Tag: decor

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 16, 20249:31 pm

That’s Nothing to Brag About

I hope my neighbor doesn’t see this post; no offense is intended, but she surely will be offended. The sentiment expressed in her lawn sign responds to Republican Vice-Presidential candidate JD Vance and comments that he made during a 2021 interview about Democrat “childless cat ladies“. Looking around my neighborhood, dogs would be even more applicable.

San Diego, like most of California, is largely liberal and relatively young. Median age is 35.8 years. I see plenty of couples going about, but rather than push baby carriages or walk with youngsters, the majority pull leashed dogs—often two or three. I loathe the commonly used euphemism “pet parents”, but it punctuates the point Vance tried to make in that interview.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 6, 202410:00 pm

Ring, Ring

What do you make of this? Because I’m baffled. On Aug. 2, 2024, my wife and I came upon this classic, British phone both along Madison Avenue in our San Diego neighborhood of University Heights.

As you can see from the Featured Image, the thing rests on the slim median separating sidewalk and street. Payphones are so rarely seen that what a find had this one turned out to be active. It’s just decoration and empty inside.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJun 9, 20249:36 pm

The Player

This afternoon, my wife and I happened to walk down Madison, in our San Diego neighborhood of University Heights. As we moved East, in the direction of Texas, near the corner of Alabama, I regarded identical statutes of youngsters playing a musical instrument. Someone had put them out between sidewalk and street, on the grassy strip where grow plants.

I escorted Annie home and returned with Leica Q2 Monochrom, which produced the Featured Image. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/2.8, ISO 200, 1/1250 sec, 28mm; 4:41 p.m. PDT.

Photo by Joe WilcoxApr 11, 202411:18 pm

The Festive Palm

We return to “The Menacing Palm” for what should have been a festive visit. His other guises include: “Be Mine“, “Hungry Bunny“, and “The Patriotic Palm“. But when attempting to write this post, I couldn’t access my website, for reason to be determined.

Chrome and Edge served up error: “DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN”, which is a fancy way of saying that the domain cannot be resolved. The problem can be generated locally on the computer or elsewhere. Online, at my provider’s admin site, I found no apparent problems with hosting, so I presumed the problem must be with my laptop. But the obvious thing wasn’t the cause.

Photo by Joe WilcoxMar 30, 20249:16 pm

She Sits Still

Words that describe San Diego: Character, personality, variety. The Featured Image and companions are examples. This charming display is more elaborate and expansive than the photos reveal. The property sits at Howard and Hamilton in North Park.

But change is afoot. Recent public policy push to add more residences—by way of so-called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and high-rises, often where were single-family homes—transforms the look and feel of many neighborhoods. BLVD North Park and Winslow are examples of the new architectural artifices.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 25, 202410:20 pm

A Chilling Color Conversion

Yesterday, I used Samsung Photo Assist on Galaxy S24 Ultra to colorize a blurry black-and-white portrait from the 1950s. Today, we transform a sharp shot taken using an exceptional camera: Leica Q2 Monochrom. To see the original, click through to “Ghosts Light Up the Dark“, Sept. 30, 2023.

I kind of like what the auto-AI enhancement tool has done to the Featured Image. Do you? Remember: All done on the smartphone, with little effort on my part. Neither clarity nor detail was compromised during the conversion, something I wondered about.

Photo by Joe WilcoxFeb 2, 202410:06 pm

The Lamp’s Shadow

This evening, while standing in our living room, I marveled over the shadow cast by the hanging lamp, which we bought with IKEA’s NIPPRIG collection nine years ago. Handmade from natural fibers, the furniture and accessories are lightweight and durable—and were amazingly affordable. For example, we paid $125 for each of the two sofas (see link above for glimpse).

I used Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra to capture the Featured Image. In post-production, I cropped 3:2, which removed top of our TV from the frame. Then, in post-production, I pushed dehaze slider, which amped shadows and darkened the overall photo.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJan 4, 20247:44 pm

Misfit Inflatables

Christmas may be oh-so last year, but some of my San Diego neighbors let the holiday spirit linger on their lawns. Today, I came across some inflatables that are familiar and memorable—from stop-motion special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, which first aired on television in December 1964.

Abominable looms large over a collection of misfit toys; somewhat cut-off, gold-digger Yukon Cornelius stands behind the snow monster. Creatures, people, and things that don’t fit in is the underlying theme of the perennially-broadcast holiday classic. Festive decorations are misfit, too, with Christmas past and their summer-like setting. Nuclear winter would have to come before snow fell in this part of Southern California.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 24, 202310:26 pm

Merry Christmas!

Okay, so as I post, Christmas Day is still officially about 90 minutes away. But why wait? I used Leica Q2 to capture the Featured Image, along Campus Avenue between Meade and Monroe in San Diego neighborhood University Heights.

Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/320 sec, 28mm; 9:35 a.m. PST, Dec. 17, 2023. Composed as shot.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 22, 20238:40 pm

Less is More Christmas Decor

Wow, we had thunderstorms overnight, as heavy rains pounded San Diego County. I love it, but expected a drab, dreary day today. Oh, no! The clouds parted to blue skies and some sun. Air temp touched 15 degrees Celsius (61 Fahrenheit) but seemed warmer when walking under the yellow rays.

My wife and I stepped out a few times to relish the crisp air and sidewalks refreshed by nature’s hand. Californians are absolutely dog crazy. The mutts pee everywhere, without restraint. Because rain is so infrequent, dry urine pollutes surfaces. You will never see me sit against a tree, as such. Yuck.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 17, 202310:04 pm

Rest in Peace, Santa

There is moaning and wailing at the North Pool tonight. Who will drive the sleigh and deliver presents to all the good boys and girls (if there are any) on Christmas Eve? Santa somehow got himself tangled in a sticky web and a spider sucked all the fluids and organs out of his body. Chris Kringle is crumpled.

I used Leica Q2 to capture the tragic Featured Image today. Vitals, aperture manually set: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/640 sec, 28mm; 9:37 a.m. PST. My wife and I came upon Santa’s remains in the Campus-North perpendicular alley that is parallel to Meade in San Diego neighborhood University Heights.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 1, 20238:24 pm

Pretty, Yes, But What About the Electric Utility Bill?

I want the Featured Image to better, but the discards from last night’s Christmas decor photo walk are worse. This house has beckoned my camera for years. The property, on Florida near Howard here in University Heights, is brazenly lit every December. I must return and seek skills redemption.

Vitals, aperture manually set: f/1.7, ISO 1000, 1/15 sec, 28mm; 7:33 p.m. PST; Leica Q2.