inspired photography with just enough perspective
Another shot of another old pier at sunset, but come to think about it the sunset was just an afterthought. The combinations of rock, wood, sand and water is what attracted me, the sun was a bonus. Just another sunset at Coquina Beach in the town of Bradenton Beach, Florida. From a beach in a town named for a beach, life is a beach.
That’s the question I ask myself whenever I get immerse myself into the city of Vancouver. How is it possible that such an awesome city can even exists? I have no answers, just photos of the awesomeness that is this electric city. I used to live in Toronto but now I’m in Florida, I’m an American, I was born in California. Anyhoo, …when I lived in Toronto there was a sense that it was the center of the Canadian universe, and in many ways it is. But in terms of beauty and quality of life, it’s got nothing on Vancouver, not even close. So here is a taste of the northwest city on the pacific. And don’t be surprised if when you look up the word spectacular in the dictionary you see a picture of Vancouver.
A couple of Sundays ago I took a Kayak through the Mangroves at Robinson Park in Bradenton. To be honest, until a few weeks ago I’d never even heard the term “Mangrove Tunnel”. But here they are, all over Florida, just waiting for Kayakers to pass through. Anyway, this is my first experience and it was spectacular. I kept taking photos when I should have been navigating with the paddle and so my Kayak kept drifting to the walls of the tunnel. Click click click, drift, crunch, paddle backwards, …click click click, drift, crunch, …and so it continued through the whole length of the tunnel. I couldn’t help myself, it was just to amazing of an experience.
So I think its normal when you look at a photo to imagine yourself in the scene. I do that all the time and I think its what creates longing. While this isn’t a particular warm picture, it does make me want to follow the tracks into the fog. Something about tracks. When I was a child I used to dream about tracks, the dreams were kind of weird, I can’t explain them, but somehow, skipping all the middle pieces I ended up somewhere. Maybe in some vague way, this reminds me of that, a magical journey along the tracks. I’ll just need to sleep on it.
I just got back from an amazing trip to Vancouver. There’s nothing better than walking around Vancouver at night unless perhaps you’re walking around during a TED conference. This is Janet Echelman’s sculpture which was lit up for thew conference last week. It’s a 745-foot wide installation made of netting and suspends between the roof of the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and the Vancouver Convention Centre. You could actually control the lighting with your cellphone thanks to a collaboration Aaron Koblin of Google Creative Lab’s.
Of all the subjects I like shoot in in my home town, bridges are my favorite. This is one of two draw bridges to Anna Maria Island. Most bridges in the area are draw bridges and whenever I approach one in my car I secretly wish that the sirens would sound and I’d have to stop and wait. There’s no better place to be stuck in traffic than on a draw bridge in Florida. Turn off the engine, roll down the windows, and watch the boats floating by. Real stressful.
In Vancouver near the Westin Hotel there is this little semi-circular walkway over the water that offers a great view of the harbour. One day I watched an otter from this spot and overheard someone mention that he frequents the outdoor pool at the Westin. Animals are respected here in Vancouver like no other city, they seem to be residents accorded all the rights, and maybe even a little more. And as far as I’m concerned that’s the way it should be. This is the Coal Harbour section of Vancouver at night.
These are the still waters of Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park, Alberta. As far as lakes go, this is one of he most beautiful on Earth. Certainly there are a lot of places I’ve not been, but I digress. The lake itself is about 20 miles long and surrounded by awe inspiring peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Yes, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake are up there, but this lake is remote and for all intents and purposes, pristine like no other. No crowds, no helicopters, no room service, this is the real deal. In any case, if and when you get a chance, do check it out.
If I knew the slightest thing about fishing it would be twice what I know now. That being said, I think this is a good fishing spot. I only know that on account of the numbers of fishermen that show up here after the sun goes down. And by fishermen I mean humans, pelicans, herons, …you name it, they all show up for the party. This is the Longboat Key Bridge as taken from the dock in Bradenton Beach Florida at night. And if I was into fishing, this is were you’d find me tonight.
I take most of my pictures around sunrise and sunset and so tend to be a little bit frantic during those fleeting moments. Thus was the case when I shot this, I was on a trail desperately looking for a view across a pond when I just had to stop and shoot lest I miss the sun altogether. Bad timing, not enough planning, guilty as charged. I was disappointed enough that I threw this into the reject pile. Now, six months later, I was scanning my old shots and thought it was worthy of a second chance. So here, straight from the recycle bin, is a sunset through the bushes at Emerson Point in Florida.