Birds Eye View

I was going to list the exposure settings for this one but I figured it'd almost be too confusing. You're actually looking at two photographs. The first is a cropped and enlarged version of one photograph and the pigeons sitting on the ledge is from another.

The cityscape was photographed at the top of the Teweles Seed Tower in the 5th Ward of Milwaukee while the pigeons were photographed along the rooftop deck of Hotel Astor between downtown and the East Side. I combined the photos with a bit of work in PhotoStudio.

This is my first "combined" photograph in the sense that it's two separate compositions. I've heard people tell me I'm "cheating" but I don't really see it that way... it's more along the lines of broadening the scope of my art - photography. Any thoughts?

Still Morning

HDR - ISO 200, f/22, 1/6"-3/5"

I took this photograph in early September while walking along the shore of Lake Michigan during sunrise. What grabbed me about the scene was that while I could remember seeing countless pieces of driftwood, I had never seen an entire stump. The lighting helped too... the way the sun was glinting at the edge of the shoreline made for a near ideal photographic setting.

Abandoned
HDR - ISO 200 - f/11, 2"-8"

When I was a child, I knew this site as the "old houses". This is one of four extremely old, abandoned wooden shacks that - from what I can tell - used to be home to several families. I hadn't seen them in years so I decided to venture back and see what, if anything, was still there.

Only the one in this photograph is still standing. The other three have fallen victim to the elements. I'd imagine this particular house will follow suit shortly so I'm happy to have gotten one final glimpse into this world that once was.

Taking Flight

I know, I know. The art museum has been photographed about ten million times. Seriously though, I hardly ever take pictures of it anymore. Every once in a while though, I see a unique perspective I haven't seen before.

The fog over Milwaukee this past weekend was absolutely spectacular. With University Club Tower barely visible through the clouds and the ever-impressive wings of the museum opening, I couldn't help but take this photograph.

City Docks

HDR - ISO 100, f/5.6, 1/2500"-1/640"

This one's somewhat similar to an earlier photograph but I wanted to revisit the same place during the day for, in my opinion, a completely different perspective. While I don't like this one as much as my "Empty Docks" photo, I think it still makes the grade.

Harbor Reflections

HDR - ISO 100, f/3.2, 1/640"-1/320"

I hope cold temperatures and snowstorms are finally done for the season... I'm ready for Spring. This city takes on a whole new character when the weather turns warm.

Sentra

HDR - ISO 100, f/22, 1/40"-1/80"

I haven't owned a car in years but now I've got a 45 minute commute on my hands and public transportation isn't going to cut it anymore - at least for purposes of getting to work. So naturally, I bought a car.

I've been waiting for the right time to take a picture of it and the fog that covered downtown last Sunday was perfect for snapping a couple shots of the new ride.

Hanging On

HDR - ISO 100, f/16, 1/6"-1/25"

Today I walked along the ice-coated beach at Big Bay Park for a while before stumbling upon this somewhat imposing natural sculpture.

While I'm not overly satisfied with how the photograph turned out, I impressed myself with the dedication it took to actually "get the shot." I was standing in three inches of ice-cold water.

Don't be too impressed though, my boots are waterproof.

Dungeon Light

HDR - ISO 100, f/16, 3.2"-5"

My basement storage room seems to be the perfect setting for the opening scene of a horror film. Decaying walls, exposed wooden slats, an accumulation of dust, spider webs and hunks of missing wall combine to make for an interesting experience every time I walk in there.

Grant ParkHDR - ISO 100, f/22, 1/8"-1/4"

Grant Park, just south of Milwaukee, is one of my favorite county parks in Milwaukee. The miles of trails, hilly topography and fantastic shoreline on the southern coast of Lake Michigan all make for an absolutely fantastic natural landscape.

Gator

HDR - ISO 100, f/22, 3.2"-13"

Nearly every time I make my way down to the shores of Lake Michigan, there's something there that surprises me. I knew I'd find plenty of ice to photograph along the breakwater wall but this formation stuck out among the rest - literally. It looks so foreboding, menacing even... yet completely tranquil all the same.

601 Lofts

HDR - ISO 100, f/22, 1/20"-1/80"

I've loved this building ever since I saw the first rendering. Now that it's complete, I can say without question that it's one of my favorite buildings in all of Milwaukee and is no doubt one of the best additions to the city's condo market.

ElementISO 100, f/5, 5"

I got my camera back! Too bad it's so damn cold out because I'd love to get out there and take some new photos. This cold though... it's ridiculous. No worries though, I've always got something to photograph. This time around it's my drum set with the added flavor of a match.

Long After the Show

ISO 100, f/4, 3.2", +2 EV comp

A rather lonesome shot I took in Chicago's Millennium Park bandshell.

The Creation: Revisited

Combined exposure of three images - ISO 100, 10"-30", f/2.8

Blake and I drove out to Holy Hill last night to see if our creation was still standing. Sure enough, it was there in all its glory! While the pile of sticks had settled quite a bit since the last time we were out that way, it was still quite an impressive sight. Want to read the story behind it? Click here.

Drip, Drip

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/60" w/flash

Sometimes when it's cold outside and the sky refuses to turn blue, it's better to stay inside with the camera. The trick is to find something worth photographing... and tonight I found plenty of entertainment by way of the bathroom sink.

Urban Backdrop

ISO 100, f/4, 2.5"

I thought it time to post a skyline picture other than that of Milwaukee. I took a short trip down to Chicago with my friend Blake a few days ago after work... we didn't have much time so we just walked around downtown near the Sears Tower and made our way through Millennium Park. If you've never been, you might want to check it out - even if you're not a fan of Frank Gehry.

The Submarine

ISO 100, f/5.6, 30"

Another photograph from my favorite skyline viewing spot - the McKinley Marina breakwater wall. When I took the photo, I meant to have the skyline be the focus of the shot but after processing, I realized how dominant the secondary rock wall was in the image. Hence, the reason why I titled it "the submarine." It does look like one, doesn't it?

The Fan

ISO 100, f/8, 1/10"

It's not very often that I do abstract photography but every once in a while, I feel the urge. As I walked past this building, I couldn't help but set up the tripod and snap a few views.

Millenium Park

ISO 100, f/4, 3/5"

I suppose it's slightly ironic that the day after being informed that I'm in the running for the "blog of the week" title over at MKE Online, I'm posting a photograph from another city. That said, I should have perhaps held off on this one. Oh well though, it's Photography of the Mark, not Photography of the Milwaukee. ;)

Whoever nominated me for the contest - Thank you!!

Riverfront Condos

ISO 100, f/4.5, 1/800"

I'm not exactly sure when it all started, but the condo craze hit Milwaukee full-force. Everywhere you look there are new condos going up that cost anywhere from $200,000 to almost $3 million. These particular condos are in the trendy third ward (on the left) and fifth ward (on the right) and will run you upwards of a half million dollars.

Experience Beer

ISO 100, f/18, 30"

Ever since I first saw this billboard, I wanted to take a picture of it. The trick was to find the right vantage point... and I think I found it.

The Billion Dollar Road

ISO 100, f/5.6, 30"

Milwaukee's freeway system is undergoing a massive face lift. The Marquette Interchange re-construction is a $1 billion project that started in 2004 and won't be finished for another two years. It was needed though... the original interchange was constructed in 1968 and was basically falling apart.

I See You

ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/250"

I'm pretty sure Milwaukee has more squirrels per capita than any other city in the world. Seriously... earlier today I was walking outside my office and in a space that couldn't have been more than 100x100 feet, I saw eight squirrels romping around. Eight.

The more the merrier I suppose... they're fun to watch and even more fun to take pictures of. I could've sworn they were posing for me as soon as I took my camera out.

My View

ISO 100, f/18, 1/40"

Almost every morning I wake up to the most beautiful sunrises over Lake Michigan. This view though, comes with a price - a higher than average rent. A rent I certainly don't mind paying because waking to a sight like this makes the monthly rent check worth every penny.