inspired photography with just enough perspective
I took this one of the times I was in Vancouver. As I recall, the weather was terrible most of the time, so I got a lot of practice wearing cold weather clothing.
I’m not complaining but, my wardrobe in Florida consist primarily of shorts and tee shirts. I am aware that most people who don’t live here are envious of that. However, when I do leave town, it’s fun to wear warm clothing. By fun, I mean for a week or two.
The walkway is in a familiar spot of downtown Vancouver that looks across the bay to West Vancouver. If you look closely, you can barely make out the snowcapped peaks rising above the city. I’ve wandered here many times for the view but this was my is my first attempt at capturing it.
It’s part of a structure that houses the Cactus Club Café but also has a walkway on the roof made of grass. It’s next to the conversion center which also has a grass roof.
The whole place is unique, but if you live here or have visited a lot like me, this gets overlooked. Everywhere you look in this section of town is unusual architecture and public art. It’s a feast for the eyes that’s balanced by the natural scenery. Just another little vignette of Canada’s west coast city by the sea.
This view of Vancouver is from the convention center. The photo is a composite with the stars added to the sky for effect. I’ve taken this same shot a number of times, so I decided to get a little creative. This view is not possible in the real world.
Photos of stars get overpowered by light pollution from cities. Even though I don’t live in a large city, I run into the same problem back home. Almost everywhere people live, light from the ground interferes with starlight. Fortunately, with image processing tools we can clean up most of it. But there’s no substitute for going somewhere remote and seeing bright stars at night.
Most of the pictures that the astronauts take from the ISS are pointed back at Earth. Personally, I wonder what it is like looking in the other direction. My guess/hope is that there are more stars than can be seen on earth and that the galactic core of the Milky Way is easily visible. I guess the only way to know for sure is to ask an astronaut or, book a flight and see for myself. I’m adding that to the list now.
This is a panorama of Coal Harbour in Vancouver. I took this in the middle of summer after a trip to Alaska. When I’m in Vancouver I like to walk along this path. There are always a lot of people out walking, jogging and cycling. Also I think proximity to the water is a good way to clear out the cobwebs.
The original image is even wider but I cropped it because I thought it was too wide. This portion is composed of five photos stitched together in Autopano Giga. It’s a good tool and once you get the hang of it it’s easy to produce panoramas.
One thing I like about panoramas like this is the amount of detail. For instance, I’ve walked by this spot for years and I never noticed the house boats. While processing this photo I zoomed in to take a closer look. Next time I walk by I’ll be sure to stop and look again.
vancouver gallery
It’s also fun to see what people are doing. Most of them are just walking along and talking with friends. Off to the left is the Weston Hotel, that stands out in my mind because local otters like to use the pool there. How they climb out of the water and find a nearby pool is beyond me. They’re smart little critters aren’t they?
There is always something going on here, always something to see. There are a lot of awesome places in Vancouver but this is one of my favorite.
This is a Saturday afternoon in Stanley Park. I was here not too long ago after returning from Alaska. I could have flown straight from Anchorage to Florida, but being so close to Vancouver I couldn’t resist a quick weekend stopover. This is a panorama of four images that I stitched together to get a wide perspective. Sometimes I use a wide angle lens, but in other cases I find it works better when I take four vertical images and combine them. For one, the resolution is much higher. That makes it easier to produce large prints. As well, I like to zoom into photos and explore all of the little details.
This is the second time I’ve take an image from this perspective. The first time was several years ago using a wide angle lens. I don’t mind repeating myself because as an artist my approach and inclinations change over time. Its fun to go back and play old songs, I hear new things as I grow and evolve. Same goes for photography.
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Actually I’ve been redoing a lot of iconic locations lately. Iconic locations resonate in a way that invites new interpretations, new angles, different light. And besides, they are typically fun places to go. So if you see me repeating some old locations, you’ll know I’m seeing something different as well as having a good time.
Each time I visit Vancouver I take a walk in the evening to see the lights of Coal Harbour. This is an eight-second exposure I took using a tripod. The hotel I stay at is just left of center. To get here you have to walk around the harbour into Stanley Park and shoot back. Add to that little walk a dozen or more stops for photos and it can take hours. But time always flies when I’m having fun so I rarely notice the hour.
This is one of those cities where something is happening every weekend of the summer. On this weekend there was a big triathlon and the staging area was just across the water. Behind me was an outdoor concert taking place. All around were people out walking and like me, taking pictures. Most areas of Vancouver are safe and busy late into the evening. It has a little of that New York City energy.
Vancouver Gallery
I had just returned from an Alaska cruise and a few hours later I was to fly back to Florida. For me Vancouver is fresh each time I visit and, of course, completely different from Florida. That change of scenery is the kind of thing that keeps me up late at night losing track of time.
This is a panorama of Vancouver’s Coal Harbour. I took this from Stanley Park one night and I wasn’t alone. Not only is this a popular spot for photography, Vancouver has a lot of photographers. There were several other photographers out with their tripods composing their shots of this great city.
In this case I used three vertical eight-second exposures that I stitched together. I enjoy making panoramas with a full frame camera because of the amount of detail in the image. Whenever I print these I marvel at the smallest details.
One reason photography is so fun for me is because I get to go back and look at a scene in quiet contemplation. At the time there may be a lot going on and it’s easy to miss things. But I tend to see more things later when looking at images. I’m like a chipmunk gathering acorns of time, holding them and then enjoying them later.
Anyway, I almost didn’t take this photo because it’s been done so many times before. But I’m glad I did, if for no other reason than I get to go back and enjoy the scene now.
Last Saturday I walked around Vancouver in the evening. As the sun was low it cast a glow on the towers of Coal Harbour and reflected in the harbour. I’d been thinking of walking over to the west end to get more of a sunset photo but am glad I stayed on this side. When taking photos, I think it’s best to have an idea and then be flexible. You never know which way the wind blows.
I have this idea in my mind about photography. It goes like this: the best photography is not from a place but a state of mind. Here’s what I mean, iconic locations don’t make a photo, being observant regardless of where you are does. I’m beginning to think magic happens everywhere, not just in Iceland. No offense to Iceland, you’re still on my bucket list.
more Vancouver from the gallery
I travel a little; I was traveling when I took this. And I like iconic scenes as much as the next person. I’ll be there snapping away with everyone else at the Eiffel Tower. But I think the more I pay attention to light, shadow and placement in my own front yard, the more I see. Its fun to travel for photography, but not necessary. Anyway, that’s my latest theory, and since I spend a lot of time at home, I’m putting to the test.
This is from a couple of years ago in Vancouver. Normally when I stay in a big city the hotel looks out at the back of other buildings, but this time I lucked out. The room was thirty floors up and facing west so I could watch the sunset in the evening.
Getting access to a high vantage point in a big city is a big plus. Its a perspective I always find fascinating because of all the little details. Its a little like having a window seat on an airplane and watching the ground as you gain altitude, it’s all looks so different.
More images of Vancouver from the Gallery
Nowadays drones provide these kinds of perspectives, at least they used to. Most cities restrict drone flights for number of reasons so short of that, getting access to a high floor is still the way to go. One of my favorite things to do is go the observation decks of well known buildings; Hancock in Chicago, Empire State in New York and the CN Tower in Toronto. But on this occasion all I had to do was open the curtains to my room.
This is the cargo dock in Vancouver Harbour. I’m standing at Canada Place facing east towards Burnaby. Half of this photo is a painting of sorts. I’m not really a painter but all of the reflections are my own doing, an example of an idea I get and then working to bring it out. I do it for no other reason than I get a enjoyment from it. The waters of Vancouver Harbour are not nearly this glassy, but that doesn’t stop me from imagining what it would look like if they were.
Other “paintography” images from the gallery
This looks almost like a lake with fresh water. But then there would not be such big cargo docs. Mr. Rational says things don’t make sense and deconstructs the scene. However in the world of my imagination I get to mix things up a bit and play what-if scenarios.
In fact the waters of this bay are really clean, especially for a port with so much shipping. It’s not uncommon to see otters and seals swimming about. Compared to other port cities this is probably one of the cleanest. Maybe that’s where I got the idea from. I’ll take it up notch and make it appear like a lake. One thing is for sure, this is the only image like this you’ll see because it has one foot in reality and one in my imagination.