Southern California Photography by Alan Pavlik, editor and publisher of Just Above Sunset
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Photos and text, unless otherwise noted, Copyright © 2006 - Alan M. Pavlik

If you use any of these photos for commercial purposes I assume you'll discuss that with me

These were shot with a Nikon D70 - using lens (1) AF-S Nikkor 18-70 mm 1:35-4.5G ED, or (2) AF Nikkor 70-300mm telephoto, or after 5 June 2006, (3) AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor, 55-200 mm f/4-5.6G ED. They were modified for web posting using Adobe Photoshop 7.0

The original large-format raw files are available upon request.

Contact the Editor


Visitors from February 28, 2006, 10:00 am Pacific Time to date -


Saturday, 9 December 2006
Wow
Topic: Botanical Studies

Wow

Early December in Los Angeles, this just off Mulholland Drive -

Extreme Poinsettia, just off Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills


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Friday, 8 December 2006
Noted in Passing
Topic: Light and Shadow

Noted in Passing

In one of the minor local newspapers out here, in this case the Marina del Rey Argonaut (published Thursdays with a print run of 42,000), there's this -
The always graceful and dignified tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain are again paying a visit to Marina del Rey - from Thursday through Wednesday, December 7th to 13th.

They are in town just long enough to conduct some educational cruises for children, open their decks to the public for tours and day trips and take part in the annual Holiday Boat Parade.

While many have seen the square-rigged brig Lady Washington on the silver screen in the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean films, now the community can enjoy the reality of both of these most accurate replicas and take a journey into the late 1700s, when a life at sea was probably the most risky and threatening work there was.

The rest of the item covers the history of the two ships and days of sail and all that sort of thing. Here's they are, passing Venice Beach on their way in. Marina del Rey is just a mile south.

Tall ships passing Venice Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tall ships passing Venice Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tall ships passing Venice Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tall ships passing Venice Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tall ships passing Venice Beach


Posted by Alan at 6:42 PM PST | Post Comment | Permalink
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Thursday, 7 December 2006
Professional Graffiti
Topic: Graphics

Professional Graffiti

In the alleys behind Melrose Avenue, on the south side of the street, the walls are covered with what can only be considered professional graffiti, which may be a contradiction in terms. It is hardly spontaneous. It's very carefully done. Perhaps there's a local camber of commerce that commissions all this, so tourists from Iowa who wander back there will be amazed at the hipness of the neighborhood, and stick around and spend more money in the trendy stores. Perhaps the trendy stores all chip in to pay for the work. Or perhaps it is only the result of "people power" after all, and done on a whim, even if it seems a bit too slick to be whimsical. In the slanted winter light it begs to be photographed. Why argue?

Graffiti wall, the alley behind Melrose Avenue, south of Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graffiti wall, the alley behind Melrose Avenue, south of Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop sign, Melrose Avenue, south of Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graffiti wall, the alley behind Melrose Avenue, south of Hollywood


Posted by Alan at 5:53 PM PST | Post Comment | Permalink
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Wednesday, 6 December 2006
Color Studies
Topic: Color Studies

Color Studies

Color Studies - Melrose Avenue, Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Pink wall, Melrose Avenue, just south of Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store Window, Melrose Avenue, just south of Hollywood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green wall, Melrose Avenue, just south of Hollywood


Posted by Alan at 4:08 PM PST | Post Comment | Permalink
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Tuesday, 5 December 2006
Off to Bayonne
Topic: Guest Photography

Off to Bayonne

Our friend the high-powered Wall Street attorney looked out his office window this morning and saw this, the USS Intrepid in the Hudson River. The details of what was going on are below the picture, including - "As the Intrepid passed the World Trade Center site, about 20 former crew members unfurled a 50-feet by 90-feet American flag and stood in a silent salute."

The USS Intrepid being towed to Bayonne, New Jersey, for renovations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Associated Press explanation -

A month after a failed attempt to move the USS Intrepid, the historic aircraft carrier was finally freed Tuesday from the Hudson River anchorage where it had sat for nearly a quarter of a century as a museum.

"This old baby is moving," a joyous Intrepid Foundation President Bill White said aboard the vessel. Some crew members cried and gave each other high-fives and hugs. Onlookers ashore cheered.

"It's like it used to be, only better. There's no bloodshed," said elated passenger Felix Novelli, who served on the Intrepid crew during World War II. "I'm 18 again. And I have my beautiful broad right here, my ship Intrepid."

As the Intrepid passed the World Trade Center site, about 20 former crew members unfurled a 50-feet by 90-feet American flag and stood in a silent salute.

The trip began with considerable effort, the historic aircraft carrier-turned-museum inched haltingly away from its anchorage. Finally, it began moving at about 3 to 4 knots, its pier growing more and more distant.

"Move baby, move baby!" the crew and passengers yelled. Then, "We did it, we did it!"

In the previous attempt, thick mud had proved too strong for six "tractor tugs" exerting some 30,000 horsepower. Another battle occurred this time, too - the blue water was churned dark brown as tugboats strained to budge the giant vessel from its longtime home.

"If she doesn't move, we are going to jump in and push her," a former crew member, 84-year-old Joe Cobert, said on the Intrepid's deck before the behemoth began to move on Tuesday.

Asked later if he was glad he didn't have to push the ship, Cobert said, "We did push. All the crew members. How do you think we got out of there?"

Recalling his years on the ship, Cobert said, "It brings back memories. It was always thrilling when we were under way. We'd yell to everyone onshore, 'See Ya when we get back.'"

The smaller boats moved the ship stern first into the center of the Hudson River, then nudged the bow until it was parallel with the shore and began heading downstream.

The carrier was being towed, still backward, down the river toward New York Harbor for a five-mile trip to a shipyard in Bayonne, N.J., where it will undergo renovations.

A Fire Department boat sailed alongside the Intrepid, shooting red, white and blue colored water from its hoses. River traffic resumed after being halted while the ship was pulling away from the pier.

Three weeks of dredging removed nearly 40,000 cubic yards of muck from under the ship and around its four giant screws. Based on an assessment by military engineers and tugboat operators, officials had said they expected a smooth departure for the 64-year-old World War II hero ship.

In the first attempt on Nov. 6, the 36,000-ton carrier moved only a few feet before the propellers dug into the bottom, the tide dropped, and the mission was scrubbed.

The second effort seemed almost like a stealth version of the first, without the ceremonial trappings. Instead of VIPs, only officials, journalists and ex-crew members were on deck.

"I don't know how moving an aircraft carrier around in New York could ever be low-key, but we had the celebratory event the first time and we are not having that again," White said earlier.

The Intrepid survived five Japanese kamikaze suicide plane attacks and lost 270 crew members in the last two years of the Pacific war. It later served off Korea and Vietnam and as a recovery ship for NASA astronauts.

Decommissioned in the late 1970s, it was destined for the salvage yard when rescued by New York developer Zachary Fisher and transformed into a floating military and space museum that opened in 1982, recently drawing upward of 700,000 visitors a year.

Intrepid officials said the $60 million overhaul, lasting up to two years, would include stem-to-stern "refurbishment and renovation" to repair deterioration and open up long-closed areas to the public. The ship's exhibits were put in storage and most of its 20-plus vintage warplanes shrink-wrapped for protection during the hiatus.
Shrink-wrapped vintage warplanes? Cool.

Photograph Copyright © 2006 - M. A. Hewitt, all rights reserved


Posted by Alan at 12:21 PM PST | Post Comment | Permalink
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