Urban Archives - Page 19 of 48

July 12, 2016July 13, 2016

Reflection Study

I drive by this pond quite a lot and this morning I happen to have my camera. As I passed I thought to turn around and get a picture. I’ve taken this before but no two days are alike and indeed it came out quite different.

This is a continuation of a study of reflections I’ve been doing. The study is to capture or produce reflections to add interest to an image.

I never get tired of reflections. In some cases they can be more compelling from than their source, at the very least they enhance it. Reflections resonate with us for reasons we can only guess. Perhaps it is a hint to how we perceive world.

more reflections

I used another photo of clouds and combined it for the sky. This is an example of using textures to enhance the flat section of an image.

I’ll continue posting these them in the days and weeks ahead as I continue to explore both real and artificial reflections in my images.

June 30, 2016June 30, 2016

Vancity Architecture

I took this while walking around in the rain on a Vancouver morning. That was back in January when the days were short and the rain was constant. Now in June the days are long with the sun rising at about five in the morning. I’m headed back there and looking forward to taking more photos in Van-city.

The thing about Vancouver, or any major city for that matter, is that it’s so unlike the sleepy little town I live in. The change in scenery gives me all kinds of ideas for urban photography. I’m sure the same would be true for big city folk that visit central Florida, in awe of the beaches and sunsets. Change of scenery is a good thing.

more urban images

This was taken at the Telus Science World building. The leading line of the walkway and pillars are what I found interesting. The building itself is made up of unique architecture, it has a geodesic dome and odd structures along the outside. This is probably the second most photographed building in Vancouver next to Canada Place. In any case I can’t wait to get out on the streets in full urban photo mode.

June 22, 2016June 22, 2016

At a Deeper Level

I took this early one morning at the fishing pier in Sarasota. This is a long exposure that I’ve manipulated to enhance the water and the reflections. As you can see in my gallery I create images as much from may camera as my minds eye. I’m not so interested in documenting a scene, rather using the camera and my techniques as a canvas for my imagination. This is perfect example of that.

The idea is that I try to bring my own expressions to an image. I do it mostly for myself because its creative and I get great enjoyment from it. As I create each new image I discover a part of myself in it. So each image is a part of me and as I share it we connect through a part of my imagination. In this way we might just be communicating at a deeper level than through other means.

 the florida gallery

Sometimes it takes a lot of effort, other times no so much. Ideas for images come to me either as I take them or later as I think about them. Regardless, it’s free flowing, there are no rules or guidelines, just me playing with images all of the time. Even when I’m not engaged in creating images I’m still thinking about them. That’s what I call an upward spiral of art and creativity. I can think far worse things to be immersed in.

June 19, 2016

Lost in Reverie

This is the Sunshine Skyway Bridge as it leads into Tampa Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. I was standing in my hometown of Palmetto about six miles away when I took this. I used a tripod to steady it since it was dusk and the light was fairly dim. The final image is composed of several parts combined into one. It’s an artistic rendering of the bridge as I imagine it. I do a lot of that with my photography, especially as I visit sites and scenes I’ve shot many times before. You might think I get bored from going to the same places time after time. On the contrary, it’s just the opposite; it fuels a desire to become more creative which in turn opens up all kinds of possibilities.

At times I take pictures just for the raw material of a creative rendering such as this. When I sit down to create the image I use a lot of different tools in the same way a painter uses a brush and pigments. I can spend hours on an project, working away hour after hour lost in creative reverie. Then at some point, I run into a wall and put it aside. Then when I look at it later I may start up again. And so it goes until I’m done.

more unusual images from the gallery

On the one hand I’m never really done with an image like this yet on the other I have to draw a line somewhere. It can be hard to let go sometimes. I’ve walked away from this image several times only to come back and have another go at it. But for now this is it, I’ve drawn the line and I’m off to my next project.

June 15, 2016June 15, 2016

Morning Reflection

The fishing pier at Bradenton Riverwalk is another favorite composition of mine because of how the light plays on the still waters. I’ve taken this shot several times before and I’ll probably continue to take more when I end up here in the morning. I suppose I can start a fishing pier gallery before too long.

As soon as the sun rises the breeze starts which then disturbs the glass-like surface of the water. But during those few minutes at dawn this is what it looks like.

As you probably already know I love reflections in the water, there’s something surreal about it that transforms an ordinary scene in a way that’s hard to explain. I look for reflections whenever I’m out shooting and the more I find the better. Sometimes even a puddle of rain water will do. Reflections are like portals into another world, one that insinuates something more ethereal.

More images of the Riverwalk in Bradenton

So yes, I’m a big fan of reflections, and since this place is close to home you’re likely to see more of them in the weeks and months to come.

June 14, 2016

Sarasota Low Down

This image for me is a study in composition. To get this image of apartment buildings in Sarasota I placed my camera at the level of the water on a tripod. These kind of shots work best when the water is calm so that the reflections are rendered in long lines on the water’s surface. I took this with a 35mm lens so that I could use a wide aperture. That means I could ensure the focus on the buildings was sharp while allowing the reflections to appear naturally soft.

These buildings face west so they have a view the sunset across Sarasota bay. However for me they create a nice scene for night photography all by themselves. I have often looked at these buildings and wondered how I could capture them. I think the low perspective works well.

see more night photography from the gallery

Often I’ll see a scene and think there’s something about it that I want to capture yet may not be sure what it is or how to go about it. In this case I just kept trying new things until something worked. It took a little effort as I climbed over some rocks in the dark and placed my tripod in the water, all the while trying not to get my camera wet. But in the end I’m happy with how it turned out and can now look for more compositions using the same technique.

June 9, 2016June 9, 2016

Lady in Repose

Another perspective the Ringling bridge from last weekend. I was in another section of the city taking photos and headed home. But then I had one last idea and stopped near the theater for this perspective. I have a collection of images of this bridge in the gallery. I suppose the same would be true of the Golden Gate if I lived in the San Francisco area. For me it’s this bridge in Sarasota.

You never know how a picture will turn out when you first take it. I have two distinct personalities when it comes to photography. One loves to take photos and gets carried away when I’m out shooting, I can a ton of bad shots. The other is a little more thoughtful and comes to the forefront when I download the images onto my computer. He basically filters out all the shots that don’t make the grade. All that said, I almost cut this one but decided to work with it a little, this is the result. So my two photographic personalities are not at all cut-and-dry, there’s a lot of give-and-take.

more images of the Ringling Bridge in Sarasota from the gallery

Selecting photos I’ve shot is very subjective. Someone else might select entirely different images, and to tell the truth I might also depending on my mood. In any case, this image is all about the shape of the bridge and the monochrome treatment is all about accentuating that shape. My idea for this image of the bridge is like a lovely lady in repose.

June 1, 2016June 2, 2016

Punta Piedrita

This is from a few years ago in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I took this from a hotel room we stayed at before boarding a cruise ship. It was early in the morning before leaving the hotel and as I opened up the glass door to the veranda my lens immediately fogged. I had to be patient and wait for fifteen minutes or so while the temperature of the glass equalized with the outside air. That happens when you go between air conditioning and a hot humid climate. Coming from Florida I should have been used to it.

When we got on the ship and headed into the Caribbean the same thing happened all the time. The cabin was climate controlled and as soon as the camera hit the outside air it fogged. The same happened with eye glasses. The best thing is to let the camera warm for about thirty minutes before shooting. As I said, I should have known because I go through the same routine every summer here in Florida.

More from the beach gallery

Anyway, we were only here in San Juan for a couple of days. The sights, food and people were all amazing and I’d go back in a minute. The people that I know and have met from here all have a combination of purpose and friendliness that is unique to this island. I believe this island and its people are a treasure of the caribbean.

May 31, 2016

Very First Thing

I find that morning is the best time to exercise. In fact very first thing in the morning, that way nothing can come between me and my desire for a workout. By the time its over its still early and I can go through the day guilt free knowing I did something. Guilt free days are good.

This is a place I take a lot of photos, it’s called Bradenton Riverwalk. If I come here first thing in the morning I’ll find a lot of people that think the way I do. Walking, running, doing pushups and basically all manner of exercise. It’s the perfect place, there’s plenty of open space by the water and miles of walkways.

See the Florida gallery here

However when I come here it’s just to take pictures or walk my dog. I workout in a gym in a bootcamp class. I tend to need some type of structured activity inside lest I get distracted by the sunrise and want to start snapping pictures. Maybe I could combine exercise with taking pictures to have my cake and eat it too. That would be like going for a hike with a camera. What a bright idea, I should try that sometime.

May 27, 2016

Stuck on a Bridge

A shot of the main bridge near my home between Bradenton and Palmetto. Apparently this is now due for replacement. Bridges have a life span and this one is at its end. I imagine that to replace it will be a couple years of chaos, but that’s the price to pay for progress I suppose. In the old days the bridges were flat, not arched like this. When it came time to replace them they simply turned them into fishing piers. I don’t suppose that will work with these arched versions, they’ll probably just demolish the whole thing.

The traffic over this bridge can be horrendous. But I don’t stress it, besides, what can be better than to be stuck on a bridge in Florida; you can look out and see sailboats or dolphins, the scenery is pretty good. I look forward to getting stuck on bridges here, especially drawbridges, they’re my favorite. Everyone stops and turns off the engine and some folks like me get out of our cars. Its fun to watch the bridge rise and the sailboats pass. I’ve spent a lot of time in traffic over the years, but getting stuck on a bridge in Florida changes your perspective on the experience.

More bridges from the gallery

They’re building another one about five miles upriver. I can hardly wait for that to be built so that I can get pictures from and around it. Anyway, for someone who loves photographing bridges I suppose I live in the right place.