downtown philly
from the window of the studio downtown, there is a stained glass artist down the hall, and some of her pieces are hanging in the windows near the freight elevator.
i actually left my house and wandered around this week for my window image. i'm so glad that blogger finally decided that i was allowed to upload it.
In the turmoil of a two-day span of job application filling-out, I almost forgot today was Window Wednesday! I was going to take a photo from the conservatory out to the back garden where an autumny tree was bathed in a strip of golden sun. It just didn't seem to translate, but happily when I turned around to go back in, I saw this interesting light and shadow. I really like how it turned out.
Office window. Dan's Mom gave this to me last Christmas. I know she said it was "just a little something", but I think it's really special, and it always makes me feel good when I see it. She has a similar one, of a different color, that she hangs in her window. It reminds me, too, of two angels that I bought Mom and Dad years ago when I was in Chicago. They have their place on the mantle in Syracuse every Christmas, with candles lighting them up from behind.
August 29, 2005. Canterbury. See here if you wish. I was browsing through some photos of the past and came by this. Thought it might be a good entry for light and shadow. I remember taking it, thinking that I liked how the shadows fell across the wall, liking how a story could be read into the image, and wondering if I could make a decent composition out of it.
A birthday package arrived for me today from Mom and Dad. Along with a beautiful card: my favorite face lotion, dark chocolate with raspberry, the essential chappy, and ZINGERS!... all wrapped in pretty paper. My Mom and Dad are the best. I miss them so much.
After jak's question about my 'windows' submission this week, I thought I would post the huts in context. This is a few hundred yards from our front door. It isn't the strip featured in 'windows', (which is about the same distance in the other direction), but I didn't have any of those that showed the proximity to the sea. This area is 'famous' for these Victorian huts. Funny how you stop seeing things when they are right in front of you all the time. This is a good example of that. You get a bit sick of it because in town there are endless photos, postcards, paintings, prints, posters etc etc etc of this sort of scene... and not all of the best taste. The huts are pretty though, no doubt. And, no doubt, I will appreciate them more when I am no longer here.
This is a “view” out of the front door window. There is an orange tree shredder just out front, with a red car behind it on the other side of the road. I thought the colors looked nice: the green of the lawn, the white of the wall, the red and orange, a bit of grey from the sea, and a bright blue sky for a change on this Wednesday. Thinking of how those patterns will never occur just the same again… capturing a moment.
Bathroom window, rainy morning, plants growing too big for their pots. We pegged the one on the right as a goner, but it is making a commendable attempt at new life. That's the side of the garage you can see. Seems odd, but it's nice that there's no chance of anyone seeing in through the bathroom window. Please disregard the bird poopies. Taken today, about 10 minutes ago.
Taken October 6, 2004 ... shortly before I returned to the UK. Sometimes in Autumn I miss the Northeast US with it's vibrant colors, smells and flavors. I wonder if there are pumpkin farms here? --- and I wonder if anyone here has seen the "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" Halloween special -- which I remember as always being sponsored by Dolly Madison snack cakes. Mmmm, zingers were my favorite... and every now and then, after undoubtedly being very very good, Mom would sneak one into my lunch box (perhaps accompanied by an American cheese and pickle relish sandwich). Halloween isn't much over here, but apparently is growing in popularity each year. I've definitely noticed a lot more creepy stuff around than when I first moved over in 2000 --- the largest selection so far is the one I saw at Woolworth's. That's right, I said Woolworth's ... one of the original American five-and-dime stores that is no longer found in America! Well, rest assured, it exists here in England and is chock full of good ol' tacky Halloween paraphernalia.
Yesterday, I awoke at 5am with Dan and rode with him to where he works in Peckham, south London. The sun was just rising when we got there, and I took the overland train into London Bridge Station. I arrived around 7:30am to commuters just appearing, watching the station come alive with hurrying and scurrying workers. Many appeared robotic and devoid of life, devoting their lives, unquestioningly, to a faceless corporation. I emerged outside into a hazy, wet and cloudy central London -- the ever-brown Thames at home in the grey atmosphere of a rainy day. It seemed more the light of dusk than dawn. Perfect. These are the windows of Tower Bridge.
September 3, 2006. My favorite lighting conditions. Switched to color just in time to catch the light hitting the front of the castle with the stormy clouds in the background.
Light and shadow, a really good subject. I liked the way the light was falling on Dan's die-hard plant. It might seem silly, but in a way I feel this photo captured it's soul. Silly? Probably not.
