A new place....

Pretty much everytime I work at the University I go past this place on the train, or driving. I usually pass by with a "I'd like to shoot that someday." in passing but never stopping in.

This day was different, figuring I had missed my bus I decided to take a few minutes and try some initial shots to see what I have to work with. Then wander and catch the last bus. For those of you who care I did end up making the bus I wanted it was running late and I saw it as I was walking up the street to find other things to shoot.

So here it is, The Salt Lake City Library. (As always click on the photo and it will link you to a larger version, which is usually much more enjoyable.)

The first thing that strikes you is the open and airy lobby, jutting stairways, and glassed in elevators.

While this is more disturbing to look at, I like the confusion that the tilt added, and the pronouncement of the bulbous stairways jutting into the space.

From above the curves become more apparent and the openness invites enjoyment of the space.

To me, the most elemental design piece of the building is the juxtaposition of gentle curves and rigid lines and angles. It speaks to me the most in these stairs. Going back to the first shot, they seem to burst into your awareness with a sensous curve pushing out into the openness above you. But upon closer examination you see that they are truly more hard edged than originally perceived. This photo speaks to me of this dichotomy that exists in this building, and in all of life and nature too. Nothing is truly straight and simple or purely for ornamentation, it all has a purpouse of some kind.

Technical stuff. K200d, ISO 400, SMC - K 24mm f2.8, at unremembered aperture.

A good day...

Friday was a good day. I got to play on my way home from work, and then again after dinner. AWESOMENESS!!!!

One of the frustrations of being a landscape photographer is that you cannot schedule the light/sunset/clouds etc... you simply have to have places in mind that you would like to capture and simply be ready to drop what you are doing, grab your camera and run when the time is right. Oh, and be lucky. I wasn't so lucky with the sunset, the expected color really didn't come, but I still tried to get the best captures I could get. Here they are in reverse order.

As is my usual wont when photographing Temples this is a HDR, 6 shots in 1 stop increments from +3 to -2. I knew the color was not there and planned this as a B&W from the start. I think I captured the feeling/mood I wanted, but I think my focus was just slightly off. Still like it though.

This was earlier as I was getting set up and waiting for the sun to go down. I really thought it would be a throwaway shot, taken to check my composition, however it grew on me a bit. It is not sepia toned, that is the color as captured at that time of night.

This is the earliest shot, It is an homage to an online friend named Phil Zucker, who likes to do multiple shot self portraits like this. My first try, learned a lot, don't be surprised if you see more of these!

Just love the mountains!!!!

I often take for granted how lucky I am to see the magnificent view we have here in the Valley. I try to sometimes stop and really look at the mountains see the details. A week ago Sunday I stepped out in the mid afternoon to see what was happening to the East. Deciding that Black & White would be a good option I tried out a few shots and liked what I got. All taken from within a 100 yards of my front door, with my K200d and DA 55-300 lens.

Lone Peak

Twin Peaks

Mt Timpanogos

Yep another sunrise post......

I really liked the delicacy of the light coming around the mountain and hitting these low lying clouds. Sometimes I just love the winter..... What did I just say?

Lunchtime Blitz: Downtown!

I love the opportunity to have people listen to me, whether they have a choice or not really doesn't matter that much. So when I was asked to assist with two training sessions at one of our sister hospitals downtown I jumped at the opportunity. I was even more excited to find out that this involved a longer than usual lunch break between classes. I had taken my camera with my SMC K 35mm f3.5 lens with me, mainly because this is my smallest and lightest lens, and was ready to have some fun.

As always click on the photo for a larger version, I will try to describe why each of the many photos was included, this time, just to sharpen my own impressions.

The State Capitol: I really liked the sky more than anything else, but having the mountains showing in the background really added to the shot.

WW I Memorial: I have never been a big user of Memory Grove, however taking the opportunity to walk through was enjoyable, I loved the carving and details on this monument. This first shot captured the light as I first saw it and really gives me the textures I wanted.

The curves of these next two please me, I tried to choose between them and couldn't, so you get both.

I tried to get the flag blowing but the wind was not cooperating. I like the starkness of the marble and faded flag against the deep blue sky. I did a fairly heavy perspective correction for this shot, but the sharpness held pretty well.

My title for this shot is "Bent", I loved the colors and contrasts in this shot, and the perspective of the fence running off into the distance pleased me as well.

This stone faced chappie bewitched me for a moment, I really wondered what he could be thinking. The texture and the light gave depth to his face, and the pigeon spikes added just the right touch of ridiculous.

I don't revisit a lot of settings besides Temples, but I have been wondering if this guys stuff would still be there, and it was, though less neat than the last time. I keep being intrigued by the unknown backstory.

To me "Plum" has always been a mark of good, a plum assignment was a really good one, you get the drift. Well Plum Alley was part of the old Chinatown that has now been dozed under and built on, and is now just an alley. I think I have too many elements going on, but that is downtown to me. the dilapidated Eat-A-Burger behind with the concrete block parking garage, the plane in the sky, the beat on Do-Not-Enter sign. They all combine to give the shot texture.

The last time I wandered downtown I found a garbage can behind bars, now I find a garbage truck. I just get intrigued that folks have to lock up an area with a garbage truck.... who is gonna steal it? Really?

Hummingbirds of bronze.... I like that... easier to photograph than the other kinds for sure. I just loved the color and strangeness of seeing this. Really not sure why this part is underlining... GRRRR!

I called this "The Snake Pit", I was really hoping that the wire was not live, and didn't get close, I really liked the swirling of the wires and the sharp edged cut. Like life, messy and not ending where you expect it.

What a delicious bright yellow contrast to the more decrepit background, and yet the lean tells a story, I liked having it lean out of the frame, breaking a rule but creating tension.

This Rat's Nest of wires was really kind of scary to look at. Found myself wondering if some drunken electrician managed to finish it before he electrocuted himself.

Heading back to Memory Grove and the long steep hill back up, Despite the beautiful sun there were none of these benches that were in use. It felt kind of lonely, that is what I liked here, the loneliness of these devices sitting unused.

Memorial Chapel: I am sure this looks better in spring when everything is a brilliant green. I felt it was more meditative in late winter with the dormancy of the environment reflecting the dormancy of death, yet with the knowing of the renewal of life to come, to meditate upon.

You got two of these, simply because I liked this composition as well.

Hope you enjoyed my lunchtime walk.

A day in the life of a Mountain

Every morning last week I watched the snow blowing off the peaks of the Wasatch Mountains to the East of the Valley and have been regretting not having my camera with telephoto lens attached. So one day I rememberd to grab it as I went out the door. I ended up shooting morning lunchtime and evening from the grounds of the building where I work. These are the three I liked. (as always click the photo for a larger view.)

Storm Mountain: Blowing snow.

Storm Mountain: Clouds at noon.

Lone Peak: Last light.

This is a very well thought out article...

http://www.bythom.com/blame.htm

Read it... tis interesting.

Raphsody in Blue

Just something I have wanted to play with... Kinda like it!!!!!

20 Minutes of Monochrome Downtown (With just a splash of color)

I have a thought that goes through my head on occasion (usually when I missed a shot because I didn't have a camera with me) that I ought to carry my camera with me more often. So I try, especially when I am going to places that are more likely than the average area in suburbia to present photographic opportunities. You have seen this in earlier posts where I have carried my camera with me to my occasional (PRN) employment downtown. Yesterday was no exception to this desire, and I chose my SMC K 50mm F1.4 vintage manual focus lens as my carry lens. It is a bit long for real easy snap shooting, and needs more studied compositions especially when shooting at f2.0 to 2.8 which is my usual practice with this lens. I am more likely to carry my 35mm f3.5 in the future, or something wider, but more likely than not whatever I carry will be Old, Manual Focus, and a lot smaller than my zooms. This is part of why I love Pentax, small primes. This lens (Pentax DA 21 f3.2 Limited) is my #2 on my lens buying list, and really calls to me. Give me a couple of years and I may be able to save enough to buy it. (Anybody wanna donate?)

OK, on to the fun part the photographs. These shots were all taken in a 20 minute span, with my Pentax K200d, and the above mentioned lens. It makes a pretty compact setup and it very nice handling and fairly lightweight.

I don't know why this caught me eye, but it did, wish I had had my polarizer along... I call this one "Headless Beauty".

The next several shots are all of the same bike, it was sitting in front of the same vintage thrift shop as the mannequin. All shots of the bike were shot in B&W in camera, and only slightly adjusted in Photoshop for exposure and contrast.

Not sure I would want to ride this puppy.

I was now in move mode, I had 25 minutes to get to the bus stop from the Train stop, and had used a bit of time surveying the bike. This was in a back alley I cut through, originally shot it in B&W but went back to the RAW and brought it forward in Color, simply because I missed the rust on the frame.

I wasn't sure why this level of security was needed for this trash container, but I had to admire it.

I shot this from chest level on a split second decision to take it. I almost deleted it, but liked the sense of motion.

This girl caught my eye as I walked past, she was busily primping and working on her hair in the reflection of the Pawn Store window, I didn't get he focus on, but caught the action.

I chose to go back and bring this out in Color as a contrast to the B&W, there is just such a juxtaposition of color and casual unusualness to the scene that I couldn't help myself.

I thought this made a nice end to the series, I am not sure how this stayed here all day, or however long it was there. The tidiness of the made bed in the doorway of a closed/boarded up shop made me stop in my tracks and stare. I really wished for a wider lens to show the people waiting for the bus with this at their backs.

Hope you enjoyed the display of 20 minutes of my photography life, I don't know when I have gotten so many shots I liked in as short of a time period before.