Light Journal  A virtual photographic chautauqua

View from the bridge uploaded by admin.

We sailed across the Golden Gate Bridge oblivious to the cool morning wind. It was really an awesome experience in the truest sense. BikeCam seemed to hold up well as long as I didn’t try to trip the shutter on bumps. It’s a good thing we were excited. Down into Sausalito we went and then up the side of Mt. Tam. It was a long grind up and a 40 Mph descent down the other side.

Eventually, we got to Stinson Beach mostly in one piece for a rest stop. From there, it was up highway 1.

The view from the Marina uploaded by admin.

The sunrise light just kept getting better as we rolled through San Francisco. Once we got into the Marina District, the view of the Golden Gate was stunning. There was a huge cruise ship coming into the bay and lots of riders stopped to get out their cameras. I had a new P&S bracketed to the front of my bike as an experiment. Exposures were difficult but this gives you a little feel for how beautiful it was

And so it begins uploaded by admin.

Into the City at O Dark Thirty and mingle with hundreds of crazy people on bikes who are going to ride in the two-day, 150 mile Waves to Wine MS150. Standing in the cold waiting for the rest of the team to arrive, I watched a beautiful sunrise start in the east. Everybody had the energy of a dog straining at the leash to go out. Sirens blare and off we go weaving through the streets of San Francisco at 6:30 am.

JCK_070915_7003, originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

This was taken with the “plastic-fantastic” 50mm f1.8 lens and was shot at f1.8. No pixels have been harmed by Photoshop in the making of this photograph.

JCK_070915_7031, originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

Diagonality, originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

I was drawn to the nice visual juxtaposition on the siding of this building. It’s a rather Lord of the Rings-like building with no right angles that I could see.

NGON 2007 016, originally uploaded by bluefireleo.

When I mention it, people often ask me “What exactly *is* Burning Man?” I guess a reasonable reply is that it is what you make of it. My oldest son, Josh (above, right) has been a loyal attendee lo these many years. His brother Ken (above, left) went last year for the first time and this year Ben (above, center) made it complete as far as the Kirkpatrick Brothers go.

I had hoped to be there too this year as the photographic possibilities are endless. Alas, other tasks kept me home.

Deep Inside, originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

Yet another attempt at macro creativity.

Floss Silk Tree Blossoms, originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

This tree is planted in the atrium where I work. The trunk has green bark with huge spikes (thorns?). Up at the 3rd & 4th floor levels, it’s putting out flowers for the first time that anyone can remember.

One man’s trash…., originally uploaded by James Kirkpatrick.

..is another man’s found art.