Phoneography Challenge: Nature

It’s that time. First Monday of the month, Lens and Pens by Sally has the Phoneography Challenge: Nature. Mother Nature is one force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure. Once she makes up her mind, she’s going to do exactly as she pleases.

DON’T FENCE ME IN

NOTHIN’S GONNA STOP US NOW

TIME MARCHES ON

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

Photos taken with iPhone 5, edited with Snapseed App

I love trees. I suppose you could call me a “tree hugger” as I’ve been known to hug a tree or two throughout my days. When I was a kid, I used to love climbing as high up as I could go. My poor mother used to absolutely have frenzy attacks looking for me throughout the neighborhood. But the real attacks came when she finally looked up and saw me sitting in the tiny branches up high. I think about that time and wonder how I ever developed such a fear of heights now in my adulthood. I can barely climb a stepladder let alone climb a tree. I suppose it’s what they call mortality. Once you realize you’re not invincible….well, the fun just sort of goes away with that realization.

Phoneography Monday: Challenger’s Choice=Architecture

This week’s Challenge, brought to my attention by Lens and Pens by Sally, is a Challenger’s Choice. Choices offered are: Abstraction, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel. I chose Architecture.

This is my first time to post to this. I had seen her blog and thought it would be something really fun and different. Since I just recently acquired an iPhone 5, I have not taken many photos with it yet. But I went back through some of the photos I had from my iPhone 3Gs and decided to try this. I used the Snapseed App to try to work it up a bit and make it more presentable. I’m new with that, too.

My photo was taken during a lunch hour from an 8^th floor conference room on South Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando, Florida, probably around 2008-2009. I can’t recall the holiday but, as you can see, there was a parade, which was what drew me to the conference room in the first place!

Source: City-data

A little background as to why I chose to post this photo. When I first came to Orlando in 1994 and started working downtown, it was completely different. It

Source: Google Images

had a few “skyscrapers” but nothing like what it has become. Thumbnails are inserted to try to give a bit of reference. Orange Avenue, which is the main street (one way) through town, was more open and airy. I changed jobs in 2000 and did not have reason to return downtown again until the end of 2004. In my absence from downtown, and in my humble opinion, the City managed to completely obliterate most of the light from Orange Avenue by constructing rows of tall office buildings on both sides of the street. And major downtown construction continues.

With the “new” downtown, driving to work in the morning on Orange Avenue felt so claustrophobic to me. They had made it dark and dreary. Of course, my pictures were taken during the noon-day sun. I’m sure there are many who would definitely disagree with me about the dark and dreary and that’s okay. I did not think it was an aesthetic improvement. But, then, I’m one of those who prefers the vintage style in just about everything – including architecture! Oh, well. Such is progress, I’ve heard it said.