inside out and then some

In 2004, the downtown Seattle Public Library opened amid fanfare and controversy.  It was designed by architects Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus of the Dutch firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture) and built by the Hoffman Construction Company of Portland, Oregon.  Since its completion, the building has received mixed reviews.  Whether or not critics and the public find it appealing, it provides truly endless photographic possibilities.

Massive amounts of glass and steel went into the construction, giving it a much warmer feeling from the inside than the outside.

from all the angles, I wish you Happy Chinese New Year,

the year of the rabbit

 until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

lost in the details

If we stop to look at the world around us and focus on a particular element, it can be mesmerizing.  Ocean waves.  Buildings.  A sea of sagebrush.  Aspen leaves moving in a gentle breeze.  You have probably noticed by now that spirals are particularly intriguing to me.  I frequently use them as subjects, spending hours shooting from different angles.  I did a study this week of banana tree leaves.  They draw me into unfurled blocks of green and yellow and variations in between.

Brilliant design, there for the taking.

Most people make New Year's resolutions.  2011 is a great time to rediscover the world in all its glory.

until next week,

DB

a passion for the image

patterns in sandstone and terracotta

Patterns and details in nature and humans have always fascinated me.  Looking within the big picture frequently offers the photographer a different view of the world's building blocks.

Sandstone

Fossils embedded in sandstone

Patterns and details usually result over a long period of time, giving the object character.

Terracotta pot stains 1

Terracotta pot stains 2

Over two decades ago at a photography workshop, the instructor urged all of us not to be afraid to shoot at different angles or close up, and to get on our backs and bellies if need be to take an effective photograph.  Of course, he did not live in the land of rattlesnakes, but on most occasions, his advise has served me well.  I know, at times, I am reticent to get close for one reason or another, and it is during these moments when his words help the most.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image  

wind

It is with us, whether we like it or appreciate it, wind is part of the physics of Planet Earth, essential to and nourishing life.  Whether the use was for grinding grain, pumping water, generating electricity, or pure aesthetics, human kind has embraced wind as a tool for millenia.  We had an Aeromotor windmill for pumping water from our well in western New Mexico in 1977, and learned to love the reassuring "cathunk, cathunk" of the sucker rod.  It meant we had cold, wonderful water to drink.

Windmill, Santorini, Greece

Windmill detail, Santorini

Garden wind fan with hoar frost

Our Aeromotor windmill, western New Mexico

may the wind be in your favor.

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image

intersection of cold and fashion

The eve of the new year arrived with a new layer of fresh snow.  The fog and overcast that accompanied our gift from the massive West Coast storm departed as celebrations began, leaving us with a morning low temperature of -18.  Sunday morning's low was also -18.  To know cold, one must experience it.  Go outside in any temperature below 0 degrees Fahrenheit and the hairs in the human nose begin to freeze within the first minute of exposure.  Men start growing icicles on facial hair.

Buildings tend to gather ice as well.  Frost patterns show up on windows and icicles hang from eves.

There is no more important time for "dressing for success" than winter in the high country.  Now this is what I'm talking about!

may 2011 be a year of creativity and sanity 

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image