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Winter Solstice 12/22 Santa Monica Beach

12/23/2015

I wanted to wake up early and go to Malibu to make some photos of the Winter Solstice sunrise but it was too foggy at my home. I figured it would be too cloudy at Malibu, so I slept in.

But I didn't want the day to pass by without making some Solstice pictures. So I took off in the afternoon for my favorite beach in Santa Monica.

I made a lot of pictures and am still going through them, but here are three that I have come up with so far.

Stay tuned for more.

I turned away from the ocean and saw this lovely moonrise scene. There's a sharp band where the fog is moving towards the clouds.

I'll look through my pictures and see what else I can pull up.

Come back.

Krampus Final Pics

12/17/2015

I've been so busy these past few days editing the Krampuslauf pictures on my Facebook page and posting an album on my Flickr site that I have been neglecting this one.

After I posted some backstage pictures a member of the Austrian Krampus Troupe contacted me and identified himself. It was really great to see Max and his mask.

This is Max

And this is Max.

Here are some final images. They're intense.

A final goodbye.

Krampus "Green Room" Pictures

12/13/2015

Before the Krampuslauf

Krampus on the Move

12/12/2015

We're going on a Krampuslauf in DTLA.

It's a perfect night. Rain in SOCAL is just as good as snow, isn't it?

Posing for the group photo @ 4th/Main. Then on to Spring St. and a return to base.

Back at base. Safe and sound.

This was devilish fun!

Krampus Emerging Into the Night

12/12/2015

Krampus Emerged

Earlier in the "Green Room," it was time to go, so one last round!

Final preparations!

Go! Go! Go!

Oh! It's raining! Perfect!

One last picture and then on to the street!

To be Continued

Krampus Alert in Los Angeles - 2015

12/11/2015

Krampus Alert at 5th and Main!

On December 10 Moorpass Krampus from Austria and the Los Angeles Krampus Troupe took over Downtown LA. and spread their own form of Christmas cheer.

Who are Krampus? They're the creatures who take part in the Krampuslauf. This Krampus Run, held every December 5th, is meant to terrorize bad boys and girls. This is the night before St. Nicholas arrives on his day - December 6th. While St. Nicholas gives out presents to good boys and girls, parents threaten their kids that Krampus will give out whippings to the bad ones. Krampus can even go so far as to abduct the naughty ones and take them to Hell. During these cold December days, Krampus and St. Nicholas sort of hang out together.

The Krampusplauf (Krampus Run) comes from Austria and Germany. It's not a U.S. tradition but is slowly becoming one. If you're interested, here are some sites that explore Krampus in more depth:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131217-krampus-christmas-santa-devil/

I stumbled on Krampus about five years ago while I was browsing the internet and since then I've been interested to learn more about this custom. I never thought I'd see any Krampus in LA. But when I saw a posting on Facebook that there was going to be a Krampuslauf during the 2015 DTLA Art Walk, I had to go.

As you can see from this picture the Krampus is a hideous creature dressed in hides and wearing a horned mask. Sometimes the Krampus wears cow or sleigh bells, carries whips, switches or chains, and can tote a basket for carrying away the bad children.

I knew from the Facebook page that the action was going to start at The Must Restaurant on Windsor St., between 4th and 5th near Main. I arrived there just as the Moorpass Krampuses did and I followed them down the stairs and into the Krampus "Green Room" in the basement. I hung out with the Krampus for a while. We didn't talk very much - they seemed reluctant to say much and I was afraid to use what was left of my high school German; but I did get to see their costumes up close.

Some Masks:

Part of the Hide Suit:

Different Bells in a Basket:

Here's a collection of what the well-dressed Krampus wears:

St. Nick was also hanging with the Krampus. Here he is with some Krampus Greeting Cards:

This is Ned, the Krampus coordinator. He's saying "It's time to go."

And we're off to the amazing Krampuslauf.

(to be continued)

My Start in Making Pictures of Automobiles

12/9/2015

Beautiful! The shiny exhaust pipes on a 1937 Cord. I saw it at my first Culver City Auto Show back in 2008. It's still a favorite picture of mine.

Here's another detail shot. This one is a Plymouth. I called the picture "Dew Drop."

So how come I focus on the details and don't take many full-body automobile pictures as most people do? Frankly, I find only full-body pictures without the follow-up detail boring.

But the real reason goes back to 2008. I took a photography class in Hermosa Beach CA. After the introduction that covered basic camera information and scene selection, the instructor gave us a practical - go down to the main street in Hermosa Beach and make pictures at the car show there. The instructor said that there were many design details (headlights, logos, mirrors, wheels) that photographers usually overlook. He said that we didn't have to make pictures of the whole body. Don’t have to make pictures of the whole body? Is it possible?

Yes! And I was hooked. So here are a couple of my close-ups.

Hermosa Beach Pontiac:

Many circles (the car is a Rolls Royce):

Just in case you were wondering, I do make full-body pictures. Back to the 2008 Culver City Auto Show to see a Lincoln Continental and a Studebaker Champion:

Here’s another close-up. Not of an auto but it’s a close-up of one of the attendees at the Hermosa Beach show

Here's one more picture because we are all

I always go to this website for information about car shows (http://www.socalcarculture.com/events.html). You can find auto show events all year ‘round on that site, but springtime really showcases the classic cars.

This was my first exposure to making pictures of autos but it wasn’t my last. Every year I return to the Culver City Auto Show hoping to see if the beautiful 1937 Cord is back, but I never saw it again.

Stepping Into Art in Mar Vista - December 3

12/8/2015

Mar Vista night time is usually pretty dull. People gather along Venice Blvd. near Grand View to eat, shop, or get a haircut or a tattoo. Otherwise, the sidewalks are empty.

Not so last Thursday. The sidewalks and stores were alive with art and artists - painters, musicians, poets. And me.

The Mar Vista art community came out in force and it is vibrant!

Also streettogs.

What a great birth! The first Stepping Into Art in Mar Vista was truly amazing!

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