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 Marin Fog by James Gaither
I’ve traveled across California, west to east, this summer. Exactly a week ago I was soaking up the bright light above Sonora Pass at 10,000 feet. And today, you can find me slogging around at sea level in Berkeley’s endless fog. I get tired of quoting my Berkeley-bred, high-country-backpacker husband who insists the thin mountain air is “bracing” and the fog is “refreshing.” He thinks it’s fine to dress for summer barbeques in a down parka. I do not think that’s funny.
Yesterday, I saw the edge between where the sun and fog meet. I was driving over the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge looking at the bank fog pouring over the west bay hills into the Bay. No, wait. What I saw was not a bank of fog. Nor was it a blanket of fog. Nor was it little cat’s feet or whatever it is they have for fog in Chicago. To me the huge fog cloud was a vast oppressive fog fist slamming its way from the ocean, across the bay, and straight to my house in north Berkeley. Coming across the bridge, I saw the fog fist but I did not feel knuckled by its coldness. Ha! I was in Marin County. I was too far away. From the bridge I could look at the fog and see its beauty without feeling its cold.
In my mind’s eye I flew up over the bay; over the fog. Of course I was holding a camera on this imaginary flight. I could photograph soft white feathers as the icy fog trickled over the Marin Headlands. I could fly through the grayest of the fog and blast right out of it, into the waiting sunshine. From up there, the fog fist becomes delicate fingers and I could admire the way the fingers spread out across the cities.
Back on the bridge, my car was approaching the Richmond side, the fog side. I was leaving the sun and entering the fog.
The fog is still disappointing, dark and bleak. I don’t like it any better having seen it from a distance. But I have seen its edge. The edge of fog is photographable. Approached with a camera, this murky summer season becomes at least tolerable until Fall when the sun comes out.
Here’s another great fog photo; this one by Max Clarke: http://maxclarke.typepad.com/photos/west_of_neptune/12-goldengate.html (I hope to post his photo here as soon as I get permission from him.)
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Carl Sandburg
1916
The Center for Fine Art Photography, in Fort Collins, Colorado, is interested in exhibiting the best low-tech images that photographers are producing. This call is open to all subjects and styles of photography that include a low tech means of image making or printing. This includes, but is not limited to; toy, Holga and Diana cameras, Pinhole, Wet Plate Collodian, Photograms, Callotypes, Cyanotypes, Polaroid and other traditional processes.
The exhibition is open to all photographers world wide, both amateur and professional. The Center invites photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought to participate in its exhibitions.
Entry deadline July 13, 2010
More information http://c4fap.org/cfe/2010LowTech/index.asp
Specimen 5 © Galina Kurlat, Print from Ambrotype
 Peeled back and shining — by Joe Reifer Tim Baskerville of The Nocturnes let me know that entries are now being accepted for Auto-Nocturne, an online exhibit of automotive photography. The Nocturnes online exhibits are a great way to get your work seen, drive traffic to your website, and support an organization that’s been dedicated to teaching night photography for almost 20 years.
The jurors for Auto-Nocturne are none other than myself and Troy Paiva! We’ve seen some jaw dropping junkyard images made during the Pearsonville Night Photography Workshops — Auto-Nocturne is a great opportunity to look back through your archives and find your 3 (or more) best car photos for this online show. [Auto-Nocturne entry form].
November 10, 2008
Grand adventure this week creating a “Photo Booth” for a school dance. It’s a fund raiser for the Pacific Boy Choir Academy. And it was a big hit. The plan was to sell photo booth tickets at the beginning of the dance, then shoot groups of kids in the “booth” for the first hour. Part 2 of the plan was for me to race down to the lab with the data and print everything and race back to deliver the prints before the end of the dance. We totally pulled it off.
I set up my big dark grey muslin backdrop on the huge backdrop stand that Bryan kindly offered me. Bryan’s a staff technician at Photolab and has a gig as a pro photographer on weekends. So, Bryan has every sort of pro photo gear. We used Gareth’s Canon 20D (thanks Gareth).
Chris Kula manned the camera and did a fabulous job! Yeah Chris!
Before the kids arrived we set out costumes and props: funny hats, long gloves, an evening gown or two, leis and hawaiian grass skirts from the Party Warehouse. The costumes ended up being a key part of the success of the event.
The price was right too, I guess. One dollar per person gets you one 4 x 6.
The adventure part of this, for me, was taking the camera card, driving (fast) across town to Photolab, downloading the images from the card into our Noritsu minilab (left running after the lab closed)and printing a ton of 4 x 6s. Oh yeah, and running back across town to deliver the goods. I love this kind of speedy event where you work hard and get the entire job done in a few hours, and make everybody happy.
So, fund raiser success! The school wants to do it again soon and I’m up for it. This word is out that this PhotoBooth idea is great for attracting a crowd, so our next booth will be at the Jazz on Fourth Street festival and fundraiser for the Berkeley High Jazz Program. See you there I hope!
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