Philadelphia: Independence Mall

I've been a little busy this month and haven't gotten around to processing photos and getting some posts to the blog.  Below are just a few shots I grabbed at Independence Mall.  It includes Independence Hall and the pavilion that houses the Liberty Bell.  Unfortunately, not an impressive shoot.  I was there at a bad time of day and really wasn't inspired.

Philadelphia: PAFA & Lenfest Plaza

I decided to take some evening shots of a recent project our office completed.  Stephen Hoppe in our office designed the lighting for Lenfest Plaza, a converted street that was made into a courtyard of sorts.  It  boasts seating, a stage for temporary art installations and the focal point - a Claes Oldenburg sculpture.  The lighting turned out great and in the background is the newly expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center.  I designed the lighting for the facade but during the photo shoot, some of the lights still had not been installed.  Still, it is a great new addition to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia: Girard College

In the search for new areas around Philadelphia with some interesting history and great photo opportunities, I decided to visit Girard College.  It is a private campus, an historic boarding school actually, so I was not allowed to wander around too much.  Security did allow me to grab some shots of Founder's Hall, the central building of the campus that served as the main 3 story classroom building when it was built in 1833.

Duncansville: Scenery

While home for Christmas, my mother decided to take us out for a little hike and to explore some nearby historic areas.  I don't exactly recall the names of these places or their historic importance but I managed to grab a few nice shots.  I know the scenic look out is called 'Chimney Rocks' and the stone bridge is part of an old railway system.  Most of these are HDR images to bring out the texture and color; sometimes the mid-winter photos can get a bit drab.

Philadelphia: Avenue of the Republic

Just before Christmas I made a trip to the Please Touch museum here in Philadelphia.  I had never been to West Fairmount Park and was surprised to come across a really nice Civil War Memorial.  In researching, I found that it was built in 1897 and is called the Smith Civil War Memorial.  Here are a few shots of this monument to fallen heroes.

Duncansville: Pet Photos

While visiting family for the holidays I managed to grab some shots of the family pets - my mother's cat and my brother's dog.  Although I prefer nature and architectural shots, it was actually fun to capture the animals.  Here are a few shots.

Kennett Square: Longwood Gardens

Although December has been crazy hectic with work travel and end-of-year deadlines, photography is always a great release.  I decided a little relaxation was in order and decided to take an early Sunday morning trip to Longwood Gardens - a bit southwest of Philadelphia.  The gardens are beautiful and I can only imagine how awesome the property is in early spring with all the flowers in bloom.  Here are a couple quick shots from my trip this morning.

Philadelphia: 30th Street Station

This evening I took a trip over to Amtrak's 30th Street Station, just on the edge of Center City Philadelphia.  Situated in University City, adjacent to Drexel and the University of Pennsylvania, 30th Street Station is considered the 3rd busiest public train terminal in the United States.  The Art Deco architecture is pretty amazing and I decided to capture some shots.  While I have plenty to share, for now, I've got just a few for you.

Poughkeepsie: The Hudson River

During my trip to upstate New York I made it a point to take a quick little trip to the Hudson River banks in Poughkeepsie.  The Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway Over the Hudson are great photo opportunities and I had never been down to the waterfront.  Here are a few pics from that trip.

Pawling: Nuclear Lake

I'm long overdue for a photo post.  Last month I was able to make a trip back to the Hudson Valley to visit good friends and get in some good hikes.  One of those hikes was to Nuclear Lake, just outside of Pawling, New York.  The lake was the source of water cooling for an experimental plutonium plant back in the 1930s.