SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Musical Chair

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: The Persistence of Reflection

photo by Jeff Goodman

The old-as-time clock that sits atop Jackson Tower in downtown Portland and watches over Pioneer Courthouse Square gets the Salvador Dali treatment in this photo, which turns a nearby building into a set of giant, manipulative mirrors.

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: The Moment of 'Inception'

Burnside Bridge in Portland, open -- er, closed? -- for business

No matter how often you've been warned about this commonplace event, it will still catch you off guard when you see it in person for the first time.

It throws your brain for a loop. It scrambles your perspective, however briefly, as if you've entered an alternate universe that Dominic Cobb would appreciate.

A horn sounds. A light turns red. A city stops. The pavement becomes downtown's newest skyscraper, defying gravity as it cranes upward, casting shadows on helpless masses of metal below.

And to think -- all of this so one lousy ship can continue its path down the Willamette?

Once you've stopped worrying that the whole procession is holding up traffic and making you late, though, you have an epiphany: This is downright awesome!

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Grampa Simpson Goes to Rome

The Fourth of July is a day to honor America's everyday heroes -- like Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, for instance. He's a war veteran. He eats the same mashed food as his baby granddaughter. And, well, he managed to raise one of our country's most easily identifiable cultural icons.

We'll honor him this Independence Day with a photo of his likeness that was taken at the Colosseum in Rome in 2008:

Who's more American than Grampa Simpson?

Happy Fourth! I'll leave you with a piece of classic Grampa dialogue from a 1993 episode called "The Front": [writing a letter] "Dear Mr. President, there are too many states these days. Please eliminate three. I am NOT a crackpot."

Which three? I'm sure they're in Grampa's will.

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Piled Higher and Greener

A sample of what Portland is like when it isn't raining:

Cerf Amphitheatre at Reed College (photo by Jeff Goodman)

Laurelhurst Park in Southeast Portland (photo by Jeff Goodman)

Shooter's Touch is an ongoing series of cool photos. For other installments, click here.

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Rockin' in the Tree World

Tilden Regional Park

If Berkeley wore a tall and flowery hat, it would be called Tilden Regional Park.

Perched in the mountains just north of the bustling University of California hub, the sprawling expanse of nature provides visitors with beautiful views of the Bay Area and a welcomed sense of short-term separation from the urban world below.

A day trip to the park is on the bucket list of many Cal students, who somehow manage to neglect the opportunities there -- hiking, biking, horseback riding and springtime picnicking, among others -- despite their proximity to the 2,079-acre reserve.

Tilden, however, isn't some sort of town secret. Tourists and residents in the region can be found enjoying the space in harmony. Cyclists, joggers and dog-walkers share the numerous trails, including the Nimitz Way path (pictured) that starts at Inspiration Point.

A leisurely stroll offered the accompanying landscape, a well-blazed trail paralleled by a path of sunlight above. The balance, shadow patterns and dominating greenery made this a memorable image -- even with a point-and-shoot digital camera.

So, saunter through the park and soak in the scenery -- it's free. Just don't forget a camera, a friend or three, some PB&J sandwiches and, even if there's some cloud cover, a hat.

Amble on!

Shooter's Touch is an ongoing series of cool photos. For other installments, click here.

SHOOTER'S TOUCH: Cloudy With a Chance of Glass

Not sure exactly where this experiment is headed. But that's OK, right?

Photography is a master of introduction, so here's the first post. Disregarding its artistic merits, this is one of my favorite photos out of thousands taken during my semester abroad in London two years ago.

It wasn't completely overcast on this particular September afternoon, which made for some nice reflections at Old Spitalfields Market.

Hopefully, "Shooter's Touch" will be one of several recurring features in this space. Expect some more photos as well as burger reviews, sports analysis and various music-based offerings.

Whatever is thrown into this infinite abyss, it'll be organized. It won't be as funny as a segment on The Colbert Report, as well-written as a column by Bill Plaschke or as involved as a Christopher Nolan film, but it'll be my best blogging effort to date. Kind of like Barack Obama being the best African-American president the United States has had to date.