along sunset strip

I spent a few hours last week with my daughter wandering along the Sunset Strip. I kind of did the tourist thing, snapshots and all, though it’s almost right in my own backyard. Here’s one of those… the kind of picture that goes into your book of memories from a certain time in your life. There are still some famous places, and a few infamous ones, along the strip. We also found a great bookstore, Book Soup, which has an impressive section of photography books. Not how-to books, or the kind you see in the photography section of the chain bookstores, but monographs and biographies and collections of the works of many of the great names throughout the history of photography. You can bet that I’ll be there again.

Most people along the strip pay no attention to cameras, though a few give a puzzled look at the Silette, as if wondering what it is and what I could actually do with it. My answer, if ever asked, would be that I can do pretty much anything I want to do with it. Macro and telephoto are of course out of the question, but it’s great for anything from about four feet on out. Once I get a handle on the direct viewfinder and the parallax on close ups I’ll be fine.

Fact is, if I was forced to work for the rest of my life with just this camera, I could do it. Not that I will, but I could. Maybe it’s just my cranky reaction to all the hype that accompanies the latest and greatest digital wonders that seem to be released every time I turn around. Then again, I’m not a pro…

bark abstract #3

Hard to believe I’ve been in this apartment for three weeks already, and in LA for a year. Time flies.

I’m pretty well set up for the rest of my stay in LA. My daughter and I went Goodwill and found a great table for my computer and scanner and stuff for about twenty bucks. She’s been wanting to show me the Ikea store for some time now, so we went there for a few things. I got a good chair for the desk, a bookshelf, and a few other small items. My biggest purchase there was a foam sleeping pad. It cost about sixty bucks, but it’s only about two inches thick and is easy to roll up and move. And man, is it comfortable.

So… I have a sleeping pad on the floor in one corner, my computer and books in another, a kitchen to cook in, and a bathroom and shower. Pretty much all I need, though another chair or two and a table to eat at would be good. I’ve never cared much for couches — they’re a pain in the ass to move around, and besides… I already have a place to sleep.

It’s a one bedroom apartment, and my daughter of course claimed that as her own. She loves to decorate and try out new things, and it gives her a blank canvas to experiment with. Pretty cool…

This photo goes back almost a year already, and is a detail from the same tree as my ‘eucalyptus trunk’ photo. Eucalyptus bark may look smooth and textureless at first glance, but there are some amazing patterns and abstract designs in it. Fascinating…