Stuffed Animal Bike

The bike in this picture is real. It's a cuddly type bicycle that would draw lots of attention if you rode it around town.

The only thing missing from this picture is the person who rides this bike. Can you imagine what he (or maybe she) looks like? Picture it in your mind.

This picture to me is what photography is all about--catching the wild and wonderful aspects of what this life has to offer.

A Lost Art

I'm in one of those moods today. My question to you bloggers and blog readers of the world is, is this art? I think it is. Yes, I remember from art school that something you find that is artful is found art.

I found this clip of old-style handwriting at the Palm Desert Historical Society Museum. There was a huge table-sized scrapbook that detailed resort life and that was almost all handwritten. I decided that if I framed a piece of the page so that only part of the handwriting showed up in the frame it would make a cool image.

So what does all this mean a picture of a scrap of cursive? It's a throwback to a simpler era, where computers didn't make prose, people did.

Midwest Windmill

I attempted to frame this image correctly by using the rule of thirds. You can see the object of the photo, the windmill, is in the left third of the frame.

The haze in the image works too as it resembles what happens in the natural environment. The off white color of the image keeps the it from whiting out.

Safari Inn

It's about time I put a sign up here. I mean it's the subject matter that I photograph most.

I found this Safari Inn sign in downtown Burbank, CA last weekend. It's one of the best retro signs in tact that I've seen in a long, long time. Lucky I had my camera with!

My sign collection includes hundreds of brightly colored signs from all around the world.

I have the ability to print them big with my Epson 9800 printer--up to 44 inches wide and any length/height long/tall.

Email me if you like pop photography for more info--matthewbam@aol.com

Desert Wildflowers

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS BEGINS APRIL 9TH AT UCR--PALM DESERT.
The class is taught by Matt Bamberg, the author of this blog. To register go HERE.

Shoot 'em while they last. The wildflower in the Palm Springs area is about to end as temperatures soar toward 90 degrees.

From verbena to wild daisies, the colors are incredible and the scents are marvelous.

Drum Circle

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS BEGINS APRIL 9TH AT UCR--PALM DESERT.
The class is taught by Matt Bamberg, the author of this blog. To register go HERE.



Venice Beach is filled with sights and sounds. Nowhere is that more evident than on the beach on Sunday afternoon. Dozens of drummers and dancers whip up sounds and sights, creating an atmosphere that looks like 1969.

The drum circle is located behind the workout area of Muscle Beach in the heart of Venice Beach.

Venice isn't the only place where there are drum circles. Many other places around the world have them.

The nice thing about the drum circle is anyone can bring a drum and participate. Anyone can watch too. You don't have to stand around, either as dancing is encouraged.

Venice Beach Freaks

The Digital Traveler presents...a look at the Venice Beach Freak Show...
It's true that a stroll down Venice Beach will have you seeing all kinds of freaks. Some of the people will be speed freaks, others crack freaks and still others, surfer freaks.

When you come to think of it the word "freak" can have a multitude of meanings. Yesterday's freak (meaning a freak of the '60s) was more meaningful than today's freaks. I mean today's freaks are limited to areas like Venice Beach and other places like it around the world (say, Amsterdam). Yesterday's freaks were basically hippie-like people who could have lived anywhere. Today's freaks are...like...something you'd see on the TV show 20/20.

The picture above is great for a photographer because it's so colorful and filled with symbols. It also makes you wonder what's behind the curtain. The first thing I thought when I saw the doorway was that there was something with multiple heads behind it.

And you know what? I was right.

Santa Monica Beach Wind Clears Out Atmosphere

You'd never guess this was Santa Monica Beach. It was an interesting day yesterday weatherwise.

The wind was howling so that there wasn't anyone on the beach itself. The skies were crystal clear because of the advection throughout the atmosphere, a weather feature that cleared out the smog at all levels.

With respect to photography, the fact that the wind was blowing the sand and that the shutter was open for long enough to catch it blowing, the image is blurred just a small amount above the sand layer.

Usually I don't think of wind as helping out my photography, but this time it did.

Red Wing, MN

Welcome to Red Wing, MN, that town that's been making pottery for decades.

There's a casino there too--the Treasure Island Casino.

History

Father Louis Hennepin, came to Red Wing in 1680. He was the first white settler to the region.

In 1805, Col. Zebulon M. Pike, a United States Army officer, landed in Red Wing and spoke to the Indian chief, Hupahuduta. Hupahuduta can be translated into an expression known as "a swan's wing dyed in red."

In 1823, U.S. Army officer Major Long made a visit to Red Wing, hoisting the American flag on the Indian Council House and proclaiming the place as "Red Wing."

In 1837 Rev. Daniel Gavin and Rev. Samuel Denton, Swiss Missionaries, came here to teach religion to the Indians. They remained for about nine years.

Under a treaty made at Mendota in 1851, white people were allowed to make their homes on the West bank of the Mississippi River.

Red Wing was incorporated as a city in 1857.

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Hopalong and Good Grammar

Howdy Pardners! Here's Hopalong Cassidy (courtesy of the Palm Desert Historical Society).

Hopalong Cassidy was an idol to millions of children for over sixty years. William Boyd played the role of the Western hero known for all time as, "The epitome of gallantry and fair play."

Hopalong Cassidy was a true hero. "With non-stop action and spectacular stunts, the legend lives on as "Hoppy," as he is known to his friends, battles crime and upholds justice with his quick-draw shooting, clear thinking, fists of steel, and steadfast character," says Hopalong's site.

He began as a character in novels written by Clarence E. Mulford. Cecil B. DeMille brought Hopalong to the screen. There were 68 "Hoppy" movies and all went on to be broadcasted in one hour increments on television.

Here's what Bill Boyd had to say about his character: "I played down the violence, tried to make Hoppy an admirable character and I insisted on grammatical English."

Grammatical English! Wow, if that were only the goal of television programming today.

Trailer Trash

Trailers are great objects to photograph. Take this one found in Palm Springs, CA. The white trailer is accented by windows behind which colorful curtains blast the question: "What's going on inside here?"

Trailers conjure up images of white people who've lost their teeth (please have a sense of humor when you read this), people who could be deemed as tornado bait, or white trash.

Use those terms in a political campaign and you're finished.

Actually this trailer was in the yard of a middle class home.

Don't tell anyone, but I want one. I'd hitch it to the back of my Honda Hybrid and go camping in Joshua tree.

Parker Minimialism

The television show, The Parker, on Bravo network "takes viewers into the pampered luxury of the Parker Palm Springs hotel...and, more interestingly, into the personal lives of the staff and guests," says TV.com.

Above is the minimalist front wall of the Parker Palm Springs Hotel. This wall also serves a purpose. It acts as a sunscreen to protect the main structure from the blistering desert heat.

What goes in and out the door is probably dressed to the gills, rich and maybe even famous.

Please be warned: Don't make your camera obvious when you see a movie star here.

Transporting Rabbits

Asian markets fill my head with questions. Take these bunnies on a bike, for example. The first thing that comes to mind is where are they going to be taken on that bike?
Are they going to be people's pets?

After thinking about the above niceties, It comes to my mind that they are going to end up in some rabbit stew.

Now I don't want anyone to think I'm cruel, I mean by talking about killing and then eating rabbit. But it's done all the time. Back in 1990, the New York Times published an article that contained the recipe for rabbit stew.

As my train of thought moves to the next level, I recall when I ate rabbit. It wasn't in a rabbit stew, though. It was braised like a chicken. It looked like a chicken. It even tasted like chicken. But the bones, they were weird. It's like they were smaller than chicken bones--more brittle.

The thought gives me goose bumps (or should I say rabbit bumps). To this day, my pals tease me with the line, "you ate da bunny."

Circle of Light

A painter at Palm Springs Village Fest shows his wares while he works. The perspective of this image is deepened by the circle of light that surrounds the artist in ever direction. Think of the image as having, not only as two-dimensional with an x and y axis with the light reaching up and down along y and right and left along x, but also having a z axis which extends up throughout the picture, making it look 3 dimensional.

Just in case you wanted to know, in spite of the rather technical conversation above, the photograph was candid, that is I didn't even think about the dimensions. I just saw good light and then framed and shot it.

Patina

Buildings made out of wood then painted make great subjects. Add the sun baking the painted wood day after day and you've got patina.

Patina is when an object changes over time due to the elements. Painted wood is one of the most favorable to get a beautiful patina. That's because the paint often fades, blending in the woods color and texture to create a new type and even prettier surface.

Other surfaces such as glass and steel don't offer a good patina because the surfaces don't really move onto other more attractive colors like painted wood does. Steel rusts and glass can turn into an ugly off white color.

Bars that Won't Go Away

Don't you just love the bars that won't go away. It's like there's a predictable pattern that can tell you a bar won't or hasn't gone away.

1. An old neon sign out front.
2. Patrons in the 60s to 90s.
3. A bathroom that everyone from the street uses.
4. A bar made out of wood.
5. Carpet with patterns on it.

The Twin Peaks Tavern in San Francisco is just that bar. Now, mind you, this bar is gay, but a bar that won't go away can be straight too.

You can go to any American city and find at least a few bars that won't go away.

A Taste of Sweden

After a visit to Wisconsin and Minnesota, I'm missing Jack Frost.

The nipping at my nose has ceased and now all I can think of is a beautiful snow covered land that has a taste of Sweden.

I had stopped in Lindstrom, MN this afternoon, a quaint little town incorporated in 1894. It was settled by Swede Daniel Lindstrom. Many of the people are descendants of people from Sweden.

Here you'll find a taste of Sweden in the food and culture--a meatball here and loganberry there.

All this time the only thing Swedish I ever knew was the Ikea in Burbank.

American Barn

About two hours east of Minneapolis just inside the Wisconsin border, there's a town called Luck. It's charming, but even more charming are the barns around it.

Now I know barns have been overdone in photography, but there just so stately when empty and left to the elements, you can't help but get out of the car and trudge thorough the snow to talk to them with your camera. They fill a frame so nicely.

And when you take a peek inside the light through planks of wood illuminates right down to the small knots inside.

More tomorrow.