May 31, 2012

my new book - Incense Smoke, part 1 of 3


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photo by Donald Kinney

My night-class at Stanford is coming to a close. I've been taking a class with the intriguing title of "Developing Your Photographic Vision".



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photo by Donald Kinney

The book--you can click on the preview in the left column--was my class project. It involved 8 smokey sessions and more than 4000 snaps, but this is just a start. I have a feeling there is so much more I can do with smoke.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And where there is smoke, there is fire... Oh, if my landlord is reading this, don't worry, I'll try my best not to burn the place down.



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So, good luck with your own creative endeavor. Go for it. Accomplish great things. And let me know all about it.



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Ain't life grand? Amidst a world in shambles, we have an escape...


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May 30, 2012

reflections and ripples on Lagunitas Creek


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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh, I know I keep saying I'm going to move on from my beloved Lagunitas Creek to other projects, in a way I have...



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photo by Donald Kinney

but I seem to be visiting the creek just as often.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And it is with silvery ripples similar to these that I started my Lagunitas Creek project about 8 years ago. Oh, maybe I'll continue the project--I suppose a fellow can never have TOO much fun.


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May 29, 2012

Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno


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photo by Donald Kinney

The graves at Golden Gate National Cemetery stretch as far as the eye can see.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Not all buried here died during wars, but all honorably served their country. Many spouses of service members are also buried here.



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photo by Donald Kinney

So, I Googled "Golden Gate National Cemetery" looking for a bit more information. I was a bit surprised when I found a list of "Yelp" reviews:
1 - For a cemetery enthusiast this is a must. WOW. The vastness is insane.

2 - We discovered the cemetery by cruising around Daly City and I was AMAZED. As we got closer, I saw the sign "NATIONAL CEMETERY"..WHOA. I didnt get scared or anything, just looked and thought to myself.. thats a whole lot of people in the fields. It was beautiful, and sad.

3 - I'm yelping a cemetery? Yes, I'm yelping a cemetery, and I'm not even the first one to yelp this one. WTF.

4 - It's an awesome sight when you enter, it makes you realize that War is Hell and why the F&#K don't we ever learn. We never will believe me! I get very emotional visiting here.


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May 28, 2012

floating on a new day


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photo by Donald Kinney

While this duck floated on a patch of early morning color,



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photo by Donald Kinney

the light began growing stronger,



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photo by Donald Kinney

and more colorful...



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The start of a new day at my beloved China Camp on San Pablo Bay.


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May 27, 2012

morning - rectangular, square, and panoramic


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photo by Donald Kinney

Invisible in darkness, but that's McNear's Brickyard under a mountain of brick-making material, beneath a large rectangular morning sky.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Moments later, and quite magically, the sky turned into a square...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And then became colorful, wide, and panoramic. No foolin'.


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May 26, 2012

a foggy spot on Mount Tamalpais


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photo by Donald Kinney

There is a low spot on my beloved Mount Tamalpais, a saddle so to speak, offering the path of least resistance for fog swooping in from our giant fog generator--the Pacific Ocean.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Fog is something about warm air hitting the cold, then moisture finding dust particles around which to coalesce--I'm sure you've heard all about it...



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photo by Donald Kinney

But there it is--the beauty of science. I sort of make it up as I go along.


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May 25, 2012

Mt. Tamalpais - it's a small world


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photo by Donald Kinney

It's a small world, my world of Mount Tamalpais.



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photo by Donald Kinney

It is easily found by moving in close.



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photo by Donald Kinney

To isolate shapes,



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photo by Donald Kinney

and to identify patterns.


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May 24, 2012

Bay to Breakers - all shapes and sizes


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photo by Donald Kinney

I usually look for Salmon in my beloved Lagunitas Creek, but on Sunday I found these fishes swimming against a tide of runners in San Francisco's annual Bay to Breaker's footrace and party. The Salmon all chant; "Turn around, you are going the wrong way!", and they sound quite convincing but most runners just laugh and proceed.

(The banner image from yesterday has been retired to the pile of shame)



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photo by Donald Kinney

The "Linked-In" centipede entry. One of many "hooked together" runners.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Some were just trying to survive,



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photo by Donald Kinney

others were making a statement.



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photo by Donald Kinney

But a fine time was had by all.


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May 23, 2012

Lagunitas Creek - on the surface


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photo by Donald Kinney

The level of Lagunitas Creek has receded quite a bit recently. Our Spring rains stopped as suddenly as, I suppose, they started.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Water, blotchy and somewhat like a Monet Impressionist painting.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Stained glass water, bouncing off illuminated trees and vegetation.


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May 22, 2012

Alamo Square Park, oh so early


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photo by Donald Kinney

I found myself passing through Alamo Square Park oh so early Sunday morning and noticed something colorful on the horizon.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Then I began noticing shapes. I rounded these up and put them into squares.



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photo by Donald Kinney

A great variety in San Francisco's toothy skyline.


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May 21, 2012

flowers for a wedding at City Hall


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photo by Donald Kinney

Pretty pink for Julie M. who will be getting married to a fine man on Tuesday.



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White flowers for two of Julie's newfound daughters.



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And yellow for Aaron, a kind man that I look forward to meeting.


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May 20, 2012

Rodeo Beach, late afternoon adventure


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photo by Donald Kinney

It's the tunnel to the Marin Headlands and Rodeo Beach--an old relic from WorldWar2. It takes me there.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Lupine. Bushes of it.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Ships float by.



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photo by Donald Kinney

In just the right light the beaches turn black. The orange and yellow cliffs in the distance reflect off wet sand like gold.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Craggy Cypress trees filter the afternoon sun.


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May 19, 2012

Mission San Rafael and a little story


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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh Lord, since my beloved Mother was reduced to ashes over ten years ago I think it is now finally safe to let the world know that, no, I never shared the particular religious faith of my parents. They were Bible thumping Protestants--my father was the Choir Director and my mother taught "Sunday School"--oh Lord, I was doomed... I spent more time in Church than the average brat--and hated it with passion. Skipping church was NOT an option, although I eventually figured out that our Church had a BACK door and I could skip out and go on a much more enlightening adventure down at the waterfront rocks on Monterey Bay in our little community of Pacific Grove, California.



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Not that it made sense then any more than it makes sense now, but my Mother started a little group for young children after school once each week. The official theme was "Child Evangelism", but it had the imaginative name of "Joy Club", and on Wednesdays after school our living room would be packed with all my little friends, quite eager to soak up the parables and promises spewed forth unquestionably to our impressionable minds.



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So, it was a dicey and uncomfortable lifelong struggle, but I eventually joined a church more suitable to my foul disposition--the Church of the Gooey Death. It's a fun, sticky, yet highly spiritual church with only one member--me. I unashamedly worship beauty, and try my best to live my life dedicated to the indefatigable spirit of all, and our relentless quest for peace and the well being of others. Amen.

Mission San Rafael, California, was named after the Archangel Raphael, who was "God's Healing Messenger"... La Mission de Gloriosisimo Principe (San Rafael Mission) was the 20th on the Chain of California Missions... San Rafael Mission was founded by Fray Vicente de Sarria, on December 14, 1817...


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May 18, 2012

Streaming sunlight, Mount Tamalpais


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photo by Donald Kinney

Streaming sunlight is elusive, but I managed to snag some Wednesday morning up on my beloved Mount Tamalpais.



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photo by Donald Kinney

I had to work fast, as I knew the show was going to be over within four or five minutes. Snap, snap, snap.



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photo by Donald Kinney

These atmospherics only happen on the clearing edge of the fog where the sun can build a backlit spotlight effect. Rather beautiful, isn't it?


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