tequila!

2011-03-04T10:19:00.000-08:00

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm, 1/125 sec, f/16; Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100 g; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: Tres Mujeres tequila distillery, near Tequila, Mexico)

Famed Director John Ford gives In-depth Answers:

2011-03-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

"Near Downtown Guadalajara"

2011-03-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite 'depth of field' shots from my recent trip:

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)

"Gals, Cigarettes & Sunglasses" -- An Online Gallery

2011-03-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Recently, I curated my first Flickr online gallery, "Gals, Cigarettes & Sunglasses." Below is one of the photographs I included. Check it out here.

(Photograph by Lam Tran; Model: Lauren Ashley)

"Bay Bridge" is awarded Photo of the Week

2011-02-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

My photo was chosen as photo of the week for the Pentax Art group on Flickr. Here's the link to the posting.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Kodak Ektar 100, 35mm; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350 , 1200ppi; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Sun Flare & Tree"

2011-02-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the silhouette black and white theme, here's another from the same roll:

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350 , 1200ppi; Place: Sunset District, San Francisco, CA)

"Corner Juice Shop Part 1" from Guadalajara

2011-02-25T19:29:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite photographs from my recent trip to Guadalajara. Mainly, I'm proud because it turned out exactly how I envisioned it at that moment. The silhouette is exactly how I wanted it.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350 , 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Mexico)

"Light Streaks Part 2" from Guadalajara

2011-02-24T14:23:00.000-08:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Mexico)

"the Ocean & Sutro Baths"

2011-02-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Kodak Portra 160NC; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: San Francisco, CA)

"Love" from Guadalajara:

2011-02-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Mexico)

"Light Streaks Part 1" from Guadalajara

2011-02-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

(Camera: HOLGA 120N; Film: Ilford XP2 400 Super; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350, 1200ppi; Place: Guadalajara, Mexico)

The "Blair Witch" in Space:

2011-02-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

The Bay Bridge Collection

2011-02-20T09:55:00.000-08:00

I've started a little collection of Bay Bridge night shots. Some great practice and a beautiful bridge.

For more details on these photos click on them and check out their tags on Flickr.

The Best Sandwiches Ever!

2011-02-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Top 5 Best Sandwiches

The "Everything" Torta (La Cubana): Steak, ham, bacon, hot dogs, sausage, chorizo, fried eggs, thick sour cream, avocado, Mexican cheese, cilantro--all on a half loaf of buttered bread.

The Thanksgiving Sandwich: Turkey, stuffing, gravy (or cranberry sauce or both), choice of mashed potatoes, mayonnaise and/or tomato--all on two big slices of sour dough.

Classic BLT: Bacon, lettuce, tomato. Can't beat it.

Classic BLTA: Bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado.

Peanut Butter & Jelly: The name says it all plus choice of banana, apple, and/or honey.

"Tequila Distilling Tanks"

2011-02-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

While in Mexico, we enjoyed a great Tequila region tour offered at our hostel, during which I took some shots inside. The tequila was literally bubbling fervently and smelled sweet and wonderful.

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100 g; 1/30 sec, f/4.0; 1200ppi; HP Photosmart 6350 Scanner)

In Love... with a Zombie?

2011-02-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

Zombies, romance and more in a new post from S. Misanthrope featuring cover art by myself. Check out the hilarity here.

PS. Stay tuned for a 'making of the cover art' post.

"Street Level" A Night Exposure from Mexico

2011-02-16T20:57:00.000-08:00

A timed night exposure I took while in Guadalajara, Mexico. There were hundreds of small streets behind our hotel that mazed off into tiny neighborhoods. I was experimenting with perspective and was happy with this result:

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100 g; 20 sec, f/8.0; 1200ppi; HP Photosmart 6350 Scanner)

The Cow

2011-02-15T19:52:00.000-08:00

The last couple times I ventured out of the U. S. I've run into these cows. They're part of this world-wide art project that I won't link here, but this one provided me with a good shot:

(Camera: Pentax ZX-60; Lens: SMC Pentax DA 18mm - 55mm; Film: Kodak Ektachrome E100 g; 1/250 sec, f/22; 1200ppi; Scanner: HP Photosmart 6350)