Category: Aspiration

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 15, 202210:18 pm

Cousins and Buddy

Date unknown, but sometime in the 1970s during my early teenage years, my cousin pats a freshly-made snowman while I watch. I would like to thank Dan for emailing the Featured Image. The photographer likely was one of our dads. Camera is anyone’s guess but I will make one: Kowa—likely the seT R2. Leaf shutter! In the interchangeable lenses!

Snow is a constant during Northern Maine winters—as much today as 50 years ago, if not more so. Average annual snowfall at the National Weather Station in Caribou is 278 cm (109 inches). An April 29, 2022 analysis by Emily Jerkins, St. John Valley Times, appearing in the Bangor Daily News, affirms: “Maine is snowier than Alaska thanks to Aroostook County“.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 8, 202210:30 pm

Freedom of Speech

I rarely walk down Shirley Ann Place in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights because the atmosphere along the street is so heavy, which contrasts the quaint Spanish-style abodes. Residents sure seem to be politically, and opposingly, opinionated. American flags fly from houses next to those with rainbow banners. Angry progressive rhetoric signs fill windows one place, while conservative banter fills another.

The Featured Image, taken three days after the California Primary, captures some of the rivalry when compared to this shot of the house beyond—where, in second half 2020, hung Old Glory spray-painted with BLM.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 5, 20228:56 pm

Imperfectly Perfect

Today is the fifth anniversary of mom’s passing. Chatting with my sister Nan, she said something about a Facebook quiz querying whether one would want a different mother if such circumstance could be. She wouldn’t. Nor would I. Mom was imperfectly perfect.

She was selfless in all the ways that matter. She was generous within her means. She wasn’t one to hold grudges or to flush with anger. By measure of core character, she was—and I should say is in the afterlife—genuinely good as most anyone can be in this world born from evil seed. We four children were blessed to have her.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 28, 20229:32 pm

Praising the 135mm

In a post dateline eight days ago, Phoblographer publisher Chris Gampat explains “What You Should Know Before Buying a 135mm Lens“. He describes my favorite Prime focal length: “a magical wonder for many photographers”; “optically speaking, no one looks bad on the other end of this lens”; “notoriously hard to get in focus”; and “render[s] super tight if you don’t have a lot of room”. Also calling 135mm a “pain”, he acknowledges: “I’ll admit they can create beautiful photos”.

If shooting an interchangeable lens camera, rather than fixed-28mm Leica Q2, I absolutely would favor 135mm. Honestly, I might go 85mm for close spaces but otherwise mainly use the longer focal length. I love 135mm.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 26, 202212:26 am

Open Your Imagination

The followup to yesterday’s Gnome greeters isn’t as interesting, and I regret not taking time to shoot the entire setup. Instead, the Featured Image shows the house where the welcomers would go if truly able to enter the tree.

Lovely and inviting, this outdoor decor escapade leads to yet something else to stimulate your imagination. Behind the closed doors are books and another of San Diego’s many little lending libraries. (Some others: One, Two, Three, Four.)

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 25, 20228:54 pm

Gnomenclature

Earlier today, my wife showed me a Google Street View snapshot from four years ago where we both can be seen cleaning out the trunk of our daughter’s car—the lovely powder blue BMW Z3 that my father-in-law purchased 10 years ago as a high school graduation present. The roadster came to unfortunate end near 2019 New Years. Honestly, the convertible deserved better ownership.

For a change of scenery, we drove over to daughter’s old San Diego neighborhood for a walk that took us down to one of the Balboa Park trails and the foot bridge crossing SR-163. Beforehand, along Herbert Street between Myrtle and Upas, Annie and I came upon a welcoming yard, which will get some attention tomorrow in addition to the post you read right now.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 24, 202210:10 pm

Modes of Transportation

Please forgive my impertinence, but I chuckled when seeing a Go-Go brand four-wheeler parked alongside more traditional two-wheel scooters—the former being designed for people disabled by age or infirmity. You’ll find younger, abler-bodies riding on the others.

The group seemed so right together and yet so wrong—meaning: The four-wheeler, or its driver, aspiring to be more like the others, who should stop and wonder what they might someday truck on. Of course, the little vehicles will be voice- (or mind) activated, artificial intelligence-guided, and self-driving decades when need arises to use them.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 22, 20229:19 pm

Bluegrass and Monochrome

The third of four Friday live music concerts filled Old Trolley Barn Park this evening in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. Bluegrass greeted descending dusk as I arrived packing Leica Q2 Monochrom. I captured crowd shots—three, and share two.

As an afterthought, I pulled out iPhone 13 Pro for a single color composition, which I chose for the Featured Image. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 200, 1/99 sec, 77mm; 7:37 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 21, 20228:36 pm

Voluptuously Vintage

For weeks, I have seen evidence that one of my neighbors keeps, or recently acquired, a vintage vehicle. The massive shape was unmistakable under some kind of natural fiber covering. This afternoon, I got glimpse of the classic car, parked open view. Early evening, I returned with Leica Q2 Monochrom.

The Featured Image is one of the two photos, uncharacteristically captured with auto-settings. Vitals: f/3.5, ISO 200, 1/125 sec, 28mm; 7:39 p.m. PDT. A snippet setting sun provided just enough daylight. I had few composition options, because of how the automobile is parked and my shooting through bars of a fence.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 20, 20228:58 pm

Spidey Steaks

As I write, Preview Night is coming to a close at San Diego Comic-Con, which returns for a full festival following a two-year hiatus in response to SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19. The virus overshadows the show nevertheless. Attendees must wear face masks or other protective covering and provide proof of vaccination or negative Coronavirus test within 72 hours.

Interestingly, the popular culture event implemented those rules before recent rise in COVID-19 infections mainly caused by the BA.5 variant. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts SD County in a high-risk category, although deaths aren’t dramatically rising nor are hospitals overwhelmed. Case fatality rate is 0.64 percent, while most people infected show slight to no symptoms. Hey, just saying.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 16, 20228:51 pm

Six Flags

For Independence Day, I shot two different flag illustrations, choosing the one along the bike lanes. The Featured Image is the other, captured using Leica Q2 along Lincoln Avenue in San Diego neighborhood University Heights. […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 11, 20229:23 pm

The Sky is Falling

From May 15, 2022, a lone palm tree reaches upwards. I saved the Featured Image for a chaotic day when something soothing might lift my spirits. So here we are on a Monday evening trying to do just that.

I am not exactly a cloud-identification expert. Are these Altocumulus or perhaps Cirrocumulus? Whichever, or neither, the clouds are what prompted my interest.