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West Coast Cities

This is the underside of the Burrard Street Bridge I noticed while walking around one of the neighborhoods of Vancouver. Some of these little streets can be tricky to navigate unless you are familiar with the area. I think these neighborhoods have something vaguely reminiscent of San Francisco. It’s a west coast feel, an attitude that puts a premium on the environment and living healthy. I think there are other cities in the same category, Seattle and Portland come to mind. Vancouver places emphasis on it’s bike lanes and even if you don’t live here you can rent a bike and join the thousands that use it as a primary mode of transportation. Now that I live in a different part of the continent, the west coast attitude is more apparent whenever I come back. Perhaps you know what I mean.

This is the underside of the Burrard Street Bridge I noticed while walking around one of the neighborhoods of Vancouver. Some of these little streets can be tricky to navigate unless you are familiar with the area. I think these neighborhoods have something vaguely reminiscent of San Francisco. It's a west coast feel, an attitude that puts a premium on the environment and living healthy. I think there are other cities in the same category, Seattle and Portland come to mind. Vancouver places emphasis on it's bike lanes and even if you don't live here you can rent a bike and join the thousands that use it as a primary mode of transportation. Now that I live in a different part of the continent, the west coast attitude is more apparent whenever I come back. Perhaps you know what I mean.

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Autumn Colors

I used to think Summer and Winter were my favorite but now I’m leaning towards Spring and Fall. I think the reason is that each bring tangible change that I can see all around. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer and all the fun things it brings but, in my humble opinion nothing compares to the Cherry Blossoms in Spring or the leaves in Fall. And all this from a guy that lives in Florida, go figure.

I used to think Summer and Winter were my favorite but now I'm leaning towards Spring and Fall. I think the reason is that each bring tangible change that I can see all around. Don't get me wrong, I love summer and all the fun things it brings but, in my humble opinion nothing compares to the Cherry Blossoms in Spring or the leaves in Fall. And all this from a guy that lives in Florida, where we don't really have seasons. Go figure.

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Rundle Lounge

No trip to Banff in Alberta Canada is complete without a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel. This is the Rundle Lounge where I imagine many VIPs have sat and discussed, well whatever VIPs discuss. My musings aside, the grandeur of the place is enhanced by the Canadian Rockies just outside. I took this early in the morning before it was crowded, but later that day a Royal Canadian Mountie in a red uniform and wide brim hat was in the lounge talking to some children. The children were wide eyed and I too was a little impressed. What a nice gesture to have these legendary officers come here and mingle with the guest and pass on a little legendary Canadian hospitality.

No trip to Banff in Alberta Canada is complete without a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel. I was there this summer and so availed myself with camera in hand. It's patterned after a Scottish castle and the interior exudes old world charm and architecture. This is the Rundle Lounge where I imagine many VIPs have sat and discussed, well whatever they discussed. My musings aside, the elegance and grandeur of the place is enhanced by the majestic Canadian Rockies just outside. I took this early in the morning before it was crowded, but later that day a Royal Canadian Mountie in a red uniform and wide brim hat was in the lounge talking to some children. The children were wide eyed and I too was a little impressed. What a nice gesture to have these legendary officers come here and mingle with the guest and pass on a little legendary Canadian hospitality.

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Elevator Sunset

In addition to photography I’ve worked in IT for quite a while. That takes me into a lot of big buildings and, a lot of elevators. This is a wild guess but I’d imagine I’ve taken about one hundred thousand elevator rides in my career. What’s a guy to do when the vending machines are four floors down, but I digress. Not one of those rides prepared me for the elevator on a cruise ship called The Jewel of the Seas, which as you can see, rises above the ocean. In fact there are two banks of elevators midship, one that faces out and one that faces in. I found myself waiting for an elevator facing out just so that I could see the ocean as I ascended. On the final day of my trip I snapped this at around sunset. Then, put my camera away and headed for the buffet.

In addition to photography I've worked in IT for quite a while. That takes me into a lot of big buildings and, a lot of elevators. This is a wild guess but I'd imagine I've taken about one hundred thousand elevator rides in my career. What's a guy to do when the vending machines are four floors down, but I digress. Not one of those rides prepared me for the elevator on a cruise ship called The Jewel of the Seas, which as you can see, rises above the ocean. In fact there are two banks of elevators midship, one that faces out and one that faces in. I found myself waiting for an elevator facing out just so that I could see the ocean as I ascended. On the final day of my trip I snapped this at around sunset as I headed up to the buffet, never-mind it was only one flight up and the stairs where quicker.

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Florida West Coast

This is a section of Bradenton Beach in Florida opposite the Tortuga Inn and Resort which is a favorite of visitors from the north, especially for weddings and family gatherings. Bradenton Beach doesn’t have any mega-size resorts, they’re all rather small in comparison to those in Miami or Ft Lauderdale. The west coast of Florida has a different feel, low key, laid back, go with the flow. In a sense, I think Florida’s west coast is an east coast version of California. I’ll admit it’s a weak comparison and there are a world of differences, but the beaches here rival anywhere in the United States and the sand is powdery white and smooth. That, the warm water and calm waves all add up to a nice experience. Add to all that a sunset and Bob’s your uncle.

This is a section of Bradenton Beach in Florida opposite the Tortuga Inn and Resort which is a favorite of visitors from the north, especially for weddings and family gatherings. Bradenton Beach doesn't have any mega-size resorts, they're all rather small in comparison to those in Miami or Ft Lauderdale. The west coast of Florida has a different feel, low key, laid back, go with the flow. In a sense, I think Florida's west coast is an east coast version of California. I'll admit it's a weak comparison and there are a world of differences, but the beaches here rival anywhere in the United States and the sand is powdery white and smooth. That, the warm water and calm waves all add up to a nice experience. Add to all that a sunset and Bob's your uncle.

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Irresistible Force

In Saint Joseph Parish in Barbados is Bathsheba Park and along the beach are these rocks eroded by the waves at the bottom. Water is one of the most powerful forces on the planet yet you can put your hand in it, swim in the warm waters of the tropics, take a shower, and it all seems so harmless. I think it’s one of those things that’s hard to fathom until you experience it’s force first hand. Reminds me of Niagara Falls, until you see it for yourself you really can’t imagine. But back to Barbados, the waters here seemed perfectly harmless, warm and inviting and the only force I was feeling was urge to take a nap in the shade.

In Saint Joseph Parish in Barbados is Bathsheba Park and along the beach are these rocks eroded by the waves at the bottom. Water is one of the most powerful forces on the planet yet you can put your hand in it, swim in the warm waters of the tropics, take a shower, and it all seems so harmless. I think it's one of those things that's hard to fathom until you experience it's force first hand. Reminds me of Niagara Falls, until you see it for yourself you really can't imagine. But back to Barbados, the waters here seemed perfectly harmless, warm and inviting and the only force I was feeling was urge to take a nap in the shade.

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Califlorida

This is the scene just outside the Califlorida Tiki Bar in Siesta Key Florida. The name caught my attention because I’m from California and now live in Florida. I guess you could say I’m a Califlorida boy. I love the mountains of California and the beaches of Florida, what’s a guy to do? I came here this evening to capture a little of the relaxed nightlife. I think Siesta Key is one of those places that reminds me of a Jimmy Buffet song. It’s really easy to relax here and it’s what everyone does very well. If you go to New York City, everything is go go go, and so when in Rome,… And here in Siesta Key, one of the things folks do really well is frequent little tiki huts and outdoor establishments such as this. I can hear Jimmy now, wasting away again in Califlorida-ville. I’ll keep my day job.

This is the scene just outside the Califlorida tiki hut in Siesta Key Florida. The name caught my attention because I'm from California and now live in Florida. I guess you could say I'm a Califlorida boy. I love the mountains of California and the beaches of Florida, what's a guy to do? I came here this evening to capture a little of the relaxed nightlife. I think Siesta Key is one of those places that reminds me of a Jimmy Buffet song. It's really easy to relax here and it's what everyone does very well. If you go to New York City, everything is go go go, and so when in Rome,... And here in Siesta Key, one of the things folks do really well is frequent little tiki huts and outdoor establishments such as this. I can hear Jimmy now, wasting away again in Califlorida-ville. I'll keep my day job.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Autumn Twigs

In Autumn I pay more attention to my surroundings, cold is coming. There are little queues which increase each day until one day I can’t ignore it. It’s not the end of the world, just dimming of the lights and I know what’s coming next. Autumn reminds me that time is ticking and I better get ready because once the clouds come and the rain starts we’ll all be in it for the long haul.

In Autumn I pay more attention to my surroundings, cold is coming. There are little queues which increase each day until one day I can't ignore it. It's not the end of the world, just dimming of the lights and I know what's coming next. Autumn reminds me that time is ticking and I better get ready because once the clouds come and the rain starts we'll all be in it for the long haul.

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Morning at Sea

Not too long ago I was at sea heading back to Florida across the waters of the Caribbean. I took this about a half hour after sunrise looking back towards the stern of the ship. Days at sea on a passenger ship are like weekends. On port days everyone goes their separate way to see what there is to see, but days at sea have no agenda, just chill. As the day goes on I find myself staring out at sea, looking for, well, anything. So when we pass an island or a fishing boat, it becomes topic for conversation. I think my brain tries to see things that aren’t there, looks for patterns. Its good therapy to have nothing to focus on for an extended stretch, like looking at a camp fire. Anyway, back to the sea, there were no campfires on this day, at least none that I could see.

Not too long ago I was at sea heading back to Florida across the waters of the Caribbean. I took this about a half hour after sunrise looking back towards the stern of the ship. Days at sea on a passenger ship are like weekends. On port days everyone goes their separate way to see what there is to see, but days at sea have no agenda, just chill. As the day goes on I find myself staring out at sea, looking for, well, anything. So when we pass an island or a fishing boat, it becomes topic for conversation. I think my brain tries to see things that aren't there, looks for patterns. Its good therapy to have nothing to focus on for an extended stretch, like looking at a camp fire. Anyway, back to the sea, there were no campfires on this day, at least none that I could see.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print.

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Whistler Brewing Company

One evening I was walking along the waterfront in a area known as Coal Harbour, its a residential section with outdoor eateries and a great view of Vancouver Harbour. The atmosphere of the place is enhanced by these water fountains and a bunch of red umbrellas. Funny thing is I thought the name of the place was the Whistler Brewing Company on account of the name printed on all the red umbrellas. Not until a while later did I realize that these umbrellas are all over the city in quite a few outdoor cafes. So I looked it up on Google Maps as I’m writing this since I still didn’t know the real name, and it’s “The Mill Marine Bistro & Bar”. To me however, it will always be the “Whistler Brewing Company”.

One evening I was walking along the waterfront in a area known as Coal Harbour, its a residential section with outdoor eateries and a great view of Vancouver Harbour. The atmosphere of the place is enhanced by these water fountains and a bunch of red umbrellas. Funny thing is I thought the name of the place was the Whistler Brewing Company on account of the name printed on all the red umbrellas. Not until a while later did I realize that these umbrellas are all over the city in quite a few outdoor cafes. So I looked it up on Google Maps as I'm writing this since I still didn't know the real name, and it's

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