Since school started I haven't really had much time to spend time with family or friends. This week is Spring Break so I took the weekend to visit my sister and her fiancé. Their wedding is just around the corner and being the environmentally conscious people they are, they are growing drought-friendly succulents that will be used as decorations and as gifts for the guests. The weekend's home improvement project was to build a shelf for the succulents. Being the engineers they are, sis designed the shelf. The wood was up-cycled from their housing remodel. I helped by taking pictures!
I've also included some other recent pictures...enjoy!
It finally snowed in Tahoe! California needs all of the moisture we can get - the drought situation is dire and with a very small snowpack there is not much relief on the horizon. I can't really complain about the west coast weather and while it dumped in the mountains, San Francisco (at least in my neighborhood) featured beautiful blue skies. We did get quite a color show on Saturday and there was even some rare lightning. I chased sunset - the pictures below show what I found.
One of the strategic initiatives of the organization I work for is to build an exceptional workforce. For current employees, this initiative trickles down in the form of talent management and development key results in our annual performance reviews. Last year, as part of this development criteria, I put together a presentation for my team on the differences between leadership and management. Under the leadership umbrella I described a number of different styles and asked the team to identify their own personal style and how we would describe the styles of our team members.
Before the exercise I would have described my leadership style as a "coach." I was pleasantly surprised to find that my team members describe me as "visionary." Stepping back, I now understand what they see. I often bring new ideas to the table and look for ways we can creatively improve our processes. Our workflow has essentially been set in stone for the last 30+ years and we are currently in the process of upgrading our systems. This is a pivotal moment in our line of business and we should capitalize on the opportunity to find an adaptable and sustainable process for the future.
Those were a lot of big words.
I am no different in my approach to building BKMvision. I don't want to trap myself into a traditional business format. I don't want this to be just about photography, or even just about me. I want to find unique angles, light, and ways to display the creativity that is all around me.
Everyone has to start somewhere. San Francisco is a great place to start, but I'd be remiss to say that my photographic opportunities here are mine alone. Millions of people have taken the same photos and anything I post can be replicated. I accept the challenge of trying to bring my vision to this amazing place. And now, some pictures we've seen before but are still awesome.
Sunset is pretty much my favorite time of day - mostly because I'm not generally up for sunrise. We get some epic sunsets in San Francisco and the winter skies are not to be missed. Unfortunately long days at work have kept me from partaking in the end-of-day ritual of sunset watching.
But today is Saturday and I had all day to plan where I was going to capture sunset with the big camera. I chose Baker Beach with the hope that I'd catch the afternoon light on the Golden Gate Bridge. I didn't get the glorious colors I was hoping for, but I had a fun time learning more about low light photography. Check out some of my efforts!
Part of launching this site is a commitment to myself that I will take more pictures, more often, and publish them. Due to unforeseen and somewhat unfortunate circumstances (don't worry, everything is fine), I have spent a lot of time in my apartment over the past few days. My cats get to be the wary and sometimes unwilling subject of my in-home photography.
I adopted Dusty and Fiona from the SPCA in November 2009. They are litter mates and pick on each other as a brother and sister do. They are my best furry friends, my therapy cats, and I think they are the cutest kitties ever. Be prepared for many cat pictures!
In other news, I've been working on protecting my photos, researching printing and framing options, considering funding options to start selling, and consulting with a friend on a custom order - she wants all of my palm trees!
This afternoon I am having drinks with my talented artist friend, Veronica of VW Creations. We have worked together in the past and drifted a part a bit, but I'm excited to hear what has been going on with her and what 2015 brings for VWC - I hear a show is in the making! Definitely keep your eyes out for some creative collaboration.
Stay tuned and keep watching the site for updates!
And now, some cat pictures from my morning.
There comes a time in every wannabe photographer's life when it is time to step up to a full frame camera. My day has come.
I rented a lens through BorrowLenses to shoot the Sierraville Salami event. I had been looking for a wide angle lens with a decent zoom and the 24-105mm f/4L fit my needs well. As it turned out, the local photography shop had that lens used for sale. The salesman noted that in order to fully experience the magic of the wide angle lens, I really needed to upgrade my Canon T3i Digital Rebel to a full frame camera. I made the leap and purchased a Canon 6D which included the 24-105mm lens (brand new, of course).
So begins the adventures with a big kid camera. Check out my first few pictures!
