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Photographic Angle

A photographic angle of a modern building caught my eye while walking through a big city. It’s at the foot of Telus Gardens which is a new building with innovative architecture and is supposedly one of the most energy efficient in the world. The image is a little confusing. The translucency and reflections of the elevator on the left create a little perplexity.

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Photographic Angle
Photographic Angle of Telus Gardens in Vancouver

I took several identical frames hand held using a high ISO setting. Normally I would use a tripod but this time I was trying a different technique. I used Photoshop to combine the identical images and eliminate the noise. I learned the technique from this tutorial by Serge Ramelli.

Because I live in a small town walking around a big city is an experience for me. Sometimes I think I’d like to live in a large city. I love the energy, especially the creative inspiration I get for photography. I get a lot of that when I’m in a place like Vancouver.

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Later when I get home I’m happy for the quiet and relative calm of a small town. It’s not a contradiction, just a matter of being happy where I am. No matter where I end up, I’ll always be looking for a photographic angle.

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More Alike than Unalike

This reminds me of the saying that we are more alike than unalike. While in Amsterdam I took a ride on a boat through the city canals. It’s a perspective that had me looking up at the houses, streets and people above the water level. It was a covered boat but sat outside the whole time taking photos. Being a foreigner I find it particularly interesting to watch people. I think that’s a natural reaction to a new place, maybe because we relate to people more than surroundings.

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More Alike than Unalike
People are More Alike than Unalike

I think people in most places around the world have a lot in common. Where we live is part of the equation, but not the most important part, at least that’s my theory.

People here seem to be happy. There is a sensibility that’s rarely found in North America, we have it but in isolated cases. What is it? It’s hard to put my finger on it. Folks are content to ride bikes instead of cars. People spend quality time together rather than work all the time. It’s a sense of identity of a small country that is sometimes lost in a large country. And then of course there are the laws, they are very different.

All that aside, at our core we are more alike than unalike. We think about many of the same things, we feel the same, we react to the same things. By experiencing and learning from each other we become wiser. When we look closely at people we realize we are not so different.

monochrome from the gallery

Photography is sometimes an opportunity to meditate on these ideas, to cut through the exterior and make a connection. That may sound counter-intuitive, but I think there’s something to it, at least for me. But then, if we’re not all that different maybe it is for you too.

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Out Over San Francisco

Looking out over San Francisco from the top of Coit Tower there is a lot to take in. It’s a good good I was here in the morning because this is popular and at other times there are be lines to get up. But on this morning there were only a few people on top and the view in all directions was unobstructed.

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Out Over San Francisco
The View Out Over San Francisco

San Francisco is hilly enough, but when standing up here on a tower everything is accentuated. I used a wide angle lens to pack in as much as possible, but of course this is only looking in one direction; it was like this all around.

I think living up on this hill and then taking a walk everyday would ensure you are in pretty good shape. And that’s exactly what you see, people walking up and down the hills. I get a little winded on just one hill but if I did it everyday maybe it would be different.

Cityscape Images

I was born and raised in California but I have never been up here. I’ve seen the Coit Tower countless times, I’ve been to the base of it, I recognize it as part of the skyline, but I’ve never been to the top of it until now. In my opinion its well worth the visit if you’ve not done that yet.

San Francisco is full of architectural landmarks but this ranks in the top two or three.

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Saturday Night Fireworks

These are the Saturday night fireworks we had here in my hometown for the annual regatta. It’s the third year and each year it gets bigger and bigger. They shut down one of the main bridge so people can stand on it to watch the Formula One races. Those boats are pushing the limits of the laws of physics, it really is crazy to watch. The day is filled with food, acrobatic displays and concerts and ends with a firework display.

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Saturday Night Fireworks
Saturday Night Fireworks at the Bradenton Area Regatta.

I took this from across the river near my home in Palmetto. Palmetto is a small town compared to Bradenton, but they share the river and during the regatta each city joins together to put on the show.

When I arrived at the little beachhead along the river to watch the fireworks there was a couple already sitting in their lawn chairs waiting for the fireworks. I asked how it was going and the guy replied it was a little cold. We laughed but basically called him on it. He was from upstate New York and his son just sent him a picture of the snow up there. Here we all were in shorts and sandals watching fireworks. Maybe he was just being facetious so I told him to send back a picture and see if he gets any sympathy from the folks up north.

Bradenton Images

I’m fortunate to live here in Florida especially at this time of year. I just returned from a couple of weeks in Canada and I can say with certainty that it is not cold here. The only cold thing is the ice in the fridge that we use to keep our drinks cold.

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On the Last Night

It seems that I’ve started a tradition of going to Lands End for a sunset on the last night of a visit to San Francisco. Not that planned it, it just seemed to work out that way. So far I’ve been rewarded with great sunsets, what are the odds of that each time? I’m just knocking on a piece of wood right now to persevere whatever good luck the photography gods have bestowed upon me. I can go a long way with a little luck.

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On the Last Night
On the Last Night in San Francisco

This time I ate dinner at the Cliff House Bistro, it’s right on the water. In fact I took this during dinner from the restaurant which is perched upon a cliff overlooking the pacific. The best part about it is enjoying a meal while watching the sunset. I took a few minutes to step out with my camera. It is an iconic location.

If you are looking at this on a large monitor you might be able to see a small island way out on the horizon just right of center. That is part of the Farallon Islands located about 20 miles offshore. I never noticed it before but while sitting in the restaurant looking out at sea it became apparent. I grew up in California and never knew these islands existed. There is a wildlife refuge there and it’s been called the “Galapagos of the North”.

San Francisco

Now that I know it’s there I’ll keep an eye out for it next time and maybe even take an excursion if I can find a company that sails out there.

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Random People in Night Scenes

I’m not sure why it is but I enjoy images of random people in night scenes. This is similar to a shot I did a year ago in the same location. It too was monochromatic with red. Anyway, I’m deliberately repeating myself. What I’m trying to capture is the combination of the lights of the shopping district, the hustle and bustle of people and the interplay of light and shadow. They combine to create a scene and the red color adds an extra dimension of depth.

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Random People in Night Scenes
Random People in Night Scenes

Looking at this you could be forgiven for thinking it was somewhere in the United States but in fact it’s Vancouver, British Columbia. On the surface, many things about Canada seem similar to the United States. But beyond the surface there are differences.

I could name a lot of things but I think that strong sense of national Identity is one of the most prominent. That sounds very general, but it’s palpable, something you pickup on right away.

Just as the USA influences Canada, the same is true in the other direction. Most people don’t notice, but Canada has a big influence south of the border. Television personalities, sports, medicine, manufacturing, banking…, the list goes on. I see the signs of all over Florida but maybe that’s because I know what to look for.

night photography

Generalities aside, we are not so different as individuals. In the end we are what we are, individuals living our lives. And thats a similarity that extends across all borders.

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Spectacle of the Commercial Port

It seems each time I visit Vancouver I’m drawn to the spectacle of the commercial port. Probably because it’s right on the eastern edge of town and it’s hard to miss. Maybe also the child in me likes all the multicolored containers, boats and cranes. Nevertheless I look for new ways to frame it and in this case the sunrise provided a backdrop. This morning was the first break in the clouds after a week of steady rain.

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Spectacle of the Commercial Port
Spectacle of the Commercial Port in Vancouver BC

I took this from Canada Place which is empty of people first thing in the morning save for the occasional jogger or photographer. The perspective from here is deceiving, the port appears smaller than it is. The last time I was in Vancouver I took a seaplane and flew over the port. To my surprise it was many times larger than I thought. I had only ever seen it from this perspective.

I have always wondered about the number of ships sitting at sea just outside port, it’s a part of the Vancouver seascape. You grow accustomed to it but the first time I saw them I thought it unusual. After a while they blend into the fabric of the city and you hardly notice. At the appointed time each will pass under the Lionsgate Bridge and dock here.

urban images in the gallery

I think it all goes unnoticed by the majority of people, but for some unknown reason I find all of this fascinating, spending more time than I should thinking about the ships, the docks and the whole bloody operation.

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The Fine Line We Walk

This picture makes me think of the fine line we walk every day. It might even be a metaphor for how we are evolving. We can be filled with distractions so that we miss what is around us. Constant thoughts, reminders, threads of conversations, it can be hard to disconnect. This kind of challenge will only continue to grow.

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The Fine Line We Walk
The Fine Line We Walk

I think we are morphing into another type of human. In a hundred years we will be even more merged with our technology and a global source of knowledge. The question is, how will we change? I’m not worried, eventually we’ll do the right thing. We’ll evolve and make good decisions. I believe that.

In the mean time we will walk along the shore and share the experience with our friends thousands of miles away. We’ll surf our twitter feed even as the surf is pounding at our feet. We will walk a fine line, but in the end we will get it right.

seascape images

These thoughts are not about photography per se, but , through photography I am thinking them. By creating this image it leads to an idea and that is the enjoyment I get out of it. One thing leads to another and before you know it I’m predicting the future of humanity. Such are the wanderings of my mind.

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Sailing Nowhere

As far as I can tell this boat has been here for years and is sailing nowhere. One morning I headed over by the water to take pictures of the sunrise. There is a mooring field between two bridges and it’s a place to watch the sunrise or sunset depending on which way you’re facing. My theory is that this is an abandoned boat because it’s been here for years and never seems to move. Before I moved to Florida it never occurred to me but apparently there are abandoned boats out there. From a purely aesthetic point of view, they make for good picture taking.

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Sailing Nowhere
Sailing Nowhere in Manatee County

I doubt that removing the vessels is high on any municipal agenda. Eventually a hurricane come along and sink the craft and then mother nature begins her slow process of reclaiming it.

I showed up early to take this and to my surprise, someone else was there at the same time taking pictures as well. To be honest I was a little surprised. I live in a small town and rarely is anyone other than myself taking photos in the morning. In a big city or a national landmark yes, of course, I would expect all manner of photographers. But Palmetto? Well, anyway we both took some photos of that lovely morning and then went our separate ways.

Florida Gallery

As for this boat, it just stayed in this one spot and I’m pretty sure it hasn’t moved since.

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Preferred Parking

On Saturday night I was walking back to my hotel in Vancouver and had to stop and do a double take when I passed what appeared to be preferred parking. It’s adjacent to a nightclub and what caught my eye was the modes of transport, i.e. German engineering. I have no idea which club this is but just after I took the shot I saw another couple arriving in a Porsche from Washington State. I guess the club is worth the two-hour drive up. If I had one of these cars I’d park here as well. Surely the valet attendant is well tipped.

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Preferred Parking
Preferred Parking in Vancouver BC

At the time I was walking around looking for street scenes to photograph. My Sony camera is so good at night photography that its something I look forward to doing whenever I’m in a big city.

It’s been about six months since I was in Vancouver and the one difference I noticed was the amount of people smoking weed in the open. I’d say it was more than in Amsterdam, and if you’ve ever been to Amsterdam that’s saying something. Maybe because it was a Saturday night, but I’m not sure.

monochrome gallery

Anyway, there is always something to see / do / smell when walking around here. Everyone is out having a good time and some people know how to arrive in style.