Rainbow

This gentleman was admiring the artwork at the Blanton Museum of Art recently. His hoodie is a reference, I'm guessing, to the rainbow flag. Indigo and Violet seem to have been subsumed by black? And the final square is the logo of the Human Rights Campaign. (A yellow equal sign on a blue background.) I almost used this for theme day yesterday, but decided on the other picture.

Sitting In

It's such a delight when our friend Butch Miles, a legendary drummer, sits in at Parker Jazz Club. We love jazz, but getting to know players and their stories enhances the experience.

Black is the Chosen Color

Today is the first of the month. (And Easter and April Fools Day for that matter.) But the first of the month brings them day to City Daily Photo and the theme is 'One Color.' I caught this young lady recently dining in one of our favorite restaurants. She and her companions were wearing black clothing with just the odd white or gray stripe. But, even more interesting: even her tattoo is black. Click here to see other interpretations of the 'One Color' theme from around the world.

Listening in Fashion

This woman was wearing a carefully crafted outfit for the Blanton Museum SoundSpace Event

SXSW Scores a Celebrity

Here is President Obama being interviewed by Austin's own Evan Smith at SXSW in March. Thanks to Jackie for this one.

The Picture of the Year

It's a new year. Welcome 2016 with enthusiasm! City Daily Photo participants pick a picture each January 1st for theme day from the hundreds posted during the year before. In October, FFP caught a photographer using the parking garage across the street and the skyline for this exuberant photo. A single moment in the life of our city. There are no icons like the Capitol or Frost Bank Tower in it. Just use your imagination for the shot the photographer got while FFP stood above capturing the moment. Life in 2015 in Austin was like that: changing, moving and without much of a steady state.

Pictures of the year from around the world are shown here. A selection of others we considered for our 2015 picture of the year is here. A selection of other 'pictures of the year' is here.

Say Cheese, Please

On a stroll down South Congress we saw our friend Mike Thompson trying a sandwich at this trailer and ask him to pose. He said he was going nearby for some new ink and his daughter in Oklahoma had turned him on to this place after having seen it online.

Listening

During the Blanton Museum SoundSpace event people move around at will. On the staircase at one point these listeners seemed to be choreographing their movements while someone passed them on the stairs to take up a different position.

Hats Off (and on) to the Derby

There was a Derby Fest in the street below us for the running of the Kentucky Derby. Lots of hats, but the gents sans hats seemed to be watching me take their picture.

Souvenirs for Violin Competitors

As a souvenir of their visit to Austin for the Menuhin Violin competition all the competitors received a custom-fitted cowboy hat. Our friends Andrew and Mary Ann Heller provided this great remembrance and the kids (some shown here) were very pleased.

Juggling

This juggler was doing his thing on the Long Center porch during Yehudi Goes to Texas, a free event during the Menuhin Violin competition. That's our home in the background, of course.

Not Your Usual Pedestrian Bridge User

One day on the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge this fellow had set up his gongs for entertainment or meditation with his back to the runners, bikers, walkers, dogs and strollers.

Google Team

Google Fiber is coming to ATX. FFP shot this at the announcement yesterday. These aren't the politicians and bosses and dignitaries...these are the Google Techies who will make it happen.

Patriot

I snapped this during SXSW on East Sixth. "Can I take your picture?" I asked. He nodded. I didn't ask all the cool kids along the sidewalk. I was flipping through facebook last night and saw a picture of a guy with a flag snapped on Congress taken by one of my fb acquaintances. He was sitting on a planter but holding his flag high. Might be the same guy. He didn't have a sign or shout a message.

Would You Stand in Line?

There is a beer and burger place on South Congress called Hopdoddy. (They also have a place on Anderson Lane.) We have never eaten there. Part of the reason is their popularity.

FFP shot this on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year's Day. Admittedly that's a busy SoCo Saturday with people who still have family in town trying to get out and do something to entertain the folks. But this place often has a line if not one this long. Maybe we will try it someday, at an off hour. Meanwhile we thought we'd show this picture to show that it was agreeable to be outside Saturday. Today it's raining although it's well above freezing. This is a representative crowd of mostly younger Austinites with their denim and light fleece.

Dress for Success

Spotted this gent on Congress Avenue during F1. He had a deck of cards and alternated between looking at his cell phone and shuffling them. He tried to engage a couple of passers-by but I just moved along muttering 'so orange!'

People Watching: Orange

Today is theme day for City Daily Photos around the world. The theme is 'people watching.' I gave this one a lot of thought and decided that I would capture some people in a public place, unawares. My apologies to the guy in the baseball cap: he doesn't know he's being photographed. The barista at Halcyon is mostly hidden and the gal on the far right is obscuring herself and the gal behind her while she examines a newly purchased item of orange clothing. Of course, today is the first University of Texas football game of the season and (burnt) orange is the school color. Hence this coffee shop study in orange...from shelf decor to cap to painting to that gal's purchase. When I people watch, one thing I notice is everyone's fashion. This weekend a lot of it will be orange!

Quinceañera Photos

Some Latinos make quite a fantastic celebration when a girl is fifteen. Yesterday on the Captiol Grounds I think this young lady was getting some photos made for her event. Personally such traditions (like wedding extravaganzas with brides in flowing gowns) make me squirm, but lots of people love them. The young girl seems to be giving directions, but she also seems ready to climb that tree in her jeans! Settings around the Capitol are often used for photo shoots.

A Sunny Austin Sunday Afternoon

Linda and I went for a walk along the lake on Sunday. On the way back to our place, I caught this shot of a couple having a quiet moment in the warm sun. It was a very pleasant day.

Scary

I'm not surprised my friend Steve is afraid to look in this mirror that he and Jackie discovered at the UT Visual Arts Center.