Urban Archives - Page 26 of 48

December 9, 2015December 10, 2015

Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

I took this iPhone photo of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona rather than with my normal camera. It was the day before I went inside and was traveling in an open roof tour bus. I used photoshop to remove the construction cranes towering above. I did it as an experiment to see what it would look like without the distractions. Little did I know the cranes have been there for years and will be for about another ten years until construction completes in about 2030. In the meantime this is my idea of what it might look like when complete.

Sagrada Familia Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia the chief architect Jordi Fauli announced in October 2015 that construction is 70 percent complete and has entered its final phase of raising six immense towers. The towers and most of the church’s structure are to be completed in 2026, the centennial of Gaudí’s death; decorative elements should be complete by 2030 or 2032. That is one long construction project. But perhaps, compared to some of the great cathedrals of old, it’s right on target.

December 7, 2015December 10, 2015

Beach Houses on Anna Maria Island

Beach Houses in Anna Maria — Beach Houses on Anna Maria Island Obtain a fine art print

Walking around the beaches of Anna Maria Island you’ll find houses along the water with a view of the gulf. Some are located on relatively isolated stretches so that even if there are a lot of people at the beach these sections are quiet. Walking past this area the beach was was quiet and undisturbed as evidenced from a colony of skimmers that nest and feed here. As I walked past they paid me little heed as they rested on one leg. I live only twenty minutes away but I keep telling myself that one day I’ll just rent a beach house and do a staycation. I think this remote strip suits me just fine.

December 6, 2015December 10, 2015

Fishing on Anna Maria Island

Fishing on Anna Maia Island — Fishing on Anna Maria Island Obtain fine art print

On Anna Maria Island I have some favorite spots to hang out that are a little bit hidden and frequented more by the locals. This is opposite Coquina Beach and it’s a little dock where fishermen come to launch their boats around dawn. I was here walking around and noticed this guy casting his net and so stood a ways back trying to capture him in mid-throw. I think he noticed me and stopped throwing the net, maybe he was self conscious. I wandered off to leave the poor soul in peace. Hopefully he caught something because there were a couple of egrets waiting for anything he might pull up.

December 4, 2015December 10, 2015

Gigondas Village

This is the village of Gigondas which is in a mountainous area in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur northeast of Montpellier. Like many places in this part of France, Gigondas is known for its wine. Some of the vintners here refuse to change the methods of production that have survived hundreds of years from generation to generation. The town is on a hillside over looking the vineyards and these narrow streets climb up to a church overlooking the village. I took this on the way back down after surveying the surroundings and wondering how it is that these people manage to live apparent tranquil lives without all the big box stores and high tech gadgets. I think I know the answer to that.

December 3, 2015

Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar

I live across the river from this Tiki Bar. Quite often I’ll walk my dog at night and stop to listen to the band as the music floats over the river towards me. This night the moon was just rising as it cast a glow on the water. It’s on a little point surrounded by water on three sides so you get the sense of being on an island. I don’t spend a lot of time in bars and such, but I have been here a couple of times and both times it was a lot of fun, especially the music. In any case, maybe it’s time to go back and check it out again.

December 2, 2015December 10, 2015

Another Sarasota Sunrise

This is a spot in Sarasota Florida that has a view of the city at sunrise. Sometimes I end up here for whatever reason. It’s also a spot that joggers come by all hours of day and night, so no matter how early I get here I’m never quite alone. I think having joggers at all hours is a good thing. I’ve seen that in other cities in North America as well as Europe. But I think the main reason they’re out early is due to the Florida heat, it’s almost a necessity to run very early or very late.

December 1, 2015December 1, 2015

The Harbor at Carnon

This is the harbor at Carnon in southern France. I stayed about a mile from the east of this harbor and thought I’d walk around to the west side. Only I didn’t realize that once I arrived on the east side there was no bridge close by and so I had to walk another two miles to get to the west side. By the time I got back home I estimated I walked about five miles and took five photos. So in reality I took one photo for every mile. That’s a very low miles to photos ratio.

November 30, 2015December 10, 2015

Cathedral Barcelona Photo

Cathedral Barcelona photo using a Sony A7rII

This is a photo of the interior of the Cathedral Barcelona. I assumed I wasn’t allowed to bring a tripod but was surprised when I saw several other photographers that did. Nevertheless, my Sony camera did a good job of picking up the details in the low light even though the photo was handheld. I suppose the new stabilization technology is getting to the point where we only need tripods in a very few situations. That certainly makes it easier to get interior architecture shots when touring a big city like Barcelona. This is the main cathedral in the gothic section of town. I came here twice, first in the morning when it was empty, and then again around noon when it was crowded. This is from my second visit but by aiming the camera slightly up, I avoided capturing the crowds. Sometimes people add an interesting dimension to a photo, but in this case I thought the architecture was pretty amazing in its own right.

November 26, 2015November 26, 2015

Montpellier Courtyard

If you walk the narrow streets of villages and cities throughout France you notice doorways that lead to courtyards. As residents open the doors to the street I would get a glimpse of the courtyard beyond. In a few places like this there is public access, as it leads to a restaurant. These remind me of scenes from movies, but in fact they’re quite normal for folks who live in European city centers. Here I am looking straight up and wondering what it must be like to live here.

November 25, 2015

Tropicana Train

This is the morning Tropicana Train crossing the river on the way to the plant. Bradenton is across the river and trains cross this river day and night to drop off fruit and load up orange juice to take all over North America. Whenever I travel and visit a grocery store, I like to look at the OJ container to see the “Made in Bradenton” label on the box. Don’t ask me why, kind of a silly thing I guess.