PHOTO FOR THE DAY

A classic Tucson vintage hotel. It's a shame it's closed down.

WELL EARNED

So here's a tidbit of information, I'm afraid of heights. Here's another wee tidbit; when you walk up the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway (at the time) there are plywood walls which block the view until you are up close to the support towers. There is also something under the walkway so you can't see down. 

Until 4/5th of the way up. 

Then you can suddenly see the insane height to which you have nonchalantly walked without fully comprehending just how high into the stratosphere this freaking walkway actually ascends. The water so far below, you can't fully grasp what it is you are seeing for a moment. After that moment, your knees go weak, your head spins and you grasp on to the plywood walls hoping you don't pass out. 

You bravely continue though, because the walls end just up there, and you've come from the other side of the nation, a little phobia isn't going to stop you from this photo op. 

Then the plywood walls end and you are blasted by gale hurricane force winds causing you to actually stumble a few steps before planting your feet and bracing against the monster trying to lift you and throw you over the side, to.. Oh. My. God... the water and tiny, tiny boats so far below. Some nut who obviously doesn't understand not everyone is comfortable staring into the gaping jaws of death, goes zinging by on a bike. "On your left." I wanted to rip off that daintily chiming bell and throw it over the side of the bridge. Though imagining following the flight as it disappeared into a speck and knowing you wouldn't even see the splash, made me a little nauseous. 

So instead, I stagger to the nice massive, stone constructed support tower. Exhaling slowly, starting to relax now that I am holding on to the sturdy support, THAT IS PART OF THE WHOLE BRIDGE THAT IS SWAYING ever so gently in the breeze. Clinging to the tower, realizing on one side you are protected by the wind, I work around all 4 sides. Keeping my back in contact  with the cold stone, one hand holding on to any purchase hold I can find, the other in a sweaty death grip on the camera. Snapping away and hoping even one will come out well, because this is one thing that is never happening again. 

Progress is measured by inches. Sliding one foot at a time, like the person you see in the movies who was dumb enough to go out on a window ledge, because you'll be damned if you don't get photos of the view before you pass out and have to be carried down. One trip around the tower and not a chance in hell that we are going to walk across the bridge as we so naively planned just 20 minutes ago when on terra firma. 

Annnndddd it's time to let go, pry those fingers loose, take one shaky step forward, avoiding another kamikaze biker and their chiming bell. The goal is the plywood blinders. It's possible. Because getting down is the only way I am going to see if the photos came out. 

I did. And they did.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

During a wee bit of urban exploring, I came across a burned building. It was a produce warehouse and all that remains are the walk-in coolers. My heart goes out to the local family who lost their building and business.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

One of my recent favorite train graffiti images from my Instagram postings. Looks like he's been there a while doesn't it? How many places has he seen?

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Joshua Tree at sunset near Kingman, Arizona.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

Another image from Barrio Viejo. I always want to know what is inside.

HISTORIC HOMES

I was a kid in a candy store this past weekend. A historic home tour in Barrio Viejo! 6 homes open to the public for the first time in a generation. Understandably, there was no photography permitted inside the home. Outside was legal though. I do believe, I am going to have this one printed.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

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One of my new favorite images. I am hoping it will translate well when I have it printed.

I posted this one to Instagram. The square format changes things just a wee bit.

BEFORE AND AFTER

As mentioned previously, I've been posting a lot on Instagram. Here's one of the recent posts with the original photo and the edited photo. It's not much, but it makes a big difference in the final image.

Original

Edited

This vintage bus was in the small lot in central Tucson. I love that it says "here comes the boys' club of Tucson" across the front.

If you're on IG you can follow me at backcountry_photos.

MOVING ART

Recently, I've also been tracking down graffiti on trains. It's a little more challenging to capture than street art, since it is of the moving variety. I'm always curious to know where and when it originated and by whom, where it's been, how many people have seen it.

Tucson has a very busy train line that runs right through town. I live less than a couple miles from the train yard, but it is not possible to get on the site without trespassing. So I've tracked the tracks on their journey through town to find the locations where the trains park and the best crossings. As a result, I've been able to capture a few decent shots. Some of the ones recently posted on Instagram are below.

This is the car that started it all. I drove past the parked train along I-10 and couldn't help but turn around and figure out a way to get close enough to photograph it.

PHOTO CREDITS

The photos credits have been stacking up a little lately. Mostly since I haven't posted about them in, oh, over a year...

So one of my favorites: The front cover of  "Rock Star Adventures of a Meteorite Man" by Geoff Notkin. Woot!

This photo was take during the season 3 Iowa episode, for those of you Meteorite Men fans. It's a good read.

PHOTO FOR THE DAY

With all the urban exploring I've been doing around Tucson lately, I've found some really cool sites. Not a mile from my house is a small bus graveyard, housing a few vintage buses. Here's the instagram photo of one of them. There was a cat sitting on the rug in the window about one second before I took this shot. I was too slow, dang it.

STREET ART

One of my new obsessions is graffiti. Not creating it, I'm not nearly that talented. Finding and photographing it. I'm not talking about the simple tags, scrawled on stop signs, fence posts and windows. What I find amazing are the filled pieces. They are certainly art. One place in particular where you can find the most incredible work is on Stone near Drachman, painted in February this year as part of Wintafresh 2013. I'm bummed I found out about the event a week after it happened, I would have loved to watch them create the stunning pieces. The site is simply incredible. Here are a few of my photos of the walls. Each piece is copyright the artist who created it.

NEW ADDICTION

I have a new addiction and it's serious. My sister is to blame, though I have a few other friends who have contributed. Bad sister.

Instagram.

Whoa boy.

I have to admit was a little bored with shooting photos in my home town of Tucson. There's only so many times you can shoot the city, especially for a fine art photographer who prefers nature shots. And just how many ways can you take a photo of a saguaro for a fine art print for sale? I think I was spoiled by all the travel doing location photography for the Meteorite Men.

My sister started harassing me about Instagram this summer. I finally caved and downloaded the ap a few months ago. Things haven't been the same. I am doing much more urban photography, for one. I didn't do much as I was looking for those nature shots for the fine art photography prints, though I love architecture. It doesn't sell all that well compared to the cute bee in the flower.

And the editing options - ooooo! I typically don't do a lot of editing on my photos. Not even to adjust colors. (Except the greyhound photos, as we have discussed before.) One, I'm not good at it and two, I like to see if I can get the image right during the shoot. I am having more fun with IG editing than I thought was possible.

And finally the square format. A whole new challenge. Makes you reassess how you shoot the scene. No more taking up the full frame.

So to sum up .... FUN.

I've been going out and exploring most every day and have amassed a plethora of new photos. I haven't been updating the blog, because I've been playing on IG. Thought I would change that. These are a couple of my IG images.

This water tower is on the way to San Xavier Mission.

The shift board at the Copper Queen Mine, Bisbee.

San Xavier Mission. (Yes, that's right a black and white photo from me, not too many of those floating around.)