Selecting ten favorite images for 2021 took a bit of time this year as I explored Denver, Colorado and beyond. There were a few which I went back and forth on in narrowing it down to these ten, which shows the type of year I felt I had while photographing. The ten images selected are shown in chronological order.
Building Facades in Denver
While it may appear to be one building, this is three different buildings in Denver captured at once. As the city has grown over the years modern buildings are rising along the city skyline. Walking through downtown one morning I noticed this scene looking at one of the buildings. As they blended into one structure based on the layering and with lines and patterns which are different but consistent between the three.
Crossing the Bridge
Exploring Lower Downtown Denver I captured this image heading back to my car. I had crossed this former railroad bridge over Cherry Creek countless times, but this was the first time I looked at the details of the bridge through my lens. Lining up the various steel elements it brings in a lot of history into this image and in the distance how the ivy has started to cover the pieces of the bridge as well.
This image is part of the Y/OUR Denver architectural photography online exhibit.
Shades of Wood
While walking around Valles Caldera National Preserve I spent some time around some of the old homesteads in the area. I focused on the details of the area and this homestead had wood around the front porch. In this image the middle piece of wood is where there is a ninety-degree angle. Thus the wood on the right in the frame is facing north, while the wood on the left is facing east. This small difference in direction has lead to the colors to show differently over time bringing the contrast to this image.
Santa Fe Abstract
As a spent a week in Santa Fe I worked on capturing abstract images of the architecture which provided a sense of place. The simple lines of this wall with the tower behind drew me in on a clear morning. With the blue sky I was able to keep the colors simple and just focus on the details in the building.
Reflection of the Clouds
Walking around the Ski Santa Fe base area during the summer I was able to capture some of the details of the area which may not be visible once the season starts and there is snow on the ground. For this one image though I was looking up when I caught the reflection of the sky on the main building for the ski area. The windows provided a nice reflection of the building skies which were taking over the blue sky of the morning.
Balconies at UC Santa Barbara
As I walked around the University of California Santa Barbara campus on an August morning, the sun was just starting to breakthrough the clouds. This gave some areas of soft light, and also shadows from the morning light. Progressing through the campus I stopped and turned back from the direction I had just came from when I noticed this scene on a building to the side. It is a simple image but the colors is what brought my attention to the subject. Just shifting my spot a little, I was able to capture the three levels of balconies on the building with their vivid red color.
Lines and Patterns of Chicago Buildings
Taken from the Prudential Building in Chicago during Open House Chicago, I found the facade of the building led to the Crain Communications Building at Michigan and Randolph. The lines and patterns on these buildings worked together in this image capturing the architectural details found in Chicago.
Chicago Elevated Train: Lake and Wells
Growing up outside of Chicago there were many times we would take the elevated train into the city. Taking the Chicago elevated train, or “L”, into the city was always fun, whether it was heading south to a Chicago White Sox game or something happening within the city. As I took the train in I was always fascinated with the crossing at Lake and Wells. With trains heading in all directions as they entered or left the loop, there was always some activity happening at this location.
When I found myself visiting Chicago and knew that I would be there on a weekday morning, I made my way to a vantage point which would let me photograph from above as the busy train took place during morning transit. I played around using a slower shutter speed to capture the motion of a train makes it way into the loop.
October Sunrise in Denver
Over the years I have captured the skyline of Denver at sunrise many times. Each time is special on its own as the start of a new day begins, however on this morning the clouds added to the scene providing some interesting color as a backdrop to the expanding Denver skyline.
Sunset through Coit Tower
Sometimes photography is about being at the right place at the right time, which can occur either by planning ahead or luck. For this image it was luck. I was walking along the Embarcadero when I noticed the setting sun starting to go behind Coit Tower. Up ahead I then spotted the shadow of this scene and positioned myself so the rays of the sun were coming through the arches of the tower on Telegraph Hill.
Recap: Ten Favorite Images
I hope you enjoyed looking at my ten favorite images during the course of 2021. As I continue to work through additional images, you can find those here on the blog with new images posted on Tuesday and Thursday moving forward.
