Walking around the city of Monte Carlo, Monaco is quite the experience. It is known as a playground for the rich, it's famous casino and Grand Prix race. The amount of visible wealth is on display wherever you go. The old saying, "If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it" certainly applies there. All I could think of when walking around was the Pink Floyd song, "Money". This image was taken from the grounds of the Prince's Palace which started life as a Genoese fortress and is one of the city's most famous landmarks. The yachts, buildings and even small "parks" on the rooftops say it all.
Early Morning With the Gods
How many of you look back at your older photos and say to yourself, "What was I thinking?" when I processed this? I do this occasionally and I realize how far my editing skills have advanced over the past several years (some may argue not much at all). I have decided to go back to some of my favorite images and re-edit them. I have found out a number of things as I have done this. 1. My skills are definitely better. While I used some of the same processing software, I know them better now and can use them more effectively. By following other photography blogs, listening to photography podcasts and shooting with other photographers, I learn something new every day.
2. The processing software has advanced tremendously over the past few years. Things that were cumbersome (and maybe even not possible) are getting easier and easier to do. Many will bemoan that use of this software is "cheating" and wish for the days when only Photoshop was used to enhance photos. Of course, there are others that say using Photoshop is "cheating". I believe that photography is art and that non-photographers don't really care what was used to edit a photo, they just know if they like it or not. I am also not against the advancement of the software. Anything that increases the speed of editing gives me more time to shoot.
3. My tastes have definitely changed. My older images seem to have a more warm feel to them and I realize that I didn't understand light as well as I do now. My photography has moved from a strict landscape photographer to more of a travel photographer. Maybe some day I will actually shoot people.
I plan to post a number of re-edited images over the next couple of months. This image is from the Garden of the Gods. Located in Colorado Springs, it is one of the best public parks around with wonderful sandstone and limestone rock formations.
Vanishing Point
I grew up in the Philadelphia area and spent my early career there. I thought I knew most places in the area, so when I heard about it's Graffiti Underground, I was perplexed that I never heard of it. Turns out that it is an abandoned pier jutting out into the Delaware River just a few minutes north of downtown. You have to know where it is in order to find it as there are no signs. My first impression of it was that it was pretty big and colorful (it is also used by paintballers). It seemed that every direction I looked, there were great leading lines creating very cool vanishing points like the one in this image. The light was overcast and from the north on this shot. I am sure on a sunny day, there would be some more interesting plays of light and shadows. I will have to head back to see if I am right.
Saturday Hustle and Bustle
This is an image of the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal looking east. The terminal's official name is "Grand Central Terminal", although many people continue to refer to it as "Grand Central Station", the name of the previous rail station located on the same site. The Main Concourse (shown in this image) is the star of the Terminal. The space is quite large (275 feet long, 120 feet wide and 125 feet high). During the weekdays it is filled with crowds on their way to work or home. I was expecting the Terminal to be relatively empty on this June Saturday but as can be seen in the image, I was mistaken. I am glad as the hustle and bustle of the commuters is what makes Grand Central quite the attraction.
Blue Fog
I often love to capture an image that I hadn't planned for or wasn't expecting. We were on our first Mediterranean cruise and were entering the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. I was pretty excited as I had seen images of the location beforehand showing these large mountains that almost fully surround the bay. We were scheduled to dock early in the morning and I woke up just as we were leaving the Aegean Sea and entering into the long winding entrance to the bay. When I looked out of the cabin window wall I saw was thick fog. Fortunately, as we traversed the fiord-like entrance (15 miles long), the fog began to lift and took on this really cool blue hue from the brilliant sky. I took a few photos and wasn't sure if they would properly convey the beauty of the scene. This is one of those photos and I am pleased to say that it came out pretty well.
Dammed Up
The Glen Canyon Dam is a dam located just north of Page, Arizona. The dam was built to provide hydroelectricity and control water flow from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower. It is actually situated on Federal land (Glen Canyon National Recreation Area) and is run by the Federal Government. When it was built in 1966, it created Lake Powell which is the second largest artificial lake in the country. It took 17 years for Lake Powell to completely fill for the first time. The city of Page was created in 1957 to house workers and their families during the construction of the dam and now thrives as a tourist destination. Tours of the dam are conducted daily and I highly recommend taking the tour if you are in the area. Security measures are high at the dam for obvious reasons. This vantage point is from south of the dam looking north toward Lake Powell.
Commuting Ramp
Living in Connecticut, I have often visited New York City for various reasons such as work related trips; meeting friends and family; going to concerts; or just spending the day. Driving into the city is not only challenging but can also be quite expensive. As a result, I take the train from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal. All of the the many times I have been through the terminal, I have never stopped to take photos. That all changed a couple of weeks ago when I had the opportunity to join Denise Ippolito's workshop where we had the full run of the terminal for four hours with our tripods and gear. This image is of one of the commuter ramps from the main level of the terminal to the gates below. Shown prominently are the beautiful chandeliers that illuminate the terminal.
Pueblo Glass
The Taos Pueblo is an ancient pueblo belonging to the Taos Pueblo Native American tribe. Most archeologists believe that the Taos Pueblo Indians settled along the Rio Grande and were descendants of the Anasazi. The Pueblo is approximately 1,000 years old and is located on a reservation of 95,000 acres with about 150 people actually living at the Pueblo. Taos Pueblo's most prominent architectural feature is a multi-storied residential complex of reddish-brown adobe. It was designated a National Historic Landmark and became a World Heritage Site in 1992. As of 2006, about 150 people live in it full-time. One of the first structures you encounter when entering the Pueblo is the San Geronimo Mission that was built in 1850. What struck me most about the Pueblo was that the only color in most of the Pueblo's structures was reddish-brown except for the light blue windows of the Mission.
Backlit Exit
Whenever I visit Europe, I am amazed at the history and architecture that has survived many centuries. Here in the United States we think of 250 years as being old as opposed to the 1,000 years of many of the structures across the pond. This particular church. Basilica Santo Stefano in Bologna, Italy was built by Saint Petronius, who was bishop of the city during the 5th century, making it 1,500 years old. The Basilica originally consisted of seven buildings. There are only four remaining after renovations made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This image was taken near the end of our tour throughout the complex. It caught my eye as the combination of the light coming through the back exit illuminated the decaying walls showing the age of the Basilica.
Ten to Twenty
This image is from the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. It is an eerie yet compelling location. It seems to be a mecca for Urbex photography although it isn't an abandoned building but rather an old prison that is now a historical site and museum. Tours are conducted daily and visitors are invited to wander throughout most of the prison. The prison was built in 1829 and was the largest and most expensive public structure in the country. The penitentiary resembles a hub-and-spoke consisting of an octagonal center connected by corridors to seven cell blocks. Each block contains cells that were 8 x 12 feet. As I walked through the penitentiary, I thought about the convicts that were sentenced for 10-20 years and how terrifying it was. I'd probably go bonkers after 10-20 minutes.
This particular image was a cell block of the non-public part of the penitentiary. We were able to get a tour of this section as part of Denise Ippolito's excellent Philadelphia workshop.
Mirror, Mirror
Just a quick post and run today. This is the mirror that sits outside the famous Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco. I thought I would just give a quick set of random facts (courtesy of Wikipedia) about the casino. - The citizens of Monaco are forbidden to enter the gaming rooms of the casino. - Aristotle Onassis had a controlling stake in the Monte Carlo Casino until he was forced out by Rainier III - The Monte Carlo methods, a class of random sampling algorithms, were named for the casino. - The route of the Monaco Grand Prix (the Circuit de Monaco) goes past the casino. - Monte Carlo and its casino were the location for a number of James Bond movies - A beer in the casino costs the equivalent of $29
Have a great weekend everyone!
Headed Underground
Urban exploration (also known as urbex) has risen in popularity as a result of recent television shows such as Urban Explorers on the Discovery Channel. This popularity has led to "Urbex Photography" which visually documents these often unseen urban areas, abandoned buildings and industrial complexes. I have always wanted to shoot some urbex but it wasn't until I attended Denise Ippolito's workshop in Philadelphia that I was able to. For those unfamiliar with Denise, she is a talented photographer and leads many different photography workshops each year. Denise's work can be found at A Creative Adventure. The first stop for the workshop was Philadelphia's Graffiti Underground located on an abandoned loading pier jutting out into the Delaware River. It is just a few minutes from the center of the city off of Route 95. The underground is pretty big and is covered with graffiti. It also looks like it has been used extensively by paintballers. The grit and decay associated with urbex can be seen at the underground as well as the great colors of the graffiti.
Under the Sails
Quick post and run today. One of the iconic images in Vancouver, British Columbia are the famous sails on the roof of Canada Place. On our last visit to Vancouver, we stayed at the Pan Pacific Hotel which is part of the Canada Place complex. Ever wonder what the inside looks Like? Well now, you don't have to. This image was captured looking up through the skylights of the roof. Have a great weekend everyone!
Red Rock Evening
The first day on our trip, we stayed in Sedona, Arizona. We had caught an early flight out of Hartford and landed in Phoenix. After stopping for an awesome barbecue lunch at Thee Pitts Again (found this place through the Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins television show - I try to eat at these places whenever I can), we headed to Sedona. I had been through Sedona twice before but only passed through on my way to the Grand Canyon. This time, I wanted to stay overnight to take in the beautiful red rocks that surround the town, particularly Cathedral Rock. Cathedral Rock is a famous landmark on the Sedona skyline, and is one of the most-photographed sights in Arizona. It was a gorgeous evening as we headed out to Red Rock Loop Road (there is an upper and lower section of the road that forms the loop). The only thing that was missing were clouds but when I asked someone about it, their reply was, "It's the desert, we don't get clouds too often.", (duh). Clouds or no clouds, the light was just about perfect, giving the rocks the famous red glow that they are famous for.
I Get My Kicks...
For those of you who are too young to remember this song, it's official title is "Get Your Kicks on Route 66". The song was written in 1946 and was recorded by Nat King Cole (before my time) and covered by many artists since. The song is about the original Route 66 which was a famous stretch of road that ran from Los Angeles to Chicago. One of the original U.S. Highways, Route 66 was established in 1926 and served as a major path for those who migrated west during the 1930's to 1950's. It was noted for it's strange establishments (e.g. Dinosaur Car Wash; Wigwam Motel; Wagon Wheel Motel) with their now retro gaudy neon signs and very strange statues. In 1985, it was decided the route was no longer relevant and was replaced by the Interstate Highway System. Several places along the now defunct route, still have sections that remain. On our southwest trip, we had hoped to spend some quality time on the old route. We stopped in Williams, Arizona, which has a decent section, and we also spent some time in Albuquerque where many of the establishments have been torn down and some are just plots of land with their decrepit signs ready to fall down. It's sad to see such a nostalgic road go by the wayside.
I wasn't pleased with the few shots I got on Route 66, so I dredged up this photo that I had taken in the Route 66 Restaurant last fall. The restaurant is located in Bar Harbor, Maine (go figure) about 1,300 miles from Route 66's original terminus.
The Miraculous Staircase
This past trip was my first into New Mexico and I was able to get some great advance scouting from fellow photographer Jim Nix. Thanks Jim for all of your help. I think my favorite stop in New Mexico was Santa Fe. The architecture and surrounding landscapes made it a wonderfully attractive location. One of the neatest things we saw when touring the town was the mysterious staircase in the Loretto Chapel. Completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the challenge but the only solution seemed to be a ladder given the small size of the chapel. The Sisters of the Chapel prayed to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. As legend would have it, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. He built this staircase which has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Once completed, the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks and many concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers. Even today, experts are perplexed and amazed at its construction and design. Whether you believe the legend or not, it is an amazing staircase.
Better Look for Cover
While there are many beautiful countries in the world, my favorite has to be Italy. It may be my favorite because my mother's parents were from Italy but it also could be for the food and the countryside. For whatever reason, I have always wanted to visit Portofino. On our Mediterranean cruise, our first stop was this wonderful fishing village on the Italian Riviera. When we got to the village, it was raining and we were not able to walk around. We headed on our tour to Genoa and hoped that when we returned to Portofino, the weather would cooperate. When we got back to Portofino, the sun was shining for a short while but when I looked out toward our cruise ship, I saw the darkest clouds that I had seen in a while. The juxoposition of the sunlit village contrasted with the dark skies just called to me to shoot a photo. I knew that I had just a little time before the storm would come leaving me little time to run for cover.
Out for a Stroll
There is no better city to walk around than Venice, Italy. It has such a unique feel to it that transports you to a different time. Sure, the fact that the "streets" are canals contributes to the feel. But so do the gondolas, even though they are there for tourists rather than for transportation. Maybe it is the wonderful buildings, some of which have been there for hundreds of centuries. Maybe it is the museums that scream the Italian Renaissance wherever you look. Or it could be the history or the food. I could go on and on. When I edited this image, all of my feelings about Venice came rushing back to me. My wife and friends had headed back to the hotel to rest and I decided to spend the late afternoon just walking around with no destination in mind. When I came across this scene, I knew I had a winner (at least in my mind). Venice should be on everyone's bucket list.
Malta Waterfront
Quick post and run today as I need to prepare for my fantasy baseball draft this weekend. This image is from our Mediterranean cruise as it was leaving port in Valetta, Malta. The setting sun bathed the waterfront in light and shadows and made for a beautiful departure from the island nation.
Sail Reflections
Canada Place, with its iconic white sails, is located in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown harbor front. We had finished our Alaskan cruise and we were staying in the Pan Pacific Hotel that is part of Canada Place. Whenever one sees images of Vancouver, the sails of Canada Place are front and forward and almost every tourist guide shows it's image. I tried very hard to shoot it from different angles and, while I managed to get a couple that I sort of liked, I wasn't happy. It wasn't until our last night that I spotted this reflection of Canada Place in the windows of the neighboring pier. While I had noticed this view before, it was the great light and clouds that made the shot for me.