Balls

Two preserved Union 76 ball signs seen through the window of a Metrolink train traveling westbound near Claremont, Calif., on Thursday, February 9, 2012.

Inside Looking Out

Patrons watch the end of the seventh race in the FrontRunner restaurant at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Thursday, December 29, 2011.

On Our Front Window

This guy stopped by our place this afternoon, stayed about ten minutes, then flew off. (For those of you keeping score at home, that's ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/800th of second, with a 45mm macro.)

The View from the 26th Floor

I'm in Pittsburgh.

Cliched Sunset, Inside Looking Out Edition

About 20 minutes ago. You know ... why not include the window?

Durr ... Igible

Among the things I don't understand: why celebrities don't have blimps. People do all sorts of ridiculous things to get into the news. Why not just have a blimp and fly around? Put your picture on the side. Grant interviews ... but only on your blimp.

Above: a non-celebrity blimp flying over San Francisco today.

Inside, Looking Out, Cliche Sunset Edition

The view out the window and up the hill, just moments ago.

Inside, Looking Out (Sorta)

Technically, this is an Outside Looking In, but whatever.

Overheard behind me: "Mommy, what is that man doing?" "Taking pictures, darling."

Context

A broader view from today's afternoon of noisy, noisy jets. This is the view that's a bit northwest of us.

Air Show Practice Over San Francisco

Seen today, out my window.

Inside, Looking Out (Again)

iPhone snapshot.

Inside, Looking Out

Have been trying to get a sense of San Francisco by walking around aimlessly. So far, that seems like a good strategy.

Inside Looking Out: Tribeca

Had to run down to the triangle-below-Canal to drop off a video. Followed my iPhone to the address I was given, and walked in through a closed door.

Quickly got the feeling I'd trespassed into a place I wasn't supposed to be or even supposed to know about. An alarm rang, a nice lady came out. She looked at the address on the package in my hand and said "They've moved to Number Six now" and sent me down the hall.

I left with the feeling that if I'd just known the secret password, I'd be on to a plane to somewhere right now, being briefed for a mission.

Intersections

In one of my classes, there is an item about the "rule of thirds" in composition. That's not in a photography class, so I don't particularly emphasize the details of the "rule" -- I'm just happy enough that students are exposed to the idea.

The part they struggle with? Not the idea of dividing the composition into three parts or putting main subjects at the point where imaginary lines meet (for example, a third from the top and a third from the side). Instead, they struggle with why this is good and what it achieves.

While some can restate what they read in the lesson -- that this might make a more interesting and dynamic picture -- others overstate the case greatly. You get the sense that composing using the rule of thirds will make the world a better, finer place. Perhaps it will.

Previous notes on the "rule of thirds" are here and here.

Above: a very literal version of the rule of thirds.

No Place is Boring

If you've had a good night's sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film. Or the equivalent.

Inside, Looking Out, Midtown

This is the 301st post on this blog. I'm rethinking it a bit, so don't be surprised if a there's a redesign soon.

Of course, it's fair to say that Photography itself needs a bit of a redesign. If you stare at something long enough, ideas should begin to form on what it's for and what it might do.