View? What View?

Dogs on the Protuguese Bend beach (accessed from Ocean Trails by Trump's golf course) with their companions.

Green

No green baloons, but still a bit of green to support the protesters in Iran. CityDailyPhoto blog community held a special 'blog day' today in order to help spread the images and stories coming out of Iran, and raise awareness of the issues that the people are protesting currently. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Color at South Coast Botanical Gardens

Anther photo from last Sunday's workshop with nature photographer George Lepp. He liked this shot but thought it could use a point of interest. The bees just didn't go for this flower. I thought it was a calla lily, but now I don't think so. I know that Pasadena Adjacent, Lori Lynn of San Pedro Daily Photo, and Altadena Hiker will be able to tell me the name of the flower.

Palm Watch on SkyWatch Friday

On the afternoon commute home.

Sweetness at First Cut

I remember my son's first official haircut. He was 3 years old and was so scared that he sat completely upright and perfectly still. This haircut scene at the PV mall remineded me of something Norman Rockwell would have painted.

Sadness

http://portlanddailyphotos.blogspot.com/ is publishing the missing Iranian photographer photos. My hopes are with many other CDP bloggers that he will return to his family soon.

Sunday in the Park with George ... Lepp

The flowers are a composite of three handheld shots merged together.

George Lepp, the nature photographer extrordinaire, is demonstrating his panoramic technique.

Golden Lotus - no more

Demolition has started at the Golden Cove Shopping Center to make way for the new Trader Joe's. (Yes, Altadena Hiker is right - there will be all of 6 parking spaces for the TJ's, no different from other locations.) The americanized Golden Lotus Chinese restaurant was last owned by a Russian, Slava Jimov, but has been closed for more than a year now. On the weekends they had a wonderful entertainer, Clem, who sang and played the old-time favorites on the piano.

At the South Coast Botanical Gardens

I'm taking a weekend workshop with the photographer George D. Lepp at the gardens. Today is the "shoot" day. Yesterday, Mr. Lepp shared his techniques on panoramas, composite panaramas (using GigaPan), HDR, and many other tips for getting an image that the eye sees. He makes amazing (in focus) composites of fields of flowers (sunflowers in Kansas, tulips in Amsterdam) by refocusing each image and overlapping 20 to 50%, or for close-ups, keeping the camera in the same place and changing the focus only for 6 to 10 images and making a composite with Helicon Focus Lite software.
I tied to do a HDR with the photo above (bracketed 1 stop each way) but it proved unnecessary (especially since I broke the 1st rule and did not use a tripod so the photos did not align just right). Mr. Lepp uses HDR for landscapes to obtain an image the eye sees with the correct exposure from the foreground to the sky. For panoramas and managing photos, he prefers Adobe Lightroom software (recommends getting it for a 30-day free download). He backs up his work on 2 external hard drives & he gets rid of the bad shots or those that he'll never use. (My husband would be very happy with that recommendation.)
To all the dads today, Happy Father's Day.

A New Branch - Malaga Bank

The local Malaga Bank is opening a 4th branch on Crenshaw Blvd. just before Rolling Hills Road, which is still part of Torrance. I snapped this while waiting at the light, it looked nice in the afternoon light.

Moody Skywatch Friday

A mile south from the masion I posted on Wednesday, from a roadside turnoff on PV Drive West, the lighthouse and Catalina Island come into view. The lighting conditions provide a rare view of the hillside details of the island.

A and Mooch

This is my friend A and her kitty Mooch. A and I have been friends since 7th grade. Yesterday, she came to our rescue by taking our wheezing cat Smokey to the vet.

Update: It turns out that Smokey has asthma - he got some pills and seems to be doing fine today.

'V' is for Vineyard with Villa or vice-versa(abc Wednesday)

This really is in Palos Verdes. The mansion is located on Palos Verdes Drive West and has a superb view onto the ocean and Catalina Island. The vineyard is on the street side.

Green Hummer

According to hummingbirds.net, Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) is the most common hummingbird in southern California, and one of only three species that are permanent residents of the US or Canada.With average weight of 4 to 4.3 g, Anna's is the largest hummingbird seen on the west coast. This one is most likely a juvenile.

The shot was a very lucky one because, somehow, my camera setting was on ISO 1600 when the hummingbird appeared. Unfortunately, it took me a few days to figure out why most of my pictures were coming out so washed out.

Sunday's Sunset

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When nature gives you a spectacular sunset, grab the camera and drive to the closest lookout (Hesse Park in my case) and enjoy the wonder.

Cardiff State Beach (North San Diego County)

Along Hwy 101, from the Charthouse Restaurant parking area.

Pomp & Circumstance at UCSD

This is the last graduation for our family for this year with my nephew (coming onto the stage on the left) receiving his diploma in Math and Economics from the John Muir College at USCD.

On the road (SkyWatch Friday)

"Ventura Highway, in the sunshine
Where the days are longer
The nights are stronger than moonshine
You're gonna go I know

Cause the free wind is blowin' through your hair
and the day surround your daylight there
Seasons cryin' no despair
Alligator lizards in the air" - Ventura Hwy by America

...or 110 Harbor Freeway in this case, with Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro in the distance.

Graduation at Ridgecrest Intermediate

Morning Light on Palos Verdes Drive North

Yesterday photo was of the street just after getting off the Harbor Fwy on my way home, today is of the street heading toward the same freeway. The trees were lit up briefly due to the sun's angle and the slight overcast. A very large majority of the trees on the peninsula have been planted, I think that the native trees existed only is some of the canyons.

Fence, Fence, Rail, Line - on Anaheim Street

The Hill From Signal Hill (Palos Verdes Peninsula and Southern LA basin)

With "shadow" of an oil worker from the 1920's.

PVP Street Fair and Music Festival Weekend

Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual fair. (Click here for last year's post.)

Zydeco Party Band played on Saturday afternoon - all the musicians are awsome and the lead accordion player/singer was very funny and entertaining.

The band invited the two girls to up on stage and they jumped right in.

Palos Verdes Peninsula Cliffs

Looking north, from the bluff trails just north of Pt. Vicente Park.

Riders (some SkyWatch Friday)

From a trail above Ernie Howlett park (The same trail that led to the view of Torrance here.)

Gateway Tower to PVE - Detail

The “stone tower” was built by the Palos Verdes Homes Association in 1926 from the plans of the architect Clarence E. Howard submitted in Nov. 1925. Intended for a gated entrance located on Parkland, it was deeded to Palos Verdes Estates im 1939 and has been occupied by various tenants to maintain and preserve the tower. (Plaque by the PV Historical Society).

"T" is for Twenty-Niner Left at Torrance Airport

Coming in for a landing after the flight around the peninsula, on last Mother's day, with my student pilot son and his instructor.

From City of Torrance web page:
"Runways:
29R-11L 5,000 feet by 150 feet asphalt paving
29L-11R 3,000 feet by 75 feet asphalt paving
33 Degrees-48 Minutes-12.09 Seconds-North Latitude
118 Degrees-20 Minutes-19.31 Seconds-West Longitude
These two runways are capable of handling a maximum aircraft weight of 20,000 lbs. per wheel. The combination of length and weight capacity makes the runways near ideal for general aviation, but are not recommended for air carrier type aircraft.
The airport is 101 feet above sea level, and is served by an FAA Control Tower. Modem navigational safety aids are in use to assure safe takeoff and landing operations. "

Join Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday Round 4!

Urban Peacock - Good or Foul?

Many areas of PV and San Pedro are home to protected peafowl. They are gorgeous birds but very messy and noisy, so they are not very favored by the other biped residents.

June Theme Day: Feet - Café au lait

At the local coffeehouse.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants for this month's City Daily Photo theme day.