Pasadena

3 am... full moon and street lights.

Baden Powell

After having just finished a 17 mile hike to Mt. Baden Powell from Islip Saddle, Kelvin stop to admire the sunset.

Vancougar with an iPhone

I was sent on a trip to Vancouver, Canada for a studio visit. It was a very short but busy trip. I didn't pack a camera (because frankly, they were not allowed on set). I regret it due to my insatiable appetite to take photos lately. All I had with me was my iPhone camera. I crammed what little free time I had 'off the clock' to squeeze off a few snapz....from airplane pics to the walk to dinner to a very early morning run in Stanley Park. The day was very long since it was so far north and it was just after the summer soltice. I believe it got dark around 10:30-11:00p.m. and dawn broke around 5a.m.

The iPhone's picture quality was horrible with no control for exposure or focus at all. The fun and creative part was making due with what I had. It actually was relaxing not to meter for exposure or fiddle with little details like focusing. All I have to do is point and shooooot. I downloaded an App called "Camera Bag" that emulates different film and camera types. This was the Lolo setting. (I think it's the equivalent to the "Lomo" camera)

Vancouver was a big modern city but it was strangely empty and quiet. Note the picture of the airport below...Large clean modern airport that's completely empty.

lumix lx3 test

I just bought a new Lumix LX-3 digital point and shoot camera. It's a compact fixed lens camera but not exactly a typical point and shoot. It has full manual capabilities along with a slew of many cool little perks...one of which is a 24mm wide angle lens (I'll spare all the geeky details).

Anyway, I wanted a small unobtrusive camera to play around with when I go backpacking or on vacation. It was recommended to me by Mike, our resident pro photographer. It seems to fit the bill. These were my very first set of photos taken about a month ago.

I was out and about running some errands when I noticed the low ominous clouds overhead. I rushed over to Griffith Park and went up my typical trail. I got very lucky with the cloud formation and the time of day. These clouds were so unusual for LA that it completely change the way I view the landscape. So far I am quite pleased with my new little purchase. I have been taking alot of pictures lately and I will post more soon.

pastel portrait

From Bob Kato's head drawing class that he has here at work.

Klimt theme at the Drawing club long session.

I bought all these scrap booking paper thinking I was going to do something with 'em. Well, the Drawing Club had a long session (for painting) this past Sunday and the theme was Klimt...so I decided to break it out. This is basically cut paper, colored pencil, and a glue stick.

SF sketches

These drawing are from one of my numerous trips to San Francisco (probably my favorite city ever!) I was staying in a 'modern' japanese hotel in the heart of Japan town. During that trip I also visited the Asian Art Museum and was immediately struck by all the Japanese prints... The inspiration transcended in to my little sketches of people around the city. Fortunately, I had packed some Tombo's and a few Ad markers with me that weekend.

I can't believe Pollet is bossing me around. She insisted on a new post. It's been a little while now so I suppose she's right.

yosemite landscape

Here's some studies of Yosemite National Park from awhile back. I usually visit the park at least a couple times a year and I never get sick of it. However it is so majestic that it becomes such a daunting task for me to capture it. It becomes a matter of how well I can simplify. I'm going to string a few studies from different trips on this post just to show variety of approaches.

gouache on board.




ink and watercolor wash.



tombo markers




watercolors

Saturday night I was at the Staple Center for the Margarito/Mosely fight. Although I was pulling for Margarito, it was still pretty exciting (however one-sided). The stadium was charged with so much energy... In fact, it was electrifying. So much so, that I witnessed at least 3-4 brawls just in the stands. Poor bastards paid all that money and never even got to see the main event. Overall, a great venue for a boxing match. We had amazing seats too...thanks, Vanessa!

In between the bouts, I would sketch a bit. Yes, Larry merchant appeared drunk the whole time.



Ring Card Girl. I really wasn't ringside as the sketch depicted. I was just using my super vision. Grrrrrr.



Tonight (Monday night) I went back to the Staple Center for a Clippers game. Thanks again, Van. The Clips lost to Portland. I sketched a little bit more this time.

sunsets

I have been trapped in my house for the past two weeks due to a nasty and stubborn cold. Today was the first time I was really able to get outdoors. So I decided to take a hike to Griffith Park because the weather was so very nice. Half the country is hit with severe cold but we are so fortunate to have wonderful weather in the middle of January.

Well the sky was clear today and I can probably see well over a hundred miles from the top of Mt. Hollywood. The sunset was spectacular. Everything was glowing orange around me as I watched the last rays dipped behind the ocean. The sky glowed with colors I could not describe. I went up with the intention to do some watercolor sketches but I had forgot my book. So I took a few pics with the iPhone but they always pale in comparison to the real deal. I soak in days like these and just feel so lucky to be alive

















Here's another sunset pic taken on my flight back from that studio up north. Notice the mountain ranges are all cover with snow. That's when we had that cold spell before the new year.





At first glance this might look like Hawaii but it is good old Glendale. View from the office. I try to take a the time to catch the sunset as much as possible.

New York

This past November I finally took my first trip to New York. What a great city.

alaska

In early September I took a backpacking trip to Alaska. Here are a few of my favorite pics.