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Sky Dolphins

In the winter where I live in Florida we can go for a few weeks without clouds. Kinda makes sense why they call it the sunshine state. Beautiful, but as a photographer it gets boring if the sky figures into your shot. Of course it’s a beach goers paradise and it’s no wonder the population of our state nearly doubles this time of year. On this particular day we had clouds and it was a little chilly, a perfect time to spot tourists because basically they’re the only folks out enjoying the weather. In any case, I hurriedly snapped these dolphins and headed back into the relative warmth of my car while the tourists strolled by enjoying the warm weather and beautiful sunset.

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Night Light

Architecture in a city can be pretty dynamic. It gets to the point you walk right by something that could be remarkable without really noticing. Such is the case with this building. As I walk by this most days, it appears typical glass and concrete, I couldn’t even recall where it is, nondescript. One night however I walked by and thought, where did this come from? A few blue lights and it’s a different building, who’da thunk? Seems the more I stop to notice, the more I, well…, notice. Funny how that works. Makes for a more interesting day, or night, as the case may be.

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Twenty Dollar Cocktail

As I wandered through this lobby I stood around looking at the menu, all the while eyeing the bar and wondering if it was worthy of plunking my tripod down. I couldn’t help notice the exotic menu and the prices which were, uh…, a little higher than O’Malleys down the street. Nonetheless, I snapped the picture and made a mental note to come back right after I win the lottery.

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Court of Appeals

I received a jury summons yesterday for the exact same day I have a ticket to fly out of the country. I wonder if the judge will excuse me, or will I end up having to excuse myself from the boarding line. On the same day, there was a news item about a man suing his ex-fiance for her $48,000 engagement ring. I found my self turning the merits of that case over in my mind. (What that says about me we’ll save for another day.) Seems there’s a difference of opinion depending on whether your a man or a woman. All of this made it seem appropriate I should post this picture of the Court of Appeals…, or not.

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Night Runner

In Canada Harry Winston Jerome was named athlete of the century in 1971. In any case, I thought he (or his statue) would look good against the Vancouver skyline. Thus I proceeded to “paint” him with light during a two minute long exposure. Basically the technique calls for shining light on a subject to make it stand out against the night. However my first few attempts were, well…, failures.  On my fourth and final attempt I went for broke and started waving my flashlight all over the statue like a madman, determined to make this work. Finally after about two minutes I turned around to close the shutter on my camera when I noticed a small group of people watching my odd antics in the dark. Let’s just say that at that moment I wished I had Harry Winston Jerome’s legs.

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Pan Pacific

I’m not the sharpest tack in the drawer. For a couple of weeks after I took this I couldn’t remember the name of this hotel. This is the lobby of the Pan Pacific in Vancouver.  What caught my attention as I walked by was a banner outside which says Tea at Two. Expecting to see old world charm, or perhaps the queen, I headed in and was presented with this surreal scene. For whatever reason not a single hotel guest was in sight which had me glancing back at the door to make sure I was in the right place. In any case, I’m coming back here one day at two and ordering tea with my best British accent, assuming I haven’t forgotten the name of it by then.

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Vents

I’m amazed at how much is below the surface in some cities. The next time you see a high-rise, keep in mind that a lot of it is underground; not just parking but restaurants, shops and walkways. Walkways that lead to other buildings and other shops and restaurants and other walkways and, well you get the idea. At first I was baffled by these stacks, but after a little consideration realized that these probably lead to who knows what under my feet. Probably someone sipping on a latte at Starbucks wondering what the weather is like outside.

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Front Entrance

The photographer in me is always looking for something just a little out of the ordinary. Such was the case when I walked past this condo. Now, before I go on understand that I’m from Florida and this was in Canada, at it’s March. That said, I was dressed in polar fleece and a Gortex shell and wishing I had a pair of gloves. So what caught my eye as I passed this building was that the front door was wide open. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, as the temperature had risen to a balmy 44f/6c and the natives where walking around in shorts.

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Sunshine Skyway Bridge

I saw a picture by a local photographer of this bridge. Living in the county on the other side I racked my brain trying to figure out where it was taken. After a little checking I figured I had the spot so I headed out early one morning, Dunkin Donuts coffee in hand. Being my first photo trip I was a little apprehensive but nonetheless picked my way through the predawn to find the spot. I set up my tripod and waited in silence on the isolated shoreline off an isolated road. Just then lights and the sound of tires approached and I had no idea what to expect. Wouldn’t you know it, another photographer showed up, followed by two more after him. That’s when I realized this must be a popular spot and I was the new one to the party.