The Occasional Odd Crop

Orange circles

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:58:00 +0000

Where: Mission Valley, San Diego

When: Oct. 21, 2009

It looked just like this: I sharpened the photo a bit, but other than that, this is how it came out of the camera.

More orange abstracts here, here and here.

Woman reflected in 'Reaching for Peace'

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:15:00 +0000

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Where: An art fair in Rancho Santa Fe, California

When: Sept. 13, 2009

No computer magic: I sharpened the photo a bit and cropped it, but other than that, it came out of the camera just like this.

Reflected in what? It's a painting by my wife, D. Dodge.

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

More from A Finer Art Affaire here and here.

Something completely different: I've finally finished a long-overdue update of DaniDodge.com, my wife's Web site. She's been painting in a whole new style for a few months, but until now the only way to see her new work was in person. Dani's new stuff is definitely worth a look.

Fourth and B

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:49:00 +0000

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Where: Downtown San Diego

When: Oct. 16, 2009

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

More late afternoon light, shadows and people in downtown San Diego.

America Plaza

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:23:00 +0000

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Where: The trolley station in downtown San Diego

When: Oct. 16, 2009

More: I've shot plenty of photos at America Plaza. Sometimes I get noticed, but people usually look right past me. Other times, they're going too fast for us to see each other.

Condensed

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:29:00 +0000

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Where: Mission Valley, San Diego

When: Just before midnight Oct. 25, 2009

Camera: My Samsung camera phone

First and Broadway

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:25:00 +0000

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Where: Downtown San Diego

When: Oct. 16, 2009

28th and Broadway

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:05:00 +0000

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Where: Golden Hill, San Diego

When: Oct. 17, 2009

Civic Center Plaza

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:59:00 +0000

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Where: Downtown San Diego

When: Oct. 16, 2009

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

Checkerboard light

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:07:00 +0000

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Where: Civic Center Plaza, downtown San Diego

When: An hour and a half before sunset Oct. 16, 2009

Sunlight and rust

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:43:00 +0000

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Where: Lone Pine, California

When: May 2, 2008

Clouds over the Owens Valley

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:19:00 +0000

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Where: Keeler, California

When: May 5, 2008

Etta's stripes

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:36:00 +0000

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Who: Our granddaughter. OK, Dani's granddaughter and my stepgranddaughter, but you'll cut me some slack, right?

Where: Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego

When: Sept. 17, 2009

Man on crutches at the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:20:00 +0000

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Where: Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego

When: Sept. 17, 2009

Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:47:00 +0000

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Where: F Street, downtown San Diego

When: Sept. 12, 2009

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

Hands: More people with well-positioned hands here, here and here.

Burned

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:36:00 +0000

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Where: San Diego Zoo

When: Sept. 16, 2009

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

Raindrops and tree

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:54:00 +0000

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Where: Inside my car, parked at the Barnes & Noble in Mission Valley, San Diego

When: Oct. 2, 2009

How's it rate? I'd love it if you'd rate my photo at National Geographic's Your Shot site.

Just before I shot this picture, I'd been so blown away by the photos in the "Your Shot collector's edition" that I bought the book. Walking back to my car, I wondered which of my photos might find favor with the editors of Your Shot.

I got behind the wheel and saw a tree refracted dozens of times through the raindrops on my windshield. This, I thought, might be the answer.

Pink

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:24:00 +0000

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Where: In front of the Botanical Building at Balboa Park, San Diego

When: Sept. 18, 2009

Too big? There's a smaller version at Flickr.

Balloons

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:42:00 +0000

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Where: A Finer Art Affaire, Rancho Santa Fe, California

When: Sept. 13, 2009

Strangely familiar: Yep, it's another angle on these balloons.

In the name of progess

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:39:00 +0000

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Where: E Street between Ninth and 10th, downtown San Diego

When: Sept. 12, 2009

Alternate title: "Close, but no ciga"

The shoot

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:04:00 +0000

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Where: Spreckels Organ Pavilion, Balboa Park, San Diego

When: Sept. 18, 2009

Veins

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:06:00 +0000

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Where: Botanical Building, Balboa Park, San Diego

When: Sept. 18, 2009

It's not about the green: As with "Palms under the on-ramp," I didn't want the pretty colors to distract from the shapes and composition of this uncropped photo. For comparison's sake, I've posted the original at Flickr.

Tent and balloons

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:38:00 +0000

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Where: A Finer Art Affaire, Rancho Santa Fe, California

When: Sept. 13, 2009

In the mist

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:56:00 +0000

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Where: Outside Soarin' Over California, Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, California

When: Sept. 6, 2009

Out of the mist

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:03:00 +0000

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Where: Outside Soarin' Over California at Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, California

When: Sept. 6, 2009 (they let you in for free on your birthday, you know)

Disneyland or California Adventure? Tough one. Disneyland is more lively, but the soundtrack and attractions are better at California Adventure.

Disneyland has nothing to match Soarin' Over California, for example. Have you done this? It's a simulated hang-glider ride over California's highlights - Yosemite, orange groves in Camarillo, the coast, the Golden Gate Bridge, San Diego, a bunch of other places. It's spectacular - the illusion of speed, the banked turns, even the smells (although those weren't as realistic this time as they were a few years ago). The best part of either park, if you ask me.

California Adventure also has California Screamin'. I've ridden just a few roller coasters, but I like this one a lot better than Space Mountain at Disneyland (and the Matterhorn? Don't make me laugh). It's fast and smooth and has a fun loop-de-loop. Problem is, the thing wrecks me. Turns my brain to mush and adds some discomfort that lingers even on relatively tame rides like Tower of Terror. Worth it, of course.

Those two rides alone make California Adventure worthwhile. And I enjoy the atmosphere - carnival-keyboard renditions of Beach Boys music, plus the original versions of songs from the '60s that I can still stand to hear (believe me, there are precious few of those). As we were leaving on Sunday, "California Dreamin'" started playing. Perfect.

Still, Disneyland has its charms. There are more visitors running around in costumes and all kinds of silly mouse ears, and things are closer together, so there's more energy. Pirates of the Caribbean is still more fun than any of those Johnny Depp movies, and for a legal psychedelic experience, it's hard to beat the updated "It's a Small World" (I do get sick of that song, though).

Luckily, we don't have to choose between Disneyland and California Adventure. They're only an hour and a half away, and Dani's birthday is coming up in a few months. I imagine we'll spend it at Disneyland. No need to twist my arm.

Warmth

noreply@blogger.com (Mark Dodge Medlin) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:09:00 +0000

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Where: Home in San Diego

When: Sept. 2, 2009

Why: Just messing about with my new Nikon D5000. Thought this looked pretty interesting. It's uncropped, with just a bit of color saturation.

Somebody at Flickr said this looked like Mark Rothko's style. That was a nice compliment.