Tag Archives: HDR

Clothcraft Clothing – Cleveland, OH

By Tom Baker | Published April 16, 2012

Sometimes you plan where you want to go shooting. Other times you see something that makes you abandon your plans without a moments hesitation. That happened to me this weekend while driving down I90 heading to downtown Cleveland. I was going to shoot a few signs and detail pieces for a project I’m working on when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this HUGE derilict brick building.

I yanked my car over 3 lanes (no lie – but hey I looked first) and pulled off to explore. At first I was dissapointed due to the large fence around the structure…until I noticed the semi-truck sized hole on the side. Bingo. I grabbed my gear and went hiking through the undergrowth of broken glass, weeds and carrion until I could find the right angle.

I didn’t have time to go in – not to mention I wasn’t dressed for urban exploration. However on my next trip I plan on getting a little dirty. I’m glad I’m not a neighbor of this old wreck (it was a Hugo Boss warehouse for years) but as a photographer I love finding places like this. I have more shots to share later.

Have a good Monday everyone.

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , 3 Comments

Florida Sunrise – Cocoa Beach, FL

By Tom Baker | Published April 11, 2012

I woke up to snow drifting down this morning. It’s April! Snow? My colleagues at work laughed and said welcome to Canada. Why did I move again? :)

So today it’s a little more beach dreaming. Sunrise at Cocoa Beach was my ..ok one of my… favorite ways to start a weekend. There is just something magical about a morning sky and the sound of the ocean. Oh well, that’s what vacations are for.

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Abandoned – Cleveland, OH

By Tom Baker | Published April 10, 2012

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , Leave a comment

American Muscle – Orlando, FL

By Tom Baker | Published April 4, 2012

I love muscle cars. I don’t know a thing about them, couldn’t fix and engine if my life depended on it and have never owned one – but I love them. I take pictures of them every chance I get. All that shiny chrome under the hood. It screams power and freedom to me (well that and bad gas mileage).

This was a handheld HDR shot taken a while back at Downtown Disney. HDR and chrome are an interesting mix. On one hand HDR picks up all the shiny shiny…on the other hand it can look a bit fLat and blah. I always have to play with it a bit to get the right level of light to really show it off. Plus if you tone map it too much, it just looks dirty – not good.

Have a good day everyone.

 

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , 3 Comments

The Wyndham – Cleveland, OH

By Tom Baker | Published April 3, 2012

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , 2 Comments

United Bank Building – Cleveland, OH

By Tom Baker | Published April 2, 2012

Built in 1925, the 9 story United Bank Building stands now as a reminder of Cleveland’s heyday. Designed by the architecture firm Walker and Weeks (who also designed Severance Hall, Cleveland Municipal Stadium and The Public Auditorium among other buildings) the building was resplendent with marble columns, arched windows, bronze light fixtures all ornamented with gold.

Sadly however, the stock market crashed just a few years later and the bank did not survive the Great Depression. It merged with Central National Bank a month after the crash.

Today the building houses Penzey’s Spices and Crop Bar and Bistro. Both are worth visiting in their own right, but even more so to view the inside of a truly amazing structure.

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

The Day After St. Patricks Day – Cleveland, OH

By Tom Baker | Published March 30, 2012

400,000 crazy party goers tend to leave a bit of a mess.

The building in the background is the AT&T Huron Road building, formerly the Ohio Bell Building. It is an art deco style structure – once of very few in downtown Cleveland. Built in 1925, the building is 24 stories high. It was briefly the tallest building in the city, but the Terminal Tower dwarfed it a few years later.

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , 2 Comments

Crossing the Street – Toronto, ON

By Tom Baker | Published March 29, 2012

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , Leave a comment

Macdonald Stewart Art Center – Guelph, ON

By Tom Baker | Published March 28, 2012

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Bridge and River – Guelph, ON

By Tom Baker | Published March 26, 2012

Posted in Pic of the Day | Also tagged , , , , , , Leave a comment