Perpetual Personal Enrichment

 

 

Signage in front of the San Diego Museum of Art for current black and white photography exhibition ‘Genesis’ by Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado at the Museum of Photographic Arts.

Lily Pond near the entrance to the Botanical Building.

One of the entrances to Prado Restaurant and its courtyard.

San Diego, CA–Class session three of nine from the photography course I’m enrolled in was a field trip to Balboa Park in San Diego. It was during the second weekend of July, 2017. I had never been to the location before and it is another place I plan to re-visit. The architecture of the museums is beautiful.

For about two hours my class learned camera techniques on a lawn near the Botanical Building and picturesque Lily Pond.

The class session ended by attending the current black and white photography exhibition ‘Genesis’ by Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado at the Museum of Photographic Arts. I especially enjoyed three photographs and I hope that prints are available online. There was a poster collection that was being sold at the museum but some of the images I wanted weren’t included.

The photographs that I enjoyed the most were; a side view of penguins in an arctic setting in a near single file formation. Some of the penguins in formation are not facing forward like the others, and one penguin is seen at its mid-dive. Another memorable photo was of a medium shot of only a whale’s tail pointing up from the water with nothing else surrounding it–I saw beauty and solitude. I also enjoyed a close up photograph of an iguana’s hand. The closeness and detail of the subject made it interesting for me. I don’t think I would have known what the subject was, had I not read the information on the title card. The quantity of photographs and the representation of various continents made for an impressive exhibition.

After the exhibition, I enjoyed a meal with my plus one at the Prado Restaurant. I had the fish taco meal and he had the steak tacos–the chimichurri sauce was his deciding factor. We chose the outside seating and had a great lunchtime.

At the time of our visit, the Botanic Garden offered free admission and the Timken Museum of Art was based on a donation for admission. We went to both after lunch.

I heard that a railroad museum and a tower tour are recommended attractions. I look forward to those and to the San Diego Museum of Art on future visits to Balboa Park.

Salgado’s exhibition at the MOPA continues through September 30th, 2017 and at the time of my visit, MOPA was also based on a donation for admission.

DTSA exposure

 

Downtown Santa Ana,CA–I completed my first photography workshop,December 2016. I realize “It’s a Romance Thing” between ISO, aperture and shutter speed. How to create a coveted sweet relationship between these exposure controls is going to take a lot of practice, but I’m committed to increase my skill level.

When the class ended, the students from my course were allowed to join in on the last couple of hours of another workshop that was being taught in the next instruction room. The topic was lighting. I’m glad I ceased the opportunity to get the insight.

Before starting the hour plus commute back home… I ate tortilla chips, coffee, molé poblano con pollo, rice and beans at a restaurant in the next building–it was a quiet but beautiful and festive environment to digest–the meal and the new knowledge.