a walk thru the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts

....was both warm and sunny, shaded and breezy, and crowded. I didn't take my reflex camera as I wanted to actually "enjoy" it... if such a thing is possible without a camera if your photography is your life!

Got there late but amazingly found a parking spot after arriving within minutes. It was breezy enough to keep the flies and heat away and it was quite nice.

Though these street festivals have almost always the same people/vendors as in other festivals, I was surprised to see some work that I hadn't seen previously, as well as the magnificent images I've seen before. There was also an etcher whose numbered etchings were fabulous and I loved a small etching of a valley oak he had displayed, along with a full-moonrise and oak, which he explained was a new piece of work.

I enjoy telling the exhibitors what I enjoy... I don't have money so I cannot buy their work ~ the most sincerest work of appreciation and flattery for someone's art ~ but I feel as a photographer who loves comments and input about his imagery, that I must say something.

I can't afford to ever exhibit at these events though I have often considered it.... but I can admire those who do participate and whose work is so splendid to share it with others.

The following images were captured using my cell phone camera... a RAZR v3 which... in my opinion, takes some very nice pictures in good lighting. The pictures are of the street painting contest and more.....

another gallery showing finished....

well, I just returned home from picking up my framed images from the group show in Berkeley. What can I say? It was my first actual gallery showing in the United States, first time showing in the Bay Area, and the first-ever display in my life as a photographer to be attended by any of my family, since I have only exhibited previously outside of the United States; my sister and one of my three brothers attended the opening night.

While I didn't sell anything, I was present to see, hear and read many fantastic comments about my work, especially the four Kat Love images that I had framed two images each vertically matted within a single black frame. It was hung on the wall behind the gallery's front room high on the wall behind the workspace counter, and on opening night there were several people who just stood there, motionless in the bustle of an opening night in a small crowded gallery, just staring at my fotos. It was a great pleasure for me to see such reactions, and it moved me deeply. I always have thought I have an immense talent for photography, and to see it recognized in one way or another is always good for the general morale of an artist - and I do consider myself an artist. I also needed that morale boost a lot!!

I was hoping one of the Kat Love images would be sold; they were priced quite inexpensively so I could recoup at least the framing costs, but that didn't happen. Of course, I couldn't afford to frame my images so my sister graciously paid for the framing. Oh well.... now I start looking for another location where I can hang and show my art.

I continue my occasional breaks from boxing, cleaning and moving boxes of stuff down six flights of stairs, these breaks for my photography being my sole source of relaxation and diversion from the cleaning and organizing. This weekend I'm hoping to get some pictures of the triathlon starting from the Marina, plus later the same day, to tour the interior of San Francisco's City Hall which I have heard is very ornate and beautiful; I've been wanting to see it but because of my hectic crazy schedule haven't found the time to do it. It'll be an eye-opener I'm sure!

As always, I have many images displayed at my website plus some samples of my second-ever session with a mature male nude model.

Here are some images I've created in the past few weeks/months:

Raelyn Mouse in Oakland (I think that was the location)


FitnFifty helps me find the light



Union Street Fair offers some great "still-life"



the Bay Area is a cup of light and shadows no matter when one looks