"Desnudo Reclinado" (Sculpture by Francisco Zuniga)

I'm very drawn to this statue. Of all the statues at the UCLA sculpture garden this one holds my interest again and again. While this angle of the statue is dynamic I feel like I am robbing you by only letting you see one side of it. This statue is so low slung that I find myself compelled to crouch down and inspect at close to its own height. The proportions of the figure are dynamic with a large body solidly placed in a crouch supported by feet that are settled in position like elegant paddles and hands that offer just as much strength. And her head, though small by comparison has a strong presence, a dignity. And with all this strength and dignity portrayed through her body that seems to say something about her character she is crouching down almost as low as she can be to the ground. And she draws you down to the ground as well. There is a lot to consider there. I'd love to know what other people see in her.
(I may have to share a series of photographs of her, so that everyone can experience her more fully.)

"Light Infused Pear Blossoms"

Many pear trees are blooming white halos around the UCLA campus right now.

In this image I am interested in the comparison of two different sorts of gradients. The brick building with it's light striping at the base that gradually moves upward to other light architectural details until there is more of the darker valued brick and the light shining through the pear tree creating an almost solid white glow on the right and slowly allowing our eyes to pick up on the green foliage around the blossoms as they move away from the light. 

"These Two Touching the Sky"

In this image I find myself noticing how two very different trees can merge and seem to create one mottled pattern when stared up at from directly below. But while we stare at the satisfying blue versus green patterning we can't help but start to see their overlap and then each tree separately. In that longer stare to puzzle the image out I like how much we can discover about their individual difference in color, small and large shapes, and overall structure.

"Fig's Embrace"

I couldn't help but want to be drawn in by these roots, to be supported, almost in a hug. I found my thoughts exploring animism today (after wandering among statues and gazing at controlled nature for several hours of the day), even before sitting amongst these roots in the cool afternoon with the moist ocean air creating a vague impression of fog.

"Growing Contrast"

Sometimes all I need is for an image to be filled with so much texture that my mind is engaged in just that image and creates a world out of it.

"Margins"

I captured this image, because it makes me think about something I can't quite describe. Something in this image is about edges of of things lost and found, strong and dissolving. This water and leaf are removed visually in this image from their original context at the divide between street and sidewalk, so there is even an edge here that is not shown but influences the image.

"Unflustered"

Meerkats aren't always on their haunches perkily alert ready for action. Seeing this aspect of a
meerkat's life adds something their narrative I'd say. 

"Six Ducks"

The way the light hits the water and makes my eyes almost lose focus a bit as the image
seems to oscillate and the curious almost mirrored image of the two clustered
ducks further makes my mind dream.

"Gaze"

There is such presence of mind in this duck's posture and gaze. I'm drawn to his golden eye, but not just that.
There is something there that is more subtle and expressive. 

"Leaning Giraffe"

I'm not sure what is going on with this giraffe and I think that is what makes me think about personality, expression, and character when I look at this image. I'm also fascinated by all the subtle diagonals, not only is the giraffe leaning oddly, but the strong shadows around him/her are just slightly angled creating a bit of an off kilter effect that adds to the mood of the image. This makes me want to capture so many kinds of animal likenesses.

Leaf's Edge-Work

Seen and intrigued by at the San Diego Safari Park (The Wild Animal Park for those in the know.).

Crumbling Foundation

This is an older photo of mine. I was taking a walk in my college town and
thinking about the beautiful late afternoon lighting silhouetting the city as
I stood next to a run down building that I had heard had a rat problem. I
thought if a rat popped out the grate set in the crumbling foundation it's view
would be even more stirring. So from a rat's eye view this photo came to be.

The Subtle Underside of a Butterfly's Wings

Native Butterfly Exploring the Greenhouse
The top of it's wings, unlike the underside shown here, are actually quite bold: almost sold black with orange markings.