White City Park

Live oak trees and water lilies in pond at White City Park

Under The Eiffel Tower, Black and White

This photo was taken from underneath the Eiffel Tower looking up past the wide support legs towards the top of the tower and dramatic cloudy sky. The Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in Paris and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It was designed and built by the company of Gustave Eiffel, and completed in 1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair. It sits on the Champ de Mars and overlooks the Seine River across from the Trocodoro. In the beginning there was much criticism for the design of the Eiffel Tower, with concern that it would overshadow the other magnificent sights in Paris, but now it is the most visited paid monument in the world with 6.91 million visitors in 2015. The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet tall ( 324 metres); the top level's upper platform is 906 feet (276 metres) above ground, making it the highest observation deck for the public in the European Union. During construction pieces of the tower were riveted together in a nearby factory and arrived on site on horse-drawn carts. No drilling or shaping was done on site; if it didn't fit it was sent back for alteration. A total of 18,038 pieces were joined together using 2.5 million rivets. Names of 72 French scientists, engineers, and mathematicians were engraved on the Eiffel Tower to recognize their contributions to the building of the tower. The tower was painted in 3 shades of brown: lighter at the top and getting darker towards the bottom to complement the Parisian sky.

Storm Clouds Over the Louvre, Paris

This photo was taken during the week of continual rain before the June 2016 flood in Paris. On this day the rain had stopped briefly, the storm clouds hung over the Lourvre, and tourists walked on wet pavement in the courtyard. The Louvre (Louvre Museum) was my favorite place to visit in Paris. It's grand architecture is impressive. It is located on the the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement of the city. Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are exhibited at the Louvre. The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II. You can see the remnants of the fortress in the basement. The Louvre was a palace and was extended many times. In 1682 Louis XIV left the Louvre and made Versailles his palace, making the Louvre a place to display the royal collection. In 1692 the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture occupied the Louvre and held salons. The Academie remained at the Louvre for 100 years. During the French Revolution the Louvre became a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. Under Napoleon the collection was increased, but after his abdication some of his works seized by armies were returned to their original owners. The Museum has 3 wings: Sully, Denon, and Richelieu. Inbetween the Richelieu and Denon is the main court, the Cour Napoleon, which has a new main entrance under a glass pyramid built in 1988. From this courtyard you can see Napoleon's Arc du Carrousel, behind it the Tuileries Gardens, and in the distance the ferris wheel at the Place de la Concorde. From inside the Louvre upstairs you can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Lamp in the Louvre Courtyard, Paris, France

This is the view of a lamp post in the Cour Napoleon, the main courtyard of the Louvre in Paris, France. The Louvre was my favorite place to visit in Paris. It's grand ornate architecture is impressive. It is located on the the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement of the city. It is the world's second most visited museum after the Palace Museum in China. Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are exhibited at the Louvre. The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century under Philip II. You can see the remnants of the fortress in the basement. The Louvre was a palace and was extended many times. In 1682 Louis XIV left the Louvre and made Versailles his palace, making the Louvre a place to display the royal collection. In 1692 the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Academie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture occupied the Louvre and held salons. The Academie remained at the Louvre for 100 years. During the French Revolution the Louvre became a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. Under Napoleon the collection was increased, but after his abdication some of his works seized by armies were returned to their original owners. The Museum has 3 wings: Sully, Denon, and Richelieu. Inbetween the Richelieu and Denon is the main court, the Cour Napoleon, which has a new main entrance under a glass pyramid built in 1988. From this courtyard you can see Napoleon's Arc du Carrousel, behind it the Tuileries Gardens, and in the distance the ferris wheel at the Place de la Concorde. From inside the Louvre upstairs you can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Street Performer at the Palais Royal, Paris, France

This is a composite study I made for the Photoserge Academy with famous French photographer, Serge Ramelli. I took a photo of a street performer from Mallory Square in Key West, Florida and inserted him into a photo with striped pedestals at the Palais Royal in Paris, France. The Palais Royal is near the Louvre. In the original photo of the street performer he was standing on a milk crate, and I thought those wonderful striped pedestals at the Palais Royal would be a great place for him to stand. I used selective color to make him stand out, and edited the photo to have a dreamy Alice in Wonderland look.

Ornate Details of Spire on Notre Dame, Paris 2016

We saw Notre Dame in 2016 right before the flood of the century in early June. It made a huge impression on us with the architectural detail, colorful stained glass, and powerful organ. The first time we saw it, it took our breath away, and we kept coming back. We spent a lot of time there and saw it often as we walked down the Seine River. It is the centerpiece of Paris and its history. It sits in the center of the city in the 4th arrondissement, on the Ile de la Cite, an island on the Seine River. Over 850 years old, Notre Dame was built in 1160 and mostly complete by 1260. Napoleon I was coronated here. On April 15, 2019 the roof caught on fire which caused a lot of damage. I am thankful we had the chance to see Notre Dame. It was an experience I will never forget. I have created a series of black and white photos of Notre Dame in a vintage style. They have a slight grain on them. They show different angles of Notre Dame and the beautiful sculptural details. You can see the rest of them on my website. To read about our journey in France, see my husband's book which I illustrated: "Vagabonds in France" by Michael A. Barry.

Gated Entrance to Notre Dame, Paris 2016

I love this beautiful door and gated entrance to Notre Dame. We saw Notre Dame in 2016 right before the flood of the century in early June. It made a huge impression on us with the architectural detail, colorful stained glass, and powerful organ. The first time we saw it, it took our breath away, and we kept coming back. We spent a lot of time there and saw it often as we walked down the Seine River. It is the centerpiece of Paris and its history. It sits in the center of the city in the 4th arrondissement, on the Ile de la Cite, an island on the Seine River. Over 850 years old, Notre Dame was built in 1160 and mostly complete by 1260. Napoleon I was coronated here. On April 15, 2019 the roof caught on fire which caused a lot of damage. I am thankful we had the chance to see Notre Dame. It was an experience I will never forget. I have created a series of black and white photos of Notre Dame in a vintage style. They have a slight grain on them. They show different angles of Notre Dame and the beautiful sculptural details. You can see the rest of them on my website. To read about our journey in France, see my husband's book which I illustrated: "Vagabonds in France" by Michael A. Barry.

Notre Dame and the Seine River, Paris 2016

This is a view of Notre Dame Cathedral from the Seine River in Paris, France. We were riding down the river in a water taxi during golden hour. This was taken on May 25, 2016, a few days before the flood of the century happened. Paris would get many days of rain which rose the Seine River so high boats could no longer go under the bridges. Boat traffic ceased on the Seine for a week. Thankfully the Seine River did not go over its banks, but the walkways at the river level were submerged for a while. As I write this it is the day after Notre Dame caught on fire on April 15, 2019. I am saddened with the news. Notre Dame has been a treasure for centuries. We truly enjoyed visiting Notre Dame. The artistry, details and beauty are breathtaking. Going inside is an experience you will never forget. The high ceilings, accoustics, colors of stained glass windows, and powerful organ playing are impressive. This black and white photo has a vintage style with a slight grain on it. I have created a series of photos of Notre Dame with this style. You can see more of them on my website. To read about our journey to France, see my husband's book that I illustrated: "Vagabonds in France" by Michael A. Barry.

View of Notre Dame from Across the Seine River 2016

We saw Notre Dame in 2016 right before the flood of the century in early June. It made a huge impression on us with the architectural detail, colorful stained glass, and powerful organ. The first time we saw it, it took our breath away, and we kept coming back. We spent a lot of time there and saw it often as we walked down the Seine River. It is the centerpiece of Paris and its history. It sits in the center of the city in the 4th arrondissement, on the Ile de la Cite, an island on the Seine River. Over 850 years old, Notre Dame was built in 1160 and mostly complete by 1260. Napoleon I was coronated here. On April 15, 2019 the roof caught on fire which caused a lot of damage. I am thankful we had the chance to see Notre Dame. It was an experience I will never forget. I have created a series of black and white photos of Notre Dame in a vintage style. They have a slight grain on them. They show different angles of Notre Dame and the beautiful sculptural details. You can see the rest of them on my website. To read about our journey in France, see my husband's book which I illustrated: "Vagabonds in France" by Michael A. Barry.

Roman Colosseum in Arles, France, Blk Wht

The historical city of Arles is in central southern France along the Rhone River, in the area of Provence. The nearby Camargue delta area near the Mediterranean is considered part of Arles, where wild flamingos, bulls, and horses roam. The prominent landmark in the center of Arles is the Roman Colosseum built in 90 AD, which remains in great condition. Many narrow and pedestrian streets are in historical Arles. Homes are centuries old and full of character. Other landmarks are the Gallo-Roman theater, the Baths of Constantine, the Church of St. Trophime, and the Yellow Van Gogh Cafe where Vincent Van Gogh painted. Vincent Van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889 and made over 300 paintings and drawings while living there.

Cypress Walk, Black and White

Tucked away in Sebring, Central Florida is Highlands Hammock State Park, which has a beautiful cypress swamp and other trails. A narrow boardwalk leads you to the center of the swamp where you can see many tall cypress trees reflecting in the water. Their tall reflections with the sky are an optical illusion, making it appear as if the sky is below you and you are standing high above the water, when you are actually only one foot above water. This was a very peaceful and quiet place, serene and soothing to the soul. This photo is also available in color. (See "Cypress Walk").

Looking Up, Black and White

As I walked down a trail along Lake Hancock in Circle B Bar Reserve (Lakeland, Florida) I saw this beautiful anhinga bird sitting gracefully in a tree with Spanish moss in the background. I took the photo in color and edited it in black and white to look infrared. This photo is also available in color (See "Looking Up").

Bok Tower Long Exposure in BW

One of the most beautiful gardens I have seen in Florida is Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales. Bok Tower stands 295 feet tall on one of the highest points in Florida. It was built in 1929 and is surrounded by 250 acres of lush tropical gardens. The tower sings songs with a 60 bell carillon. The contemplative garden is a very peaceful place where one can hear the tower music, see the image of the tower in the long reflection pool, and sit under many live oak trees looking from the high hill down to orange groves below, smelling the sweet orange blossoms in the winter. It is a magical place to visit. This photo was taken as a long exposure to soften the clouds and trees. The tower stands tall and strong in spite of all the movement around it.

Dreamy Oaks in Myakka, Florida

Myakka City is a rural area east of Bradenton, Florida that has some of the most beautiful countryside I have seen in Florida. Thousands of acres of open space are filled with cattle ranches and farms. Many areas of have live oak trees with spanish moss hanging down creating that Old Florida look that people love so much. Crane Park is filled with live oaks and sits next to the Myakka River. During the rainy season the river floods most of this park creating wonderful reflections. I took this photo just as the dry season started, so the park was not flooded. However this pond created a wonderful dreamy reflection. This photo was edited with a black and white dreamy infrared look.

Holland Harbor Lighthouse, Michigan, Black and White

In Holland, Michigan stands a beautiful big red lighthouse on a channel that connects Lake Michigan with Lake Macatawa. "Big Red" is also known as Holland Harbor Light. The original structure was built in 1872 and the current structure was built in 1907. It has a gabled roof which reflects the Dutch influence in the area. This is a view of the lighthouse after sunrise. Holland State Park is across the channel from the lighthouse.

Fountain Courtyard In Eze, France 3 BW

Eze is a beautiful medieval village high on top of a mountain in the French Riviera. It sits on a high cliff 1,401 feet above sea level, giving visitors amazing views down to the blue Mediterranean Sea below. Eze is quite a charming place to visit with narrow cobblestone alleys, art galleries, and an amazing cactus garden at the top of the mountain where weathered statues of slender ladies are on display throughout the garden. At every turn down an alley or path, the views are stunning and full of charm. The area around Eze was populated around 2000 BC, and was occupied by both the Romans and Moors. The House of Savoy built up the town in the late 1300's as a fortified stronghold because it was close to the city of Nice. Nice sits west of Eze, and Monaco sits east of Eze. You can read about our adventure in Europe in my husband's book, "Vagabonds in France", by Michael A. Barry. Come with us as we lose our home, put everything in storage, and navigate through Europe for a few months with no return date or home to come back to. Sail across the Atlantic, dodge pickpockets, climb mountains, descend into the Paris Metro, endure nasty weather and illness, witness the flood of the century, and meet some wonderful and not-so-wonderful people. Chuckle with us as we live among the French and try to learn their ways and language. Then make it back home to an empty house we'd never seen before. The book with its 75 illustrations is available in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NCUNSEK .

Stormy Sky at Caspersen Beach, Florida 3

At the southernmost coastline of Venice, Florida is Casperson Beach. It is a beautiful park of walking trails and a beach dotted with green mossy rocks. It's a lovely place to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. In this dramatic black and white photo stormy clouds are rolling in. It's the beginning of the rainy season in summer. Venice, Florida is one of the few cities in Florida where there is no barrier island at the beach. Venice beaches are known for being a place to find fossilized sharks teeth. Venice is south of Sarasota and Bradenton on the west coast of Florida.