LOCATION :: Gateway to Delray

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Gateway to Delray by Chip Bunnell Photography

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The outside temperature read 43 degrees on this crisp January morning. As I pointed the car towards the fast approaching sunrise, I questioned where I would go to capture the first colors of the new day. Admittedly, I had a little bit of a late start, but this actually opened up a new possibility.

The little city of Delray Beach continues to grow. Atlantic, the avenue not the ocean, is brimming with new restaurants and shops, many with a distinctively sheik flare. The old schoolhouse is now a square in the center of the action, hosting festivals and activities year around. Art and culture are a big part of this revitalization project.

So the question is how do you let those exiting off I-95 know what they are about to enter? How about a colorful and unique gateway? The joint team of the landscape architects and engineers from the PBS&J firm coupled with textile artist Michelle Newman designed a manicured green space with 6 creative vertical columns. Various aspects of Delray’s culture are represented in the artistry. Each is lit to allow viewers to enjoy the details not only during the day, but also during night viewings. Ironically, it was only because of my later than planned start that allowed me to see wonderful colors in the background dawn sky and be inspired to make this frame.

Once again, images are everywhere…if you are prepared and take the time to seek them out.

Photo Stuff: Single frame, Processed in LR and Topaz Clarity. I incorporated a slightly lower position to add height and drama to the art as well as push the columns further into the morning sky.

www.ChipBunnell.com

#southflorida, #sunrise, #streetart, #delraybeach, #chipbphoto, #cityscape, #morning

PORTRAIT :: High Steel

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High Steel Construction Workers by Chip Bunnell Photography

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It has been said that if you want to hide something, simply hang it above people as they never look up. The typical human world is viewed by looking straight ahead. Occasionally we look down to make sure we don’t trip. Maybe we look left or right when called, but our field of vision is focused at eye level. With a camera in hand, my goal is to find the sights and angles others do not see. It feels as though this opens a new world of sights and surprises that many others never know is happening. A walk through downtown Miami afforded me a chance to once again prove this fact.

Miami is again in a cycle of revitalization and growth. Old buildings are getting a good old fashion South Florida facelift while others are being born right before our eyes. On the ground, ugly barricades and dark mess securing the area are the normal scene. High above, well that’s where the real action is happening! Add a long lens and you almost feel like you are part of another world. Tiny details become real as you are teleported from the ground to a new level high above the street.

This particular building is in the early stages of its long life. Tons of rebar are connected to form the rigid skeleton of the new high-rise. Like yellow spiders, these workers scurried up and down, side to side as they performed tasks that are critical to the future building’s success. Small wires tie together steel bars. Bunches of steel bars are attached to larger frames of wire panels. Layers of panels are connected to even more steel as they slowly and meticulously  build their towering creation.

Soon, the spiders will have moved on. Concrete will have covered their grid masterpiece. What they spent weeks or months completing will never be seen again. Years later, the city will welcome the newest addition to the skyline. Only they, and the lucky few that looked up on that sunny Saturday afternoon, will remember how the yellow spiders’ skills in weaving their high steel web made it possible for many others to have freshly painted offices, the smell of new carpets and a wonderful view.

Single Image, Processed in LR and Topaz Clarity

www.ChipBunnell.com