What in the World?

I haven't posted one of these in awhile but came across just the right shot for this feature. If you think you are good at puzzles take a look at the image below. What do you see? What do you think it is? Care to guess? If I haven't stumped you, comment below with your answer. If I have stumped you, keep coming back to see what you can see. Maybe it'll come to you. Maybe it will not.

News

In Chicago the colourful newspaper boxes line up by the morning watering holes, like the cabs do alongside the hotels. The taxi drivers line up on the street and wait in queue for the doorman to blow his whistle. When the whistle blows the next cab in line (just as colourful as these news boxes) moves up to receive its passengers. 

Here, the road itself (also has its own watering hole) has found the free paper and is not afraid to mark it.

Cloud Gate

Cloud Gate, located in Millennium Park, Chicago, is an amazing sculpture designed by artist Anish Kapoor. Eighty percent of the surface reflects the sky, thus the name. Because of its shape, it has been dubbed The Bean, much to the apparent chagrin of the artist. This is a huge piece of art measuring 33 feet high, 42 feet wide and 66 feet long...which makes the fact that it was completely created in California and then taken apart to be shipped to Chicago quite remarkable.

If you get a chance to go to Chicago, do stop by Millennium Park to take a look, stand beneath, walk around, see the warped reflections of the buildings...and yourself in Cloud Gate. It is interesting, amazing, interactive and fun. Oh, and bring your camera.

Interesting fact: Cloud Gate is washed twice a year in 40 gallons of liquid Tide.

Peddling

I took this picture on an early Sunday morning in Chicago. Few were out and about on the sidewalks; the coffee drinkers, me...and this lady. As I meandered the streets, she peddled past and I couldn't take my eyes off of the image composing itself before me. Her retro cruiser, her basket wired to the back, her large shoulder bag that had zero effect on her posture, and even her obvious hair dye...all of this with the backdrop of downtown Chicago completely engaged me.

I imagine she's out again this Sunday, peddling down Michigan Avenue. I wonder where she goes.

Capturing Height in Landscape Mode

Are you looking for an interesting way to capture height? Here's a different way to compose your urban shots that lops off the tops of many of the buildings yet still successfully gives the impression of height. Shoot in landscape mode and then crop so the image is much wider than it is high, focusing in on the long shadows of the buildings rather than the buildings themselves. What you end up with in this image is a pretty good understanding of the towering height of Chicago's highrises.

Like a Million Raindrops

They all fall
Like a million raindrops
Falling from a blue sky
Kissing your cares goodbye
They all fall
Like a million pieces
A tickertape parade high
And now you're free to fly

Newsboys ~ Million Pieces

What a great visual - watching my cares fall like raindrops. Letting go of my anxiety and my worries is key to peace and freedom. I must let them go and trust that God still has me and will work things out for my good. I must be the one to lay my burdens down. Nobody else can do that for me.

And when I have done this (because I don't always do this), let my worries fall like a million raindrops, peace and freedom have come. It is so.

(If you'd like to see the rest of the lyrics to Million Pieces go here)

Morning's Light

Last night's flowers, thirsty and tired, huddle together in blue and green vases on the patio table. The chairs are stacked behind them. Chatter and laughter are still sleeping. The pigeons have swept the concrete clean and have moved along. The party is over; morning has come.

Vacancy

Empty, the swings carry on, waiting for their next passengers. It was nearing the end of the summer but there would be a few more rides to give before giving in to winter's chill. Labor Day was coming. The pier would bustle again before growing quiet.

Sometimes I just happen upon a picture

When I went out to get the paper this morning, I reached for the latch and then looked down. Just an inch or two away from my hand was a very large dragonfly, sitting there with no intention of moving. I jumped a little and then ran back into the house to get my camera and switch to my macro lens. I was happy to see him still perched on the latch when I returned. He washed his face while I snapped pics and really didn't seem to care that I was there.

Black and White Photography

Black and white photography is a great medium for spotlighting textures, shapes and lines. Here, the patterns in the wake of the boat form a triangle which naturally points us to the subject. The ripples from the oars also draw us in their succession to the oars which draw us to the subject. And finally, the waves in the river itself point towards the rowers.

All of these lines and shapes tell us there is movement, which is important for an active image.

Interest, direction, and movement, this shot has all three. Add colour, and some of that would be lost.

In the image below, black and white photography works again. Here, flow is a significant and fluid movement in the lines of the curve of the subject's neck and shoulders and in the blurred background edges as well. The eye is directed to the dangling earring by way of lines and also light. Originally in colour, the teal tank top and yellow background took away from the flow and ultimately the subject.

Composing shots by seeing with your mind and eye in both colour and grayscale is helpful in discerning how best your image will present.