Monday, April 30, 2012

all dirt and rocks


"If you see a whole thing - it seems that it's always beautiful. Planets, lives... But up close a world's all dirt and rocks. And day to day, life's a hard job, you get tired, you lose the pattern."

--Ursula K. Le Guin

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Camphor Tree: macro

Ah, beautiful camphor trees. The shade is amazing, the leaves smell like Vicks Vapo Rub, the berries are parrot food and the bark is worthy of a photo. (So here's one.)

Friday, April 27, 2012

Cloud Painting

Have you noticed the skies around here lately? Wow! Mother Nature has been getting her creative freak on with beautiful, ever changing results. For anyone who thinks Southern California skies only offer images of smog and chem trails, here's a little evidence to the contrary.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Noir Palms


"Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero, he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor..."

--Raymond Chandler

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Everyday Objects: Great Design

You'll find these metal things on concrete benches and curbs all over the San Gabriel Valley. They are placed to discourage skateboarders from using public spaces as ramps. Yeah, the idea is kind of a buzzkiller, but I can see the point. Besides, skateboarding wouldn't be nearly as punk rock if it were accepted everywhere!
I digress.
Establishment-placed anti-skateboard thingiemabobs may serve the purpose of restraining our rambunctious teens, but they also give us an example of lovely design. We're surrounded by elegant, everyday objects like this, but probably don't take much time to notice them.
Larry Wilson wrote a great piece on two South Pasadena designers responsible for some of the objects we use and take for granted every day. I had long known that Henry Dreyfuss -- creator of the iconic Honeywell home thermostat and one of the world's most famous industrial designers -- called South Pasadena home until his tragic death in 1972. Larry points out that another designer, Henry C. Keck of Keck-Craig, also hails from our fair town. Read all about Keck's contributions to utilitarian design, as well as a few tidbits from his self-published memoir, in Larry's column here.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Strawberry Tops

South Pasadena's Farmer's Market is great for fresh produce -- and for inspiration! Even these strawberry tops are beautiful. Trash or art? (Why not both?)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Saturday, April 21, 2012

just open up and turn toward the light


"Flowers don't worry about how the're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful."

--Jim Carrey

Friday, April 20, 2012

Here's the Deal...

There was a perfect 1940s green roadster driving right here. The blue sky! The pink tree! Those fluffy white clouds! It was a picture made in heaven and I could not stop smiling. I couldn't tell the model of the car because I was trying to keep one hand on the road while using the other hand to grab at the Lumix in my purse in a mad scramble to capture the moment. The roadster sped up and just as I was about to, um, ease through the stop sign, I noticed one of South Pasadena's finest in my rear view mirror.

He was not smiling.

Needless to say, I missed the roadster. So, just use your imagination.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Love Bug

Sometimes I swear I have an art director who goes ahead of me and sets up perfect scenes like this one. I couldn't resist a little iPhone filter magic. Here, I just pointed, shot, and processed the image through the MoreLomo app. (You all know how much I love the free spirit of lomography!)

Update 7:50AM:
Just heard about an event of note:
Everyone head over to our pal Pasadena Adjacent to learn about a fun Garvanza area party/fundraiser TONIGHT! Benefits go toward filmmaker Jake Gorst's production of a documentary about Antonio Corsi, one of our region's weirdest and coolest characters. (He was an early 20th century art model, a silent film star and a true bohemian. Learn more here. )

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Affirmations in the Gutter

I literally stepped on this yesterday while taking a walk near the Arroyo Drive overlook. I couldn't decide if I was inspired or depressed by the fact that I stumbled over someone's positive reminders. (Maybe he/she didn't need them anymore?)

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Shadows (#7)

A human being is only breath and shadow.

--Sophocles

(Thanks for hanging around with my shadows for the past week, everyone!)

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Shadows (#6)

You can find art in the most unexpected places.

I am wrapping up Shadows Week today and tomorrow. Just a few more shots playing around with light and dark.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Shadows (#5)

Shooting pictures in the late afternoon is one of my favorite things to do. Just look at all of those shadows!

It's all about the shadows this week here at Glimpses. Join me as I have fun with light and dark.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Shadows (#3)

How typical: going all straight and narrow while the shadow side longs for a different path...

This week I'm having fun with light. Join me as I point my camera into shadows.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Shadows (#2)

If this were a poem, I'd call it Fractured Grass.

Join me this week, as I play around in the shadows.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Shadows (#1)

This week, I'm revealing my shadow side, everybody.

Well, not really. But I am playing around with shadows. Join me as I have a little fun with light.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Remembrance

South Pasadena photographer, AYSO soccer ref and all-around great guy Michael Newman passed away suddenly on March 30 from a brain aneurysm. He was 61.
I only recently met Michael at a South Pasadena Arts Council membership drive. We talked about photography, about the importance of art in everyday life, about how technology was shaking things up and how fun it was to be a part of it.
I wish I'd been fortunate to have more than one conversation with him.
My heart goes out to his wife Margo and their family, and also to the many, many others who loved him. He will be missed.
You can read the obituary at LA Times here.
You can see Michael's beautiful work here. UPDATE April 4: Michael's website appears to have been taken offline. If I learn of an online collection, I will link to it. His portraits are spectacular.
UPDATE April 4:

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Cobblestone, Shmobblestone...

Today is the first of the month, and that means it's Theme Day for participating City Daily Photo bloggers. Today's theme is Cobblestones.
Well, everyone here knows that the San Gabriel Valley might not be awash in cobblestones but it is (literally) built on river rock! Here, we have a detail of my 112 year old home's original river rock foundation, built with stones dragged from the nearby Arroyo Seco.
The City Daily Photo website was hacked last month, and our wonderful hosts there are still trying to make their way through the mess left behind. Since participating bloggers can't post at the main site, we have brilliant Julie, all the way over at Sydney Eye, to thank for putting up this Theme Day blog to see the all the other Theme Day contributors.