I’m taking a hiatus from photography. Too many things to do between work and family, and personal hobbies and interests take a back seat. I’m tired of fighting the urge and of trying to get better and be a decent photographer. It is not in the cards for now. I made it this far, and I’m pleased, but there are more important priorities.

Mind you, I will still take pictures. They will just be opportunistic family and stroll photography pictures. And I have a growing stash of photo books to study. And I have many unprocessed pictures yet to be discovered. And soon I hope to be interviewing other photographers for a photography forum I’m involved with. Even in the cracks there is a lot to learn.

It is what it is. Set aside until later in life. I’ve had discussions with other photographers about this. It seems the mid-life photographer is the most hard pressed; we are not young and untethered or older and untethered. We have commitments, we are in the thick of it.

I said hiatus… see ya soon.

An old industrial building that is now a parking lot. I am still uncertain about these pictures but there is something vaguely interesting to me in each one. At any rate it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything industrial.

We are on track for the second lowest rainfall in December on record in California, attributed to a mild La Nina. The prediction is for normal rainfall starting around mid-January. If true, with the amount of rain we had last year, a light year this year will not put us back into drought. Everyday the weather is predictable: 45-55 degrees and sunny.

Photographically speaking, the lack of rain and real winter weather has dampened my interest in taking pictures. Still, I trudge through.

The full set here.

Click images to view full size.

Captured on my morning run. When I go out for exercise, being who I am and having to consolidate free time activities, I take a camera along. This morning I made the mistake of going a little further and taking a trail in Tilden Park. Put trail + Tilden Park together and, well, time has a way of stretching out.

These slightly sepia toned images are appealing to me these days. I’m not sure why. It may be that the slight warmth fits the nature of the material more so than a cool gray, without looking too old fashioned. I’ll have to study this.

My son is an inveterate collector. My wife, I think, forced him to decide what to keep from the stash on the front porch, and this was it, laid out just so. The rest goes. My daughter seems more inclined to let go of things. That is, unless her brother has it.

Today, he asked for some pen and paper while driving to the store. In the short time that we drove there he had drawn a beautifully complex maze. He has an eye for space – an architect in the making.

Been quiet around here, but a lot of activity behind the scenes.