Larry's Photo Gallery

Those who know me, know I don't drive (never driven) and I get a lot of time to appreciate my town of home and work - San Andreas, on my little more than a mile commute I see lots of nice scenes. This was taken November 2007, on my walk home - couldn't ask for a better day.

Many of the photos I take are while my wife and I are traveling in our car. Even with a digital camera it can be done (the Olympus D-460 Zoom is what I have been using for a while, kinda slow in displaying photos but really good optics and capture speed.) The main challenge is to quickly plan your shots in advance because it takes a second to get the camera ready and then about five more afterwards till you can take another picture. Many of the drive-bys are just one of several attempts over the past couple years to get the images right.

This was unexpected, I was trying to take a picture of the circuitry of the 1950s era JOHNIAC computer and I got a picture of myself taking a picture of the circuitry. It certainly made the shot more interesting.

The other significant windfarm, in California, besides the Altamont one, is the one surrounding the Tehacapi Pass, and can be seen on Highway 58 travelling between barstow and Bakersfield. On our past few treks for CommVEx I get a chance to snap some of these. Last year my new camera come up with this, and the totally cool, free and Linux compatible program, Picasa was able to add some vibrancy.

One of the more interesting sights for passengers traveling around the San Francisco Bay area to the San Joaquin valley are the vast wind-farms that line the coastal range between the bay and the valley. There aren't wind farms all over California, just mainly around there and near Bakersfield to the south.

You will notice there are different types of energy generating windmills in these shots. One that I could not get a clear shot is the more unique ones I like to think of looking like big mechanical egg beaters.

Sometimes luck in timing plays a big role in making a photo great.

Besides the right lighting I find clouds in the background adds a nice quality to far-away shots. Makes me want to get out more on bright days with clouds.

Many people in the US are more familiar seeing these type of windmills, which are used to pump water up from wells in the ground. Many fill watering troughs for cattle. There are a few more shots of these Windmills on my old buildings and scenery pictures page.

A nice picture of one of the "areomotor" type pumping windmills, and one of the cows it provides water for.

Leaving the apartment in the morning you are greated with a different scene just about every day. Thisone was quite nice.

Very rarely do we get any snow, in March 2006, this is the most I've seen fall in the 30 years I've lived in town. We seem to have a better chance of a white St. Patricks Day or Easter than a white Christmas.

On my morning walks to work I am sometimes greeted by spectacular sights in the sky such as this.

Contrary to popular belief many Californians fear other natural disasters more than earthquakes (All buildings must meet earthquake safety code), Fire, flooding, and other disasters we are less prepared for. An all too regular happening in california are the wildfires, many burning thousands of acres in as little as a day, lack of access roads and plenty of grass and trees makes many fires quickly become out of control. This fire was just a few miles from our home, definately not something you want to see out your window. Fire season is from as early as May to as late as Movember in this area.

For about a month out of the year somewhere around April, the hills of the motherlode are the greenest they can be. No wonder that is the time of year they do a lot of house sales. Though, I am sure glad such vistas aren't snapped up to put up an ugly house or hide it behind a fence.

This is a well preserved schoolhouse next to the Department of Forestry in Angels Camp. Certainly brings the old days back to life.

Not all buildings can be preserved and over the years they gracefully wither and fade, and yet still retain that alluring rustic charm . This particular one, a schoolhouse caught my eye a few years back, and has been a favorite to snap shots of when we drive by.

I had the opportunity one time to stop and take a few shots of it close up, it was way too dangerous to enter at this stage in it's existence.

Within a year after the picture above was taken, a late Fall wind and rain storm finally knocked down much of the school house. Like many gold-rush era towns, Milton was a large booming community than a century ago - now, it is hard to notice, with the few scattered homes and sparse buildings that remain.

Visting cemeteries in the old cities and towns can tell you a lot about the area, such as how long ago people lived there, their nationalities, and when there were plagues that swept the area. Some of these old cemeteries are now lost as the owns that they were next to have since dissapeared.  This cemetery is on Hwy 12, near San Andreas.

The little spots you drive by all so often are sometimes the most amazing looking, this pond is a good example.

A beautiful long-distance peek at one of California's many resiviors as we snake on the windy foothill highway. It being so close to San Andreas it gives us our share of fog during the fall and winter, even so far in-land.  This image was taken a few years back as the railroad in the shot no longer exists.

I really like these lone little buildings sometimes they are just well houses other times the homes that they were next to have long since dissapeared. This building, BTW is no more, taken down a coule years back.

One of the few lucky moments I caught a good shot of a horse gazing out of this horse excersize barn (I was recently corrected on this, also of note was the design did not require a central pillar.). I really like to get pictures of animails in ther environments. Unfortunately this barn no longer stands, as it was enventually taken down.

A very opportunistic angle makes this shot look more rustic than it really is, just a little to the left are modern ranch buildings and to the right a shopping center. Since this picture the addition of a cyclone fence and some concrete drainage makes this shot a whole lot harder to frame. I think havingthe clouds in the background adds character to a landscape shot.

One particular hillside is known to have the most wonderful poppies display every few years, this was from a few miles out. (photo circa 2001.)

Here is a closer view of all the poppies, the hill is actually at a very steep grade (about 45 degree angle)

Even though this bridge looks like it supports train tracks, it actually is a bridge for trucks to transport material tofrom the former Calaveras Cenent Plant which was East of town.

Here is a shot I took returning from the valley, it was interesting effect of seeing the moon as well as the reflection of sunset. Many sunset pictures don't turn out well with a digital camera (they tend to take in all the light).

This was taken a few days after the Leonard Fire that's why it is so smoky. I really like the old truck in the field.

For the past few years I've been fortunate to attend a conference away from the monitor at Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove. Almost all the nature of camping when I was a kid with almost all the ammenities of staying in a hotel, with meetings all day. And monterey nearby at night. Even if you aren't planning a conference the rooms are availalbe for families at reasonable rates, Here's a Link to thier site

Go down the the beach early morning and think, because of all the mist and haze that you won't get anything interesting.. until you almost arrive back where you came from.

Even before you walk down the path to the beach, there is a refreshing view.

Two years ago there was bit more color in the sunlight and picked up some nice yellow tints. Makes you want to kick off your shoes and go for a stroll in the sand..

Last year the weather was pretty cold but the clouds did break now and again to provide an excellent reflection on the wet sand.. clouds make great backgrounds.

These are taken in early fall, its a bit nippy but if there's a sun the pictures are spectacular.

Monterey (which is just a few miles away) is a protected bay and has a lot more wildlife than some areas as commercial fishing is prohibited within it's limits.

These pictures make excellent desktop backgrounds by the way...

I though that might make a nice desktop backdrop too.

Very quaint but touristy is Monterey's Cannery Row, a digital camera does interesting thigs with lights in a low-light area (don't use flash).

These were taken around 9pm when it seems all the stores are closing for the evening.

Coming back from Monterey we stopped at San Juan Bautista, one of the Mission towns. The California Missions, dating back to the 1600s are very impressive. This one was partly used in the Hitchcock Thriller Vertigo, but it does not look all like the one in the film (they added an extra tall bell tower)

No wonder no one could find Gilligan and the castaways, the Minnow ran ashore near Tehachapi Pass on the way to Las Vegas!.

When I see this sign it reminds me of how truly progressive Calaveras county is, as you can clearly see this sign is intended for the cows which we have tought to read. Though from the message they still need to work on their manners.

When Sacramento was renovating the Watt Ave Bridge over the American River they had placed thier equipment unreacahle by hoisting it on cranes. Not sure what I am going to do with this picture but I'll surely figure out a funny caption for it eventually.

Over the period of a couple weeks an abandoned truck on the side of the road was systematically stripped; before it eventually dissapeared I took this photo of it.

Being the geek I am I try to make a point to visit 'Nerd-vana' (Fry's Electronics) whenever I can, this Frys has a distinct design, coupled with the proper angle near some shade trees one gets the impression of coming out of the heavy rainforest to find an ancient... or maybe not.. civilization.

If you want to see more Fry's store designs I have a few in my VCF pages and there is also the Fry's Photo Project website.

One rainy evening I snapped this structure on the way home, it reminds me of something out of Star Wars...

What could have happend to this tree? From what I've been told, it was the dilligent work of a bored schoolgirl waiting for the bus every morning.

At one Gaming convention I attended (called Adventurers' Inn) this gentleman (a live-action-role-player) was doing a bit at entrance security, I really liked the composition with him and the cars in the background. Now if only I had a chance to follow him to the store when he later went on a supplies run.

For about a year San Andreas was all abuz about the prospect of getting a McDonalds in our town (yeah, that is an accurate placement for the sign), it would have been the first McDonalds in our county. But unfortunately the grassy spot where it was planned still reamins a grassy spot without the sign.

The restraunt that this sign belongs to seems to be long gone but I find it very interesting to look at when we drive by it.

State troopers (called the California Highway Patrol here) don't mess around, they just flip a switch on thier radar guns from 'check' to 'microwave'.

Not only do they zap you with thier radar, they also enforce speed with aircraft. I have yet to see on of them planes swoop out of the sky to arrest someone though. (as a side note there are other signs that do say 'checked by radar' and 'checked by aircraft'...)

One of the more pleasant driving locations for us.

It's hard to get an impressive photo of this magnificent bridge because you have to take pictures so far away to get it all to fit in the frame.

I really need to have my wife stop and take some really good pictures of this spot, something about it makes me smile.

This was taken one early morning on the way to work, one of the true 'postcard views' of San Andreas.

On some days you are lucky and see to the other side of the California central valley from here, which is about 60 miles, the other direction is pretty impossible as the valley is at least 500 miles long

a lot of accidents happen on these windy rural roads, even with all those signs people still nod off or loose control now and again.

You get to see a lot of computers that made history here, the new exhibit area is very spacious and friendly as you can see.

IBM really got thier start as a business machine company with these machines which revolutionized tabulating the United States 1890 census.

A very impressive display of what the old iron machines looked like. (and probably the BEST desktop picture in this whole set!)

Back in the 30s and 40s some of the most important computers were made with only gears, this is a reproduction of one.

The perfect desktop background for the Commodore fan in your life.

Even if you don't go into the Tech, you can be entertained by this kinetic sculpture which is outside the museum.

These curious birds seem as facinated by us apssing by as we are of them standing there.

Egrets like the take thier rest breaks in ponds, marshes and irrigation canals. We see many of them throughout the year in the area.

For a few weeks this little fellow helpd keep my computer area free from any pesky flys snd such.

Paul's pet koi fish.

Its interesting to see how some critters are raised, I would have never guessed roosters each get thier own little coop.

Besides having really good mexican food this little assistant makes sure the floor is kept clean and bug free too.

if you look closely at the rock face Diane is looking at you will see sheep's butts sticking out, at first we thtrought they were rocks.

Here is a better view of the sheep, I made a postcard of a similar picture titling it 'Sheep Miners of the Mother Lode'.

On a particular strech of rad near Oakdale one has a very good chance of seeing squirrels on or near the fenceposts, I have taken many shots of them and here are some of my best.

We have yet to get a picture of them on a REALLY hot day, during those times they hang on the wire fence like they are laundry in the wind to keep themselves cool.

We have started noting others at locastions other then here but not as easily, just scan the fencelines whenever you are around large pastured areas with no trees around. This was a very good day for squirrel sighting, there are three in this picture (one to the extreme left on the post, another on the post in the middle and one climbing down.