![<span id="date">_06/28/10_</span> <span id="title">Retirement Cake</span>
Best Wishes, Heidi!
That's what the cake says, since she is retiring. Got this shot before the cake was cut - I thought the big bright flowers would make a good photo. Retirement parties are always a little weird - they're fun (it's a party), they're sad (the person is leaving) and they're happy (the person gets to stop working).
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#576832173_RJ7ZB">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-55jgQnT/3/03fac352/L/2010-06-28%20Retirement%20Cake-L.jpg)
_06/28/10_ Retirement Cake Best Wishes, Heidi! That's what the cake says, since she is retiring. Got this shot before the cake was cut - I thought the big bright flowers would make a good photo. Retirement parties are always a little weird - they're fun (it's a party), they're sad (the person is leaving) and they're happy (the person gets to stop working). [last year]
![<span id="date">_07/03/10_</span> <span id="title">Anacapa Island</span>
5-shot panorama of Anacapa island, which is actually a tight chain of 3 islands. In the foreground is East, where we were going to camp until the stairs broke and the NPS closed it. The stairs are directly below the crane that you can see the top of on the right side of the island. In the distance is West Anacapa, and you can't see Middle because East is blocking the view.
I took the shot as the boat headed back to the mainland after our wildlife cruise which took us along the North shore of Anacapa. On the way there we garnered up quite a following of seagulls because folks threw food to them - that was pretty entertaining until they started pooping on us. We also saw 2 pods of common dolphins, and a pride of sea lions. The islands are a huge breeding spot for seagulls, cormorants and pelicans, who have basically whitewashed half the island.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Travel/Ventura/12863408_qQw6m">more pics from this trip</a>
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#581315862_MT9bj">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-SDSBQWC/3/4769050e/Ti/2010-07-03%20East%20Anacapa%20Island-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_07/02/10_</span> <span id="title">Sprinkling Rays</span>
Got this shot on the way into work. I think it's pretty self-explanatory...
I'll be MIA for the next two days, but I'll catch up with the dailies on Monday. My wife and I are taking a weekend trip to Ventura and we're not taking a computer. I thought about posting iPhone shots like I've done for other vacations, but I'd rather wait and share my best shots with you. Have a fun and safe 4th of July!
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#580669290_R6jHb">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-X86gRwk/3/e32fa47c/Ti/2010-07-02%20Sprinkling%20Rays-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_07/01/10_</span> <span id="title">Drinking Fountain</span>
Although I've walked by it dozens of times, I didn't really notice this fountain until today. Also, it's not made of marble - I added the texture, which is actually a photo of tree bark.
If you're reading this, you've made it halfway through 2010! Congratulations! In honor of the halfway mark, I'd like to share with you how many photos I've taken in the first half of the year. Are you ready? Ok, here's the number: 6351. Ta da!
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#579609919_nQnXx">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-kSFRK8g/3/b297efc3/Ti/2010-07-01%20Drinking%20Fountain-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/30/10_</span> <span id="title">Cactus Flower</span>
Here's a quick shot of some sort of cactus flower in the botanical gardens. And that's all I have to say about that.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#578829000_RKzAT">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-KVr6C2s/4/67a2349b/Ti/2010-06-30%20Cactus%20Flower-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/29/10_</span> <span id="title">Dala Horses</span>
Two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalecarlian_horse">dala horses</a> that we got from my parents when they visited over the weekend. They were originally at my grandfather's house and I believe he purchased them in Sweden when he visited some relatives there. They were made by Nils Olsson.
See the <a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Utility/Setups/8246339_SpVpq#918378697_kd2V7">setup photo</a> to see the amazing cutting-edge technology used to create this digital photograph.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#577831868_JMUYw">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-7tRZpjG/3/9060524d/Ti/2010-06-29%20Dala%20Horses-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/28/10_</span> <span id="title">Retirement Cake</span>
Best Wishes, Heidi!
That's what the cake says, since she is retiring. Got this shot before the cake was cut - I thought the big bright flowers would make a good photo. Retirement parties are always a little weird - they're fun (it's a party), they're sad (the person is leaving) and they're happy (the person gets to stop working).
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#576832173_RJ7ZB">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-55jgQnT/3/03fac352/Ti/2010-06-28%20Retirement%20Cake-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/27/10_</span> <span id="title">Typing</span>
As you may have seen from <a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year3/11272102_ACXDJ#914606053_3Sv6K">yesterday</a>'s photo, my parents came to visit! It was a short visit but we had a good time. They brought me some things that belonged to my grandfather, including a Remington Standard typewriter. It's not super-old, but it is fully manual. For this photo, I used my macro lens and a simple on-camera bounce flash while pressing down some of the keys. It's such a mechanically complex piece of equipment - I'll certainly take some more photos of it in the future.
At the risk of making some of you feel extra old, I'm pretty sure I'd never used a typewriter until yesterday! If I have, I don't remember it. It's fun, though - the main thing that struck me is how much harder you have to press the keys compared to a computer keyboard.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#575803468_ZQi8P">[last year]</a> <em>rawr...</em>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-FWVHVdr/3/5066a31f/Ti/2010-06-27%20Typewriter-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/26/10_</span> <span id="title">Footprints</span>
My parents are in town! We met them at Paradise Cove for breakfast and took a little stroll on the beach. Later we had a picnic dinner at Point Vicente in Palos Verdes - such a beautiful area! We'd never been to the peninsula before, but we'll definitely be back. We saw a pod of dolphins! As far as photography goes I was sad it was overcast all day, but it kept us nice and cool.
I didn't realize until I uploaded this photo that my wife is getting splashed in it. Also, the black dots on the horizon are paddle boarders.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#574903269_ayEJT">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-tj87jK2/3/ec53808f/Ti/2010-06-26%20Footprints-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/25/10_</span> <span id="title">Creeping up the Palm</span>
Got this shot in the botanical gardens during lunch today. I'm not sure what the dead vine is, but it was growing on a Queen Palm (<em>Syagrus romanzoffiana</em>, native to South Africa). I'd like to shoot it again with another lens - I felt a bit limited with my 60mm macro. This was only a small part of the vine skeleton wrapping around the tree - it went pretty high up, too.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#574111606_cxEFV">[last year]</a> <em>RIP, MJ...</em>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-WSLHG25/3/5bcb079c/Ti/2010-06-25%20Creeping%20up%20the%20Palm-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/24/10_</span> <span id="title">Skull in a Jar</span>
It's not really a jar - it's a special skull-sized glass container. Yes, it's real - it lives at the library where I work. My librarian friend Russell wasn't too sure about it's history (ie. who's skull is this?), but it's pretty neat on it's own. Many of the bones have little hinges on them so it can be taken apart - a good teaching tool, I suppose.
I set the container on some boxes that were stacked up and lit it from the side with a snoot-ed flash.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#573435821_xea8E">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-wNBkG8R/3/dd122553/Ti/2010-06-24%20Skull%20in%20a%20Jar-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/23/10_</span> <span id="title">My One and Only</span>
The only photo I took today, that is. This is a piece of construction equipment that I passed on my way to the bus stop - it looked neat so I took a photo. See you tomorrow...
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#572475394_Ksp4y">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-q8nZRDf/3/65b40e51/Ti/2010-06-23%20Metal%20Gear-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/22/10_</span> <span id="title">Spiral Walkway</span>
Today was one of those days where I really needed to head to the ocean and take some pictures. I ended up staying in Palisades Park in Santa Monica - the cliffs above the ocean. I parked myself above this walkway and waited for people to walk up it. This shot includes a couple walking and a guy on a bike. I like how rich the colors turned out.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#571315024_GTSP7">[last year]</a> <em>not than anyone cares, but transformers 2 premiered exactly 1 year ago...</em>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-7dtMk2T/3/c8c944e3/Ti/2010-06-22%20Spiral%20Walkway-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/21/10_</span> <span id="title">Agapanthus</span>
Quick iPhone shot of some top-lit agapanthus in the botanical gardens. The rays are thanks to the iPhone's crappy lens, not any sort of beautiful light filtering through the trees, but you can pretend. The primary edits are lowering the clarity and adding some vignetting.
Speaking of iPhones, I just updated to iOS 4.0! It's pretty cool, I like it.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#570076959_vREi2">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-NnXmT4C/3/6f876807/Ti/2010-06-21%20Agapanthus-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/20/10_</span> <span id="title">Golden Fountain</span>
My wife and I ran some errands today, and this water fountain was near one of the stores we went to. I played with the vibrance and white balance to get this shimmery gold look.
Anyone getting an iPhone 4? We just pre-ordered ours. I'm excited for the new camera on it! I hope the difference is as dramatic as it is between the 3G and 3Gs. Look for some iPhone 4 shots from me in about a month.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#569497109_pLgwz">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-636tbjC/3/d144cd76/Ti/2010-06-20%20Golden%20Fountain-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/19/10_</span> <span id="title">Trail of the Wet Dog</span>
A wet dog ran past me today, leaving a winding trail of water originating from the fountain that you can see at the top of this photo. Hee hee. Dogs are funny.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#568719822_LXRho">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-78Ft4Zg/3/84adab14/Ti/2010-06-19%20Trail%20of%20the%20Wet%20Dog-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/18/10_</span> <span id="title">B&W Rose</span>
My wife brought home some lovely flowers today that she got at work. Since I was sick for a 3rd (and hopefully final) day, I needed a shot of whatever I could get, so I chose this rose. I didn't find the original shot very interesting so I lowered the reds while raising the magentas to get some highlights on the tips of the petals.
To me, it looks like an electron microscope image.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#567952409_2Jxb4">[last year]</a> <em>I actually kind of miss house hunting...</em>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-HNTBzDw/3/644b5264/Ti/2010-06-18%20B%26W%20Rose-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/17/10_</span> <span id="title">Apricottocks</span>
They really do look like butts, am I right?
In other news, the Lakers won! I thought about taking a Laker-themed shot (like <a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year3/11272102_ACXDJ#891924572_qpgav">6/6/10</a> and <a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year3/11272102_ACXDJ#897057668_FuuR7">6/10/10</a>) but I couldn't think of anything. Also, I don't really care. Above all, I was still sick today and needed a quick desperation shot.
I set this apricot on our glass stove, set up a remote flash and reflector, and fired off a few shots. In Lightroom I cleaned up the dust spots and scratches that the flash illuminated, lowered the contrast and here you go. An apricot.
<em>Movies: Blindness, What Would Jesus Buy?</em>
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#567078866_NXHoj">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-VhgSRmm/3/dc1af8aa/Ti/2010-06-17%20Apricot-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/16/10_</span> <span id="title">Butterfly Knife</span>
This is a desperation shot if e're there was one. I've been pretty sick all day with a head cold, so around 8pm, I started hunting for some sort of item to photograph. I thought this knife would be cool, but I wasn't able to do a good enough setup to show the motions of flipping it out. So instead I just dangled it in front of the camera and used repeating flash. The exposure wasn't great, so I played around in PS to make it more interesting. Now it's bedtime...
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#565987642_rS6iJ">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-xnNfPfG/3/50a861a8/Ti/2010-06-16%20Butterfly%20Knife-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/15/10_</span> <span id="title">'59 Caddy</span>
Thanks dakotacowboy and papamugger for identifying the car! I don't know my classic cars, and I was a couple blocks away before I realized I should have just walked up to it to see what model it is. I took the shot with my compact as I walked home from the bus stop. I corrected distortion in Photoshop, and used a variant of the direct positive preset in Lightroom for the final look.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#565045127_2nqw4">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-7Zhn8VD/3/9188e912/Ti/2010-06-15%20Red%20Car-Ti.jpg)
![<span id="date">_06/14/10_</span> <span id="title">Bus Pulley</span>
Grabbed this desperation shot on the bus ride home. Soon after taking the shot I pulled this very cable so I could get off.
I thought the writing on the pulley (1 ½ what?) and the scratchings on the wall (ster news?) were sorta interesting, and the yellow cable added a splash of color.
<a href="http://www.jawsnap.net/Daily/year2/7157835_BfJPF#563899457_REpuN">[last year]</a>](https://photos.smugmug.com/Daily/Year3/i-dmjDgzm/3/d4b5cd49/Ti/2010-06-14%20Bus%20Pulley-Ti.jpg)
irishmurr
on July 1, 2010Wonderful perspective and dof!