Category Archives: B&W Photography

Winter Contrast

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“Winter Garden in Fog”
Heatherwood Winter

The fog rolled in and left Heatherwood engulfed in a hazy mist. Hoar frost ice crystals formed on the tips of the plants. It was like a winter wonderland. I grabbed my camera and off I went!

Even on a dreary dark winter day, our garden is a place full of nature’s little gifts. Every time I go out, I see a different perspective of something I have passed a hundred times before. It catches my attention and interest and begs me to try to create an appropriate image. Last year I took over 36,000 images of our Heatherwood garden (not including photos on my iPhone)! I have just completed my 2021 garden highlights selections of about 360 images (1percent). My resolution for this year is to be a little bit more selective. I don’t know if that will work because another resolution is to experiment more and be more creative. It will be a balance.

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Squiggles

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“Two Towers With a Squiggle”
New York City

I just do not get it. Why the squiggle in these two towers in Manhattan? Was it just to make the symmetric buildings look different? I wonder just how much it cost to add such a non-value architectural element. The squiggle catches my eye, but that is all it does for me.

Maybe I am just not sophisticated enough to appreciate it.

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Back to NYC

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“Highline Neighbor”
Highline Walk, New York City

This building adjacent to New York City’s Highline intrigues me. I first saw a photograph of it in a book on the Highline. As I walked along the Highline this fall, the building’s fluid lines and reflections were like a magnet to my eyes. I spent several moments walking back and forth viewing different perspectives. I easily could have spent an hour. Time was short and I had a lot of area to cover. I will be back!

The building located on 520 West 28th Street is designed by Zaha Hadid. It houses 39 condominium residences. Its fluid curves is a major contrast to the other surrounding buildings. A courtyard garden extends to from the building to the Highline boundary.

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Brrrr!

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“Frozen”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Brrr … We are ending the year with an arctic blast! The temperatures are dropping into the single digits and the highs are hovering around 20 degrees. This year, I have left one of our two waterfalls running into the pond to keep the pond aerated for the fish. A side benefit is a beautiful water-ice feature to accent our winter Japanese garden landscape.

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Winter is Coming

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“Japanese Maple and Yukimi”
Heatherwood Japanese Garden

Winter is coming. We have just a week more until the first day of winter arrives. I’ve delayed getting the pond ready for its winter hibernation. The waterfalls need to be turned off and the pond aerators need to be put in place for the fish. The pond filters need to be cleaned out. Ice will form around the edges of the pond. The sound of the falling water will be silenced until we start the pond up again next spring. We will miss the energy that the stream and waterfalls bring to Heatherwood’s Japanese garden

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An Achievement or a Mistake?

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“The Vessel”
New York City Hudson Yards

This interesting piece of architecture captured my imagination when I started my walk along New York’s Highline. I had no idea of the background of this amazing structure, so a little homework was needed. The active sculpture is 16 stories high comprised of 154 staircases, 80 landings, and 2500 steps. The path to the top is a little over a mile. The creator, Thomas Heatherwick, said that his intent was to create a focal point where people can enjoy new perspectives of the city and one another from different heights, angles and vantage points.

At its opening dedication in 2109, the Vessel was deemed to be safe, able to carry 1,000 people at a time. However, since its opening four people have committed suicide. In August of this year, the 4th suicide occurred. The Vessel is now indefinitely closed.

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Kinetic Architecture

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“Abstract – The Shed”
Hudson Yards, New York City

Do you believe this monster really moves? The Shed is a multi-cultural, multi discipline center for the arts in New York City. It provides a venue for established and emerging artists to show and perform their creative endeavors. The image above is a face of a movable shell that doubles the space of the facility for large displays and performances.

Large wheels, I guess the diameter to be about 8 feet, move the Shed’s outer shell. It takes 5 minutes to fully move the shell in or out. See image below.

“The Shed’s Wheels”

When I first saw this structure, I had no idea what it was. I just thought it was a cool piece of architecture. When I had the chance, I did a little homework. It is an amazing application of a creative solution. To add a little creativity of my own, I created an abstract of the lines and reflections of the shell. Next time we are in New York, I plan to venture inside this amazing facility.

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Reflecting Back

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“Clouds and Rocks”
Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Reflecting back, just a week ago we were in the Joshua Tree National Park in the Mohave Desert. It was a warm beautiful day in the high 80’s. It was a great vacation.

When I saw this scene, I thought it looked like smoke was coming out of the rocks above us. It reminded me of the days when I was a boy, laying in the grass at the ranch, looking up at the sky, and imagining stories that the clouds above were portraying. Many summer days were spent dreaming. I still find myself dreaming as the clouds move across the sky. I wonder what the rocks were trying to communicate with their smoke signals.

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Desert Forest

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“Joshua Trees”
Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Have you ever seen a forest in the desert. Here in Joshua Tree National Park, the south eastern Mohave Desert is covered with this strange forest. It is truly a western scene. I can imagine cowboys riding through this desolate area. There is no water to be found for miles..

The Joshua Tree is the largest of the Yuccas, reaching 35- 40 feet tall. They can live up to 150 years. Some have even found to have lived 300 years. They are a tough plant!

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Great Way to End the Day!

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“Empire State Building”
New York City

What a way to end a great day in New York gazing up at the Empire State Building! During our recent trip to New York, the hotel where we stayed had a roof top lounge. Due to Covid restrictions, the lounge was closed for service. However, it was open for visitors to go up and sit. So, we really took advantage of it. Each morning we would grab a “to go” breakfast and take it up to the lounge to start our day. In the evenings, we would grab a bottle of wine, go up and enjoy the city lights. This night, a fog permeated the tops of the tallest buildings. What a feeling!!!

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