I was briefly in Toronto a few weeks ago and had an hour or two to roam around exploring. As with many cities, it was difficult to just jump in and out of the car while I was downtown, but as I edged away from the city center, I had a little more flexibility. I thought this was an interesting image – the contrast between the fancy downtown skyscrapers and the tatty transitional neighborhoods.
Toronto Contrasts
Last night’s premiere was a little less unruly than the night before, perhaps because the celeb crowd was smaller. But, Robert Downey Jr. and Rachel McAdams from the movie both attended along with a handful of other glams. The thing that struck me last night was the other-worldliness of some of these people. Rachel McAdams, for instance, looks like she’s lit from within. I particularly like the contrast in the bottom two pictures between Rachel and the folks behind her:
It’s good to mix things up. A few days of quiet, slow-paced, contemplative, peaceful landscapes, then a few days of combat in the photographers’ pen at movie premieres. There is a lot of pent-up rage in that group of people and things can get a little testy.
Because of the number of celebrities who showed up and the high profile of New Year’s Eve, last night was particularly wild. The insanity notwithstanding, I love shooting these events. It’s absorbing, like rock climbing or hang-gliding. There is a lot of standing around at the beginning, but once the action starts, time disappears. Despite the volatility of the environment, it’s an almost Zen-like experience.
Here are a few of the glamorati who were there:
Premiere of "New Year's Eve"
In the thick of a host of thin things yesterday afternoon, I decided it was time to clear the cobwebs. Crystal Cove is a peaceful stretch of beach situated between the much busier Newport and Laguna Beaches. Kelp beds, tidal pools, sea lions porpoising in the wake of fishing boats, and lots of birds. A two hour stroll on the sand, cobwebs gone.
Here is a seagull, standing watch over the sunset.
Gull - Crystal Cove
And from the top of the bluff, Catalina Island under a setting sun.
Catalina Island
I love photographing industrial facilities. As with so many things, seen from the right perspective, they can be incredibly beautiful. The English photographer, Michael Kenna, has made a series of sensational photographs of power plants and other industrial operations that are worth checking out. In addition to admiring his talent, I am also envious of the access he was granted to photograph these sites. Always tricky, trying to photograph industrial facilities. Security guards tend to get a little antsy when they see the tripod and the long lens. Fortunately, in this instance I was far enough away that I was invisible to the powers that be.
Power Plant - Dawn
After many years of living in perpetually sunny climates, I enjoy occasionally seeing some cloud cover and a hint of winter. I loved the starkness of these trees and the ominous sky in the background.
Bare Trees - Utah Lake
I love the ethereal, other-worldliness of this image. It’s a photograph of a couple of fairly ordinary rocks, but the long exposure turns the rocks into mysterious islands shrouded in mist.
Rocks - Laguna Beach
