Castro Street tree, 2005
Trees as subject matter occupy a large branch in the historical archive of photography. Trees exude calm and soothing. They represent nature seen large and often imposing. in an urban setting they stand in opposition to forces of development. Each has a personality--unique in shape and setting. The tree shown here is located in an awkward plot between a commercial street and a parking lot in Mountain View, California. The building on which the shadow falls is a failed cocktail lounge. It too is irregular--a cement block building with a forbidding facade. Fleur dy lys imbedded in its walls offer the promise of cultured activity which is voided by the rusted sign in the shape of cocktail glass (off camera). On that, the late afternoon light casts an irregular shadow of one forlorn uban tree.