I call them hookbills or Hook Bills although I do not know what they are called. I just enjoyed watching them work for their supper.Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 21:58:45, 420mm, 1/1800sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.
Part of the show at Pismo Beach was a few of these birds. I do not know what they are called, but I call them “Hook Bills”, for an obvious reason. They were working the surf right at the leading edge, probing for a bit of supper. I watched them follow the water out as the wave retreated, using that bill to search a few centimeters into the sand.
Eventually, each came up with a bit of food. Again, I could not identify what it was that they were eating, but they were definitely finding supper.
They provided me with some late afternoon entertainment… and a few good frames.
It was a good day. Life is good.
I watched these birds work the surf, looking for supper. They all got lucky once in a while. Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 22:07:38, 420mm, 1/2400sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.
I saw several fishermen working the surf. I did not see much caught. But, like this young woman, they were all as serious as the hookbills. I think the Hook Bills did better, though. However, I think I am the real winner, though. Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 22:01:57, 420mm, 1/1600sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.
I really enjoyed the show after I finished my POTA activation at Pismo Beach. Once the station was recovered and stowed, The Girl and I had a big play. She loved running around sniffing at the piles of seaweed on the shore. Sometimes she found something to eat (yuck) and was told to drop it. Sometimes she dropped it, sometimes she darted off to munch whatever it was before I could catch her.
She ran at me and bit at my boots, which caused me to dance around and then play grab ass. We ran down to the edge of the sea and she pattered about the water, but stayed clear of the incoming surf.
After a few minutes of play, we returned to the rig. I then turned it around to face west, into the Sun. I retrieved my X-T5 from the bag and affixed the 70-300mm tele-zoom and the 1.4x teleconverter to the camera. We spent the next couple of hours before sunset watching the show.
There were three fishermen working the surf. The young woman was part of a pair that were fishing to my left (south) and the light presented them well. She was the closer of the two and was turned facing into the Sun such that her face was illuminated. Her focus captured my attention, so I made a few images of her as she worked.
People working at something always fascinate me. The better they are at the work, the more interesting the become. So it was with this young woman.
I did not see any fish taken from the sea on this outing. That does not mean none were taken; just that I did not see any caught.
I continued to work the scene until the Sun fell far enough behind the cloud bank on the horizon to take the light. That was between 1930–2000h and I started to get hungry. So, we packed it in and headed into town for me to get some supper and then to our room, where The Girl got hers. Yes, she did get a bit of my halibut on my return to the rig. I almost always pay the dog tax.
It was a good day. I remain grateful, because life is good.
I had a few hours after the site walk, so I decided to take in Pismo Beach. Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 22:37:31, 16mm, 1/900sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.
To the best of my recollection, it has been more than 50 years since I last set foot on Pismo Beach. The time was the mid-1970s and my Dad’s dad had terminal throat cancer. We decided to go see the west coast family and see grandpa off.
It was in late March, so we decided to take the south route. We had friends at Los Alamos, so we spent one night there visiting Frank and Christy. Then we headed on to the LA Basin to visit Pat and Beth, then turn north. We spent a couple of days with them, before turning north to see family for a few more days. There are many stories from our short stay with our old friends, but not for now.
On our way north, we stopped for a few minutes at Pismo Beach. There I made a capture with Dad’s Argus C3 (the brick) on Kodachrome. My composition was so awful because I did not notice the “No Parking” sign right in the middle of the frame. The sunset was gorgeous, but ruined by the sign.
We paused there for a few minutes to listen to the surf, before heading on to our hotel for the night.
Thursday, after completing the day’s work, I found myself with a few hours. I booked two nights at the hotel, expecting that we would not finish early enough to make the trip home. So, after a short nap, The Girl and I headed to the beach to spend a few hours. I wanted to activate the park (ATNO) and had a small camera kit built around the Fujifilm X-T5. I paid the permit fee, asked the young man working the entry about best places, and received direction to find a place clear of people. Heh…
This time I drove on the beach. We motored along the way to the south until I found an area that others decided was unacceptable. I deployed my station and wondered how I would hear over the sound of wind and surf. Fortunately, I found a set of earbuds in the radio kit (sometimes I am actually smart) and stowed the hearing aids.
With the station setup, I started hunting POTA activators on the 20m band. I worked a few of them using both phone and code, then picked a frequency, spotted myself, and started calling to announce my availability to take calls. I worked the radio for about an hour, logging plenty of contacts to make the activation, and then turned off the radio. I just sat there for a few minutes, listening and watching the surf, the birds picking at the sand, and the passersby.
After a few minutes, I recovered the station and got The Girl out of the rig. There was no one close, so we played grab ass off-lead for a while. She did the attack-the-boots thing she sometimes does, and we had a great time. She hunted the piles of seaweed for things to eat while I chased her off of them, not particularly caring for the thought of kisses later.
With her energy burned off, I turned the rig around to face the surf and retrieved my camera bag. There were two lenses to use in that kit — the Fujinon 16-55mm f/2.8 zoom and the 70-300mm slow zoom. But, I also had the Fujinon 1.4TC in the kit, which really extended the reach of the telephoto lens.
So I spent the next couple of hours watching the Sun set, making images of the birds hunting for nibbles in the surf, watching a pair of surf fishers working the waves, and watching others pass through my field of view. I also spent some time remembering the stop there with Wife so many years ago. I think she would love the place again, waiting patiently while I played radio and then photographer while reading her book and enjoying the place.
Yeah, that would be what she did. Then we would have gone into town for some supper and talk. Yes, she is still missed.
Doggo and I recently celebrated our sixth anniversary together. Well, she enjoyed the celebration even if the time does not mean much to her. That means Sera is between seven- and eight-years old. I do mark the time.
As the Sun set, we headed back into town. I drove to The Quarterdeck, a small restaurant near the hotel. It is a little dated, but the food is pretty good. I had blackened halibut and a margarita. I even saved a bit for The Girl, who quickly munched it when I returned to the rig. Then we called it a night.
I saw many interesting things during my few hours at Pismo Beach. This pair of equestrians were just one of them. Captured with X-T5, 2026-04-23 22:23:51, 16mm, 1/2700sec, f/8, ISO-1600, light processing with PhotoLab 7.
I walked to the pharmacy a few days ago and came back a different route. I think Young Son would probably like this place. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-03-28 15:03:59, Fujinon 23mm f/2, 1/480sec, f/8, ISO-500, post in PhotoLab7.
Life continues to be very busy with project work. That seems to be the case looking forward over the next months. Then, maybe, the workload will let up a bit for other things.
Do not get me wrong, I am very grateful for the work. I am a little less pleased with myself for saying “Yes” too many times. The resulting workload (self-inflicted) is a little challenging, but I will get through it.
Regarding the image, a couple weeks ago I decided to walk to the local pharmacy and pick up a waiting prescription. I carried the new-to-me Fujifilm X-Pro3 with the little Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens affixed to the body. This is a favored focal length for street photographers. But there was nothing going on in suburbia.
But… I knew there was an interesting store of some kind on the south side of Fairview, so I walked home that way. What I found is a place I think Young Son would really like — a game store. I went inside and walked around a bit. There were a couple of small groups playing MTG in the back room and a few interesting items on the shelves in the storefront. I chatted with the young man working the counter, and then left. I might go back to peruse the movies as there might be something to add to my collection.
In any event, I came home with a nice capture. I converted this one in Photolab 7.
I remain grateful. I remain prayerful, at least most days. Life is good.
While on walkies with The Girl, I came across this sandwich board, seen many times, but this time I stopped and made a capture. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-04-14 10:16:18, Voigtlandar 35mm, 1/22000sec, f/1.4, ISO-160, light processing in PhotoLab 7.
Two reports are now completed. It was a hard push to get the work done and generate the reports. With them complete, it is now time to turn my attention to the next projects needing it. That will be another hard push, I expect. But, that is the consulting business. At least I will get a small break before the pressure builds again.
I just finished Alex Kilbee’s video about Steven Shore, a photographer was was active in the 1970s and whose work is considered by many to be of mundane subjects. But, there is something special in his treatment of ordinary things and scenes, and Killbee did a good job of pointing out what makes Shore’s photographs important.
I will buy at least one of Shore’s photo books to spend some time with. That will be fun and maybe I will learn something.
The Girl and I got out about noon for a short walk before my next meeting. I carried the Fujifilm X-Pro3 with a new-to-me Voigtlander 35mm f/1.2 manual focus lens affixed to the camera. It is a lovely little lens that matches the rangefinder aesthetic well. There is a jeweler not far from our place and they had their sandwich board displayed on the sidewalk. So, I paused to make an image of it with Fairview Avenue in the background.
While not the same as Shore’s lovely images, it is reminiscent of his use of ordinary scenes to display something special. Perhaps I managed to capture a little of that in my own.
I will spend some time working today, but also some time recovering. I am grateful for the work and for its completion. Life is good.
While out and about one evening, I noticed the light on the renewed Legislature Building. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-01-29 16:11:30, 23mm, 1/550sec, f/9, ISO-640, light processing in PhotoLab 7.
I have another big push on a project to make. But, I decided that I must do some things that are self care. One of them is a bit of writing here. Another is a bit of photography while out and about.
I have been carrying the Fujifilm X-Pro3 quite a bit since I purchased it. It generally has one of the small Fujinon primes mounted, sometimes called the f/2 line. Not all of them are f/2, of course, but a good number of them are. Most are weather sealed. None have any in-body image stabilization. They might not focus particularly fast as well.
All are good, optically. I think the weakest is 18mm f/2, in part because it is the oldest and in part because it is a pancake lens.
On this particularly outing I had the Fujinon 23mm f/2 mounted to the camera. The light was good.
Life is good. I am grateful, particularly on this Easter morning.
On the trail Sunday afternoon with The Girl, I noticed this BLM marker for the trail we were on. I like the contrast, so I made the capture. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-02-15 12:43:59, 27mm, 1/1900sec, f/8, ISO-640, in-camera Monochrome-R film simulation, SOOC.
I am having some fun learning the Fujifilm X-Pro3. I decided to mount the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 pancake on the body and carry it for a few outings. I have the second generation model that has an aperture ring. (It is absolutely necessary for my style of shooting.) The small size of the lens makes for a very small package. I like it.
It is a decent lens. It might not have the character of some of my other glass, but the form factor sort of makes up for that.
On the trail, I noticed this BLM trail marker. I wanted to do something with it, so here it is. Enjoy.
This was something, once. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-01-28 11:57:38, 23mm, 1/640sec, f/8, ISO-640, Classic Chrome film simulation, in camera.
I am in a busy season, once again. But I still carry a camera daily. An image does not always present itself, or I am not paying sufficient attention to see the image presented.
Walkies through the sagebrush out at Silver Saddle Ranch sometimes provides an interesting image. This pile of boards, while presenting a hazard for doggo with respect to exposed nails (and later the possibility of a rattlesnake hide), was something, once. It might have been a door or gate. Or maybe a platform for some other purpose. There was clearly a structure in the area by virtue of other ruins. But I do not know what it was.
In any event, the area provided some fodder for a daily image.
I photographed this survey marker before. While playing with the Fuji X-Pro3, I decided it could use another look. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-01-25 12:20:53, 35mm, 1/8000sec, f/2.8, ISO-400, Acros film recipe (PhotoLab 7).
This marker has been on the top of this post for several years now. I have used it as a subject for an image a number of times, usually when testing a camera, lens, or a film stock. So, when hiking through the Silver Saddle Ranch compound, I noticed it once again while playing with the Fuji X-Pro3 and a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens combination.
The background for this capture is usually interesting, particularly as the seasons change. The cottonwoods provide an interesting out of focus palette of tones in both black and white and color renderings.
So, I like to make a capture of this subject when playing with a camera, or a lens, or a film stock (which includes simulations).
On another topic, I have my guitars back in shape. I retrieved my classical Thursday, after a fret rework. I will be working on finding the right string set for that guitar; one that will provide a nice tonal complement to the cedar top and be more comfortable for me to play.
I will enjoy working with it this year and, hopefully, for a few more years to come.
A bit of Mormon Tea against an out of focus view of Carson City and Mount McLellan. Captured with X-Pro3, 2026-01-26 14:25:43, 16mm, 1/8000sec, f/2.8, ISO-640, Acros-R film simulation (in-camera), SOOC.
Last week, I had The Girl outdoors for walkies/hiking at Silver Saddle Ranch, our favorite Winter haunt. The days are extraordinarily warm for now and so hiking is pleasant without the Winter Bite. We do need more snow, though.
I rented a Fujifilm X-Pro3 body from (a href=”https://lensrentals.com”>Lensrentals a couple of weeks ago and have been putting the camera through its paces. It has a relatively low shutter count (about 15K actuations) and the body is pretty clean, I would say very good with only a little paint lost here and there and a mark on the bottom plate from tripod use or something else. The hybrid optical viewfinder is interesting and I can see why the rangefinder-style body is so popular, especially with street shooters. I am liking what I see and this camera is probably good for a lot of my daily carry outings where I do not need to extra size of the X-T5 for larger lenses or the in-body stabilization for low-light.
I have been in something of a photographic rut, needing some inspiration or a photographic ass-kicking to restart my observational skills. So, I elected to mount a lens I do not often use, the Fujinon 16mm f/2.8 that is in my inventory. I tend to have a telephoto eye, so do not usually use a wide-angle lens. So, I thought mounting one might shake up my vision a little.
Well, it did make me look at things a little differently. I am really enjoying the in-camera Acros and Monochrome film simulations, and am playing with the Classic Chrome simulation as well. I have not programmed any of the film recipes into this camera. I will play with those Fuji provided for awhile first.
I noticed the juxtaposition of the Mormon Tea against the McLellan backdrop, so I open up the aperture to put the background somewhat out of focus, framed the shot, and made the capture. I rather like the contrast of the in- and out-of-focus areas. I did not post processing of the image other than resizing.
It was a good day in the field. I am having a lot of good days in the field. I love hiking with The Girl. I am grateful. Life is good.
