Photo ABCs

Bilbao: Guggenheim Museum: Rothko

Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was a Russian-born American abstract artist.

He is known for his large pieces consisting of color rectangles.

Reaction to his art varies, some see it as simplistic, others see contemplating his art as a near-religious experience!

In fact, a non-denominational chapel in Houston was constructed around eleven of his works.

Here, a visitor walks past his untitled painting at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

I believe that this is the first Rothko painting I have seen in person.

My life is still the same.

Bilbao: Guggenheim Museum

Now something completely different!

As I was not completely impressed with the art within Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, I set my sights on the stunning architecture, both within and without.

Here are a few minimalist, abstract shots of the many shapes and curves found in the interior:

 

 

 

Photographed in August of this year.

Let me know what you think!

Snowy Egrets

A rather offbeat picture, I think, of Snowy Egrets at Lindo Lake.

Yesterday's picture was taken on a dark afternoon around sunset, with very little light.

This picture was taken about thirty minutes later, with even less light.

The colors in the water are reflections of lights illuminating a pathway behind the lake.

2022 San Diego Open Tennis: Madison Keys

Madison Keys is currently ranked #11 on the WTA tour.

Here she competes against Daria Kasatkina in a round-of-16 match.

Keys would win in straight sets.

A longer shutter speed produces an interesting blur:

Disappointment over a missed shot:

Vallarta Botanical Garden

Vallarta Botanical Garden is a tropical paradise just south of Puerto Vallarta.

In addition to being a bird watcher's paradise and diner's paradise (the Hacienda del Oro restaurant there is amazing!), of course it is full of interesting tropical plants.

Here are a few abstract pictures I took while there in March, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happier New Year, Birding?

If last year was stressful, this year can be less so. How? Birding!

The American Birding Association reported that interest in birding increased greatly in 2020, as people searched for socially-distanced activities to occupy their time.

Birding is easy, it just takes a backyard, or a nearby park or trail, and a pair of binoculars and/or camera. A field guide, such as the free-of-charge Merlin app, is helpful for learning birds. With a few simple taps it will show you the most likely birds for your location and date, anywhere in the world!

Even if you don't learn the birds, you can enjoy their beauty. And even if you don't see birds, you can enjoy being outdoors, and easily be six feet away from others... until it's safe to be closer.

You can avoid Nature-Deficit-Disorder, a term coined by author and former San Diego Union columnist Richard Louv.

Here is an Allen's Hummingbird, photographed on Christmas Day in La Jolla, California. The bird was deep within a tangle of white branches. I knew that with a long lens the out-of-focus branches in the foreground and background would form an interesting, abstract frame for the lovely hummingbird. When it turned and its gorget became illuminated, it made my day!

(tap or click any photo to enlarge)

A Brown Pelican, photographed a few minutes later:

This is probably a winter Ring-billed Gull, photographed at Lake Murray, in La Mesa, California, on the following day:

I believe this is a feather from a Great Egret, photographed on Thanksgiving weekend at the San Diego River Mouth:

Even if birds are not plentiful, nature can be soothing regardless. On this September evening in La Jolla, there were not many birds, so I simply enjoyed the soothing ocean. To capture the mood, I took a three-second exposure of the water, while moving the camera:

Have a Happier, Nature-filled New Year!

Bosque del Apache: VIII

Abstract Snow Geese:

1. Blast-off!

If the foreground goose's head had been in focus it would have been a much better shot! I still like it.

2. A long exposure at twilight.

Salton Sea: Great Blue Heron

When one does timed-exposures with moving water, at night, you are never quite sure what the result will be. There's only one way to find out: try it!

This is a ten second exposure photographed at the Salton Sea last month, about twenty minutes after sunset. The Great Blue Heron was nearly motionless, and appears sharp. It has a bit of light on it from the glow of lights from a nearby geothermal plant. The evening was windy and the water choppy, the long exposure smooths it somewhat.

Brown Pelican abstract

A close-up of raindrops on the feathers of a Brown Pelican. The darkest feathers in the photo are of the pelican's neck, its head is tucked into its feathers above the top of the photo, the bottom right of the photo is one of its wings.

Photographed two weeks ago, on a rainy Sunday morning.

Oaxaca at Night