Category: Photo

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 26, 202012:20 am

Flickr a Week 48a: ‘President Trump Pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey’

We celebrate America’s day of family, friends, and gratitude with self-titled “President Trump Pardons the National Thanksgiving Turkey“, which Shealah Craighead captured on Nov. 24, 2020. Camera and photo vitals are not available. Shooting location, for the fowl named Corn, is the White House Rose Garden.

I had wanted to feature something about the Pilgrims, whose pilgrimage to this continent would be a 400-year-anniversary celebration in Plymouth, Mass., if not for the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)—also known as COVID-19—pandemic. Failing to find an appropriate Creative Commons-licensed image and seeing that the President likely gives amnesty to his last bird—following the General Services Administration declaring Joe Biden “apparent President-elect“—plans changed.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 25, 202011:14 pm

What a Sign Foreshadows

Across the country this Thanksgiving holiday, the dire circumstance is businesses closing forever because of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)—also known as COVID-19—local lockdown and stay-at-home orders that keep away customers and choke revenue. In this County, SanDiegoVille keeps a running list of restaurants and pubs permanently shuttered during 2020—the majority since the pandemic’s start. I count 109 entities, but more when accounting for establishments with multiple locations.

Many businesses that had reopened during the summer are closing again as states seek to combat rising Novel Coronavirus cases. For the record, the use of cases is grossly misleading; the numbers actually refer to positive tests, which doesn’t mean that someone is sick—and most likely not. Eighty percent (or more) of people contracting COVID-19 are asymptomatic or mildly ill. Regardless, restrictions are everywhere, placed by (hopefully) well-meaning governors.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 25, 20207:36 am

Flickr a Week 48: ‘I Gabbiani di Sirmione’

For our last Wednesday of the month, we turn to Massimo Della Valle, who on Nov. 26, 2017 used Ricoh GR II to shoot self-titled “I Gabbiani di Sirmione“, which translates from the Italian as […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 23, 202010:38 pm

‘It’s Official’

Today begins the end of the Donald J. Trump presidency. Emily Murphy, Administrator for the General Services Administration, sent a letter to Joseph R. Biden, Jr. informing him that resources would now be made available as dictated by the Presidential Transition Act of 1963. Her action essentially declares Biden the apparent winner of the Nov. 3, 2020 national election.

Uncertainty loomed over the outcome as states counted, or recounted, votes, and Team Trump unleashed a torrent of legal challenges. That said, the Associated Press waited only four days before declaring Biden and Kamala Harris the winners and designated them president- and vice-president elect, respectively. Other media-outlets followed; the two candidates gave victory speeches and started announcing immediate policy actions for when they assume office and announcing who will fill key forthcoming administration positions—all while operating before signage reading “Office of the President Elect” (hehe, boastfully with no hyphen).

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 22, 202012:01 am

Flickr a Week 47a: ‘Verbose, Sentimental Foolery’

Ten years ago, following in Amazon’s Kindle footsteps, Apple released the original iPad. Between dedicated e-readers and tablets—aghast, also smartphones—how people read has dramatically changed since Sarah Ross shot self-titled “Verbose, Sentimental Foolery” on Oct. […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 18, 202012:09 am

Flickr a Week 47: ‘Golden Autumn Hour of Washington DC’

Serene shots like self-titled “Golden Autumn Hour of Washington DC“, by Nicolas Raymond, may be memories until Election 2020 turmoil eases into historical oblivion. “Early morning autumn scene featuring the Washington Monument as seen from […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 17, 20206:07 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Domino

Eight minutes before encountering Puss, on Oct. 30, 2020, my wife and I passed by a Tuxedo along the same Mission apartments where lives Rebel. The black and white shorthair is the fifty-fifth found looking […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 15, 202012:25 am

Flickr a Week 46b: ‘Break’

The Sunday spot goes to self-titled “Break“—for classic, compelling composition that makes open space an enthralling visual canvas. Hernán Piñera captured the moment on Feb. 20, 2015. Camera and vitals are missing from the metadata, suggesting […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 14, 202011:21 pm

The Road Warrior

Walking behind BLVD North Park, on Sept. 6, 2020, I spotted a motorcycle and sidecar parked under the building in the ungated area. Enamored by the surprising find, I pulled out Leica Q2 and snapped […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 13, 202012:30 am

Flickr a Week 46a: ‘Rainbow’

Here’s some Leprechaun lore to celebrate the second Friday the 13th of the year: Should you ever get to the end of the rainbow, the pot of gold will be at the other end. So much for the luck of the Irish—or anyone else. We commemorate the day with self-titled “Rainbow“, which Alexander Kozik captured on Feb. 21, 2017, using handy compact Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7. Vitals: f/2.8, ISO 80, 1/640 sec, 4.7mm. Composition and perspective make the moment a keeper.

He says about the shot: “Rainbow break at the lab meeting. We were lucky to be at the 5th floor, probably, with the best available viewing point. My excitement was doubled when I discovered that the rainbow ends fitted into the camera frame. Windows were washed and cleaned by recent rains and showers. Right place and the right time. It would be different from the ground level”.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 11, 202012:04 am

Flickr a Week 46: ‘Coming to America: Pursuing the American Dream’

I looked through several thousand Creative Commons-licensed photos to find one to use for Veteran’s Day. Nothing moved me more than self-titled “Coming to America: Pursuing the American Dream“—active serviceman Personnel Specialist 1st Class Patrick Mbayoh. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Greg Hall made the moment aboard aircraft carrier USS Nimitz on July 3, 2020, using Nikon D800 and 50mm f/1.4 lens. Vitals: f/8, ISO 100, 1/200 sec, 50mm.

According to U.S. Pacific Fleet, which joined Flickr in October 2009 and whose Photostream is source of the image, Mbayoh is “assigned to the ‘Kestrels’ of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137”. A refugee from the Sierra Leone Civil War, Mbayoh arrived in “Brooklyn, New York, in 1998”, Hall explains. “Moving to the U.S. gave Mbayoh the opportunity to pursue a life-long dream”. Joining the Navy in September 2000 opened a path to earning a college education and to repaying the nation that harbored him. The sailor gained “his American citizenship in 2003”, Hall adds. “He and his wife have a child and live in Lemoore, California. Mbayoh hopes to one day retire from the Navy and go back to school to gain his PhD”.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 10, 202011:29 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Puss

How surprising: I am seeing some new kitties along North, where it intersects Madison, or in the alley between Campus. Four appeared today, but two vanished before I could close the distance for photos (you’ll see them soon). I encountered the series‘ newest addition, nicknamed Puss, for no particular reason, on Oct. 30, 2020. The Featured Image comes from iPhone XS. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 40, 1/122 sec, 52mm (film equivalent); 9:16 a.m. PDT.

Somebody’s outdoor space is luxury. Look at the cat trees and surrounding plants. In perennially sunny San Diego, the cat can have indoor furniture outside for much of the year. What a habitat! My question: Does he (or she) spend time within the caretaker’s residence, too?