One Building or Two

Driving around Boston recently, I saw this interest-ing view. Taken from Travelers Way in the South End, looking from Harrison Avenue towards Washington Street, one sees this slender tower in Back Bay.

On the top, the glass and steel Hancock Tower, at 60 stories, it is New England's tallest building. But, it looks as though the lower floors are of a different design consisting of a masonry facade.

But what is it? Well, it's a new building called "The Clarendon" located one block closer than the Hancock Tower. But from this angle, the width of the two buildings exactly line up, as though they were one building, the product of a somewhat scitsofrenic architect!

Winter Sunlight

I love working with the low angle of the winter sun as it reflects off the urban landscape. When shooting directly into the sun, I can get a deeper contrast between the lit and unlit backgrounds. With reflected sunlight, I find the glare can add a little magical twist, making building faces and columns glow.

This post contains some backlit photos I took today, allowing the glare of the sun to transform the everyday scenes around me into something more interesting.

Below: Sunlight reflected off the walls of the canyon we call Tremont Street in Boston. Note how the backlight makes the ornimental acorn-shaped street lights glow.

Below: The columns of King's Chapel in Boston are aglow in the reflected sunlight shining down Tremont Street. I like the contrast of the red fire alarm light against the neutral background.

Below: In the Granery Burying Ground, the reflected sunlight backlights a small patch of the snow-covered turf.

Below: Sunlight peaks between the branches of a tree...almost mascarading as a lit street lamp.



Below: The old and new Hancock Towers rise above theother Back Bay buildings, eclipsing the sun, only partially shining on the snows in Boston Common.






Below: A band of sun rays illiminate a narrow corridor through the Public Garden, as evening approaches.

Sunset Along the Charles River

The fading days of summer mean the sun sets earlier. While I'm sad that what little of a summer we had around Boston is coming to an end, the early sunsets mean some great photo opportunities on my bike ride home from work.

The best part of the trip is riding west (into the sunset) along the Esplande, the park made famous for Boston's 4th of July celebration at the Hatch Shell. Here's a few shots from last Wednesday's ride.

Below: Evening light peaks under a footbridge



Below: The pinkish light of sunet reflecting in the pool.






Below: Two views approaching the Harvard Bridge at Massachusetts Avenue.

Below: A full moon among the skyscrapers of the Back Bay skyline.