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Lake Louise without the People

It took nearly all my photographic skills (okay, so I got lucky, bear with me) to capture this scene without including the throngs of summer tourists right behind me. In fact I had to get out on a rock so as not to get knocked over by a fresh bus load. But then again, I was one of those tourist so I have no reason to complain. Hey, if it wasn’t for places like this most people would never get a glimpse of the beauty we have in this world. I would prefer to be walking to the other side of this lake and continuing on for days. And I will, on another day. But on this day I took the bus. This is Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta Canada.

It took nearly all my photographic skills (okay, so I got lucky, bear with me) to capture this scene without including the throngs of summer tourists right behind me. In fact I had to get out on a rock so as not to get knocked over by a fresh bus load. But then again, I was one of those tourist so I have no reason to complain. Hey, if it wasn't for places like this most people would never get a glimpse of the beauty we have in this world. I would prefer to be walking to the other side of this lake and continuing on for days. And I will, on another day. But on this day I took the bus. This is Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta Canada.

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Foggy Riverwalk

This is a foggy morning at The Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the time it’s sunny and warm here, but you know me, I have to get “the shot”, the epic event, the perfect photo. Yes, those feelings of grandeur and more flooded my mind when the weatherman forecasted fog. Fog? In Florida? Say it aint so. Yeah, well… In any case, it doesn’t take a lot to get me excited, just give me a little weather and watch me go, must be amusing to watch. These poor souls where simply walking or biking to work when some crazed photographer showed up with a tripod to capture the moment. I’m sure they’re still wonder about it. But I got the shot so I’m happy.

This is a foggy morning at The Riverwalk in Bradenton Florida. Ninety-nine point nine nine percent of the time it's sunny and warm here, but you know me, I have to get

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Playing with Colors

Here is Vancouver’s Coal Harbour section as imagined by me when I should have been doing something more productive. I got a little carried away but that’s what happens every once in a while. I took this with my iPhone and so its called iphoneography, but for whatever reason that doesn’t show up in my dictionary. Nevertheless this is my post processed iphoneigraphical highly imaginative rendering of urban exploration. Otherwise known as playing with colors.

Here is Vancouver's Coal Harbour section as imagined by me when I should have been doing something more productive. I got a little carried away but that's what happens every once in a while. I took this with my iPhone and so its called iphoneography, but for whatever reason that doesn't show up in my dictionary. Nevertheless this is my post processed iphoneigraphical highly imaginative rendering of urban exploration. Otherwise known as playing with colors.

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Underworld

I took this of the DuSable Bridge a few weeks ago in Chicago. The subterranean street levels are only a few feet down but worlds away in their appearance and feel. Undoubtably these have inspired writers, artist and uh, …photographers. For whatever reason there were few cars going in this direction which allowed me to stand in the middle of the street to compose the shot. I kept glancing over my shoulder as I have a tendency to get engrossed when shooting which can be a little hazardous when standing in the middle of a dark street. Probably not very smart either.

I took this of the DuSable Bridge a few weeks ago in Chicago. The subterranean street levels are only a few feet down but worlds away in their appearance and feel. Undoubtably these have inspired writers, artist and uh, ...photographers. For whatever reason there were few cars going in this direction which allowed me to stand in the middle of the street to compose the shot. I kept glancing over my shoulder as I have a tendency to get engrossed when shooting which can be a little hazardous when standing in the middle of a dark street. Probably not very smart either.

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Friday Night

I took this picture one evening as I watched the Pelicans fly by Robinson Preserve in Bradenton Florida. What impressed me was that all the Pelicans seemed to be going in the same direction. As a rule, creatures in the wild are fairly smart, more so than I give them credit for. After quite few flew by my lens, I theorized they must be going somewhere specific. Maybe this is the appointed time that fishing boats come in, or maybe they just have a favorite place to sleep for the evening. Whatever the case they all seemed to have the same appointment in their calendars. After I took this picture I followed their lead and headed home for an appointment to eat supper and call it a day. Great minds think alike.

I took this picture one evening as I watched the Pelicans fly by Robinson Preserve in Bradenton Florida. What impressed me was that all the Pelicans seemed to be going in the same direction. As a rule, creatures in the wild are fairly smart, more so than I give them credit for. After quite few flew by my lens, I theorized they must be going somewhere specific. Maybe this is the appointed time that fishing boats come in, or maybe they just have a favorite place to sleep for the evening. Whatever the case they all seemed to have the same appointment in their calendars. After I took this picture I followed their lead and headed home for an appointment to eat supper and call it a day. Great minds think alike.

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Old Town Verandas

When I was in the old town section of San Juan Puerto Rico last fall I became enamored with the charm of the place. By charm I mean the sense of community and character. I think the verandas play an important role in all that. Folks like to hang out on their verandas or the streets below talking, playing cards or just watching other people walk by. I have a veranda out the back of my house were I like to go to relax sometimes, so I guess I relate to these older, more storied versions. I imagine these have been here for a hundred years, but I can’t imagine all the scenes that have transpired on or below them. Fun to think about nonetheless.

When I was in the old town section of San Juan Puerto Rico last fall I became enamored with the charm of the place. By charm I mean the sense of community and character. I think the verandas play an important role in all that. Folks like to hang out on their verandas or the streets below talking, playing cards or just watching other people walk by. I have a veranda out the back of my house were I like to go to relax sometimes, so I guess I relate to these older, more storied versions. I imagine these have been here for a hundred years, but I can't imagine all the scenes that have transpired on or below them. Fun to think about nonetheless.

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End of the River

This is indeed the end of the Manatee River where it opens into the Gulf of Mexico in Manatee County Florida. My father was an eye doctor who warned me not to look at the sun, so naturally I hear this in my head whenever I take a sunset. Basically my process is to line up my camera, push the shutter button and hope for the best. I suppose we all do that, right? Anyway, when the sun is at this position there’s no time left as it quickly sinks into the horizon, it’s click time or go home. In effect, this is a picture of the sun while I was squinting, clicking away like paparazzi and hoping for the best. I suppose this is another thinly veiled metaphor for life; point in the general direction, squint, execute and then hope for the best.

This is indeed the end of the Manatee River where it opens into the Gulf of Mexico in Manatee County Florida. My father was an eye doctor who warned me not to look at the sun, so naturally I hear this in my head whenever I take a sunset. Basically my process is to line up my camera, push the shutter button and hope for the best. I suppose we all do that, right? Anyway, when the sun is at this position there's no time left as it quickly sinks into the horizon, it's click time or go home. In effect, this is a picture of the sun while I was squinting, clicking away like paparazzi and hoping for the best. I suppose this is another thinly veiled metaphor for life; point in the general direction, squint, execute and then hope for the best.

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Navy Pier Fisheye

This is what the world looks like through a fisheye lens. I’m not sure why but I enjoy pictures with strangeness like this, I get drawn in. A little distortion changes the perspective, small things seem big, big things small. Visual art. This is my winter version of Navy Pier in Chicago. I took my normal lens off and put on the fish eye lens and at this exact spot, lost my lens cap. I’ve not seen it since. So, if you’re ever here and you find a Nikon lens cap, give me a shout. Or maybe I should just fuhgeddaboudit.

This is what the world looks like through a fisheye lens. I'm not sure why but I enjoy pictures with strangeness like this, I get drawn in. A little distortion changes the perspective, small things seem big, big things small. Visual art. This is my winter version of Navy Pier in Chicago. I took my normal lens off and put on the fish eye lens and at this exact spot, lost my lens cap. I've not seen it since. So, if you're ever here and you find a Nikon lens cap, give me a shout. Or maybe I should just fuhgeddaboudit.

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Favorite Fountain

Last year I spent a bit of time in Vancouver and my favorite place to go is Stanley Park. I’ve posted pictures of this fountain before as it’s hard not to get a good picture of it. Aside from this I have a lot of favorite subjects in Vancouver which is an amazing city to be sure. Four years ago the winter Olympics took place here and the Olympic fountain where the flamed burned is another favorite subject. After seeing the opening of the games in Sochi, I think I may have to add that fountain to my list as well.

Last year I spent a bit of time in Vancouver and my favorite place to go is Stanley Park. I've posted pictures of this fountain before as it's hard not to get a good picture of it. Aside from this I have a lot of favorite subjects in Vancouver which is an amazing city to be sure. Four years ago the winter Olympics took place here and the Olympic fountain where the flamed burned is another favorite subject. After seeing the opening of the games in Sochi, I think I may have to add that fountain to my list as well.

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Clearwater Beach

Florida has more than it’s share of pirates, they’re everywhere. I took this last weekend at Clearwater Beach where it appears the pirates where just off shore. We also have a lot of bikers in Florida. More often than not they’re just fun loving retired dudes with big beards and bigger paunches, like my neighbor a few doors down. My theory is that the pirates of old reincarnated as bikers in Florida, and when they’re not riding their bikes they’re pretending to be pirates. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.

Florida has more than it's share of pirates, they're everywhere. I took this last weekend at Clearwater Beach where it appears the pirates where just off shore. We also have a lot of bikers in Florida. More often than not they're just fun loving retired dudes with big beards and bigger paunches, like my neighbor a few doors down. My theory is that the pirates of old reincarnated as bikers in Florida, and when they're not riding their bikes they're pretending to be pirates. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

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