Descanso Gardens with Lomo Turquoise with Autocord (spring 2023)

Yes, I know, Lomo Turqouise film makes it look weird! People have the blue color of the cartoon characters known as Smurfs. This is from my visit in the spring of 2023.

Fullerton Arboretum with Autocord and color film (2022-23)

Fullerton Arboretum with Autocord and color film, sometime in 2022-23. (It had to have been in the winter because, well, look at the bare branches on the trees, or the golden foilage!)

UCR Garden with Lomo Turquoise and Autocord (2023)

UCR Botanic Garden with Lomo Turquoise in the first part of 2023

San Gabriel Mountains form Rnch Cucamonga Trail (Slide film) with Fuji GW690ii

Taken in the winter of 2023 with my Autocord and Kodak 200 color film. 

Weir Canyon with Fuji GW690ii and slide film (Poppy Heaven) in 2023

These are 6x9 slide film photos from Weir Canyon from early spring of 2023. I enjoyed this walk! The grass was not overgrown, so I was not afraid of sudden encounters with hidden snakes in the undergrowth. And the poppies were so abundant and visible, and not obscured by tall grasses.

Sycamore Canyon Park (Spring 2023) with Autocord and color film

Sycamore Canyon Park in the spring of 2023. The vegetation was so overgrown that it was dangerous to walk up and down. Why was it so dangerous? It wasn't that I was afraid of losing my grip on the path. I was afraid of snakes, with all the high vegetation, it was very, very easy to imagine one hiding in the undergrowth and striking me as I walked past. After all, I have seen snakes on other trails, notably, at Weir Canyon Trail a few months ago. I cursed at myself for walking through this area, but was still able to spend one hour there.

Olvera Street (2023) with Holga GCFN (Kodak Color Film)

"Y la queso...", that annoying slang phrase that Mexican youth are using, and which is meant to infer an ending, "...vivió", as in, "Y la que sobrevivió" (and that one who survived). Why did I think of this? Because Olvera Street is hanging on, it is not the bustling little alley it used to be thirty years ago. The vendors are complaining, and when I go, I see it, the crowds have diminished dramatically. However, you can still find compositions with the colorful merchandise. I go every few months, maybe three or four months, usually in tandem with some festival being held at the plaza, even though it is not my favorite venue. In this case, there was a Chinese/Asian Spring Festival taking place, so I went, and I walked up and down when there were breaks in the entertainment, that is, when they had music groups performing (I only want to photograph the dancing groups). 

Beach photos with Holga GCFN (2022) with color film

Holga photos of the beach, probably from late 2022. What beach? I don't know. 

BAPS Templw with Holga and Kodak Color Film

The BAPS Hindu Temple in the city of Chino Hills, off the 71 freeway. I think I was using my Holga GCFN (the Holga 6x6 plastic camera but with the glass lens). I think I took these photos in late fall of 2022. 

Descanso Gardens (Spring 2023) with Autocord and Kodak film

Photos scanned on June 11th, 2023, but taken weeks earlier, in the spring of 2023. It was tulip heaven on that day at Descanso Gardens! I went for a very quick visit. Nowadays, I am definitely suffering from "Garden-fatigue". I don't want to go back anymore for photos, I find it very difficult to find inspiration for new compositions, and I feel I have seen everything already. The novelty wore off a long time ago. The garden visits were definitely a coping strategy for me to get through the Covid pandemic. Now that we are getting back to normal, I still go back from time to time, but I don't feel the same pleasure I felt during my first few visits.