Friday, January 18, 2008

Bowling Green With A Billion Dollar View

PhotoessayistWhat with the dollar collasping a billion dollars really isn't out of line. The green is in Laguna Beach's Heisler Park. The park's western border is the Pacific Ocean.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Laguna Beach Icon

Photoessayist Laguna Beach's Main beach is one of the great beaches anywhere. The lifeguard tower pictured has come to represent Laguna Beach. We call it the Icon. It wasn't always a lifeguard tower. It started life as the office of the gas station across the street from Main beach.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Laguna Beach Fixer Upper Only 2 Million Plus

Photoessayist This is the main house. The garage with an apartment above is behind the photographer. The problem any new owner will have is that they will have to work with the existing foot print and gut the interior completly. Looking around it is hard to believe that any part of this structure is worth saving. One problem many of these old houses have is with the foundation. Add in the slow approval process in Laguna Beach and you could be looking at a 5 year timeline.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

4th Street, Santa Ana

Photoessayist Very bright light. Contrast to much for the camera.

This photo was taken on 4th Street one block north of Main St. 4th and Main is the epicenter of life in this city. Saturday and Sunday this is one very busy place. Need to go back.

What's With City Daily Photoblog?

I signed up to be part of the City Daily Photoblog and apparently I don't qualify. Just because I live in Laguna Beach, post a photo from Minneapolis and chose Southern California as my city does this disqualify me?

I just dislike constraints.

Going into Santa Ana, CA today. Don't know if I'll bring back an acceptable photo - that is acceptable to me - but we'll see.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Sound Off: Nikon Digital Eats Batteries

I've had a great time using my Nikon D40X. Except. It. Eats. Batteries. Let me explain.

Whenever I transfer my photos in the camera to the computer I connect via USB port and wammo it's done. Now you must turn off the camera immediately. If you don't then Nikon will eat your battery.

Twice now I have forgotten to turn off the camera and the battery completely drained itself with the help of Nikon of course. These fancy new types of batteries cannot be completely discharged because if they are they will never get a charge again. $30 dollars up in smoke. Twice = $60. I don't like to use profanity in my writing but I'm pissed. At. Nikon.

They have an option in their camera setup for automatic shut-off. But not for low battery charge. They disable mirror lock-up if the battery is low. This means they can measure battery charge. They even show you battery charge on the info screen. But they don't have an option for shutting down the camera when the battery is low. Why not Nikon?

Nikon can easily add the option to shut down the camera on low battery to it's menu. It could even give you the option of beeping on low battery.

This request is not an option for Nikon. Just make the fix. Like. Right. Now.

Nikon please contact Photoessayist for the name and address where you can send the check for $60.

View From The Guthrie

Our favorite state is Minnesota. We visit as often as possible and the last time we were there we took in a walk along the Mississippi river in Minneapolis. Ending our walk at the new Guthrie Theater. Even though it was a Sunday all visitors were welcome to go up to the observation deck on the third floor. That's the famous cantilevered bridge.

The photo below is from the deck looking through one of it's view ports. A few facts about the photo. It's not digital but Fujichrome 200. The camera was a Contax G1 with the standard 45mm lens. No tricks were performed with Photoshop or any other graphics program.

If you're ever in Minnesota visit the Guthrie. It's a fun building.

Photoessayist

Sunday, January 13, 2008

LACMA Reflects L.A. - Good and Bad

After I posted yesterday's picture I looked at the rest of the photos I took that day. Looking at the first photo I realized the obivious - that there were several styles of archecture at LACMA. Even the railings in the first photo are of three styles. First is the concrete railing of the orginial Ahmanson building. Then there is the short section of concrete block(?) followed by a moden steel railing. Additionally there is four different outer skins of the two buildings. How L.A. is that?

The Pavilion for Japanese Art is classic L.A. archecture. It refuses to blend with the rest of the family but stands alone and proud. How L.A. is that?

Finally the pavilion that's suppose to unite the various pieces of LACMA. Now with the addition of the Broad Comtemperary Art Museum this pavilion will be regulated to has been. Uniting the orginial museum campus with the new buildings will be the BP Grand Entrance (Not shown.) Does this mean there will be two competing entrances? I think like most grand ideas from large egos the public will decide in the end. Now how L.A. is that?

In short LACMA is L.A. - constantly evolving, changing, and adapting to new needs and ideas. So L.A.

Note: I plan to get up to LACMA sometime this month and will post photos of the new entrance.

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