• Mission Street Photowalk

      Published on October 12, 2024

      I love the Mission. Specifically, I love the less gentrified parts of it. There's still so much life and culture; DJs spinning records on the street, bands playing live Latin jazz, record stores where you can explore cumbria, and Indigenous dance groups that perform at the many plazas.

      Despite its many problems, the Mission is where I default to for food, adventure and fun. And to just generally feel alive.

      I took all of these photos on my iPhone yesterday.

      an iphone photo of a window with very symmetrical features

      Windows.

      an iphone photo of a guatemalan sandwich

      Universal Bakery has a wonderful torta de carne asada. With a huge block of salty cheese. It's the perfect sandwich for me.

      an iphone photo of colorful mosaic tiles

      I love the colors of the Mission.

      an iphone photo of colorful stairs

      More colors.

      an iphone photo of a school

      Ever since I started shooting medium format on film, I've much preferred square or 1:1 photos. It helps me see the world in a different way.

    • City Hall, Doubled

      Published on March 18, 2024
      a scan of a black and white film negative of san francisco city hall with a double exposure
      Minolta Hi-Matic 7S II, Kodak T-Max 400, Xtol stock @ 12:45, scanned on Noritsu LS-600)

      An accidental double exposure of City Hall, San Francisco.

    • Waiting for dimsum

      Published on February 1, 2024

      Whenever I can, I make the 45 minute walk to Chinatown in San Francisco to Dim Sum Bistro, my favorite 'cheap dimsum' spot. Sometimes, I take photos too.

      I say this every chance I get: dimsum isn't always 'cheap' food. Dimsum can be fancy, and should be fancy, because to make large amounts of high quality dimsum you need a very large team. 'Nice dimsum' is a treat. It's a birthday meal, it's a treat you give your parents, it's going out to linger over nice tea and good ingredients to snack on dishes you probably won't make at home.

      Cheap dimsum also has a place. But it should still be fresh and of relatively high quality. The menu should be large and the 'skin' of dumplings shouldn't be too thick. On these metrics, many of the other Chinatown dimsum places don't pass muster for me. But Dim Sum Bistro always delivers. So I'm glad it's here, and I'm glad I can have good, cheap dimsum.

      a scan of a black and white photo of a machine in a dimsum shop that takes orders and payment. on the wall, menu pictures and items and a person leaning on the wall

      Dim Sum Bistro
      675 Broadway (Map)

      (Photo taken on Minolta Hi-Matic 7S II, Kodak T-Max 400, developed in Xtol stock for 12:15 min @ ISO 1600)

    • Chasing the Light

      Published on December 9, 2023

      As a person from the literal equator, I struggle a lot with winter. Not the cold, since it's not really that cold here in northern California, but with the increasingly shorter days. The best way I can describe it is that I feel as though my brain, happiness, and overall health is powered by the sun. The sun is my battery. The less of it there is, the worse I feel. Every year, without fail.

      Going out for a run or walk daily has been the only thing that's worked to help me feel okay consistently. Even when it's grey and gloomy and rainy (the extent of winter here in San Francisco, but already way too awful for me), I try to go out for a run. I carry a tiny Olympus XA2 in my pocket and I take photos of the things that I see.

      I see many beautiful things, because San Francisco is beautiful, and being outside in the beauty restores me.

      a scan of a color photo of the golden gate bridge on a sunny day

      Sunny, windy days.

      a scan of a color photo of fort mason in san francisco with a farmers market and a view of the bridge in the background

      Market days at Fort Mason.

      a scan of a color photo of a cyclist biking through fort mason in san francisco with a fluorescent jacket. in the background, the golden gate bridge is slightly obscured

      Overcast but still lovely days.

      (All photos taken on an Olympus XA2, Fuji Superia 400, self-developed at home with Bellini C-41 kit and scanned on Plustek 8200i)

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