Summer, Photography, and Paddle Tennis

Summer officially starts tomorrow, although here in Southern California, it has felt like Summer for quite a while.  Hope you all have some fun plans.  Over the past 30 years or so, I've shot thousands of photos at and around Venice Beach and the canals, Santa Monica Beach and Pier, as well as at Hermosa Beach when I lived there.

Venice Beach seems to have the greatest variety of things happening with its performers, artists, wannabe artists, and more.  You can also watch Paddle Tennis, Muscle Beach contests, basketball, and handball tournaments, even when you are not there.  Yes, there is a webcam (venicebeachlivecam.tv) that you can control and take a look around - assuming you are able to get control of it.  And it takes a bit of practice to get it aimed and zoomed to where you want.

Below are some photos I shot back in the 1980s for a postcard I had made of Venice Beach.  Most of what I shot out there is known as street photography - candids of places and people as they go about doing whatever it is they are doing, without interfering, many without knowing they've been immortalized, such as the photo immediately below.

Occasionally, someone asks not to be in a photo - now it's much easier with digital - either hit delete in camera, or remove them from the photo later.

Some things have changed since taking these.  Annie's is no longer there.  And some things have been fixed up.

The following photo is much more recent - about 2 weeks old at the paddle tennis courts.

That's it for today - Happy Summer and have a great weekend.