Sour Grass Flowers

JAN 7th 12:14pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 1/2 second

Falling short doesn't necessarily mean failure...

This was a totally uninspired moment. And that's that. However, the dreamlike quality of the colors was unexpected. I like how the surrounding greenery is threatening to swallow the burst of yellow. Other than that, I'm not terribly enthusiastic about this photo.

River Street - Main Intersection

JAN 6th 12:21pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 1 second

Boring is not an excuse...

I was stuck in traffic on my way to work for this shot. It dawned on me that (A) it's getting more & more challenging to capture something artistic/thought provoking on a DAILY basis & (B) I really should find another job.

As for (A): I'm hoping that this project will hone some skills that I know I'll need in the very near future. Taking a picture of a sunset & making it look inspiring is relatively easy. I want to get to the point where I can be stuck in a room devoid of anything outwardly stimulating & still create something that offers an interesting perspective. As for (B): To be continued...

I think the only redeeming thing about this shot is how my knuckles were accidentally included in the frame - totally WARPED!

Lesson: mistakes can be a saving grace...

East Cliff Lighthouse

JAN 5th 3:57pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 2 seconds

Accepting the things I can't change will lead me where I belong...

I realize it's hard to make out, but the lighthouse is there - at the very tip of the landmass jutting towards the ocean.

Just like with bridges, I find so much romance in Lighthouses. I admire the duality of their purpose: A warning as well as a beacon signifying the proximity of home.

Today, I found my way out of the haze & I'm starting to finally feel like myself again. There's nothing worse than watching yourself turn into someone you no longer recognize. The strange thing is I'm not quite sure what turned it all around. I just plan on riding this current and hopefully it will lead me back home...

West Cliff @ Sunset

JAN 4th 4:46pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 1 second

Growing up requires moving out...

Trying to leave this beautiful place has been mysteriously difficult. But this time, I am hell bent on making it happen! It's not that SC has been a miserable place to live. Quite the contrary: I like to think that I did A LOT of my growing up here. It's provided such a nurturing place for me to not only figure out, but mold the kind of person I can be proud of.

My sights are aimed dead on San Francisco - 2 years or BUST! I see it as the setting for continued self discovery. Although, I've never lived there, it has ALWAYS felt like home to me. It fills me with a profound sense of promise & magic. This is the place that will set my dreams in motion.

I'm ready.

Pogonip Park - View of Downtown Santa Cruz

JAN 3rd 5:00pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200 , Shutter Speed: 1/2 seconds

Sometimes, you have to step out to get back in...

I really should frequent this hiking trail this year. The scenery is awe inspiring, but in a peaceful & meditative way. Whenever I absorb the view of the city from this vantage point, I feel so much lighter - even if only for a brief moment. But any respite from the current emotional & psychological density I've been drowning in as of late is a welcomed gift.

I desperately need some perspective! I'm hoping this place can be a catalyst for that. I've been holed up in my head for far too long. It's time to join the rest of the world again.

I completely underexposed this photo. A lot of the scenery has been swallowed up by the grain. Maybe I'll try this shot again one day to do the place justice.

Golf Club Drive - Old Train Bridge

JAN 2nd 12:30pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 1/4 seconds

I sense a rift that I'm hoping can be bridged with a bit of time & patience...

I've always had an affinity to bridges. To me, they're more than just a means of getting from one place to another; they represent connection - an architecturally poetic way of bringing people together.

This old train overpass is incredibly quixotic to me! I like how with the gap underneath, it creates a quaint frame for the road that leads ahead. When I look at this picture, I can't help but imagine what a perfect place it would be to have a first kiss. There's so much romantic symbolism to it!

Where once there was a divide, a kiss has sealed forever.

Bathroom Sink

JAN 1st @ 5:20pm - Kodak Color Film, ISO 200, Shutter Speed: 2 minutes

Already off to a rough start, but sometimes a rocky beginning can pave the way for an exciting adventure...

There was a minor snafu with advancing the film! I managed to get away with only 12 usable shots, but now I get to post some pictures a lot sooner than I was expecting. Also, I got to see what I was doing wrong which allows me to compensate for my mistakes during the next roll. Silver lining!

I was brushing my teeth and as I lean down to rinse, I noticed how the light and water were bouncing off of the chrome sink drain (Yes, I know...it was a total Sam Mendes plastic-bag-caught-in-a-draft moment). Since the pinhole camera requires slow shutter speeds, especially with indoor lighting, I thought it would be perfect to try and use it to capture the image that captured me. The moving water alone would create a cool effect! While I'm setting up for the shot, I realize how challenging it's going to be and I curse myself for a brief moment for not choosing a landscape scene in broad daylight. In an attempt to prevent as much 'camera shake' as possible I hunker down over the side of the sink with my arm braced against the wall, every possible muscle constricted and still - human tripod! It's amazing how long 2 minutes actually is. It was terribly agonizing to sit still for that long, and I was actually on the verge of a cramp by the end of it.

The picture didn't turn out exactly as I had anticipated, but I love how the drops of water created streaks of light as they ricocheted all over the place!

Lessons: Use a tripod, don't be afraid of over exposing, & things are actually further away than they look through the view finder...