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.