Going out with a camera means my
attention will be on objects and people I would like to
capture in a photograph, and on what of them I would
like to see there.
My life in Berkeley isn't like that; it's much more casual; I
only go out with an agenda when I'm food shopping. In contrast
to traveling, therefore, when I always have a camera with me,
at home I only occasionally take my equipment along.
The photographs in the pictures of berkeley
gallery were taken prior to 2010. Since then I've updated
cameras twice - the second time to full frame - and lenses
multiple times. Each update means that I have to take the
equipment with me and explore their performance - within the
thirty day time constraint for returns just in case they don't
work out. The photos in the berkeley too gallery are,
at least partly, a product of this activity.
I often wander into new areas when I'm with camera and take
photos of places I haven't taken before. Occasionally I'll
find myself in an event, either intentionally or accidentally,
and vanish as one of many also using their cameras. I
especially appreciate the opportunity to photograph people at
events because, when there are many cameras out, people are
less conscious of being a "target". It allows me to believe
I'm in a foreign country where the native ignores the tourist
and I can happily snap away.