Longest covered walkway in the world, Summer Palace, Beijing, China

Ceiling detail along the longest covered walkway in the world, Summer Palace, Beijing, China

Grand opening of Michael Chow's painting exhibition Voice For My Father at UCCA, Beijing, China

The rain on Venice streets created "impressionist" photos.

A leisurely walk around the resort while the rain too a break.

A leisurely walk around the resort while the rain too a break.

A leisurely walk around the resort while the rain too a break.

A feast of lines and shadows.

There's something classic about blue and white.

A black and white filter seemed appropriate for a Catholic church, reflecting my personal POV.

Monochromatic magic.

Both delicate and fearsome, the traditional Chinese dragon kite embodies a mythical symbol of power. Ai Weiwei unfurled a spectacular contemporary version of this age-old art form inside the New Industries Building. He said that for him, the dragon represents not imperial authority, but personal freedom: “everybody has this power.”

The viewer was confronted with a field of colorful images laid out flat across the expanse of the floor: portraits of 176 people from around the world who have been imprisoned or exiled because of their beliefs or affiliations, most of whom were still incarcerated at the time the artwork was made. Ai Weiwei has called them “heroes of our time.”

“The misconception of totalitarianism is that freedom can be imprisoned. This is not the case. When you constrain freedom, freedom will take flight and land on a windowsill.” — Ai Weiwei

During the Chines New Year Parade Treasure Hunt, 2015.

During the Chines New Year Parade Treasure Hunt, 2015.

Arrived in Beijing from Shanghai during "magic hour."

Mess hall.

New Industries Building.

In this work, Ai Weiwei quietly transformed the utilitarian fixtures in several Hospital ward cells and medical offices into delicate porcelain bouquets. The artist designed intricately detailed encrustations of ceramic flowers to fill the sinks, toilets, and tubs that were once used by hospitalized prisoners.

A luxurious week in Tahoe turned into a photo fest.

A car wash in an unexpected treasure trove of conceptual images.

The tiniest cafe in San Francisco (that I know of).

Rich colors and lines.

A red carpet--like a giant tongue--adds drama to any event.

Bottoms up!

It's way too early for this.

Decadence.

Warm, luscious colors.

Driving through wine country is like a feast for photophiles.

New Order put on a fantastic light show.

Marin County Fairgrounds

Magical juxtaposition of shapes and textures.

My favorite ground-level view at the de Young.

Street artists on the Queen's Walk along the Thames River.

Back-lit beauty.

Giant inflated bunnies. Enough said.

Water tower against the sun.

View from inside a cell.

View from the gallery.

The Mission district is a treasure trove for photographers. And diners, too!

Magic hour is my favorite time of day.

Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley

I waited longer than I normally do for a shot. And it was worth it.

Magic hour lives up to its name.

Back lit petals are so delicate and sumptuous.

Suzie in shock after confrontation with the Wasp-Men.

Timmy and James waiting for Suzie to go star gazing.

James trying to be honest with Suzie about Timmy.

Taking a break during filming to shoot some stills allowed me to connect more intimately with the location.

Taking a break during filming to shoot some stills allowed me to connect more intimately with the location.

Taking a break during filming to shoot some stills allowed me to connect more intimately with the location.

Playing with light, patterns and texture.

Playing with shapes and colors.

I love the strip of light that illuminates the gold balconies.

My new favorite SOMA cafe, hidden away with lots of chocolate goodness.

Lovely dark yet colorful interior.

There's nothing subtle about the image, but it's still oddly chic.