in the window of a toner store on Kearny St.

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh Lord, I was walking by the funky toner store on Kearny at the base of Chinatown as I often do -- when Jesus and Mary appeared in a 3-D hologram, changing like magic from Jesus to Mary when I moved one way, and Mary to Jesus when I moved the other.   Imagine my fascination.

At 8AM on Sunday the shop was closed so I'm planning another trip to check the price-tag.   I'm not a religious person, but I definitely need one of these!

ANYONE RECOGNIZE THE ARTIST?
The reason I'm asking is I got an email from L.S. yesterday and she owns the two framed prints (top quality prints, not schlock like this) but would like to know the name of the artist.   Anyone know who painted the originals?

CLICK for photo from different angle showing more of Jesus than Mary.




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photo by Donald Kinney

Welcome to the Olema Cemetery; Olema, California 94950



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photo by Donald Kinney

If I said "half-way-between-Bolinas-and-Point-Reyes" would that narrow it down for you a bit?   Or how about 40-miles-north-of-San-Francisco-on-the-coast.   Okay -- now you know where we are.   Only question is WHY...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Because   I'm proud to be a hippie from Olema.




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Chinese New Year in San Francisco

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photo by Donald Kinney

It's one of those rituals that shop owners welcome to keep prosperity flowing and the evil spirits at bay.   The dragon pokes his head into businesses, firecrackers pop off outside, drums pound and cymbals clang -- and to tell you the truth I haven't been able to hear since Sunday.



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photo by Donald Kinney

As I mentioned, drums pound and cymbals clang...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Proudly sponsored by Southwest Airlines...   Why not.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Pornography, I suppose, for someone like me on the Atkins low-carb diet.



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photo by Donald Kinney

And you didn't think I was going to let you get out of here without any firecrackers, did you?

So Whoopie!

LET'S CELEBRATE
Make sure your sound isn't turned way up, then
mouse-over keys.   Click to repeat three times.
Drag keys to the right to form combinations.




I think it'd be great fun if you drove your co-workers nuts this morning by playing these sound effects, over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over...



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backlit design and peaceful philosophy

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photo by Donald Kinney

A few old wooden boards, perhaps echoing the mighty Golden Gate Bridge.



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photo by Donald Kinney

A bird with wings stretched, perhaps copying the also mighty Bay Bridge.



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photo by Donald Kinney

With Mahatma Gandhi dropping in for just a moment.

If I might share his words:

"Non-Violence is the greatest force at the disposal of Mankind.
It is the supreme law.   By it alone can mankind be saved"



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photo by Donald Kinney

A boat capable of peaceful illumination at San Rafael's Loch Lomond Harbor.

I posterized this image (above) with six colors in Photoshop®.   CLICK for the regular non-posterized image.   I think I like the regular version better.



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one of the best vantage spots is Sausalito

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photo by Donald Kinney

The common angle on San Francisco is from Conzelman Road near the Golden Gate Bridge in the Marin Headlands.   I think an even better angle is right from downtown Sausalito.

Look carefuly and you should be able to make out the Ghirardelli sign in the lower right.   A low vantage points gives the buildings a more "cut out" look.



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photo by Donald Kinney

My favorite time to window shop in Sausalito is before the sun comes up.   Sometimes shop keeps leave their window lights on and other times they don't.   Don't tell anyone, but I love stealing photos.



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photo by Donald Kinney

How about some genuine reproductions?   Shop owners are struggling -- great prices everywhere.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh god help you, but if you're into seductive young ladies and like to cozy up to your fantasies -- then this, sort of, never can say goodbye painting that looks like it was sketched at Sausalito's famous "No Name Bar", is for you.



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Bobcat and other "wild" life at Rodeo Beach

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photo by Donald Kinney

I don't know why they all have the name of "Bob", but I came just a little bit TOO close to a Bobcat along the shores of the Rodeo Lagoon on Saturday.

My camera and I were making my way towards some Montbretia and Calla Lilies -- the same spot where this large Bobcat had decided to sun and groom.   I reversed my direction and the Bobcat ignored me, although I'm sure she or he was fully aware of my presence.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Technically, my Kitty isn't a wild animal -- although there are certain times that she can become quite deadly.   She can easily puncture my skin with one of her razor-sharp claws or give me a bite that can draw blood when my teasing becomes a bit too silly and she wants me to stop.

I have a feeling this Bobcat (above) wouldn't put up with any of my antics.



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photo by Donald Kinney

The dog.   Man (and woman's) best friend -- so they say.   Dogs love the beach and all seem to get along fine together in the neutral territory.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Hey, grab a book or grab a board -- lets head for the Beach...

We're having Summer-time temperatures in California right now --
sorry if you're still shoveling snow.



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the new BABY at my house...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, when my new baby arrived I showed it to Kitty and she said it would probably be o.k. as long as it didn't make a lot of noise...

And so, now, $2300 deeper in debt I have the latest generation of the Canon 70-200 "L" II f-2.8 I.S. zoom.   It's a whopper of a lens and it's (((expletive deleted))) heavy!   But it's quite a lens -- a vast improvement over my old 70-200, which was only f-4 and was kind of soft in comparison.   Did I mention that this new lens is heavy?

I also just received the latest generation of Canon 2x tele-extender -- and they've really done a good job with this third-generation of the 2x tele-extender.   Seems to work well with the new 70-200 "L" II f-2.8 I.S. zoom.   Only problem is that it "kills" three stops of light so you've almost gotta shoot wide open (effective f-stop is f-5.6).   The tele-extender doubles the focal length of my zoom, but trying to hand-hold the camera with such a long lens is almost impossible if it isn't on a tripod or the camera is firmly braced on something -- like a fence-post or a rock.



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This was taken at the Loch Lomond Harbor Spit area, just east of San Rafael, California. This isn't the first time that I've tried shooting the sky through the skeletons of last year's stark yarrow.

Indulge me here:   Take careful notice of the shape of the mountain.
If you can discern a "sleeping lady" then you have discovered the spirit of our beloved Mount Tamalpais.   Can you see her hair pulled up over her head, her head and form, from left to right?   Her name is Tamalpa.



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photo by Donald Kinney

But even at 400mm, the lens and tele-extender still isn't a telescope.   I cropped this shot about nine times.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Only problem is that with such a long lens it is sometimes difficult to "get it all in".   I probably need a wide-angle lens, or maybe a 50mm macro -- oh lord, it never end$.



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Cypress Tree Tunnel at KPH, Point Reyes

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photo by Donald Kinney

Must say that I am a bit overwhelmed by all the interest in the foggy cypress trees -- yep, that's a shot I kind of like myself.   You can probably see how beautiful this spot is -- imagine how beautiful it is being there in person -- breathing the tasty thick fog but cursing the chilly morning.

The KPH cypress tree tunnel is a popular photo-op.   Not long ago a pharmaceutical company filmed an advertisement under those trees -- I think they were promoting some anti-depression medicine.   No shortage of fog in this area -- one of the foggiest spots on the coast.

If you look closely at the photo above, you may be able to make out faint windows in the distance -- that's historic radio station, KPH, a ship-to-shore radio receiving station.   More about KPH later...



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photo by Donald Kinney

I take more vertical shots these days than I have in the past.   Sometimes some extra emphasis can be gained by the upward sweep.

This photo was made looking in the opposite direction of the horizontal shot.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Still visible today are tall antennas, and even odder shaped wooden wire support structures that extend out to the antennas.   A myriad of wires carry the signals to the station.



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photo by Donald Kinney

SPECIAL EDITION -- Re-run, AphotoAday of October 17, 2009

With your permission I am going to republish the AphotoAday blog entry for October 17, 2009.
This will show you the interior of KPH, and show you the fine tour I had two years ago.

(((these are OLD photos from here down -- I want to go back and shoot more)))


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photo by Donald Kinney

At the end of that "cypress tree tunnel" shot I showed yesterday is part of the historic radio station KPH.   This building contained the receiving half of the station -- the broadcast transmitters were located 18 miles to the south in Bolinas to minimize interference.

Mundane weather reports and traffic lists were pretty much all that went out or came in to KPH, although I suppose the occasional S.O.S. would liven the place up a bit.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, I mentioned the Cypress Tree Tunnel -- that's why I was out there -- but imagine my surprise when the massive door to KPH opened and Amanda Tomlin, an archivist for the National Park Service, asked me if I wanted to come in and see what was inside.

Well, when I saw the Kenwood R-5000 receiver (lower left in photo) I couldn't contain myself -- "Hey, I've got one of those" was my loud report.   Looking around the room I saw several other R-5000's -- I always knew it was a good receiver (cost me an arm and a leg).



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, these days I suppose all those wires would be replaced by something solid-state about the size of a postage stamp, but I like my electronics "old school" -- you know, vacuum tubes and all that jazz.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, there you have it -- pretty much the whole world.   Dit, Dit, Dat.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Well, you and the rest of the crew would probably be in big trouble if you found yourself turning the cranks (there are two) of this marine emergency radio.

END OF SPECIAL EDITION BACK TO NORMAL PROGRAMMING




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photo by Donald Kinney

Rather artful, isn't it?

Thanks for visiting, folks, and have a great weekend.   Don and Kitty


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fog, I love it, usually...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Oh Lord, don't expect me to explain it scientifically -- how it forms and all that jazz -- but if having being bathed in fog for a good chunk of my days qualifies me as being some sort of expert on the subject, then I feel I am fully qualified to at least show you what it looks like.   Hope I don't bore some of you out of your skulls...

See the little tiny ship in the distance?   Oh, I hope she has radar because threading the ship through the Golden Gate can be rather perilous in a heavy fog like this.



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photo by Donald Kinney

This is Spirit Rock, just over the hill and into west Marin County.   Many claim spirits dwell here, and there are Native Indian legends about the rock. A Buddhist Zen center is located nearby.   As you can probably see, the fog is in the process of lifting.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Here's a common sight, taken from the Fairfax to Bolinas Road.   I drive (and sometimes hike) way up to the top of that ridge -- the road is appropriately named Ridgecrest Boulevard.   From way up there I have a grand view of the Bolinas and Point Reyes peninsulas below, with a vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean beyond.   (Yes, I am a lucky guy)



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This is Lucas Valley, another one of those Marin County gems.   Lucasfilm Corporation is located just beyond here in two locations, however the valley had it's name of Lucas long before George was born.   Both Lucasfilm campuses are located on old dairy ranches.   George has enough dough to keep his employees very contented -- I'm assuming just like the cows that used to graze here.



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a drive out through west Marin County

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photo by Donald Kinney

Officially, there is no such place as "West" Marin County, but after you've been living here a while you'll know that west Marin is an escape from the hussle-and-bussle of our major city, San Rafael, California.

Oh there are other great places in regular old Marin County -- China Camp, Mount Tamalpais, the Marin Headlands, Point Reyes, Roy's Redwoods, the Bolinas and Stinson Beach areas, and all of the coast -- but it's the farm and ranch land of "west" Marin County that fills-the-bill whenever I need a good mental flush.



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photo by Donald Kinney

An old farm on Chelino Valley Road...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Handsome, healthy, and happy cattle along Hicks Valley Road...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Time to chow down -- "stop bothering me with your camera"...



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photo by Donald Kinney

And this farmer, out past the tiny town of Nicasio, was getting his mail...   Quite a distance to walk for just bills and advertisements, but I suspect he, just like me, was flushing his head in the dappled sunlight of the afternoon.



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good morning, sunshine...

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photo by Donald Kinney

Just wanted to thank all of you who are using the voting/poll thing that I have going on my daily banner shots.   When I post a good shot I really appreciate the praise, but there is a much more important function of the voting/poll -- it lets me compare my evaluation of the photo with yours, which is more detached and less effected by the memory of "being there" or any other attachments I might have with the subject.   Really, folks, I appreciate your input.   It helps me select photos for other projects.

Now, about the photograph (above)...   Well, I wish it had been just a bit more dramatic, but for a Monday it had to do.   That's all there was and that's all I got.   A hint of streaming sunlight, but certainly nothing earth-shattering -- but still something to write-home-about.   This is the China Camp area, near San Rafael -- not far distant, but a million miles away when it comes to tranquility.   See you there...



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photo by Donald Kinney

Ah yes, streaming sunlight...   I snapped this yesterday in the tiny burg of Lagunitas on my way out to the creek.   I lived in Lagunitas, oh so many years ago.



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A bit of morning sunlight action in the little town of Nicasio.   I think most residents now have flush-toilets and electricity, but as of today "progress" really hasn't arrived in Nicasio.   You've got to love a town that has a baseball field right smack in the center of town.   Drive through Nicasio and you're going to have to drive around the baseball field.



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photo by Donald Kinney

We had a storm moving out of the area on Sunday morning and Mother Nature was putting on quite a show.   This is looking across the bay towards Fort Baker and Travis Marina.   Access to Fort Point was closed due to sneaky waves along the breakwater.



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Holocaust Memorial, Legion of Honor, S.F.

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photo by Donald Kinney

My first San Francisco stop on Sunday was at the Holocaust Memorial near the Legion of Honor.   And although every time I visit my gut feels wrenched, I felt it was the right place for me to be.



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photo by Donald Kinney

Normally I question, fret, and whine about our own government; but amidst the memorial I began to question not Nazi Germany, but myself.   Although I try (maybe not hard enough at times) to be compassionate towards others, I started wondering if, had I been under Hitler's control, would I be capable of aiding such horrible and unspeakable crimes against humanity.



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photo by Donald Kinney

The only honest answer I could come up was; "I'm not sure".   I have claimed so many times to be a good person, but deep down I know the truth.   I am subject to the same frailties that plague us all.   For me it is a disturbing realization.   I suppose all I can do is try my best in this moment. Please catch me when I fall.



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photo by Donald Kinney

The Legion of Honor pays homage to our dead from World War I.   It's filled with priceless art and antiquities -- even a Monet over there and a Picasso over here.   And it has more than it's share of religious art going back to the 15th and 16th centuries -- I personally find most of it rather oppressive.   For my tastes, the Rodin sculptures is the best part of the museum -- it's probably time for me to indulge in another visit.



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