Web Gate, 2005

While driving through a south Palo Alto neighborhood I noticed this interesting gate. I seldom have a reason to be in this particular location but for whatever reason I decided to drive and look. This usually isn't a very productive way to find photos and I worry that someone will see me jump out of my car, snap a photo, hop back in the car and drive away. People usually associate taking a picture like that with suspicious activity. Police will be alerted...I'll have to explain the whole art/photo thing while a cynical cop imagines the worst. This gate I liked enough to risk all that.

Back Stairs, 2005

I like form in my photographs. I also very much like what others do with color and atmosphere, but my photos most often respond to shape--like the contrasting zig zag pattern on this stairway. I've shot the stairs before and something or other kept me from liking it. On this particular day I was shooting with a Holga camera and with that you're never sure what'll show up on the film. When it works you feel lucky--even when nothing moved and I had time to consider it. These stairs are behind a building on California Avenue in Palo Alto.