Tag Archives: architecture

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: France, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Travel

Hallway, The Louvre

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Hallway, The Louvre
Light filtiering through windows into a hallway, the Louvre, Paris.

Hallway, The Louvre. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

Light filtiering through windows into a hallway, the Louvre, Paris.

One of my little secrets is that when I visit museums, the collections are not the only reason I’m there. Among other reasons, I like to photograph them. They are compelling spaces in so many ways. Although not evident in this photograph, they are great places to observe people individually and in groups, and the buildings themselves are often visually interesting. That’s no surprise since they are created from a perspective that gives great importance to visual effect and to light.

I’m betting that this is far, far from the most photographed thing at The Louvre! It is just a section of hallway near, if my memory is correct, an escalator. But the light coming through these windows was lovely, so I made a photograph. Here’s a secret: I shared a much different interpretation of of this scene previously. That version is in black and white and in it I took greater liberties with the qualities of the light and shadow.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City

The Oculus

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The Oculus
The central skylight of the Oculus, World Trade Center, New York City.

The Oculus. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The central skylight of the Oculus, World Trade Center, New York City.

Almost exactly two years ago we were in New York City for a week spent visiting relatives, making photographs, eating out, and generally wandering about as we pleased. Yes, this was before the Great Transition that came in March of 2020. (We recently visiting New York City again in the post-transition world, and it isn’t the same experience at all. I’m looking forward to a time when it is once again.) To be precise, we were there for most of the period between about Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

At some point — perhaps while on a long walk or possible at the termination of a subway ride — we ended up in Lower Manhattan in the vicinity of the World Trade Center, where this fascinating Oculus structure is located. It is a combination of shopping area and transit terminal, but it is also an arresting architectural presence. Its organic, rib-like structure contrasts with the cubic forms of most of the surrounding buildings. Inside, especially if you lift your eyes above the lower floor shopping area, it is a remarkable interior space that, in many ways, suggest some sort of light-filled cathedral.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Oculus, World Trade Center

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Oculus, World Trade Center
The Oculus, Work Trade Center, Christmas Eve.

Oculus, World Trade Center. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The Oculus, Work Trade Center, Christmas Eve.

From Christmas Eve 2019, this is the interior of the Oculus structure at the World Trade Center in Manhattan. As I recall, we somehow ended up there in the afternoon, perhaps late in the afternoon, and the very last of the Christmas shoppers were trying to make their final purchases before everything closed up. By this time the crowds were thinning — though there were still quite a few folks where we were standing, a spot with this elevated view of the interior of the structure.

On one hand this is essentially a glorified shopping mall. On the other hand it is at the World Trade Center site and the architecture is quite striking, both inside and out. I recall being impressed by it when construction was still ongoing, even though I wasn’t really aware at that time of what it was. Despite being surrounded by a collection of retain establishments, the space reminds me visually of the interiors of large cathedrals. At this hour of the day, some light was entering the space through the row of skylights along it spine high above.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Criminal Courts Building

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Criminal Courts Building
North Entrance, Crimial Courts Building, Mahattan.

Criminal Courts Building. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

North Entrance, Crimial Courts Building, Mahattan.

This photograph comes from the same winter walk from Midtown to Lower Manhattan that I wrote about in another recent post. It was a somewhat unusual photographic walk, in that we had a specific appointment to make in Lower Manhattan just after sunset. With that in mind we were less able to follow our noses on this walk, and rather than pausing too much or taking little side journeys along the way, we progressed at a fairly regular rate to the south. This meant that I rarely had time to pause long to make photographs, aside from the occasional street light, so most of the photographs were made quickly, and I had only a short time to work any of the subjects. (In fact, we moved fast enough that I often did not have time to even take careful note of what I was photographing.)

As we passed this impressive Art Deco building in Lower Manhattan, the combination of angular stone faced, blue-toned evening light, and the contrasting warm yellow tones of interior light caught my attention. I was working quickly and using a fixed-focal length lens, so my compositional options were limited. I couldn’t photograph the entirety o the building, so I focused on this entrance area. It occurred to me later how profoundly the appearance of this scene is affected by light — a daytime photograph here would not be particularly dramatic, but there’s something a bit oppressive about the quality in this light.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.