¡Japi birdei tu mi!

 I had to do something today because of the day it was, and I did.

We are in the middle of another heatwave in southern California, and the temperature was projected to reach about 104 or 105 today. It was supposed to be infernal, in other words. I don't know how we used to manage before we had air conditioning, and it breaks my heart to think of all those years when we didn't have it and my dad just put up with the heat. But now, it isn't so bad, unless, of course, we have a power outage.

I got up and got ready and packed my cameras. My hiking backpack weighed more than a Mayan temple, so I had to leave a few things behind. I decided to ditch a few of the film holders. I was taking some for slide film and quite a few for black and white, but I decided to leave the slide film behind. I also cut it down to three holders. It helped. It was still very heavy and uncomfortable, but more manegeable.

Hitting the 15 freeway at 10 a.m. and I was surprised at how little traffic there was. The corn fields beside the freeway at the Limonite exit are beautiful. I will have to return to photograph them, preferably in color.

I found the exits I needed. First, it was the 15, then north to 138, then west to the 2. It was hot that morning, every time I stepped out of the car I could feel the hot air just waiting to smother me. But the drive was beautiful, and I felt so much regret over the fact that I had never driven along the 2 freeway in the San Gabriel mountains before. It is such a rite of passage, and I have heard the news readers talk so often about it, but why hadn't I gone? 

First, you see the Mormon rocks. These are magnificent rock projections, but I feel they should have another name. Why baptize them with the name of invaders to this land? They should have an indigenous name that should be uncovered.

Then I continued driving. The road climbed up and up, and the desert trees (I could swear I had been seeing Joshua trees, but with blackened ends) gave way to more mountainous types. I don't know what they are, fir trees or something else, as a southern California we are only trained to recognized palm trees and cactus, but they were different.

The road on the 2 freeway curves here and there, but there was little traffic. I pulled out many times to photograph scenes on the edge of the roadway as we climbed. Need I add, there were clouds all day today. I half expected a sudden summer rainstorm. I was shooting quite a bit with my 4x5.

These are not novel scenes, these are the usual post card scenes that I am sure have been captured much better by others, but these are my scenes, so I feel proud of them. I can't wait to develop the 4x5 black and white negatives, so what I am sharing for now are my cellphone photos.

It felt a little like other birthdays where I tried to go and see new things. I remember my birthday in 2002, when I was in Lawrence, staying at a sordid hotel I did not want to be in, but it was a new experience. At least the drive into Lawrence was novel. I also remember 2014, when I was in Cholula, Mexico, walking up the pyramid and replaying the famous poem, "En el teocalli de Cholula". And I remember experiences during other birthdays, when I stayed close to home, wherever that was, in Los Angeles, in El Cerrito, etc., and did the best I could, trying to go out and see something.

I got to a place called "Inspiration Point", the famous "Inspiration Point" that we hear about and that I used to imagine was a metaphor, but it exists. Of course it does, and of course every other single southern Californian knows the place and has been there several times, starting with when they were teenagers with their first loves and their first cars. Of course, everyone except myself.

There was a young couple sitting there so I grabbed a photo and left, promising myself that I would return. I wanted to go to Islip Saddle, after all, but also wanted to leave them in peace. Here is the photo I took of the place on my way back down, when there was no one there.

I took several photos, not just this one. I was using my 4x5 camera, after all, but I have not developed the photos yet. This was a wonderful place, I hope to see it in better light.

So, I continued driving and pulling off the freeway at the stops to take photos. Plenty of scenes of valleys, plenty of trees, and plenty of big rocks in the highway that forced me to drive around them. I was beginning to suspect that I had driven past my destination when I saw the parking lot labeled Mt. Islip ("eye slip"). But, to my horror, saw a gigantic plume of smoke rising to the south as well. Just what I needed, a forest fire. 

There went my plans. My imagination went on overload as I imagined fires closing in on me from all sides as I was roasted in the trees. Think about what that would have done to my film. (Humor). I debated making a quick, curtailed hike, not getting to Mt. Williamson but instead just hiking part of the way until I got to a clear view of valleys and beautiful vistas, but I thought, it can't be healthy to breathe the air, it is all smoke particulates which will surely damage my lungs, nature's own form of Covid, and surely the area will be evacuated soon, and I will be guilty of not using my common sense. Surely, surely, surely, everything told me to get out, to not risk it. Surely it was not meant to be today, I was prepared, but not in these conditions, so I just grabbed a few photos and got ready to leave. In the meantime a group of elderly Asian women, probably Koreans, my senses tell me, arrived in the parking lot and got out and headed up a path to commence their hike. They were hardier (or more foolish) than I was. Look at that angry plume! I shook my head and prepared to go back down.

I found out after I returned home that this fire has been going on during the past week, and is located miles away. It is partially contained, but there are no evacuation orders. Just another mountain fire, albeit one suspected to have been set by arson.

Remember, I am to the north, on the Angeles Crest highway. I think I could have made my hike, but I decided not to risk it. The Ranch2 fire ruined my plan. And to think, all along the drive, I kept thinking that we, me, most of the Mexican American community here in California (and the USA) are people of the ranchos, people whose fathers and grandfathers and ancestors came from poor rural communities where they received no education and had to flee gut-wrenching poverty in Mexico. The ranch made me, a hyper-educated Chicano, flee as well. I guess I can find humor in that.

I'll have to return soon. There are plenty of places to explore along this area, plenty of hikes, plenty of vistas. The thing is, the door is opened for me now that I have done, and I will complete that Mt. Islip hike some day soon. This year, surely. In the meantime, I headed back east along the 2 freeway, and stopped once again at Inspiration Point, but this time, took a side road that had been locked by a gate during my first pass, but was open now. It led up to a skiing resort which is waiting winter in a few months. I drove along those rocky paths and took photos with my 4x5 camera. Here are some cellphone photos.

Same scene, with and without sunlight. 

And a scene when I turned around and looked in another direction. This latter photo almost suggests winter, but it was hot still, even at altitude, although much better than what the lowlanders were experiencing. It was about 84 degrees up here, at 3 p.m. Down in my city in the lowlands, it would be 20 degrees higher.

I kept busy taking photos with my 4x5 camera. I must have gone through about 15 frames all in all. I know, I know, I can shoot off 15 frames on a digital camera in 1 minute. More, even. But with a 4x5, you have to carefully load the film, then place the holder, then wait for the scene, then cock the shutter, then shoot, replace the slide, etc. Plus, composition, if you have to work so hard for each shot, you need to take a long damn time to compose each shot, not just shoot like a madman with a digital SLR.

That was it, I headed back for home at about 4 p.m. That was my "birdei" trip for this year, but I will go back soon. I want to try for Chantry Flat for my next trip. That one will involve a river crossing and a waterfall, I think. 

Life is so short. We can't waste it regretting what we haven't done, or lamenting things we can't change. The sadness of my dad's passing will always be with me, but we have to continue. I can't change it, and my time will come as well. We have to do things now. That is one thing I am grateful about with photography, back in the late 80s and early 90s it got me out of the apartment to go explore Los Angeles county. Now, I need to keep exploring, and I need to do it by any means necessary, to quote a civil rights leader. I also need to write, and that is the reason why I decided to return to this blog.

We'll see how things go. In the meantime, it is 7:38 and fast darkening outside. My little niece finished her homework involved the concept of neurons. She shooed me away saying I can't help her, it is too hard for me. It makes me happy when she says things like that. I wonder what she will remember of her grandfather, her grandmother, or me.

Time to go. Hoping for more explorations tomorrow.

Another heatwave

 Pues ya casi es mi "birdéi", as Spanish-speakers pronounce it. I am writing this at 7:44 p.m. on a Sunday evening as the light is falling outside, and a little after midnight, it will be my birthday. I was born on a stormy Sunday night long, long ago, in another country. I am feeling my age.

I didn't do much today except for go out for a walk in the morning. I took my usual route along the dirty riverbed, and it was hot but bearable. Later on in the afternoon, after I had returned, it became unbearable. Temperatures were supposed to have reached 100 degrees today, and they will be closer to 110 degrees during the next few days. We have an "excessive heat warning" for this period.

We didn't do much at home. I slept more than I should have, and am feeling sleepy right now. Maybe it is the heat, maybe it is the exhaustion provoked by diabetes and uncontrolled sugar levels, maybe it is Covid, I don't know. I have always felt this way, though. I think it is depression.

Tomorrow if I can will myself to do it, I am going to hike Mt. Islip ("eye-slip"), a trail on the San Gabriel mountains. It is not very far away, and I have to do something for my birthday. I want to take my 4x5 camera and also my panoramic Holga. I would also have loved to take my Fuji GW690ii, but no, that camera is an anchor that will break my back. I have enough for now. 

Here are the maps:

The trail I plan to take goes from Islip Saddle to Mt. Williamson. It should be a 7.4 mile roundtrip. I think I can handle that, given my walks up to this point. Besides, I am not staying at home again, not tomorrow. I have to do something.

That is it. Not much progress today, not much work. I start teaching my classes later on this week. Another semester is dawning, and it is somewhat frightening. Last year, I was looking forward to it because I desperately, desperately needed to get my mind off my grief. Now, I just want to get it over with, because I have a long way still until I reach retirement age. If I reach it, because during a pandemic, and with my health being what it is, nothing is assured.

Here is a photo I took with my Travelwide 4x5 camera a few weeks ago of the hills around UCR, when I visited the botanic garden:

I hope to have more spectacular views tomorrow, with big mountain trees and views. Maybe a few clouds, but I will just want to relish the adventure of a new place as I try to go to Islip Saddle.

Until tomorrow. This was a quick entry. Happy birthday to me.

The Ektopan is great!

 A few days ago I won an Ebay auction for expired film. I had had such a good experience with the old box of Arista 200 4x5 film that I discovered about two weeks ago that I wanted to explore buying expired film, to get that same look. I found an auction for an unopened box and submitted my bids and won. Someone else beat to me other boxes that were being sold by the same seller, but I have my Ektopan, expired in October of 1994, when I was in my first semester of graduate studies up in the Bay Area at the university that will remain nameless.

Today, Saturday, a day of extreme (the announcement calls it excessive) heat when we reached about 110 degree Fahrenheit, I went for a walk during the morning hours with a few film holders loaded with the Ebay film I bought. I walked around the city streets, along Grand and also 6th street. I thought I would have no difficulty taking 6 shots, but no, alas, only three, with one ruined by a faulty cable release.

At home, I developed the negatives, thinking I would get a look similar to the old Arista film I had been using, the super-grainy vintage look filled with fireflies. No, it was not, the Kodak film was older, but it held up better! It must have been better stored or else, was made of better materials to begin with. On the one hand I am disappointed that I don't have a store of film to give me the super-grainy look of Arista, but on the other hand, I have what looks to be a wonderful film that gives quality results. Here are the three negatives from today. As always, they were taken with my Travelwide 4x5 camera with a red filter on the Super Angulon 90mm lens.

I walked by the metro station and was in luck, a train was arriving! I knew I had to take this shot even though it was not the best composition. I took it just as the engine was reaching my vantage point on the bridge over the tracks. Look at the clarity and the smooth tones! No graininess here. This is a quality film that performs well 25 years after it expired. 

From that same vantage point on the bridge over the tracks at the metro station, I aimed the camera at the intersection of Main Street and Grand. Look at the tonality and the smoothness! Wow. The clouds really stand out with the red filter I was using. Once again, I am really impressed by this expired film. It will not give me the antiquated look I wanted, but it is a superb film.

I kept walking and walking along Grand Avenue, dodging homeless people who walked by or rode bicycles. There was nothing to photograph, and in some cases, such as when I walked by the Bank of America, there was a whole crowd of people waiting to either enter and speak to a teller or use an ATM. I dodged them and continued walking, and it was getting very hot at 10 in the morning. I had to end up at St. Edward's Church, where I took this photo. 

Well, that is it. The verdict is that this is an excellent film but it will not give me the antiquated look I was hoping to obtain and was getting with the expired box of Arista 200. I guess I will have to buy some new Arista and keep the box in the extreme heat of my car for a few weeks to see if it will deteriorate enough to get me the look I want. I hope so. The Ektapan is wonderful, and I really got a deal. The box contained 100 sheets, and I won the bid with $47. Wow. 

Next project, to go back to taking photos with 8x10 black and white film, but this time, using fresh Arista 200 film and not the Chinese made Catlabs film. I hope I will get adequate exposures now. Also, I want to develop 4x5 (or 35mm) color film in black and white chemicals. I understand it can be done. 

That is it for now. Tomorrow, more heat, and the day after, and the day after. Such are the days around my birthday when the heat peaks perversely. 

Trying to withstand the heat

 Today is Saturday and it is blazing hot. We have some cloud cover but it provides no relief. If you step out, you encounter a wall of excited air particles that assault you and make you leap back in alarm. There is no question about going out somewhere outdoors, the heat precludes it. These are the blazing temperatures we associate with summer.

I spent an hour developing some 4x5 film yesterday. It keeps me busy, and it helped me to relax after the trying day at the DMV. I woke up this morning and got around to scanning the images. I only do partial scans since my scanner is not set up to scan 4x5 sheets of film, but I find a portion of the negative that is of most interest. Scans take me about 8-10 minutes each. 

Here are more examples with the expired Arista film I found in a box a few weeks ago. I love the look of this film, although now, I am running through it and have maybe ten to twelve sheets left. (It had 25 sheets to begin with.) I took my walk the other day, on a Wednesday, Aug. 13th, and I went and walked by the city center. I first took this exposure with regular Arista film, not the expired, the regular film. I am still having trouble holding the camera level, my viewfinder is not helping me.

Regular Arista 200 film is no slouch. I use a red filter and have been using apertures of f16 or f22, and yes, I guess I can say I am "zone focusing". The shutter speed is set to 1/30, and I use a cable release. I am please by the look of this photo.

Then, here come the expired Arista samples. They are of a field next to the freeway, before we get to the shopping center that is anchored by Cardenas market. 

As the character played by Herve Villechaise would say, "The grain, the grain!". (He would not say that, he uttered "The plane, the plane!" in a series with Ricardo Montalban from the late 1970s called Fantasy Island.) This field, I suspect, will not remain open and unused for long. It is next to Orange Grove continuation high school, and I am at a loss as to why it has not been occupied yet as land for that school to expand. I am sure the city must be considering it. They used to have a trailer park located here, but when construction began for the improvements to the freeway, it was eliminated. This is prime land, I think. I notice big imperfections in this negative, but I love the way they give the image a vintage look. I notice many "fireflies" (the white specks in the sky that are a part of the film base that are obtained with expired film). Once again, it ages the image. I wish I had photographed other areas of our fast-changing city.

This photo was taken from another area that was cleared when the freeway improvement work was being done. It is a large open space, and I seem to remember they had some sort of yard here, maybe with cars. There was also a whole line of shops, including a Chinese takeout place where I would make purchases of food that was not very good but was at least inexpensive. (Not a good tradeoff.) There are bushes, and the San Gabriel mountains are seen clearly in the background. I love the clouds, it was not as hot that day as it is today. Once again, another retro/vintage look. I suspect this land will be purchased and developed soon. Look at the fireflies in the sky! That old film is to blame.

There were more 4x5 negatives that I scanned. I will share the photos. Here are a few of Heritage Park in Santa Fe Springs. These were not taken with expired film, these were taken with fresh Arista 200 film. There is a small railroad display in that park but it was closed the day I visited, so I had to take photos from the other side of the metal fence. What a different look when you have fresh film!

I would have looked for a better angle but I was perched between bushes and looking through metal bars that formed the fence. I would have loved to find a vantage point from within the railroad yard and, yes, they had a posted sign that said that it was supposed to be open after noon, and it was after noon, but no deal, the railroad display was closed.

And here is another vantage point from the parking lot. Once again, fresh Arista 200 film.

Finally, here is an image of downtown San Diego, taken on Aug. 9th, 2020.

This was taken, once again, with fresh Arista film. I was at the waterfront taking photos of the Star of India, but I turned in the other direction and had to take this shot. Love the tones, love the serene look. Off to the side, there was a big MAGA protest taking place, in which protestors were expressing their discontent with Gov. Newsome. Yes, even in sedate San Diego, you have your right-wingers. 

That is it. I took a walk around the downtown area of "our fair city" (to echo the Magliozzi brothers on a network which I haven't listened to since the fiasco of the election coverage of 2016). I will probably develop in a few hours. I took three shots with the expired Kodak 4x5 Ektopan film I won in an Ebay auction. I want to see what it looks like. Note to self: avoid that walking route in the future. There were far too many people walking on the streets. Before Covid, there would be no one, now with Covid and an escalating mortality rate, suddenly there are way too many people for me.

'Ta bueno. More later, if I can develop the film. I've nothing else to do, I am not going out in this heat.

Friday at the DMV

 No, it wasn't very exiting today. Besides the sizzling temperatures above the 100 degree Fahrenheit mark, and the feeling of discontent as we near the end of our summer break, I had a few urgent tasks to perform today. It was urgent that I go to the DMV to renew my license, which I had postponed doing because I wanted to be nowhere near the great agglomerations of people stick inside those abodes of despair and distemper. It is a given that going to the DMV entails great aggravation, but they do nothing to improve conditions. We need twice as many offices, but no, we are stuck with the same system we have now.

I arrived before 8 a.m. and saw a long line on the sidewalk. I wanted to turn around and drive back but I knew I had to try. I couldn't put if off any longer, I was not going to be able to obtain my Real ID if I went for the online renewal option, and I will not go back to the DMV if I have to, so I stuck it out. The line inched closer to the building, and there were a few inconsiderate people who weren't wearing masks. I had to move away from one of them. 

Well, to refer to the name of an Armenian-American band (System of a Down), the system went down, and we were stuck. I left, finished my online course requirements and returned at 1 p.m. Another long wait, but I was able to go inside and have them authorize my renewal. I had no written test to take, they are being waived, but still, they should have renewed and sent me my license automatically. I should not have had to visit the office during the pandemic. I worry, of course, about my possible exposure.

I didn't have a chance to do anything else today, but if it involved going outside, it would have been impossible in any case. I took care of some tasks then went home and took a longer nap than I was expecting to take. We need the air-conditioning. I am glad we got it repaired.

Now, I am hopefully planning for an outing this weekend, but I know the beaches and mountains will attract hordes of people. I want someplace solitary, but not too abandoned, someplace wild. I can't think of where I can go, although for my birthday, I will try to go to the mountain.

That's it. I'll post a few photos of my trip to the UCR botanical garden a few weeks ago. I wanted to go today, but I had my errand at the DMV office. I want to go to the eastern Sierras in the central valley, but I doubt that I can make the trip soon. The temperatures are just as bad if not worse on my way there, and I don't want to be in the heat. I might not even go walking in the morning to exercise as I normally do.

So, photos of UCR. Good night. Tomorrow it will be even hotter than it was today. Poor dad, he never got to have air conditioning at home. Everything makes me sad when I think of my dad.

Uneventful

 Nothing to report today, and I would have gone to bed without logging into this site and writing this entry except for the fact that I want to maintain continuity. 

It was a normal day, supposedly in the 90s but I didn't check. It wasn't too uncomfortable. I didn't take any photos and I didn't develop any either. I also didn't go out at all, except to complete some yard work during mid morning.

Today was day 2 of online learning for my nieces. I think they will quickly grow tired of it. The little one is still excited, but her online sessions only last for about an hour. I don't know what my other niece thinks of this arrangement. I think she spent more time logged in.

I took a long nap at noon, which was highly unusual. Then, I worked on class matters.

So, nothing to report. I guess I will post a few items from before. Here are what I am pretty sure are photos taken with my Holga camera. I was using slide film, probably either Velvia or Provia. I am thinking maybe they were taken with 400 ISO film (which would rule out Velvia), since they are over-exposed. They are of my campus, and the one after this series, a double exposure that include a scene from Olvera Street.

(The photo above is of the Japanese garden, a feature of my campus. Many people think so and they come and stand around, so you won't find solitude, but it is still beautiful.)

(The photo above is from another vantage point, featuring two attractions of my campus. I have to admit, I had to edit these photos.)

(A quiet moment on campus. I was probably walking home after finishing my teaching, because when else would I be walking on this field headed towards the parking lot?)

(Above, the flower garden with concentric rings. A place for many photos, but somehow, because parking is restricted, it isn't overrun yet by wedding or quince photographers.)

(Above, walking on campus next to Building 9. When we I see students in person again? Probably not until 2021.)

(Above, look at the leaves on the ground. It makes me believe this was taken during late fall or mid winter. It seems to have been pledge week, but I don't remember seeing so many leaves in September.)

(Above, a double exposure, the daylight scene is of a museum located at Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles, and the background nighttime scene, from what I can tell, is of the library on campus lit up with internal lighting. The merchants of Olvera Street must be receiving some sort of financial aid from the city because they have been closed down these past few months. They are a very vocal group and if they did not receive aid, they would be complaining very loudly on social media and probably opening up. Instead, they post wistful photos of their lane closed down. They must be getting paid off very handsomely.)

That is it, I don't want to post any more today. Tomorrow, I think I will try to go to the UCR Botanic Garden again. We'll see.

Buenas noches.

It seems like another world, one we won't be returning to for a while. Young people so carefree, circulating on campus, so many leaves that it leads me to believe it was either late fall or the middle of winter. 

Another Sunday

 As I wrote the title for this blog entry, I couldn't get the phrase "Manic Monday" out of my head. It is from a song from long ago, maybe from the 80s. I'll look it up after I post this.

I woke up today intending to get an early start and head off down to San Diego to see if I could photograph the Star of India sailing boat. I woke up in time, it was very bright outside, and I felt exhausted. I stayed home this morning, thinking I still had time to go if I wanted to do so in the afternoon, and that is what I did.

Driving down the 15 was a breeze today. It is a long, long drive. It involves getting on the 15, then the 163, then the 5 north. I left at about 1 p.m. and didn't get to the general area until about almost 3 p.m. Of course, as per my eternal proclivities, I forgot which way I was supposed to turn and I made my way in the other direction. It wasn't so bad, I ended up at the Cabrillo National Monument, although there was a long wait to get in and the cost would have been $20. I turned around and parked along the areas adjacent to the cemeteries, and I took photos there. I needed to see the ocean and also huge vistas, and I did.

Eventually I made it back to North Harbor Drive and made it to the Star of India, but it was almost 5 p.m. I took a few photos, but there were far too many people not wearing masks for me to feel comfortable. Yes, too many Anglos from San Diego feel entitled, and as a matter of fact, next to the administrative building that faces the boat, there was an anti-Gavin Newsome protest. Of course, San Diego is just another Orange County.

The drive to and back from San Diego is far too long. There were almost no delays, which means, some people are still following quarantine. Ordinarily, on weekends, the freeways in the area would be packed. I debated going to Oceanside to visit Mission San Luis Rey on my way back, but quickly discarded the idea. I drove home, and it was long and weary. It is a long way to Tiperrary, as Snoopy (Charles Schulz) used to sing, quoting a song from the past.

Photography is keeping me sane for now, but I am feeling more and more pressure. I am dealing with it for now, though. There is no more photography of events and there hasn't been since mid March, which is now five months away. Can you imagine it? Five months ago I was attending the third and final day of the Sabor Latino dance competition, and I remember feeling worried about attending in a crowded venue because even then the drumbeat of concern about the arrival of the virus was in evidence. I went, though, and spent almost 6 to 7 hours, and I took lousy photos, mostly because I was using an incorrect setting on my camera (I had changed it to flat lighting, which was the wrong thing to do) and I didn't have a good location. Plus, I must have been tired.

And now, we are nearing mid August, with no end in sight. The virus seems to be here to stay. It is like bearing with Trump these past four years, one says, enough is enough, this has to end. Every day there is a new outrage.

I think I am going to order more expired 4x5 film from Ebay. I love the grainy results I obtained with my Arista film, and want to use it for effects. I think that with the right subject matter, that grainy and vintage look would be outstanding. It would have to be old buildings, though, and monuments, and of course, open landscapes, not trees, not things with a surfeit of details, but open landscapes. I think it would work extremely well then.

This would be a good place to share some very problematic negatives I took with Arista 400 film. These were taken last year with the Travelwide when I went to Los Angeles and would walk around, starting at Olvera Street, then down to the Music Center (with the Geary building), then down to Grand Central Marketplace and along the streets of downtown. Those negatives were extremely thin, which tells me, they didn't receive nearly enough exposure. They are the opposite of the extremely thick (dark) negatives I obtained with the expired Arista film. The problem also has to do with a purple smear that appears on the Arista 400 negatives. It was very, very unfortunate, and it made me swear off using that brand of high speed film, but here are a few images.

This was taking at Redondo Beach. The smear I was talking about appears almost on the horizon, but it looks false. It almost hints at a shadow city behind the harbor. When we were kids, my dad used to bring us here to fish. I had not returned since the early 80s, which is almost forty years, but after the passing of my father, I had to do so. Maybe that is why there is an ethereal effect.

Here is another one from my thin Arista 400 4x5 negatives. (These are partial scans since my Epson V600 does not allow me to scan the entire image, only the central area.)

This one is from my meandering walks around downtown Los Angeles. I remember being excited about this composition as I took the photo, only to see it ruined once I had developed it. I still like the composition, though. Cactus and skyscrapers, and the cactus on the right is either flipping the bird or else proclaiming that it is #1. 

Finally, here is one from the inside of Grand Central Marketplace, a small but historical eating place with many different shops. It has been here for decades, I believe. I perched myself somewhere, aimed towards the dim interior and left it with a bulb exposure for a few seconds. Of course, since my Arista 400 film is underexposing badly, I barely got any kind of image. The neon sign was very noticeable, though. The blur, of course, is because it was a long exposure. It is a humble place, but it is a place with history. Of course, I would be terrified to step in here now with the extreme crowds jostling about and the circulating air.

That is about it. I was going to develop some film today after returned from San Diego but I am exhausted. I have a few big things to finish this week. I need to renew my driver's license (before my birthday!) and also, finish my online class so that I can get paid. I am a week and a half from beginning the next semester.

And, tomorrow is my niece's birthday. We already sang for her as she blew the candles of her cake. She wanted to eat some ice cream and so didn't want to wait. 

Good night. I wish my dad had been here today.