The time always comes sooner or later.....

Rota sunsets are always gorgeous

... to make a critical decision, which I have made. My life, or what I perceive as a life, changes continuously, and now with my life in Rota once again, things have come to such a point that I have decided yet another important stage in my life must be made.

I am moving my stuff back to the states, and will eventually resettle in Eugene, Oregon. I love the greenery there, the people are just as friendly as in Rota (though they don't speak spanish), and the sunsets are just as wonderful. It'll once again be only the third location in my life where I will not have a ocean near me but after a curvy two hours' drive, that can be resolved.

As I type this, I am in Charleston SC awaiting a flight to Rota, after having gone through my boxes in SF and taken some things with me, and eventually left more of my Rota things in its place. This will be my life for the next year as I continuously fly back and forth to get my things back in the states. Eventually am hoping to sell my spanish apartment to resettle in Eugene permanently. The ash-cloud of mid-April was a nightmare for me and now I cannot get a refund for the unused portion. I expected that response though hearing it hits home sadly. I feel for those who are still away from their homes due to that event, as they possibly face the same fate.

It's not easy being a nomad, not in any life or country..... moving from one country to another is not easy and takes a lot of pre-planning. I just cannot wait to get back to someplace where I can call home and to continue to practice what is my passion: photography.

There are advantages to living in Spain and it's a gorgeous culture and life, but there's just so many things that I cannot tolerate, and a few of those is the constant smoking in restaurants and bars, and my inability to freely practice my love of photography. This has been an ongoing problem for over a decade, and I am putting an end to it. Does it mean I will never return to Rota/España? No, I can return anytime I so desire and I will....

there are other places with sunsets just as gorgeous

Now I just have to get accustomed to speaking english all the time!!! hahahaaa

again to Eugene

Over two weeks ago I returned from a long and tiring five-day trip to Oregon again. Two days were actually spent in Eugene shooting some great friends and families, then left Eugene Monday morning at about

5am, driving to gorgeous Crater Lake a final time as I think I won’t be able to see it again due to the packing and readying for my return to Spain next year. I had a bit of self-inflicted food-poisoning which made the latter portion of my return even worst, though I didn't know it was due to my reusing coffee cups obtained during the SF to Eugene portion. So much for future trips being green and reusing disposable cups!

Driving in Eugene is sooo easy and carefree, not like the hassle and rush in the Bay Area. It was wonderful seeing all the tree-lined streets, which I think one takes for granted. There are many streets in SF full of trees but it’s just one of many – but when one drives the Eugene streets and thorough-ways, trees are on practically every street! I think it’s a very soothing effect on a driver…. The other thing I enjoyed seeing is the Christmas snowflakes effect the tree pollen gives one…. And just as big as a flake in a heavy snowfall!!

Saturday morning I had a family shoot and also another family session Sunday afternoon in Amazon Park, then a private session Sunday morning. Photography is something I love as it allows me to see uniquely the surrounding world to create new visions – perhaps that’s half the source of my problems as I have to be always living in front of a small monitor to organize, edit and archive my image files. There is something wrong with this equation and though this is the normal progression of photography, I know I was not born to stay cooped up within a dwelling no matter where I am, looking at the small screen to organize and view images, nor to contact others. This isn’t the life I expect nor want it to be, and soon after I return to Spain, I’ll revert back to film….

Regardless, it was great to be in Eugene again, and to finally see an end to most of the I-5 road work that was going on all the months I spent there. The people of Eugene should be proud of what they have there…. I am always happy to let people know I used to be a Eugene resident and wish I were still! I went by my old neighborhood, and saw the little garage cottage where I lived. It looked empty though there was a new couple who both smoke living in the main house.

I was again surprised to see a few business closures, typical during these hard times but I thought they were going strong after seeing them late last year when I was in Eugene last. Though the homeless scene is just as obvious in Eugene as it is in San Francisco,

Crater Lake was a blast, with wispy clouds later appearing to my surprise, then I decided to get to the east side of the lake to prevent lens flare by not shooting into the sun. There was snow at the lake, and I soon discovered the east side closed due to this large amount of snow! So, I drove back to the northern side and continued taking pictures. Fortunately by time I returned, the sun had risen higher and allowed me more latitude in getting the shots I wanted. I even climbed to some deserted spots to which I’ve never been previously.

Leaving Crater Lake I drove on HWY 199 south toward the Californian coast. I was hoping to get some shots of the Oregon coast too, but that wasn’t to be. Instead it was the Californian coast I saw first and I wasn’t happy at all till I noticed the city had a lighthouse. Everyone knows I like lighthouses!! Ha! It's amazing that on my GPS the California borderline showed up as a non-descriptive thick black line! Right as I crossed the border I saw out of the corner of my eye a sign welcoming me back to my home state! Amazingly, the weather in Oregon this day was nice, warm and sunny and as soon as I crossed the border headed south, instead of sun it was immediately overcast and coooold!! What gives!?! wow!!I was also tired enough to stop to look at the tall redwoods again, and that is something that always keeps me in awe as I look skyward to see the heights of these beautiful trees.

Since my return I've been working on the trip image files plus others created before I departed. The files just add up and accumulates in more sitting and more monitor work for me. I would have never thought my passion for photography would be affected by the post-work that follows creating an image: the endless hours of viewing each and every image, deleting or maintaining a file, organizing everything then archiving the massive amounts of files later. While I am happy to have such great images from the trip, I am so disappointed that my life now has been reduced to 100hrs a day computer work which distracts from the pleasure in my recent past when all I had was a darkroom and that was all I needed. In those days, I would shoot film all day, then spend hours in the darkroom during the cooler night, the breeze coming in through an open window being a welcome break in the darkness....

Those days are gone…. for now.

From SF to Eugene.....

On the road again to Eugene… seems I’m returning home but I’m not. Left the City at about 7:30am and got quickly onto the bay bridge which wasn’t too busy fortunately. Traffic was quite good actually, and when I got off the bridge I was shocked to see the parking lot of cars waiting to get onto the bridge to cross the bay into the City! Even the ramps leading into the City were virtually stopped, or appeared so…. I was very happy I didn’t have to drive into the City at this time and hassle with the traffic. Getting away from the bay was easy going the opposite direction with no serious traffic problems; I filled up with gas the night previous and was later surprised to see gas prices were actually higher as I left the City, and even in Oregon the gas was higher than in the Bay Area!

Normally I depart at a much earlier time ~ about 4-5am ~ when I do this long drive. It was so strange to be driving in the daylight. Usually by the time I reach the 505 interchange, I am stopping to photograph the sunrise! No such opportunities this time!!

Earlier this week my broken EOS 40D was repaired and picked it up Tuesday. It was good to have it back in my hands and like a worn loved and favorite blanket, felt very good. I have the EOS XTi (400D) as a backup and cannot believe the differences between the two in just the handling and feel. Of course I am not being fair since one is of a higher caliber but still… the 40D is a goddess of a camera in shape, feel and capabilities!! Now, if only I could find a woman just like my camera!! hahahahaaa

So, here I am on the road – seemingly always these days – and now passing through the 505 and onto I-5 which is really quite empty at almost 10am. I like long trips but hate being alone for the duration…. And waited till two hours after my trip start to stop and get a drink of my favorite “coffee”: that concoction of French-Vanilla; when I buy the home-style mix, it never tastes as good. In fact, it doesn’t ever taste anything as well-blended as the store-bought even when made according to the directions… oh blah!! I brought my travel mug with me to rid myself of trying to dispose of the cups… and later at a rest area enjoyed a delicious juicy pear which I bought also. Then back on the road….

I thought this smoke rising in the distance was lovely…

Some of the things I saw was this interesting convoy of fire vehicles – I thought they could be coming from southern California after helping with the fires there. I thought it amazing that in the back of one of the vehicles were some “sleeping” firemen and with another fire truck following very closely. If one by chance fell, he would be pancakes in seconds!!!

this shot of the gorgeous sky reflected in my driver's side rear view mirror is typical of my day, shooting pixs while zipping along at 65mph!!
Most of these - and others posted to my fotopage - were taken by holding my camera in hand and snapping at a speed of 65mph!! I know.... but how else will I stay awake in my car zooming along and alone? In some cases I actually did stop and take the pictures, but the majority were done "on the road"....

Mt Shasta is always pretty to admire from the interstate, and today was no different as she sat by the highway all dressed in white from recent snowfall.

just entering the I-505 interchange, these gorgeous flocks of birds in flight over marshes and I stopped to see and snap... These birds were escaping… where from I didn’t know… it seems they were all just flying along on a thin cloud….
I finally got to Borders in Eugene where the pre-release party for the Capture Lane County photo-coffee book was being held - the sole reason for my trip.... and though none of my pictures were used in the book, it is still a gorgeously-done book.
The book was also presented tonight and I am happy to have it as a fond memory of my short time in Eugene and Oregon. If only things were different, I would have never left.... sigh

I won't mention the three times during this drive while chewing gum I bit the inside of my lip, or when rubbing my eyes, I jabbed myself quite by accident when the car passed over a bump... and in my new eye!!! ouch!!!

am I ever amazed....

Needless to say for those who know me, I am online 36 hours a day. What? You think I can't count... that might be true but if you were up all day and night, when you finally get to sleep it will seem longer than the 24 alloted....

I love "talking" to my friends in Europe.... I miss them a lot and wish I were back in that tight-knit community. The culture is different {better} and things are more relaxed.

Now I have my friends in Eugene... I miss that place too and though it certainly isn't the most wonderful place in the USA, to me and to this tired soul, it certainly comes very close to heaven. I cannot believe how friendly the natives are there and that's probably the biggest reason I chose that spot for my relocation from Spain... to me it was the same friendliness I experience, carve and love so much in my little rincon of Andalucia, except without the spanish. Each time I go back and I've been back about four times now, I am reminded of that friendliness by little displays of thoughtfulness that make me want to cry when I think of it... and I have.

Today in my little world of nothingness, I got a phone call from a young woman who is not only my friend but a beautiful person inside and out, and I have proof on virtual film! A call from a distant friend almost put me to tears again... I miss the hugs I would get in Eugene and in Spain, and here in SF you'd have to pay for one. I miss the straight-forwardness honesty of the people and here I am just so isolated... my few times of rare happiness is when I am on the road again driving to Eugene, or in a run around San Francisco with my camera taking pictures. That's not a life....

Isn't it disgusting that in my hometown, where I was born and raised, I have fewer friends than in Spain and Eugene? sigh....

well, perhaps TWO firsts?

A friend in Eugene, Oregon emailed me about a site where images are being requested for possible inclusion in a nice photography book for the area where I lived for almost a year: Lane County.

I have a lot of images from that area so for the past day have been looking for images from that area; I'd love to have a few of my images in such a nice book about an area of the world that I have really grown to love and miss.

I've already sent out some SPAM emails to Eugene friends to vote for my images. Of course it's a system that requires members of the website to vote for those pictures they like best. The best and most-voted images gets into the book. Probably by next week I'll have all of the images that I want to be considered and voted on, uploaded by that time.

So if you're interested in helping to getting this photographer's stuff into a book, please go by the site and register. Once registered, just drop by my profile and click on the pictures displayed at the very bottom. You can click on each or any of the pictures shown and that opens up to its separate page. On that page, you can comment if you feel like it, then looking to the right margin, you can "love" the image, or (above right) you can "DIG IT"(green) or you can "NIX IT" (red).

Aside from my images, there are some incredible images there, including some of the Northern Lights with great detailed descriptions, and some great stargazing pictures!

On the other hand, I am now preparing to go under the "knife". Next Wednesday, I'll be driving to San Jose to get my eyes operated on, and hopefully I'll be able to begin seeing through the viewfinder of my camera without glasses.

Yes, I say "hopefully" because no matter how many people you might have heard of, or know those who have undergone this type of surgery... each case is unique and what happens is also unique to them. It's like ordering a cake. I might see the cake at a party, I will order them from a album of generic designs, but MY cake is unique and no matter how much people say and how many pictures I'll see, my handmade cake is mine alone, and it's uniquely mine!!

The prospect of seeing without glasses - due to my age I'll still have to use reading glasses for very close distances - will be an interesting experience. I've worn glasses since I was 15 or so, and can't remember too many days where I walked around without glasses and still see clearly.

like my newest bumper sticker?

BACK from friendly Eugene

Mt Shasta seen enroute SF...
aren't the clouds jes GorGeous?

Wednesday ~ 11:58pm: Returned from Eugene and as always: a stop-N-go nine hours on the road again. Don't ever get that "fat-free" French-Vanilla.... yeeeck. Never put the camera in the front seat and turned ON.

Not if you want to finally reach your destination within the coming year!

I was lucky enough in being able to stay VERY busy this trip.... usually I am so bored out of my mind and shoot just flowers, sunsets, etc. It was good to be able to shoot some other people too... I love staying busy and up late working on fotos while watching the Olympics. Of course I was driving all over Eugene and getting lost.... Aside from the 9-hour drive between Eugene and SF, I think I spent too much time on the road and in cars!!! I finally departed at about 5am Wednesday to beat the rush hour traffic in the Bay Area when I finally arrive.

It was a very good trip for me, resulting in a shoot with a Medford, Oregon model. Cannot forget my friend's skate rink wedding and the great handmade wedding cake!!! Then had a session with a very photogenic couple on Sunday who are expecting a little one in a few months, then finally finished with a very pretty teen and her brother on Tuesday, then later photographed her parents later that same afternoon.

I'll never forget Eugene's sunsets and even Mount Shasta was lovely and dressed in clouds; aside from snapping some pixs while driving 65mph down the interstate, I also stopped and got some better pixs of that beautiful mountain!

Saturday ~ 9:50pm: What a day!! Though I had my alarm set for 8:15am, I actually awoke several times starting at 6am.... I was busy busy as a bee readying to go to deliver a box of goodies of art materials for an internet friend, then head over to the bride's home preparing for her wedding. Then as I was already starting to shut down my laptop to depart, an email arrives with the simple subject line I've been waiting for: driver's license

A kind family discovered my "belt pouch" with my IDs and credit cards near the street at 29th and Willamette, and contacted me. I've known Eugene people to be kind, honest and thoughtful, and this is such proof of that thought; while I worked at the main library here, people turned in money, laptops, credit cards, among other things!

My sincere thanks to this family and well-wishes for them in this new world of thoughfulness to your neighbor and fellow man.

The WEDDING: I arrived early ~ better early than late always ~ be fore noon and soon began recording their spercial day... I am always honored to be a part of such happy and important personal events... it's not easy to be the one entrusted with such responsibilty, but I love to document these moments of happiness, and feel it's something I do quite well. That she would think of me in her important moment is such an honor, specially when one considers that I don't reside in Eugene any longer.

I finally got home at about the same time the sun began to set - again - and stopped several times to record that also. The sun sets in Eugene at about 8:20 and the sunbeams were fantastic. I plan to use one of the sunbeam images as a background for one of their pictures.

Tomorrow I will shoot a pregnant mother-to-be and that will start about 2pm and continue till sunset. I'm so happy I am staying busy and taking fotos ~ it's my life!!!!

Friday ~ 10pm: I spent a disgusting busy day outside in the Northwestern heat of 90f+ and humidity. While I was able to get to all of my scheduled appointments, I did a stupid thing today that is typical of my crazy lifestyle... all of my life I have misplaced and/or lost items. Today, I not only lost the house-key to where I am staying with a friend, but I also lost a belt "pocket", complete with my military ID and CA driver's license, plus a slew of credit cards. Yeaaaa, I've checked the car inside and out so many times and drove back to the places where I thought it might have detached itself from my belt. No luck... plus I had my newest version of my business cards in there too, so if anyone honest did find it, they would have called me.

I am soooo disappointed.

Tomorrow is the wedding, then Sunday I have a shoot that will take up most of the afternoon. Monday or Tuesday I will take a little drive to the Oregon coast which I really like but now may not do it, due to the loss of those important documentation. It seems all of my days are filled up and then I'll depart a day earlier.

While returning from my last search of where the lost items might be, I saw the clouds over the Eugene foothills, and again, I went to get my camera and snapped away. It was so incredible and if not for two individuals who were there with me talking about the sun and about photography in general, I would have cried at my idiotic day and its strange turn of events.

It seems again that Eugene's sunset brightened my day and left me with an awe that I could only have here.... and in Spain.

Thursday 14 August: Early morning departure at 4:45AM. The Harrison Street entrance to the Bay Bridge was closed... a motorcycle cop was there but he didn't help any of us stopped across the street, wondering where to go to get on the bridge. I followed the four cars in front of me and within three minutes and three traffic liggts, I was on the bridge... finally. It seems so strange to be driving through this city that I call my hometown... to see it filthy, dirty, empty of cars and tourists, the shops and restaurants closed and dark... then compare that with the daytime-version: full of cars, traffic and tourists, no room on the sidewalk to walk even... the dirty street hidden by parked cars.

I was to be in Medford, Oregon by noon to shoot with a model... my GPS predicted my arrival before 11:30. With several stops for gas and rest - stretch those old legs - I thought I should arrive about that time. An hour later at a gas stop outside Fairfield did I realize I left the house with only a dollar and some change in my pockets... luckily just enough to buy a french-vanilla coffee... I had to count out 40 cents worth of pennies but the girl behind the counter just smiled and accepted the change.

I watched a golden bright red sun rise... and though I kept watching it, I didn't stop to snap a picture. Perhaps the next time.....

The car was doing quite good... I've been keeping tabs on gas mileage for many months and this trip actually gave me almost 30 miles to the gallon for the first portion of the tank. This is a first for this car since moving from the relatively flats of Eugene to the hills and traffic of SF!! For the remainder I used the a/c as it was sooo hot - how nice to finally have a car equipped with that cooling miracle after 30 years driving without a/c in hotter-than-heck climates! For the rest of the trip it dropped a bit and when I finally filled up again just before Roseburg, the mileage was about 22+ miles per gallon for the rest of the tank... that's not bad when compared to the 12 miles I got for the gallon when I first moved to the City, and buying gas exactly once a week! Those hills and the stop-N-go traffic will do it to the car's performance!!!

In Medford I spent an interesting three hours shooting with a gorgeous model, then when it came time to download the fotos to her laptop, I realized that along with forgetting my cell phone charger, I also forgot the correct cable for the camera. Now instead of DLing 500+ pictures in less than 10 minutes, it would take three times longer!!!

This trip wasn't starting off well! In addition, I actually had to stop the car once I passed Fairfield to find my allergy pills... I smelled something that reminded me of hay burning and my sinuses were really bad this morning...... wow!! By time I arrived in Medford, my sinuses were again so bad even the model offered me some pills which I accepted and 20mins later, I could actually breathe again!!!

Finally done copying the pictures to her laptop, I started the final portion of my trip to Eugene, and traffic was bad. To make up for the traffic, I stopped at a rest area where olive trees were growing; these were old trees with the most beautiful roots!! Unfortunately, the restrooms were terrible! The sinks were filthy and though there were people cleaning, the sinks were so dirty I didn't touch them. It reminded me of seeing the restrooms at the rest areas off the german autobahn, and they were even more filthy than these!



Traffic into Eugene was bad starting about 30miles south, but as I arrived just after 8, I drove over to my "old spot" at Amazon Park and photographed the sunset.

I always feel so honored and special when I am "welcomed" to any location and the sunsets are so incredibly beautiful and colorful! Tonight was no different....



I like Eugene!!!

Toleration and Respect...

... and I am the one who tolerates a LOT. My years in Spain has taught me patience, patience and a bit more patience. In my few months in San Francisco, I have put up with a lot to which I seemingly have gained no respect, appreciation or even praise. It seems to be all taken for granted, and someone somewhere is happy it is I doing the work, moving heavy boxes up and down the stairs, and me cleaning through the mountains of dust and not them.

Or does anyone care at all?

One can tolerate so much, and even the most tolerant will see when things appear to be worst and not better, then for the sake of all, it must come to an end. So, during the next few weeks before driving to Eugene again for a friend's wedding, I will start packing my own things for a change, and moving these items to the garage where hopefully these will be safe while I settle somewhere else. Maybe I'll hit the lottery and will be able to ship my things to Spain but right now don't have the funds to get a place of my own, and I've learned decades ago the car is not comfortable - but if I need to, I'll sleep in the car again.

So, again.... I thought of spending the money to have a new business card printed, and sure enough.... it appears I might be moving yet again! While in Eugene, I had a total of five cards made, each card due to a change of information or a move, each one now displaying old outdated information.

So it's back to the norm: once again it seems I have NO idea if I should stay or leave, and if I were to leave, where I would go nor for how long, but at least I can sleep nights knowing I can be respected and appreciated for who I am.

So, I guess the question here is should I turn a deaf ear or should I keep my chin up and forgive. I am not in a situation to move yet again - now three times in the past two years from Spain to Oregon to San Francisco - and allow destiny to have a gentler hand in my future? As the past has proven, things will probably occur again which creates my torturous existence... who knows what the future brings?

Obama in Eugene

I was in Eugene, Oregon recently and had the rare opportunity to experience a political rally ~ the first in over three decades. I am not particularly interested in politics though I do follow the news... I believe a single vote will not change anything; the system is too corrupt to change and it's all a waste of time..... but it makes good news (sometimes) and entertainment if you're bored and require some stimulation. hahahaaha

While watching the Thursday night news I heard Obama would be speaking during a public rally on the University of Oregon campus between the Knight Library and the Museum ~ all within 15-minutes from where I used to live by Amazon Park, and just a 24,9 minute walk from where I was staying now. I decided to go and try my luck at getting a press pass to get some pictures. After spending some hours photographing a friend's mother and sister.... I drove over at about 4:30-ish PM and was shocked there were open parking spaces within a mere few blocks of the campus at 13th avenue!

At such an early hour, the "press entrance" was crowded but not even setup yet. I waited there with a small group of other patient photographers, reporters and video crews, all with what seemed some huge cameras but also less-expensive digital cameras.... I thought while waiting that one in this career must be so patient because the waiting game for press passes, then to wait for the event to start, not to mention the additional hours waiting for your main speaker to appear is an experience not for the impatient!

While waiting I spoke at length with a producer and we chatted about our various travels and assignments, it all seemingly very strange to be remembering or listening to accounts of foreign travels, as if it were a game of "my trip was better than yours and cost more".... but I guess in the extreme waiting game everything becomes a token in which one can toss into the board to pass the time.

Then we were finally let in, me with my press pass, this being the first event I would be documenting with a press pass in years. All equipment bags and cameras had to be laid neatly upon the ground to be checked by a bomb-sniffing dog; others near me commented with a grim smile and related loudly how the last Obama rally saw the the dog's nose smearing their camera lenses and filters! hahahahaaa

That done, we entered and quickly staked out our spots in which to capture what we each thought would give us the best advantage in getting our images. I was atop a huge elevated stand erected for the press, and I found a corner nearest the stage to wait.... and wait.... and wait still.

We noticed that some time later, the secret service agents dressed in ties and suits all removed their ties. That was very interesting to watch as many did so without emotion, while still others did so with a smile. The crowd did notice this action and gave their noisy approval; this - after all - was Eugene.

Barack Obama was scheduled to speak two hours after the floodgates for the public was opened at 5:30 PM. It was now past that appointed time by at least 20 additional minutes and people were still entering the campus grounds and still no Obama. On the hour though, the guest speakers appeared to build up the momentum and introduce the main speaker, and what a great job they did!

Once announced, Obama came running out, stopping briefly to shake hands with a small group nearest his passage route from door of the campus museum toward the stage. The news teams couldn't see him ~ even on the elevated stand ~ but we could see the hands raised high with cameras and cell phones, pointed at a spot that told us the progress of this moving presidential candidate.

On the stage, Barack Obama was the most effective speaker I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. He is articulate, he is well-versed and he basically read from a speech repeated in other cities and other days, but still, his words were those words the crowd wanted to hear and they roared!

I have pictures from this rally posted at my album.