This week Tina of Travels and Trifles chose Creativity in the Time of Covid for our Len-Artists Photo Challenge. When Covid broke out I was just starting a project to photograph San Francisco’s Mission District and it’s gallery of murals. After one afternoon the project was put on hold but will be continued. Just for fun here’s a sample. 
For the first few weeks my camera collected dust. The only excursions were for necessities and early morning runs along the nearby bayfront and through the eerily empty streets. The signs of these different times are worth preserving, a photo project in itself. Who’d ever thought that in California you could order a cocktail to go.
Like many of the COVID bound we put some extra effort into gardening.
Our daughter and her children Lucy (9) and Jackson (10) stay with us. They’ve provided me with excellent opportunities to take some unposed photos. 
Lucy the fashion conscious one sports glasses with plain glass non functional lenses. 
What to shoot when social distancing is the order of the day? Two new projects came to mind that I’ve just started.
Trains: One morning on a run along the bayfront I noticed a string of parked railcars. Railcar graffiti has always been fascinating to me. Where in the country was it done? By whom? What does it mean? And so I’m on the hunt for trains. 
Port of Oakland: Two sparsely visited parks near the Port of Oakland offer some interesting opportunities for shooting maritime/industrial/transportation photos. I’ve taken just one visit but plan to take many more.
Taking a shot at still life: This is all new to me. I know that proper lighting is going to be an issue that might involve some $$$. But what the heck, it’s not like I’m going to be spending the money on trips anytime soon.
Deconstructed salsa
COVID has gotten me back to reading and studying two of my favorite subjects, history and politics. 
Figuring out to do with my time during the COVID time is not an issue for me.
To view Tina’s excellent creative contribution on her site Travels and Trifles and the contributions of other lens artists click on the link.
Really well done Paulie! Happily you are in an area that offers SO many opportunities for photography – especially like your ideas for themes. Also found your deconstructed salsa really great. Perhaps you DONT need extra equipment after all 🙂
Thank you Tina. I’m going to dabble in the still life and food photography before committing money. Thank you again for hosting and for the kind word. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go construct some salsa.
Fabulous, Paulie. I especially love the Lucy pair and the deconstructed salsa. You have found a calling!
Thank you Jane. Trying to get those kids to allow me to take a picture of them is like trying to corner a cat.
Very original ideas– nice.
Thank you and thank you for visiting
Wow. Excellent photos and perspectives. Love ‘dem tomatoes!! Sometimes, while I’m contemplating the meaning of the universe, I wonder at the amount of money that must be spent on spray paint for graffiti. It must be a large sum.
Thanks John! The tomatoes became caprese salad. I wonder how many cases of spray paint it takes to decorate the side of a railroad boxcar. I’ve seen a photo of a boxcar decorated with a huge and very well done portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. It was very impressive. I imagine that coming across something like that is tantamount to catching the proverbial whopper.
And how I love that deconstructed salsa!
Thank you Ann Christine. The salsa was also satisfying when it was constructed.
♥
You are creative Paulie and like Ann Christine I love the deconstructed salsa.
Thank you so much and thank you for visiting my site.
You have some great project ideas, Paulie. I love the deconstructed salsa and your grandkids are adorable. You have many. photo opportunities with them living with you. I’m also fascinated with graffiti. That sounds like a great project.
Thank you Patti. Graffiti is certainly going to have endless possibilities. The grandkids? They’re getting close to that age when they’ll complain about having their pictures taken.