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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Clyde Butcher's Tree, Myakka River State Park, FL, BW

This image is an HDR panorama I created by merging 12 photos together to capture the entire scene and all the details in the bright and dark areas. This is a large live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it frames the view out to the prairie with palm trees and yellow wildflowers. I also have a color version of this image. I was inspired by Clyde Butcher, a well known photographer here in Florida who photographs nature and the Everglades. He took a photo of this tree in black and white. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

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.

Oaks and Wildflowers at Myakka River State Park, FL, BW

This is a large live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it stretches out to frame the view of the prairie with wildflowers. I also have a color version of this image. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

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.

Main Street and Lemon Avenue, Downtown Sarasota, FL, BW

This is a view of downtown Sarasota, Florida just before sunrise at blue hour. It is Christmas morning so the city is very quiet. The city lights are on casting a warm glow onto the brick paved street. It is the corner of Main Street and Lemon Avenue where there are historic quaint shops. On the corner is the Gator Club bar, Parkers Bookstore, and Zemil Jewelers. Elegant palm trees lit up with Christmas lights line the street. Sarasota sits on Sarasota Bay on the Gulf Coast of Florida, just south of Bradenton and Tampa Bay. Beautiful white sand Siesta Key beach is nearby. Sarasota is a very beautiful city with an elegant downtown. I also have a color version of this image.

Kilwin's Ice Cream in Venice, Florida, Painterly, Black and White 2

This photo is a 15 shot panorama I took at sunrise in downtown Venice, Florida. I did 5 vertical HDR shots (3 exposures each photo) and merged the 15 photos to create this image. Then I edited it in a painterly style. I also have another version of this photo that is in color and another one not painterly. Venice is an amazing city in Florida. It sits on the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast and has a beautiful beach, jetty, and pier. You have a couple places at the coast to watch beautiful sunsets each night. This is a view of Venice Avenue. It's the historic main street of downtown, full of charm. I love the architecture here, especially the buildings from the 1920's. On the right is Kilwin's Ice Cream store. Venice is known for its love of the arts. A lot of architecture design here is influenced by Venice, Italy. Venice, Florida is known for its wonderful main street area and is just south of Sarasota near Englewood, Nokomis, and North Port.

Historic Windmill in Holland, Michigan, BW

There is an interesting story behind this windmill. It's named De Zwaan, which in Dutch means "The Swan" or "Graceful Bird". It was first built in Krommenie, the Netherlands, in 1761 and later moved to Vinkel, the Netherlands. In the United States, there is a town with many Dutch immigrants from the late 1800's. It's Holland, Michigan. Two residents of the town, Willand Wichers and Carter Brown, wanted to bring a Dutch windmill to Holland to pay homage to the city's Dutch heritage. But many windmills in the Netherlands were damaged in World War II, and the Dutch government put a ban on selling them outside of the Netherlands. But Wichers and Brown were able to get around that by purchasing a very heaviliy damaged windmill, the De Zwaan, which had an uncertain future. So the Dutch government sold it to Wichers for $2800, and it was the last windmill to leave the Netherlands. So in October 1964 the De Zwaan was transported by the Prins Willem van Oranje ship to the harbor of Muskegon, and then by truck to Windmill Island in Holland. It took around 6 months to reconstruct the mill, and in April 1965 it was dedicated. Windmill Island sits on 36 acres of reclaimed swampland on the eastern end of Lake Macatawa. De Zwaan is 125 feet tall and its blades are 80 feet long. It is still in use today. De Zwaan windmill is one of the prominent landmarks of Holland along with the Big Red Lighthouse which sits at the opposite end of Lake Macatawa at Lake Michigan. This photo is an HDR. I also have a color version of this photo and other images of the windmill.

Myakka River State Park Prairie, Florida, BW

This image is an HDR panorama I created by merging 9 photos together to capture the entire scene and all the details in the bright and dark areas. This is a pair of trees in Myakka River State Park. I like how they come together to frame the view of the prairie with wildflowers. I also have a color version of this image. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.

Live Oak At Myakka River State Park, Florida

This is a live oak tree in Myakka River State Park. I like how it reaches out to the view of the prairie. The spanish moss and lighting add to a dreamy feel. Resurrection fern grows on the thick trunk of the tree, turning green overnight after the rain. In May the prairie fills with yellow wildflowers, it's so beautiful. Myakka River State Park is one of the largest and oldest parks here in Florida with 37,000 acres at the Myakka River near Sarasota, Bradenton, and Myakka City. The park is known for its wildlife and alligators and its boardwalk into the river which is good for birding. Myakka River State Park is a beautiful area full of large oak trees. It feels like Old Florida where you are walking back in time.