Evocative landscape and artistic photography.
Archive for March, 2007
Sunrise by the Docks
Mar 29th
This picture took a lot of effort, not because it was hard to compose or take, but because I had to wake up at 5 in the morning to do it. I’ll tell you one thing – I contemplated not driving into work afterwards and instead, setting up a hot dog stand right by the water to earn a living… at least then I’d see this sunrise every day. There are a few more on the way, but I think they each deserve their own attention so I’ll update this post little by little.
Walk With Me
In the sunrise I find hope
Delivered in streams of gold
Forgotten worries
Subtle memories
Your hand in mine
My eyes in yours
Walking, side by side
Seat by Sunrise
Seat by Sunrise
Cold to the touch
Warm to the soul
Giving pause to lives
Lived lost in goals
Morning Swim
Another Day at the Office
Windows Vista on English
Mar 29th
I bought Windows Vista (that’s right, I’m not a MAC user!) yesterday and I discovered this gem of an error message today. I just had to post it.
Seaport District: Part 3 – ICA
Mar 29th
Ok so this is the last series of photos from my March 24th photo shoot (thank God!). Next time I am going to have to be more selective with the photos I take or hope that it starts raining after the first 300 shots, well before I get to the murderous 500 I took. Yeah 500, one of the beauties of HDR… no, sarcasm. 
I may depart from my HDR streak (Gasp!) soon, just for a bit, to examine the finer things in life, such as post processing in 5 minutes vs. 20 per photo and having enough time to eat…. every other day.
Spirit of Boston
This would be the Spirit of Boston (in case you didn’t see the writing on the boat 
. It is one of the many things us Bostonians here have a strong affinity for, even though most of us have never even been aboard. Count me as one of them! But regardless, it always commands my respect because, well, it’s really the only boat tour in Boston that anyone would want to go on. It looks cool, it sounds cool, and it IS cool… I think. The only thing keeping us land-dwellers away is the exorbitant price. I fear only that once I amass the fortune required to board this jewel, the experience may be less than climactic, but only time will tell.
The next few shots were taken from the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) which is the next big thing since the Spirit of Boston. And no, I haven’t been inside. So what do I have for you? Well only the slightly abnormal of course!
Bike by the Sea
Ah yes, a bike by the sea, but so much more. To me this photo conveys the power of perspective, composition, and most importantly, story. I have no idea who this bike belongs to, but I’d imagine that the person was fairly content in riding it down to the ICA in the beautiful spring weather and chaining it to this goergeous spot whose real estate value is probably somewhere near ten thousand times that of the bike. But there are no pesky real estate agents here, only an unsuspecting photographer like myself who decided to capture just a small tiny bit of the story.
Emily Dickinson
This is a poem by Emily Dickinson. I encourage you to view it in full size version so you can read the writing.
The next two photos show the parakeet who dwels right by the ICA and Jerry, my roommate, talking to his new found friend (he doesn’t have many). Jerry is a pretty cool kid though, so I hope you join me in congratulating him for his new relationsihp and I hope you’ll check out his photo stream here. You’ll notice he likes to steal some of my composition ideas, but I forgive him.
Parakeet
Jerry on the Parakeet
For those curious about what the ICA looks like from afar… here it is. There’s some very interesting architecture going on here, but why the parakeet?? I will never understand. Perhaps Jerry does.
ICA
Last (finally!), but not least I have some shots taken a little bit further down the road from the ICA near the federal court house with some pretty conservative views of Boston.
Setting Sail
Light the Way
Earning Respect
Seaport District: Part 2 – The T
Mar 26th
Welcome to Part 2 of my trek through the Seaport District in Boston. There are only 3 shots in this set, but they happen to be some of my favorites. Normally I don’t consider the T anything exciting, but the World Trade Center T stop is something to be reckoned with. For those non-Bostonians out there, the T stands for the “oldest subway system ever constructed in the history of mankind.” That’s right, no where else will you wait 20 minutes for a train that stops every 100 yards, but then again, no where else will you see such a majestic looking train station. Anyway, on with the shutterscript!
Misplaced Moment
We start with the shimmering ugliness of a T misplaced. In the heart of the city surrounded by beauty and water, this structure claims as its resting point the World Trade Center. Though it is unwelcome here, the vibrant reflections of that which surrounds it ripple throughout its core. And in reflecting beauty, it too garners the attention of passers by, if only for a misplaced moment.
Polished Glory
As if to prove its worth after I have finished berating its existence, the T confronts me with this monster of an elevator which leads to the rat infested depths below. Deceiving this T is, so polished in its glory and in perfect tune with the sky, promising nothing but treasures for those who approach while delivering only darkness. I am captivated by this eternal paradox for surely it will retain its command over my sleepless nights.
A Spectator Sport
Just when I think I can move on from this strange place, I look around me and notice street lights matched perfectly in height with the glorious T. So perfect in fact that it seems as though their existence was mutually conceived in an effort to entertain the surrounding spectators. And entertain they do, for even the sky cheers with the crowds below.
Seaport District: Part 1 – Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Mar 25th
Yesterday was such a beautiful day in Boston that my LDR (Low Dynamic Range) roommate and I decided to walk around the seaport district in Boston for 3 hours taking photos. The sky was so blue and the clouds so clean and crisp that I was obliged to take about 70 HDR photos (that’s a lot). Rather than bombard you with a salvo of photos that I haven’t yet had time to develop, I will present them in the order (roughly) they were taken as we made our 1 mile trek (that’s right, 3 hours and only 1 mile traveled) through the city. This first round was taken at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center – a true marvel of modern engineering and architecture. I’ll continue to update this post with photos from this location as I have time to develop and maybe write a bit more about them. Enjoy!
World’s End
Mar 24th
I went to a wonderful park yesterday called World’s End. There was a very deserted feel to the place since the trees and ground were mostly barren. Indeed, World’s End turned out to be a great name for it because of this. You’d think that taking photos in a park still marked with the scars of winter would yield uninteresting results, but I was surprised by the beauty of the place. Below are a few of my favorite shots. Enjoy!
Fenced In
I approached cautiously this fence by the sea, white and weathered from years of snow and sun. No doubt erected for the sea’s own protection from those who come to admire. I couldn’t help but wonder, who dared cross this mild separation between dirt and beauty abound. Surely I would have tried, but the sky’s warnings overpowered the enticing glimmer of the golden shore below. I cautiously moved on…
Blue Lagoon
A reward for my prudence quickly materialized before me in this near-blue lagoon of winter’s release. I paused to admire the transition as I watched the water open its eyes once again to the reflections of the endless sky – A beautiful treaty signed with the light of spring. The trees, still timid, refused to uphold their end of the bargain and cowered in fear while they conversed among themselves the exact method of their protest. I, not understanding their language… moved on.
The Path
And so it was that this path laid before me was to be anything but known. Though clearly marked and traveled by, the unfriendly air, no doubt caused by the trees’ contempt, warned me of the dangers which lay ahead. With my tripod to defend me I carried on!
View by the Sea
To my surprise I met with one individual who refused to conform to his comrades’ disposition of dissent. As an offering of peace I was given a seat by the sea on which to reflect. I paused only for a moment to soak in the howling wind and changing skies. I collected my belongings and bid my new friend farewell as he warned me of the dangers ahead.
Golden Beach
Dangers they were, for the sky had grown angry at the insistence of the trees’ dissent and had begun to envelop the light of peace while the sea’s tears trickled onto the barren shore. The industrial landscape (Boston!) to the left of the protesters watched with me in horror. Saddened by this sight I proceeded to my final destination.
World’s End
The focal point of my journey had come to fruition in this fruitless landscape of total, and beautiful, war. A golden wasteland enveloped by the flowing sky, and surrounded by the weeping sea, entranced my every thought. I had arrived at the World’s End and though I had met some friendly faces along the way, I left the warmongers quietly in hopes that I may soon find its beginning.
In Good Company
Mar 23rd
And here is the third photo I liked from yesterday’s shoot…
A lukewarm night drizzled with rain… walking down the street, tripod on my shoulder, camera around my neck, and eyes to the sky for a little taste of heaven. Though tonight I taste only tears of rain, I rest assured knowing that here on earth, I am in good company.
Golden Doorway
Mar 22nd
I think spring is finally here! It was 60 degrees out today and I left work a little early (shhh, don’t tell anyone) to enjoy the weather and take some photos. Unfortunately, the sunlight was absolutely disgusting and the sky was covered in haze. After hours of walking around I managed to snap 3 shots that I was actually happy with! Here are the first two – It’s a very interesting doorway on the Hatch Shell in Boston. Enjoy!
In searching for light, have only hope. For the answers to life’s greatest questions lie not in far away lands or dream filled nights. One need only open his eyes to that which stands before him. And if those eyes see with faith and if that man trusts his sight, even the most common stone will turn to doorways of gold, behind which he will be found.
Spring’s Landing
Mar 20th
Today is officially the first day of spring, and though my calendar now indicates as much, the howling winds which blew me through every alley of the city disagree. I do live in the northeast after all, so I should at least be thankful that it is not snowing. Today I have a photograph for you which I almost did not take. But alas, I braved the cold and managed to put my frostbitten fingers to good use in order to setup the tripod for one last shot – which as it turns out, is now my favorite of the set.
This shot was taken near the Christian Science center in downtown Boston. In every season save winter, there is a beautiful fountain filled with water in the center of the courtyard, but today it is filled with snow. Luckily you can barely see it in the picture! Aside from that, I thought this perspective was cool, and I think the colors and tones came out pretty nice considering the time of year. I just wish the sky had more going on… maybe I’ll add some clouds
Spring’s beauty lies in more than its instantaneous realization. In waiting, its colors grow more vivid, its smells more potent. If spring were to arrive in an instant, that instant would mar the sensations that we cherish so much. A beautiful bloom would become just a bunch of flowers, the sublime smell of pollen would become the cause of our allergies, and perhaps worst of all, we would not get to watch the snow melt into the sunset as we reveled in the landing of spring. I am a patient man, and though today may be the first day of spring, and tomorrow the next, I will wait many more until she softly touches down into my arms once again.
Waiting for Spring
Mar 18th
I was disappointed today to discover that weather.com had lied to me. As I desperately searched for a glimpse of the sun in the partly cloudy sky that had been promised me, I was greeted with nothing but clouds. As sad as I was, I was at least able to take a photograph which captures my sadness… inbeteween my incessant sobbing of course.
I waited for you
For just one glimpse
One glimmer of light
One ray of hope
But in waiting, I tired
And sat by your door
As I dreamt of your splendor
In my arms once more
And when I awoke
Cold and alone
It was then that I saw you
Perched on your throne