Photography by Michael Singman-Aste

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postdiluvian = modern; not antiquated

In Plain Sight

Driving with my mother down a freeway in Los Angeles when I was six or seven years old, I suddenly started laughing. My mother asked me what was so funny, and I replied that I'd just realized that traffic was made up of cars. As an adolescent deconstructionist I was beginning to realize that while the whole may be greater than the sum of its parts, the parts are interesting, too.

We recognize the majestic beauty of panoramic landscapes, a mountain range, the waterfalls of Yosemite, and the Golden Gate Bridge. But in a twist on the old saying, when we equate beauty with majesty, we quite literally can't see the trees for the forest.


eye To me, photography is less about capturing a moment than gaining a new perspective on people and objects by observing them out of context. This is achieved through close-ups which obscure the subject’s environment, the use of dim lighting, digital collage, and a smattering of PhotoShop. When you get up close to the perceived ordinary, or glance around as you hurry to work, you may be surprised by the subjects hidden in plain sight.

I've been told I have "a good eye," which begs the question: What's wrong with the other one?

Michael Singman-Aste is an award-winning photographer, curator, and blogging junkie. He started writing as a freelance reporter for the Daily Californian newspaper in the ’80s, while a Women’s Studies major at UC Berkeley. Originally from LA, he has been a proud Alamedan for two decades. Michael enjoys gallery hopping, reading big important books, and second-guessing “The Bachelor.” In addition to his photography, Michael covers the local Art scene for SF Weekly, Alameda Magazine, and Oakland Magazine. Michael was named best local blogger in 2012 by ABC 7 in their Bay Area A-List.