CITYSCAPE :: A Truck and a Penthouse View

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Chip Bunnell Photography Delray Beach Palm Beach FloridaA weekend morning is filled with a wonderfully unique feel.  The crowds are non-existent, unless you are in a famous coffee house, and the pace of life is relaxed. The morning sun casts a warm golden glow over all it can touch. And, let’s face it, you often find some humorous sights that not even the best sitcom writer could dream up.  I found one of those very sights this past weekend.

Image, if you will, driving down the main street of Your Town, USA.  You look up to find a distinctive face attached to a fit body staring back at you. Not so uncommon? How about if that face and body are attached to 4 paws and a tail? Still nothing unique?  Okay, how about if this startling stare is coming from atop a Ford Bronco II?  Yes, sports fans, I was treated to a 1st in my many years of travels – a large dog perched on top of a large truck in the middle of the city center. Needless to say, this required a quick turn down a side street and grabbing my camera to capture this very unique moment.

I learned an individual was hired to pressure wash the city sidewalks.  He wanted to bring his trusty companion with him.  It would be far too uncomfortable for his 4-legged friend to remain inside the crowded truck, so what is a man to do? Put him on the roof of course! Bear in mind, this was not simply a dog on a roof.  Oh no, this was a dog on the roof with his comfortable dog bed and a full bowl of cool, refreshing water.

I watched this scene play out for several minutes. As the man moved about the sidewalk, cleaning away the dirt and debris, his canine supervisor kept a close eye on him.  Walking from one end of the roof to the other, he carefully inspected the work below.  In some respects, it was both intriguing and quite practical for all involved, if you really think about it. The man could do his job and the dog could follow him, watch the passing world or simply lay down for a nap.  Rest assured, the dog was quite safe and, by his comfort level, quite used to his penthouse view. At the very least, it was a morning image I will not soon forget.

Single Frame, Processed in LR

www.ChipBunnell.com

LOCATION :: What The…Truck?

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Chip Bunnell Photogphy Key West Delray Palm Beach FloridaKey West has always been known for its colorful inhabitants with a creative outlook. Once you leave the crowds of Duval Street and the long list of tourist hotspots such as Margaritaville, Sloppy Joe’s and your favorite key lime pie house, you begin to see how truly “colorful” the locals really are in their daily lives. An impromptu visit to The Conch Republic last weekend allowed us some time to explore a few of the back roads. At only 2 miles x 4 miles in size, I thought I had seen them all, but I was wrong. While traveling, a unique truck caught my attention from a quiet side street. With a loving nod from my lovely wife, I circled the block to investigate the find.

As Key West is an island, connected to the mainland by a number of bridges of varying sizes, the clear waters and all things ocean are important to the locals. It impacts all aspects of their lives from the seafood on the dinner plate to the art they create. Apparently, the owner of this once common Ford F-150 decided to turn his transportation into a rolling piece of marine art. From what I could see, the truck started with a basic blue base coat. A mural of ocean textures, coral and various fish species came next. Of course, what kind of ocean scene would this be without 3-D corals and shells strategically attached…all over! This once common pick up, that would never get any attention, has now become something that not only made me do a double take, but make an effort to fight throngs of tourists to circle the block, just to get a closer look.

After admiring, photographing and chuckling a bit, I had to follow the artist’s lead and say to myself, “What The…Truck?”

Single Frame, Processed in LR and Topaz Clarity

www.ChipBunnell.com