Little Yosemite

/ Cali, Me, Photo

Photo of Joe exploring the dried up waterfalls in Little Yosemite.

It was kind of a last minute decision to go to Little Yosemite in Sunol (located about 1 hour south of SF). I pretty much looked at google maps and pointed at a little patch that looked green and decided that I wanted to go on a hike. Joe and I have been talking about doing more outdoorsy stuff for a while now, and it was so convenient hopping in a car and getting out of the city.

The images don’t really do the scenery justice, but this was one of the gorgeous trails

The trail was really easy and absolutely scenic. However, you’ll noticed the sound of planes fly overhead ever so often. I guess it’s really hard to get away from it all… but overall, it was really relaxing spending the morning doing a light hike.

This is where we stopped and turned around.

I’ll probably come back here again soon… and maybe bring my bike. I’ll need to do some research first to see if they allow it in this park.

If you notice the sign, it says “Watch out for snakes!”

I may need to bring a longer lens next time as well. There’s a ton of wild life–we saw deer, turkeys, etc. Also, a little tip, if you decide to visit Little Yosemite make sure to bring extra water–it’s hella dry.

Apple Watch Series 4

/ Me, Photo, Tech

Photo of my Apple Watch, Gen 1

As much as I love my Apple watch, it might be time to upgrade. The series 4 will be able to detect a-fib, a heart condition I unfortunately have. A bunch of my friends an colleagues texted me after the Apple announcement about this feature.

As much as I’d like to rock a classic mechanical watch, having a personal ECG will be an amazing feature. I think I’m going to order the 44mm in black. I really want to get the stainless steel with sapphire, but the watches don’t really hold their value or last that long… so, the lesson learned is to spend less and keep up with tech cycles.

Close up of the Gen 1 watch, with all the battle wounds

For whatever reason, folks in SF hate on the Apple Watch as if it were passé. I personally feel like each generation gets a little better. In fact, I’ve known other watch enthusiasts completely switch over to the Apple Watch.

I just wish that the watches had a little more longevity. Apple is offering me $25 for a trade in. Hah! Anyway, I think Annie said she might get me the new model. *grin*

3500 Miles Later

/ Me, Photo

A photo of my electric bike.

1.5 years and 3500 miles later, my e-bike has held up pretty well. I have to say, it looks magnificent in this light.

Ps. I’m hoping to get a bike rack for my car soon so that I can explore some some new trails around here. If you’re in the area and want to go for a ride, let me know!

Is that a woman?

/ Cali, Me, Photo

Photo of a homeless person sleeping on the sidewalk along the Embarcadero.

“Is that a woman”, a stranger asked me as I road my bike down the Embarcadero this afternoon. If you look closely, you’ll notice another person in the top left hand corner walking away, wearing a fur coat and having a casual conversation with a friend.

As beautiful as San Francisco is, it’s a majestic backdrop juxstaposed by a reservoir of sadness. I went to the Embarcadero to get some fresh air and clear my mind, but now I’m weighed down by this imagery.

Sorry my blog is a little all over the place. I just share what I think and see. I wish there was more of a theme, but it’s just a stream of my ephemeral thoughts.

More Tests Photos from the Sony A7RIII

/ Me, Photo

Here’s another photo James and I shot last night of a MacBook Pro.

If you look carefully, you’ll notice that the wallpaper is from a leak from the upcoming Apple announcement this week. This photo was created by stacking two bracketed images together.

This is the original image straight from the camera.

Shot with an A7RIII and Canon 24-70mm f2.8. If we continue doing more photography, we may need to set up a little studio. More stuff coming soon.

By the way, are you ready for the new iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad Pro announcements this week?

Testing out the Sony A7RIII

/ Me, Photo

Portrait of James Donovan working late on a friday night.

I swung by James’ new apartment yesterday evening to talk about design and play around with his new camera. He’s got some sweet gear–the Sony A7RIII with a Canon 24-70mm f2.8. The images were essentially straight out of the body, and they’re ridiculously sharp. The camera is amazing, and the low light capabilities are just astonishing.

If I were to shoot this again, I think I would use a small hairline light to help accent the backside of his head.

The original image out of the camera, with no retouching.

If you were wondering how I got this photo, I used my iPhone to create a little accent lighting behind the monitor… and I swapped out the desktop image to something darker to create a more dramatic effect. I also did a little retouching to the image curves to create a more cross-processed film feel.

Not a bad way to spend a Friday night.