John's Daily Photoblog

New photoblog link

2007-11-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

I'm moving my photoblog to my own domain and won't be updating this blog anymore. The new site is at the link below. I hope you'll keep checking in as I continue to learn and explore.

John's Photoblog

Thanks and God Bless!

John

Moon Kiss

2007-11-18T00:11:00.001-08:00

Moon Kiss, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot from last weekend's trip out to Treasure Island and is quite similar to one shot by my friend Jim (no surprise as he was standing right next to me!).

We stayed well after moon set and got some images of the City as the lights came on. I'll try to post one of those tomorrow.

Santa Cruz Beach and Pier

2007-11-14T23:39:00.001-08:00

Santa_Cruz_MG_7408, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Taken on Monday down in Santa Cruz. It was a beautiful day for a walk on the beach.

Monarch Butterflys

2007-11-13T19:32:00.001-08:00

Monarch_MG_7354, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My family went down to Santa Cruz on Veterans Day. We spent some time at Natural Bridges State Park where we saw clusters of Monarch butterflys. They will be around all winter if you happen to be in the area.

Transamerica & the Moon

2007-11-12T19:48:00.001-08:00

TransAmerica_MG_7222, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went out to Treasure Island last night with my son and a good friend. We knew that the moon would be setting over the City as viewed from T.I. but we didn't know it would work out this well.

Jonas Concert

2007-11-06T22:57:00.001-08:00

Jonas_Concert_CIMG1677, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I took my daughter to another Jonas Brothers concert tonight. This one was at the Palace of Fine Arts theater in San Francisco. We had really good seats in the 5th row. They played for just over an hour and my daughter loved every minute of it. And it really made her day when their bus pulled up beside us as we were leaving the city.

Concert from on high...

2007-11-04T19:58:00.001-08:00

Concert_CIMG1494, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We didn't have the best seats for the Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers Concert in Oakland last week. But my daughter is one of the world's biggest Jonas Brothers fans, so any seats were fine with her.

When I saw the prices the tickets were commanding I tried to convince my daughter to sell the tickets and buy a car. But she paid for them and didn't want to give them up! At least she had a great time!

San Francisco Skyline

2007-10-29T20:42:00.001-07:00

SF_Skyline_MG_6865, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here's another shot from my trip to Treasure Island last Friday. The City was just gorgeous from this vantage point. I will definitely be going back here to practice these night shots again.

Maybe next time we'll see the moon.

Blackbird

2007-10-28T00:04:00.001-07:00

Blackbird_MG_6990, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We were out on Treasure Island taking some pictures of the City when this bird stopped by to see if we had any snacks to share. We didn't so after a bit he moved on.

Moonlit Alcatraz

2007-10-27T16:53:00.001-07:00

Moonlit_Alcatraz_MG_6874, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

A friend and I went out to Treasure Island hoping to capture the full moon setting over San Francisco. We encountered two problems. First, the moon was too far north to set over the City. Second, there were too many clouds to see the moon at all. There was a small break in the clouds over Alcatraz and the moon lit up the Rock with an eerie glow. Almost as if an alien ship were about to land.

Kaanapali Beach Sunset

2007-10-12T22:05:00.001-07:00

_MG_6165_Maui_Sunset, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot from our trip to Hawaii in August. I went to the beach a couple evenings for the sunset. This was the only evening that we had really dramatic clouds.

Koi Pond

2007-10-10T00:30:00.001-07:00

Koi_6206, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Another shot from our trip to Hawaii. The resort on Maui had a large water feature with water lilies and koi. I loved all the blue and green reflections and the nice contrast with the orange koi.

October Sky

2007-10-08T20:36:00.001-07:00

October_Sky_6810, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We don't often get these type of clouds here in California. More often when it's cloudy it's completely overcast. So I took advantage of the beautiful day to take a shot of just the sky. I'm no meteorologist but I believe these are Cumulus humilis clouds.

Arizona Memorial

2007-10-07T14:36:00.001-07:00

_MG_5969_Arizona_Memorial, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

One thing I wanted to do on this trip to Hawaii was to visit the Arizona Memorial. I am so thankful for all the men and women who have served our country throughout the 200+ years of it's existence. This was a moving reminder that some pay the ultimate price to ensure our liberty. It was a really memorable day.

Hibiscis in Hawaii

2007-10-06T19:08:00.001-07:00

Hibiscis_MG_5999, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was going through my pictures from Hawaii again and came across this one that I had pretty much overlooked before. I took this one sitting outside Starbucks while having a vente cappuccino. I'm glad it didn't come out shaky!

Blackhawk Auto Museum

2007-10-05T22:04:00.001-07:00

AutoMuseum, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went out to Blackhawk Plaza for lunch today. I love the auto museum out there as it has lots of angles and reflective surfaces. The partly cloudy sky made for a nice background.

Dougherty Station

2007-10-03T22:47:00.001-07:00

Dougherty_Station_MG_6792, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The Dougherty Station Community Center is a cool place. I'm trying to learn night photography and this is a fun place to experiment. Usually the fountain is on and there aren't these nice reflections.

Bay Bridge at Sunrise

2007-10-02T18:39:00.001-07:00

Bay_Bridge_CIMG1234, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here's another shot from my ride in the MS 150 Waves to Wine this past weekend. I need to get over to the City more often with a camera!

Golden Gate Bridge

2007-10-01T09:47:00.001-07:00

Golden_Gate_CIMG1239, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This weekend I rode the MS 150 Waves to Wine bike ride. The ride is a fund raising ride for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I rode in honor of a good friend from my bible study who has MS.

We started at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Saturday morning and rode up the Embarcadero, along the Marina Green and then over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a beautiful morning for a ride and I couldn't help but stop and take a few pictures along the way.

I rode with a team from work and we have raised over $17,000 dollars so far. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause please visit the link below where you can contribute to my total until October 31.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=1916550&pg=personal&fr_id=5870&s_tafId=9761

Lily

2007-09-20T23:00:00.001-07:00

Lily_6203, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

There where a couple ponds at the Villas in Maui that had these water lilies. They were really beautiful but were in the full sun most of the day. So I came back in the evening and shot them while we we hanging out at the Poolside Grill.

Sunset Palm

2007-09-17T15:42:00.001-07:00

Sunset Palm, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Our first night in Maui I went out to catch the sunset. I was terribly disappointed that there weren't many clouds to make the sky interesting. So I shot this silhouette instead.

So maybe you don't need clouds to get an interesting sunset shot?

Westin Villas

2007-09-03T21:58:00.001-07:00

Westin_Villas_6026, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We stayed at the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas for a week last month. One of our most relaxing vacations ever.

War Memorial Natatorium

2007-09-02T20:41:00.001-07:00

War_Memorial_5935, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The War Memorial Natatorium is located on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. The memorial was constructed in 1927 to commemorate the soldiers from Hawaii killed in World War 1. It includes a 100m x 40m salt water pool which was a popular recreational gathering place. It was frequently used by Olympians Duke Kahanamoku, Buster Crabbe and Johnny Weissmuller.

Oahu Sunset

2007-08-31T23:03:00.001-07:00

Oahu_Sunset_5956, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This was shot from Kapiolani Park Beach in Honolulu. We stayed at the W Hotel Diamond Head which was just a 2 minute walk from this beach. We came to this beach every day. It was a popular beach with the serious swimmers, who swam out to a buoy and back.

Water Taxi

2007-08-29T22:55:00.001-07:00

Water_Taxi_6320, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot from the Woodlands in Texas. The water way wound around the town center and you could take the water taxi all along the way. The lights in the tunnel changed color along with the lights at the top of the bridge towers. It was very cool.

Millennium Sculpture

2007-08-28T23:15:00.001-07:00

Millennium Sculpture, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This was shot last week when I was in Texas on business. I was in The Woodlands just north of Houston. The Woodlands is a beautiful master planned community with a really terrific town center. Too bad the weather is so awful this time of year!

Great Egret

2007-08-27T07:55:00.001-07:00

Egret_6407, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was out at a photography event at Coyote Hills Park near Fremont yesterday. We saw egrets, herons, avocets, pelicans, ducks, geese and a few others I didn't recognize.

Maui Sunset 2

2007-08-24T22:36:00.001-07:00

Maui Sunset, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I'm back from a couple weeks traveling, first Oahu & Maui then Houston. (Guess which one I liked better!).

This was the sunset on our last night on Maui. We stayed at the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas which are beautiful.

Maui Sunset

2007-08-16T01:26:00.001-07:00

MauiSunset_6131, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My family is spending this week in Maui. The hurricane/tropical storm has made most of our sunsets disappear behind the clouds. The clouds finally opened enough to show some color tonight.

Aloha!

Bee & Thistle

2007-07-31T22:24:00.001-07:00

Bee&Thistle_5701, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here is a shot of the flower/seed head on the plants we were removing from near Wawona. The bees weren't too happy that we were taking away their easiest source of food.

Giant Sequoia

2007-07-30T21:20:00.001-07:00

Sequoia_5780, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I spent the weekend in Wawona with a volunteer crew from my office. We "removed invasive non-native vegetation". In other words we pulled weeds. On Sunday we worked in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, which is awesome.

Gladiola Abstract 2

2007-07-26T22:42:00.003-07:00

Gladiola_5466, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Another Gladiola abstract. Still not sure if I really like this style or not, but I do like the colors and shapes.

Gladiola Abstract

2007-07-22T19:44:00.001-07:00

Gladiola_5484, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was shooting the Gladiolas in our backyard again tonight and decided to try something a bit more abstract. I got in close and focused deep down in the flower. I like the color and shapes. Part of me is letting go of reality and enjoying it. Another part of me wants something more in focus, more literal.

Agapanthus Africanus

2007-07-20T22:21:00.001-07:00

Lily_5443, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This evening after the sprinklers wet everything down it was a perfect chance to get some macro shots of the Agapanthus in our back yard. I love the color and the gentle curves of the blossoms.

Celebrate Freedom

2007-07-18T21:14:00.001-07:00

Fireworks_Comp_5243, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here is another shot I took on the 4th here in San Ramon. I've been pretty busy lately and have been dipping into my archive for things to blog. I should get back out there more in the next few weeks.

SF Sunrise

2007-07-16T22:17:00.001-07:00

SF Sunrise, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here's one from the archives. This was taken back in April from Twin Peaks. It was a beautiful sunrise with just enough clouds in the sky to make it interesting.

Gladiolus

2007-07-12T22:24:00.001-07:00

Gladiolus_5426, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The Gladiolas in our backyard are really starting to bloom now. They are just beautiful and so delicate.

Big Balloon

2007-07-11T23:30:00.001-07:00

Balloon_4846, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here's another picture from my trip up to Napa Valley a couple weeks ago. This balloon floated right over us and we were able to get quite a few shots of is as it was moving fairly slowly. The thing I liked was how quiet it was as it floated by in the breeze.

Cross over the Valley

2007-07-10T21:52:00.001-07:00

Cross_Valley_5380, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here is another view of the cross that is up on the hill here in San Ramon. This shows the valley where I live in the background. It's really cool to be going places in town and be able to look up and see the cross silhouetted against the sky.

Independence Day

2007-07-10T06:47:00.001-07:00

Fireworks_5240, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I finally got around to downloading my shots from our town's Independence Day celebration. Shooting fireworks is a lot more difficult than I thought. Most of my shots ended up being over exposed and had no color. I was able to find a few good ones though.

Cross & Clouds

2007-07-08T08:24:00.001-07:00

Cross & Clouds, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I went hiking in the hills this evening. The fog was rolling in just as the sun was going down. The fog is a great natural air conditioner. Thursday was the temperature was 110F and yesterday it barely got up to 80F.

Flower

2007-07-06T20:14:00.001-07:00

Flower_4561, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went out in the back yard looking for something interesting but nothing really caught my eye. I haven't been working in the yard much and it's a mess. The flowers are starting to fade in the summer heat. So I put on the macro lens and got in close. I really like the color combination in this shot.

Gladiolus

2007-07-05T06:40:00.001-07:00

Glad_5210, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I'm experimenting with really wide angle shots. I had the camera about 5 inches away from the flowers in this shot.

Pond

2007-07-01T21:45:00.001-07:00

Pond_5133, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went back to St Supery's dollarhide vineyard this weekend. This time I was there at sunrise and the light was much better. The irrigation ponds provide some excellent photo locations. I really like the colors in this shot.

Window on the World

2007-06-29T21:39:00.001-07:00

Window_5016, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

One of my photography instructors once said that we should take our cameras everywhere. I got this shot from inside a restroom. The guys who came in as I was leaving gave me a strange look.

Dragonfly

2007-06-27T06:34:00.001-07:00

Dragonfly_4983, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot from Saturday's trip up to the St Supery Dollarhide vineyard. This dragonfly didn't spook easily and we were able to get quite close.

Napa Valley Balloon

2007-06-25T09:09:00.001-07:00

Napa Valley Balloon, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

While waiting to go on a photo shoot at St Supery we watched this balloon travel down the valley above Rutherford. With their curved shapes and bright colors balloons make for great photographic subjects.

Vineyard Barn

2007-06-24T21:56:00.001-07:00

Barn_4910, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

While on a photo shoot at the St Supery Dollarhide vineyard in Pope Valley we spotted this old barn. I thought this ladder near the door was really interesting with is weathered wood and rusty nails.

American Painted Lady

2007-06-23T22:24:00.001-07:00

American Painted Lady, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Today I went on a photo shoot out at the St Supery Winery vineyards in Pope Valley, CA. There were a lot of butterflies flitting about. This one finally stayed put long enough for me to get a shot of her.

Pink and Green

2007-06-19T23:48:00.001-07:00

Pink and Green, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Playing with the macro lens and trying some different angles and a little soft focus. I love the colors in this shot.

... by any other name ...

2007-06-18T22:12:00.001-07:00

Rose_4787, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Another rose from our trip to my in-laws house. There were so many blossoms on the bushes that I had a hard time deciding which ones to shoot. So I ended up shooting 8 or 10 of them before we finally had to leave for the hour drive home.

A Rose...

2007-06-18T00:32:00.001-07:00

Rose_4782, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We spent the afternoon and evening with my wife's family. Her mom has these beautiful roses in her backyard. After dinner when the sun was down I went out and took some shots with the macro lens.

Honey Bear

2007-06-16T18:53:00.001-07:00

Honey_Bear_4641, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went to the San Ramon Farmers Market today. One of the vendors is a local bee keeper who sells his honey in these cute bear containers. I enjoyed talking to him and learning a bit about differences between honey bees and bumble bees.

Lunch Time

2007-06-13T23:11:00.001-07:00

Jays_4550, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went home for lunch today and these guys were all over the back yard.

It seems to be a mama bird and her two little ones who ought to be about ready to fly to coop. "Seriously, can't you two get your own lunch?"

Thirsty?

2007-06-12T22:50:00.001-07:00

Thirsty_4522, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I like taking pictures with a very shallow depth of field, where most of the image is out of focus and just a small area is sharp. My son noticed this drinking fountain with a long trough leading away from the water source. We both took a few shots of it and I rather liked this one.

Bandit

2007-06-11T22:31:00.001-07:00

Bandit_4531, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I went for a walk in Pleasanton this evening. Walking by the creek near downtown we spotted a couple of raccoons washing up. They didn't seem to mind our presence too much as they watched us a bit and then wandered off.

Muni Station

2007-06-10T22:05:00.001-07:00

Muni_4491, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot from yesterday's trip to San Francisco. I liked the curvy roof of this Muni station on King Street. It was tough to get a good angle on it without standing in the middle of the street.

Market Street

2007-06-10T11:39:00.001-07:00

Market_St_4513, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I spent the morning in San Francisco yesterday. We went to an open house at the Academy of Art University and then spent some time walking around downtown. I really like the architecture of so many of the buildings. But it's not easy to capture an image that shows their beauty.

Towers of Power

2007-06-08T23:13:00.001-07:00

Towers_of_Power_4423, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

A beautiful sunset as seen from the Dougherty Station Community Center.

Bones

2007-06-07T22:44:00.001-07:00

Bones, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was playing with the flash again tonight. I used to love playing Trivial Pursuit. mostly because my brain is full of trivial stuff. Funny how you can remember the 19th century term used by the US to justify expansion but not remember what the playing pieces in dominoes are called.

You've got to get the whole pie to win...

Dougherty Station

2007-06-04T17:53:00.001-07:00

Dougherty_4432, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This is another shot of the Dougherty Station Community Center. I liked the way the clock tower reflected in the fountain. It almost looks like a full moon.

On Campus

2007-06-02T08:35:00.001-07:00

On_Campus_4433, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We were out at the Dougherty Station Community Center around sunset yesterday. Diablo Valley College has an extension campus there and this is one of their buildings. I liked the cool blue color and the reflections of the hills in the windows.

Race Face

2007-05-29T22:21:00.001-07:00

Race_Face_4409, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I got a new bottom bracket for my mountain bike. I thought it was cool looking I set it up in the studio. I bounced my flash off the ceiling and used a fill card to get more light on the front of the bottom bracket.

High Flyer

2007-05-28T20:54:00.001-07:00

High_Flyer_4293, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Here's another shot from this weekend's Art and Wind Festival in San Ramon. There was plenty of wind and the kite flyer's had a great time.

Pretty Girl

2007-05-27T21:22:00.001-07:00

Pretty_Girl_4283, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We went to the Art and Wind Festival in San Ramon, CA today. There were a lot of arts and craft booths, kite flying competitions and people wandering about. My eye was caught by this cutie in pink.

Seagull

2007-05-23T22:47:00.001-07:00

Seagull_3668, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This seagull was resting on a post about 15 feet from me. Seems they get fed by people enough that they aren't scared of us. When I got too close he just flew 10 feet away to the next post and watched me from there.

Sailboats at Coyote Point

2007-05-22T22:44:00.001-07:00

SailBoats_4186, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

On Sunday we were over in Burlingame at a Radiant Vista Inspirational Photography seminar. We went over to Coyote Point to walk around a bit and I liked the reflections from these sailboats.

New Lens

2007-05-21T22:47:00.001-07:00

Lens_4227, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I got this a couple weeks ago and have been using it a bit. Then today I got a flash so I needed some way to try it out. Not too exciting but I had fun setting up and taking the shot.

Lawn Daisy

2007-05-20T22:53:00.001-07:00

Daisy_4114, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I went to a Radiant Vista Inspirational Photography seminar this weekend. We really enjoyed it and learned quite a few cool things. During lunch on Saturday we went for a quick walk around the hotel to stretch our legs and I saw these little flowers on the lawn. The look like daises to me but I don't know what they really are called.

Who am I? (photographically speaking!)

2007-05-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

I just took an interesting quiz which is supposed to relate my photographic personality in relation to some of the great photographers.

Here is my result.

Which famous photographer are you?

Ansel Adams: Known for large scale silver gelatin landscapes especially of Yosemite National Park

"Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter."

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Now Ansel Adams is one of my favorite photographers, but I hardly think I mention his name and mine in the same sentance.

Duck!

2007-05-17T22:17:00.001-07:00

Mallard_3855, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

There is a whole group of ducks that hang out at the Blackhawk Plaza. They are so accustomed to people that I didn't even need a long lens to get this close up shot.

I think he was quite disappointed that I didn't drop any tasty treats for him.

Lesser Scaup

2007-05-16T20:52:00.001-07:00

Scaup_1341, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I shot this at Palo Alto Baylands back in March. The bright yellow eye on that deep blue head really catches your attention. There were just a few of these swimming around and you had to be a bit patient to catch one near enough for a good shot.

Steps

2007-05-15T22:02:00.001-07:00

Steps_0103, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I like the graphic simplicity of these steps with the shadow of the rail. I shot this in Walnut Creek on a walk with my family.

Great Egret

2007-05-12T23:12:00.001-07:00

Egret_2093, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Well, we didn't see any egrets today but here is one from last month when Justin and I went over to Palo Alto Baylands. I was looking through my files from that shoot and found a couple shots I never posted that I thought were worthwhile. The one I liked best was this shot of a Great Egret that had just landed in a palm tree. The egrets were nesting in these trees.

Western Scrub-jay

2007-05-12T20:58:00.001-07:00

BlueBird_4031, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went out to Lake Del Valle with my son this morning. We hiked on the "Heron Bay" trail thinking we might see some interesting birds. Well the trail was a bit of a disappointment as we didn't see any herons or egrets. We did see an American Kestrel (too far away to get a good picture) and quite a few of these beautiful Western Scrub-jays.

Oakleys

2007-05-10T23:27:00.001-07:00

Oakleys_3988, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

These are my very favorite sunglasses. I've had a few different pair of Oakleys but these fit the best and look pretty good too.

I'd never tried this type of photography before but thought it might be interesting. I borrowed a flash unit from a friend and played around a bit with different setups. I have to return the flash tomorrow, so now I may have to get my own.

Snowy Egret in Flight

2007-05-09T22:12:00.001-07:00

Snowy_Egret_3769, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This egret was flying back and forth gathering up nesting materials. I got several tries at getting a good shot of him in flight.

Red Rose

2007-05-08T21:45:00.001-07:00

Rose_2853, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The roses are just beautiful now. There are so many different colors and sizes. And yet I was attracted to this lovely single red rose.

How cliche is that?

Twilight Poppy

2007-05-07T22:50:00.001-07:00

Twilight_Poppy_3960, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was walking in downtown Pleasanton tonight and noticed these poppies. When I started to shoot them I saw the lights in the background and liked the effect.

Baby Clack Crowned Night Herons

2007-05-06T22:02:00.001-07:00

Heron_Chicks_3576, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The baby Night Herons were in abundance at the Palo Alto Baylands this weekend. We saw these two little guys down on the ground when we arrived. Later when we walked by again they had managed to get up into a bush.

Reflection

2007-05-06T15:31:00.001-07:00

Reflection_3850, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I shot this yesterday out at Blackhawk Plaza in Danville. It's a really interesting shopping center with some great architecture and a stream running down the middle of it.

Ruddy Duck

2007-05-04T22:28:00.001-07:00

Ruddy_Duck_3653, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went to Palo Alto Baylands again today and had a great time bird watching. This little Ruddy Duck was the only one of his kind around. He didn't seem to mind as he happily dove in the duck pond searching for food.

Sticks

2007-05-03T22:52:00.001-07:00

Sticks_3516, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I was at Lake Tahoe last weekend and went out at sunrise to try to get some great colors in the sky and lake. The sun stayed behind some clouds and the colors weren't spectacular. So I spotted these reflections in the lake and shot them. At first glance they weren't that great but I liked them much better in monochrome.

You can check out my son's shot of the same sticks at his Flickr site here, http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=482382885&size=m.

Lizard

2007-05-02T23:26:00.001-07:00

Lizard_3524, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I went for a hike in Las Trampas park today. This little guy was sunning on the edge of the trail. I got a couple shots with my regular lens but when I switched to the macro he took off in to the weeds. These guys are fast!

Mr. Squirrel

2007-05-01T18:25:00.001-07:00

Squirrel_2995, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This little guy was living in the rocks along the shore near the Berkeley Marina. He was pretty comfortable having people around, though I'm sure he was disappointed we didn't offer him any peanuts.

Tahoe Sunset

2007-04-30T13:39:00.001-07:00

Tahoe_3474, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went to South Lake Tahoe this weekend to attend the wedding of one of my best friends. I took the opportunity to get a few shots of the lake. This was the sunset on Saturday.

Reflections

2007-04-28T12:32:00.001-07:00

Goose_3300b, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

We went for a walk at Lake Chabot this morning. We saw a lot of interesting birds. Most were too far off to get good shots of them. I liked the ripples and reflections as this goose went for a swim.

Bee

2007-04-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

Bee_2797, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I followed this bee from flower to flower for about 5 minutes trying to get this shot. Once he went down in the poppy I focused on the rim of the flower and waited for him to appear.

Ostrich

2007-04-26T23:49:00.001-07:00

Ostrich_3036, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

There are some ostriches on a farm just a few miles from our house. They seem to be used to having visitors as they came right up to us.

But I've seen enough Americas Funniest Videos to know better than to get within reach of that long neck...

Douglas Iris

2007-04-25T22:51:00.001-07:00

Flower_3007, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

This iris was growing wild near the Berkeley marina. I didn't have the macro lens so I stood back about 10 feet and shot it with my 75-300 zoom.

Stow Lake

2007-04-24T22:31:00.001-07:00

Stow_Lake_2324, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Another shot from Golden Gate Park. I liked the color and the reflection.

California Newt

2007-04-22T22:55:00.001-07:00

Newt_3068, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

My son and I went out to Las Trampas park near San Ramon this evening. When we were walking through the grassy area we spotted several of these California Newts. After that we were much more careful where we walked!

Moe, Larry and Curly

2007-04-21T22:04:00.001-07:00

Sea_Gulls_2881, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went over to the Berkeley Marina this morning. There were lots of birds there but most of them were too far offshore to get good pictures. These seagulls were having some sort of disagreement. I'm not sure they every resolved it as they were still squawking at each other when we left.

Purple Flower

2007-04-21T00:10:00.001-07:00

Purple_2764, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I found some really cool wildflowers in the empty lot near my office. A friend told me it's called salsify (sp?).

Unknown Flower

2007-04-19T22:54:00.001-07:00

Flower_2735, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I don't know what kind of flower this is. We have them in our back yard around our fountain.

They grow on low ground hugging plants that send up 12-18 inch stalks which have the flowers. The blooms are interesting and most hang down towards the ground.

Cherry Blossoms & Rocks

2007-04-18T22:22:00.001-07:00

Rocks_2709, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

The cherry blossoms are falling fast, they don't stay on the trees more than a couple weeks. I really like the contrast between the warm tones of the flowers and the cool tones of the rocks.

Pink Rose

2007-04-17T22:40:00.001-07:00

Rose_1874, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

OK, so I can't help myself. With so many beautiful flowers around that seems to be all I'm seeing. Right now I'm in a groove on the roses. Of course if a groove goes on too long it becomes a rut.

But 3's not a rut, right?

Rose

2007-04-16T22:25:00.001-07:00

Rose_2665, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Another day another rose. They are just starting to bloom here and they are really beautiful. This one was in a yard around the block. It reminds me of the Peace Rose that we had in our yard in a previous house.

Pink Rose

2007-04-15T20:30:00.001-07:00

Rose_2659, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

I went for a walk around the block this evening and the roses are really starting to bloom. I just loved the delicate color on this one.

Train Lantern

2007-04-15T00:11:00.001-07:00

Train Lamp_2172, originally uploaded by mtbjohn.

Well my "something new" today sort of got rained out. I went down to Monterey to watch the Sea Otter Classic bicycle races and it was pouring. So I left the camera in the bag.

Here's a shot I took last weekend in Calistoga. There is a small mall there made of train cars. Much more interesting than another mini mall.