Tag Archives: San Diego
How to Make Something Beautiful (part two)
Japanese woodblock: my vintage Canon F-1n (20mm f/2.8) Start with something completely familiar – like an analog single lens reflex. Find a chunk of clear Douglas fir and sketch directly to … Continue reading
Why I Shoot Film – Part One
Roadside Gas Station (retired), National City California Film has built-in limitations – but it’s honest. It has reciprocity problems and grain, but it’s film grain – not noise. You can’t shoot a 16 bit digital frame and desaturate it to … Continue reading
Jim Hubbell’s Skunkworks
James Hubbell – in the workshop, Santa Ysabel California You could call Jim Hubbell an artist, but you’d have to stretch the definition to cover drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, stained glass work, mosaics, jewelry, poetry and philosophy – and that … Continue reading
The Salt Mines
Western Salt Works, Chula Vista California In November of 1996 while driving around California on a magazine assignment I came across the Western Salt Works at the southern end of San Diego Bay. From the beginning I’d been interested in … Continue reading
Simple, Reliable & Classic
Broken Hill – Torrey Pines State Reserve, San Diego California Whenever I get out of sync with the world, I go back to the basics. With surfing it’s always been a big single-fin pintail. For everything else there’s my Rolleiflex. … Continue reading
How To Make Something Beautiful (part one)
Wood-block print: Rolleiflex f/3.5 with rare reversed D. Start with something you love. It has to be the kind of thing you can’t leave alone, something with a pleasing heft, well made and beautiful. Like an old Rollei. Find a … Continue reading
Zig-Zag Modern at San Diego Gas & Electric
The architectural style we all know as Mid-Century Modern has its roots in pre-war Berlin and if you want to follow the logic backwards to the absolute beginning you’ll find Walter Gropius at the headwaters of this design idea as … Continue reading
Flat Rock, Torrey Pines Beach
As the very last winter storm passed through Southern California, I hustled down the Flat Rock trail from the state park above with this photograph in mind. Intermittent rain, big clouds and wind were on the menu. I was carrying … Continue reading
Field Notes: John Durant Photographer 