Blue Hour at the Olympia

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Blue Hour at the Olympia by Chip Bunnell PhotographyMy summer has been extremely busy with out of town activities. I am truly grateful for each and every opportunity I have had and the amazing people I have met. From a smoked salmon vendor at a Helsinki farmer’s market, to the baker of incredible fresh French baguettes in Claude Monet’s home town, to a creative musician that uses his former baby shoe as a striker against a metal gas can to keep rhythm in WI, well, you can see what I mean. Each day I saw and each person I connected with, whether it be a new face or a familiar family member, left a lasting memory and added another line in the list of this adventure called “my life.”

Last Friday, my grand adventure brought me back to my home turf in South Florida. A photowalk in downtown Miami was set up to celebrate the arrival of a famous HDR photographer, Trey Ratcliff. While photography is typically a relatively solitary activity, this event brought together well over 50 phellow photographers (or is it ‘fellow fotographers’) to take on the night streets and all the urban scenes we could find.

One such place that caught my attention was the historic Olympia Theater. The older marquee still has its lights blazing brightly to announce its place on Flagler Street. The magic of “blue hour” gave a rich contrast to the yellow glow of surrounding street lights. I added energy and motion to the scene by capturing light trails from the passing cars. A single, slightly blurred pedestrian on the right cross walk introduced the human element. To me, this image represents not only the reality that others around me saw, but the surreal reality I envisioned that night.

Photo Stuff: Single frame, 4.3 second exposure on a tripod. Processed in LR and Topaz Adjust 5

www.ChipBunnell.com
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Reflective Clouds on Delray’s Waterway

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Cloud reflections on Delray Beach Intracoastal WaterwayHalf way around the world, the best athletes in winter sports are competing. The excitement is contagious, even thousands of miles away from these Olympians. Once the sharp HD picture is turned off and the mobile news feeds are silenced, it is a very different local story on this quiet Monday morning in South Florida.

As I approached the beach prior to sunrise this morning, I looked over the sand to the awaiting ocean. Thick clouds hung at the horizon’s line. Something inside told me my image today was not to be made here. I slowly drove towards home and noticed the clouds reflecting on the almost eerily calm waters of the Intracoastal Waterway. A quick turn off the bridge and I was ready to make my frame.

This view always seems to draw me in. The clouds mirroring off the calm water is the first attraction. The simple, multi-story buildings create boundaries as they mark the water’s edge. Boats of all sizes add interest. A small aperture allows focus and detail to be seen, even in the smallest areas of the image. The oranges and yellows in the morning sky coupled with their mirror images below add a framed effect above and below. Even though the Olympic cheers area far away, there is still an equally strong enthusiasm as we greet this new morning.

Photo Stuff: 3 Frame HDR image, Processed in LR, PS and Topaz Clarity

www.ChipBunnell.com