Project 365: #173 - St. Paul's Turn

173 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

After showing so much love to Minneapolis, I thought it only fair that I make my way to the other side of the iver and show some love to St. Paul. I have been looking for a good spot to take a solid skyline shot and came across a diamond in the rough. However, to get here meant being devoured by mosquitos. Well, for once, I was ok with it because of the end result. I only had my 50mm on me tonight and a tripod, so the angle is not quite as I would have like ideally, but when I look at the photo I can I say it is a "Top 5" pick so far. The river is sort of interesting, having done a 30 second exposure and the colors in the reflections are better than I could expect. So, here is the St. Paul skyline!

Project 365: #172 - Beautiful Swing



172 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.



Despite appearing in a previous post, Harmon's statue is just too good to only have one. I wanted to change up though this time and use my love of shallow depth of field to show it in a completely unique way. Unlike the last post of the statue, this time flowers had bloomed creating some vibrant colors around it. To me this photo is a sort of memorial to Harmon with the flowers adorning the platform. Additionally, it also is communicating that his memory may fade from our everyday thought but he will never be gone. As I was taking this photo it was awesome to see Dodgers fans surrounding the statue turned memorial. He really did have one of the best swings in the game and had a lasting impact on Twins fans and all of Minnesota.

Project 365: #171 - Big Church

171 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

How is it that I live near two of the most famous catholic churches in the country and haven't yet featured one as my photo of the day. The architecture of these buildings has always captured my attention. They are so intricately done. I suppose in building a house of worship it make sense that you'd probably not cut too many corners. I thought initially today that I'd be satisfied with a standard shot in wide-angle of the basilica. I mean the dome is stunning. But what I caught myself looking at more were the angles when you slightly changed perspective. This photo especially is cool to me because of the smaller building on the left how it is dwarfed by the main building and huge window. Architecture is a difficult subject to photograph in such a way that it is new and appealing but that's why I try.

Project 365: #170 - Roman Rob

170 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

It's funny what photos you end up with in the most random of moments. With this one it was about 2 in the morning and we were all exhausted from a long day of wedding festivities. Obviously I hadn't put the camera away and had to be past the point of annoying. Oh well. I like these kind of times because people aren't smiling for the camera. They just don't care. I think I get more authentic expressions and it's that authenticity I enjoy capturing. After looking at this photo again, it reminds me of Roman sculptures. That look is all too common in busts and full body poses. Rob may be well known for his Scottish heritage, I think he's got some serious Roman blood flowing through those veins.

Project 365: #169 - Session with Sis

169 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

I know that when it comes to photography, I can get annoying, at least to friends and family who have to put up with me. My sister humored me while I was home and let me shoot her for just a bit. It was for fun but also to practice with the toughest lighting for me to deal with; high noon sun. It creates very harsh shadows and is near impossible to escape. About 90% of the photos were just not what I wanted. However, there were a few like this one where the shadow on her face was mostly even and the sun washed out the background, which is the desired look. The more I practice the better I'm bound to get, but I still much prefer late afternoon light where you get more shade and flattering light. I'm spoiled too because I can use trees even at noon for shade here in Minnesota. California is a different story altogether.

Project 365: #168 - Wingin' It

168 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

This photo is not something that comes along everyday as an opportunity unless you regularly fly. Well, I don't, at least not more than 4-6 times a year. Despite my lack of available opportunities, I've been waiting for this chance. When else do you get to take a photo from 20,000 feet in the sky. I did really enjoy the deep blue of the sky but was limited on the angle of the photo because of where my seat was positioned. I had to tweak my body to get this. It's cool how from this heights you almost can recognize the curve of the Earth. With two more flights in the next few months, you can bet that I will be trying to improve the composition.

Project 365: #167 - Tickets in Hand

167 of 365, a photo by caliguyinmn on Flickr.

I am less than a week from one of the most exciting games I've had the opportunity of seeing at Target Field. I get to watch my Dodgers play against the Twins at the single best stadium in all of Major League Baseball. The Dodgers have only been here one other time since I moved here in 2006 and at the time, I had not the money to afford even a cheap seat. So, this has been a LONG time coming. I'm very excited to see my boys in blue play live baseball. The only problem, I will be with three of the most diehard Twins fans. Ah, my competitive juices are already bubbling up! Go Dodgers!