2024 Morning Walk Photos - July Through December

December 1, 2024 - Fuji X70

I was out walking before sunrise, which requires steady hands and high ISO settings. 

I was first drawn by the contrast of the blue sky against the warm artificial lighting. I wish I had noticed the illuminated house number sign at the left edge of the frame. I certainly adds to the image, but I should have thought to place it farther from the edge of the frame. If I cropped it out, it moves the garage door too close to the edge. 

Oh well, that's why I practice every morning when I walk. You learn more from your mistakes than your successes.

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November 28, 2024 - On Assignment

Thanksgiving luncheon provided by Samaritan House in San Mateo. Photos like this are a shoutout to organizations that assist in providing important services to the community. 

Not a remarkable shot, but a reminder that the Gary Fong Lightsphere is still a useful light modifier. I forget how useful it is when the ceilings are high and bounce flash in impractical.

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November 23, 2024 - Fuji X70

It has been wet and cold. Today is the first "dry" morning we've had in a while. There is no significance to the number "369".

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November 20, 2024 - On Assignment

This is Fizz, a Guide Dogs For The Blind puppy in training. This was today's assignment, and frankly the most fun I've had in a long time. He is so special - He played "London Bridges" by walking between my legs as he greeted me at his foster home.

 

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November 19, 2024 - Sony A7, Pergear 14mm Lens

The mornings have been brutally cold. Since rain is in the forecast, I thought it best to get out before it arrives. I haven't been walking as much as I should.

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November 12, 2024 - Fuji X70

Nothing special today. Yesterday I shot an assignment using manually focused lenses in a dimly lit VFW hall. I am so glad to have access to autofocus again.

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November 10, 2024 - Fuji X-T2, 10-24mm Lens

A monochrome rendering of a "soon to be published" image.

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November 9, 2024 - Sony A7, Pergear 14mm Lens

I have been watching this lens for a while, and decided to purchase it when an online dealer decided to discount the last one in inventory. I only had the energy to play with it for a little while, since it arrived in Sausalito late in the day and it was getting close to my nap time. So far the results seem adequate, but I must admit I wasn't trying that hard. It's my widest full frame lens, and the images don't seem to have the "snap" I was getting from my 17-35mm Nikkor. The air seemed hazy in comparison to my morning samples. To be safe, I did a "remove color cast" based on the clouds, and got the sky to cloud contrast I preferred. The lens will stay on the Sony for a while, and hopefully the photos from my next excursion will be more interesting.

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November 3, 2024 - Fuji X70

I used a flash on this photo. It made all the difference in the world.

Flash again. The colors are much more saturated than a natural light version.

The flash was positioned high and to camera right.

Straight morning light.

I expect the Halloween decorations will be coming down today. Since we're no longer on Daylight Savings Time, I am looking forward to better lighting opportunities.

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October 31, 2024 - Fuji  X-T2, 10-24 F 4.0 lens

Kier LaCrosse, owner of Allegra Entertainment, created the incredible light show on the walls of the Carolands Mansion in Hillsborough. While impressive, the photo was deceptively simple to produce.  A single gridded speedlight was used to concentrate the light on Mr. LaCrosse's face and arms. The grid also removed the hot spot that usually burns out the foreground.

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October 28, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

All things banal. As we approach our last Daylight Savings Time shift, I can look forward to some warmer light during my morning walk.

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October 24, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

Just marking time until the next big thing.

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October 23, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

1/90, F 8.0, ISO 1600

This was my second attempt at this photo. I wanted to maintain the framing, but initially had difficulty keeping the foreground sharp and the background recognizable. For whatever reason, I I couldn't render the plastic skull as sharp as I would have liked. Try as I did, this was my best attempt. Of course, there isn't much detail to be found in an inexpensive plastic casting of a skull, and its color doesn't match the ideal "bone" color. To my defence, the skull is only four inches tall, so shooting it at so short a distance introduced its own set of complications.

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October 20, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

Halloween is a big deal in Cole Valley. Today's morning walk produced these signs of the season, with more to come in the following mornings.

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October 19, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

Saturday in Sausalito Needed a change of venue, and a change of camera. Without access to a flash and the exposure flexibility of my leaf-shuttered X-70, I must take my shots as they come.

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October 18, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

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October 17, 2024 - Fuji XPro 1, 16MM F 2.8 lens

This image is oddly exciting. The plant and its grow light were photographed through a window. The reflection follows the contours of the building behind me which gave me a reflection of the blue morning sky. The small ring of colored dots is the reflection of the multi-colored LEDs inside the grow light.

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October 15, 2024 - Fuji X70

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October 11, 2024 - Fuji X70

Reminder To Self - Watch Out For Reflections

Bleak Day - Bleak Subject

My Fascination With Red

The Outcast

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October 10, 2024 - Fuji X70

My favorite flower has managed another bloom. The Bay Area's temperatures have returned to San Francisco Normal, meaning that while unpredictable, it is seasonably comfortable, even chilly, in the morning.

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October 8, 2024 - Fuji X70

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October 7, 2024 - Fuji X70

I am walking before sunrise in an attempt to escape the heat. It is already in the low 70s. These photos were taken at the Corbin Stairs. It looks like we're ready for Halloween.

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October 4, 2024 - Fuji X70

Blue Paint And Gold Leaf

My friend Cindy championed long and hard for a speedbump on this narrow street in front of her  home. Shortly after she moved to San Rafael, the City installed one. A tiny flash, sitting on the trash bin, lights up the sign.

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September 30, 2024 - Fuji X70

Don't' be the last in the neighborhood to put up you holiday decorations. Big skeletons seem to be very popular this year.

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September 28, 2024 - Burlingame Pet Parade

The Pet Parade in Burlingame is a big thing. They cordoned off three blocks of Broadway Avenue for the event. French Poodles were quite popular.

I was trying to get a decent  low angle photo, and wasn't successful; I will admit to not taking the time to record the proper manual output settings for these shots, since Fuji TTL flash metering has never provide consistent results. Maybe I'll try again next year using a Nikon DSLR. 

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September 15, 2024 - San Mateo Events

Bark In The Park, San Mateo Central Park

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September 14, 2024 - San Mateo Events

If I had given him a cleaning cloth to hold, the photo would have made sense.

Half sunlight, half shade. always difficult to light.

A bullseye, A good hit, and two near-misses.

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September 13, 2024 - Fuji X-70

Fountain, Aidah's Stairway on  Broderick Street

Could Not Get The Framing I Wanted.  Wider Lenses Help.

Just Because

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September 11, 2024 - Sony A7, 17-35mm Nikkor

The Lone Sailor, Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge. 

My City College photography instructor Bob Strohmeyer (spelling?) told us that photographing sculptures was cheating, as all the heavy lifting was already been done by the sculptor.

I am embarrassed to admit that having not used the Sony since August 25, I completely forgot how to manually focus the camera.

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September 10, 2024 - Fuji X-70

Love this warning.

With the two lion sculpture photos, it is easy to tell by the shadows that two different light sources were employed (natural light plus flash). I needed to see if the difference would be noticed.

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September 6, 2024 - Fuji X-70

On these two shots I ball-bungeed my little FlashQ to a nearby sign post and aimed it at my subject. I adjusted the output and the ambient exposure setting until I got what I wanted. While not "great art", it was good practice, and confirmation that carrying a tiny, radio-triggered flash in a fanny pack along with a small but capable compact camera. I didn't plan on bringing a camera on my walk to mail a letter, but the convenience of grabbing this fully loaded package made it too easy to bring along.

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September 4, 2024 - Fuji X-70

Flash served as the key light.

I was out during the "golden hour", a phrase I am loathe to utter. However, it's not everyday you see a rose-tinted fire hydrant.

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September 3, 2024 - Fuji X-70

The bright awnings and the fresh paint contrast nicely with the original sign which has been in place for more than fifty years.

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September 1, 2024 - Fuji X-70

Darkened Sky, Flash Assist Rose

Before The Busser Arrives

Neighborhood Watch

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August 26, 2024 - Fuji X-70

Flash enhanced.

It is refreshing to use something other than the full-frame Sony with a bulky, wide angle lens.

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August 25, 2024 - Nikkor 17-35mm F 2.8

Major cropping in post production.

Flash used to highlight the upper portion of the sculpture.

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August 17, 2024 - Sigma 15-30mm

The blush is off the rose so far as this Sigma lens is concerned. I have a feeling that the Nikkor will prove significantly sharper, and produce more contrasty images. After all, the lens, when new, retailed for about $1,500 in 1999, while the Sigma sold for about $800 when it was introduced in 2001.

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August 11, 2024 - Nikkor 17-35mm F 2.8

I'm on the "tourist side" of Sausalito this time.

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August 10, 2024 - Sigma 15-30mm

Flash was used to lighten the shadows. It was positioned below the lens axis.

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July 22, 2024 - "nil j" At Ryan Park

There is a flash on a lightstand behind the scuplture at camera left. That gave me the highlight on the sculpture at camera right. It was triggered by the same R2 controller as the AD200 key light. That was something new.

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July 20, 2024 - Touch A Truck, Burlingame

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July 12, 2024 - Chris Hellman Center for Dance

It was a routine photo of Lleyton Ho, a young ballet dancer who happens to be in his Senior Year at Stanford. Soft box key light, direct near-axis direct flash for fill.

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July 4, 2024 - Half Moon Bay Parade

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July 1, 2024 - Fuji X-70 With Wide Angle Adapter 

How Cats See Scooters.

My First Square Cropping

I thought this was an homage to the Morell mushroom. Now I think it's a honeycomb for hexophobes. Funny that I never noticed the bee before.

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July 1, 2024 - Fuji X-70 With Wide Angle Adapter

Flash Enhanced.

I started out at 6:00 AM. July First is the ceremonial re-formatting of all of the SD cards and returning the exposure counters on all Morning  Walk Cameras to zero. After some folder re-arrangement, I'll be set to go. I still have the wide angle adapter on the X-70, and although I like the 21mm equivalent lens, I appear to be the imaginary doctor who created a vaccine and is now searching for a disease to cure. In this case, I'm looking for a venue where a super-wide lens is the appropriate choice. It may yet come.

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