Colors of the Schuylkill

Colors of the Schuylkill
Originally uploaded by JKEL

Okay, I'll put it out there - - I have a weak spot for rowing shots. Maybe it's because, I'm almost embarrassed to say, I had never been to the Schuylkill until I started shooting in 2005. It's still a thrill for me every time. As for this photo, it came to me as gorgeous late-afternoon light arrived. I was shooting cyclists on King Drive (see "Fall is King" on my photostream) just across the way from this spot on the river, and when I turned my attention to the Schuylkill I had to be quick, because tree cover hides the rowers until they're right upon you. I give myself a little credit, because I hurriedly closed the aperture to F8.0 to bring foreground & background into focus, but good light trumps all. JKEL

Full Spectrum

Full Spectrum
Originally uploaded by JKEL

A series of fortunate/unfortunate circumstances resulted in this photo. I was headed to a late season Phillies game with some family when a rainstorm came up. As we arrived, the storm started moving out at sunset which put on quite a show in the sky. I hurried some ground-level shots, but by the time we got to the upper level concourse the colors had deepened dramatically. It was still drizzling, so I delayed getting to my seat to watch the Phils and felt very fortunate to get a memorable last look at a piece of Philadelphia history. As I write this, I'm hearing echoes of great concerts, Dave Zinkoff's "Julius Errrrr-ving" call, and deafening chants of "Let's go Flyers!" Farewell, Spectrum. JKEL

Score!

Score!
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I really like this shot. Since early spring I had it in the back of my mind that I'd better get some shots of the Spectrum before it closed for good at the end of October. However, since it seemed like an obligation, naturally I kept putting it off, but I finally got to it in early August. I played around with different angles until I was pleased, and when I saw that the facade light seemed to act as a glowing puck when I looked at the results I was thrilled. I wanted to post it right away, but summoned all of my patience to hold it until the hockey season started and the Spectrum had come to the last month of its run. So many Spectrum memories! Look for another farewell Spectrum shot from me soon. JKEL

Catching the Show

Catching the Show
Originally uploaded by JKEL

What is it about fishing photos that I like so much? Maybe it's all about hope, or getting away from it all, or connecting with nature. I tried to convey some of that here. I was here a week ago with a shot like this in my head, but I went with what was presented to me on that day, the "mdrn fshrmn" shot I posted last week. On this particular day, I noticed wispy thin clouds in late afternoon that usually afford great sunsets, so I was hopeful that I could fulfill my vision on this evening. It's a small area near the river, so my sight lines were quite limited and there were other people around who kept getting between the camera & my subject, but finally I got a brief, clear view to shoot. One's all you need. JKEL

Twistee Treat

Twistee Treat
Originally uploaded by JKEL

At last. This was one of the first things I shot about 5 years ago when I had just purchased a little HP point & shoot, and I shot from too far away and through a fence, and it all turned out a bit blurry. Well, with some shooting experience under my belt now, I felt it was time for a do-over. Before this particular shot, I had visited here several times before, but was never completely happy with the results. Maybe I was just delaying the inevitable - - using the tripod and spending the time to wait for a winning shot. My attitude now is to get not just "A" photo of a subject, but "THE" shot. I like the details in this one of the pink-shirted smiling server, the boy enviously eyeing his mom's cone, & the man at the far left. JKEL

Oasis

Oasis
Originally uploaded by JKEL

A daytime summer skyline in Philly usually includes a fair amount of haze from the humidity in the air, so in this one I just decided to show that reality, but with some eye candy in the foreground. This area of natural beauty on the way to the airport was unknown to me until I started working in this part of the city, and I'd noticed that in August it really shines, so I shot it when I got up the nerve. The nerve? Well, to get this shot you have to be standing on the shoulder of I-95 and feel the highway shaking under your feet as tractor-trailers rumble behind your back at 60-plus mph. Needless to say, I work quickly and get the hell out of there. Here it is - - an oasis from hazy, hot & humid Philly. JKEL

Summer Skyline

Summer Skyline
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I felt a skyline shot calling me, so I headed down to one of my favorite spots, Palmyra Cove, just across the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. There's usually nobody around after sunset, so it's usually just me and some gnats and mosquitoes. There's a bit of walking involved to get to this spot, but it's well worth it. The shores of the Delaware here are a bit uneven, so I rigged up a portable, flexible tripod on top of my regular tripod so I could get a level shot. The sun was setting and I was loving the color it was leaving on the right sides of the buildings, but the Comcast Center's (tallest building on the right) crown lights didn't come on until the last moments before that color vanished. Got it! JKEL

Blue Schuylkill

Blue Schuylkill
Originally uploaded by JKEL

You might think that I was just sitting by the river with a cold drink nearby when these two geese floated by, but believe me, it was nothing like that. Some of the most serene scenes that I've shot have seen me in full frantic mode, and this one was no exception. I was driving along Kelly Drive headed for another spot along the river when I spotted these white geese (which I'd never seen on the Schuylkill before), so I slammed on the brakes & quickly turned in to the nearest parking area, jumped out of the car & walked quickly towards them, then crouched to include the bridge. I kept shooting as the geese twisted & turned, giving myself many choices for their most graceful pose in unusually blue water here.

Harold Melvin's Blue Notes

Harold Melvin's Blue Notes
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I really lucked out on this one. I had wanted to do something with the Phila. International Records site, but had pretty much given up on creating an interesting shot. Today, I was headed elsewhere when I saw these four guys dressed in blue come out and pose on the island. I asked a guy waiting by his SUV if he knew who they were & he told me it was Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Well, I guess he was right because they quickly climbed into his SUV and were on their way. A little research revealed that Harold Melvin himself passed away in'97, but the group still performs under that name with a few original members. "The love I lost, was a good one..." JKEL

Daddy, I'm scared...

Daddy, I'm scared...
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I'm really glad I was here for this moment, & it was due to a decision I'd made about 15 mins. earlier. I was at the end of a long day of roaming the city & shooting and finally arrived at 12th & Market with aching feet (having a flare-up of plantar fasciitis.) The car was nearby, & getting to City Hall & back would be pushing it. However, this was a location I wanted to shoot, & I just had a feeling that I should get there. I was still working on composing the shot & deciding on flash or no flash when this scene unfolded & I remember thinking "this is too perfect." Somehow, the feet didn't hurt quite so much afterwards. JKEL

Eskimo

Eskimo
Originally uploaded by JKEL

This is my favorite of the four tableaus that can be seen on the 9th street wall of the Wm. Penn Annex Post Office. Many months ago I drove past here and completely missed seeing all but one, the "Postman" nearest Market St. I couldn't stop then, but I was so taken by it, that I vowed to return at some point to shoot some photos. I love this kind of WPA era (1935-1943) art and it seems to be enjoying renewed interest and appreciation as of late. The recently released movie "The Answer Man" has a scene with Jeff Daniels crawling (back problems) on the Chestnut St. side of this building. You can see that scene in the online trailer. I found that shooting upwards at an angle worked best for me in this case. JKEL

Gloria Dei

Gloria Dei
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I can see this church off to the left as I travel to work everyday on I-95 south, so since early spring I have been able to watch as the trees & greenery came to full color. When we had a clear blue sky on my day off, it was time to shoot. I had never been here before, so I spent some time walking around trying different views. There are a lot of headstones here, but I decided to show just a few of them, and go with the theme of "Gloria Dei" & the beauty of the day. Usually I like to shoot things as I find them, but I liked the detail of the 13-star flag so much that I'll admit to fluffing it out a bit. JKEL

River Reverie

River Reverie
Originally uploaded by JKEL

Ow! My legs are still recovering from a long walk on King Drive last Sunday (4/5/09), searching for just such a scene as this which I had attempted last Spring, but could never pull off. Suddenly, there it was - - the cherry blossoms, the scullers (in bright red, no less) & the yellow flowers on the riverbank. Don't ask me what they were, I've always been botanically-challenged. It was all pretty much how I had seen it in my head for a whole year, even the idea of the rowers being out of focus to, I hope, give the shot a feeling of timelessness. Spring is here! JKEL

Swing and a long drive!

Swing and a long drive!
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I shot this on the last day of the 2007 season when the Phils won the division, & it was an electric atmosphere. I didn't make it to any playoff or World Series games last year, but I'm sure it was an amazing experience to be there. My strategy here was to have a fast shutter speed set up, zoom in on Chase, & when I see him start to react to the pitch I shoot in continuous mode & hope for the best. It's a bit tedious because you have to shoot every ball, strike, & foul. Once, I took a pitch off on Ryan Howard because he was looking lost at the plate, & sure enough, he hit that pitch into the seats. I'll get him next time. JKEL

Broad & Cherry

Broad & Cherry
Originally uploaded by JKEL

I'm always a little nervous shooting at night while people are walking around me as I'm engrossed in my angles & my camera settings, but so far, so good. However, carrying a camera around seems to invite people hitting me up for money, so now I carry it around in a lunch cooler. It was so cool to see that the Pa. Academy of the Fine Arts was spotlighted at night, so I changed my original plan & featured it in the shot. JKEL