Photos

How many Chicago motifs can you find here?

If you walk too fast, you might miss them. Two gardens flank the Art Institute of Chicago, on Michigan Avenue. Now, we all know Michigan Avenue as a busy, bustling street, but these gardens are great places to stop. And think. Or just clear your head before merging back into the fast pace of the sidewalk. This is the South Garden, looking back out towards Michigan Ave.

One of the most beautiful places I visited during my recent trip to Dublin, Ireland was the Trinity College Library. The long, two-storey high grand hall with stacks on each side was breathtaking. The smell of old books filled the air.

Zipping through the streets of Bangalore in an auto rickshaw.

I like how the rays of the sun reflected off the train. I only had a second to take this picture as there was a crowd of commuters right behind me.

This photo was taken in ‘stealth’ mode: shooting from the hip, no audio, no display on the rear LCD. I had no idea what the composition would look like.

This is an Oak tree that I planted in my front yard about five years ago. I’m glad it’s survived all the storms we’ve had since then. I hope to see it grow into a Mighty Oak.

The Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona is a place of breathtaking beauty. Located in Navajo country, it’s best viewed at around noon when the angle of the sun’s rays makes for very dramatic lighting.

“Cloud Gate” - fondly known as The Bean. Millennium Park, Chicago. Looking East, half an hour before a sunrise that was hidden behind clouds.

This boat looked out of place on the Khalid Lagoon by the Al Buhaira Corniche in Sharjah. It was too small to be a water taxi, and too drab to be for tourists.  As I approached it, I realized that its purpose was to pick up all the garbage floating in the lagoon.  It was full of soggy plastic bags and other detritus.  I’m glad I wasn’t close enough to smell it.

This picture was taken on my walk along the Sharjah Corniche on January 6th 2010, shortly after dawn.  I framed my shot carefully, right in front of the minbar, to exploit the symmetry of the building.  As I clicked, I noticed a blur as a cyclist strayed into my shot.  I had just enough time for one more shot before he left, and this second shot is what you see here.  I think the lucky addition of this man into the frame makes this a better shot than the one I was planning.

1/50 sec at f/4.5 :: 22mm focal length :: ISO 400