04-06-09 J Paul Getty Center

By Scott Shephard

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The J. Paul Getty Center north of Los Angeles is a remarkable place. It is filled with great art, including Van Gogh's painting of purple irises. But if there were no art at all, it would still be a place worth visiting. I know very little about architectural psychology but I would say that both the indoor and outdoor spaces of this complex are very "human." Or maybe humane.

The clean, white structure and the rough, stone contrast very well with the green grass and the deep blue sky. Los Angeles was clouded in smog but this place seemed very pure to me.

Canon 5D 1/400s f/11.0 ISO250 55mm (Canon 24-105mm f/4.0L IS)

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03-30-09 Things Not Seen

By Scott Shephard

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This photo is a great example of what happens when you go looking for a photo. I had been inside the Codington County Courthouse (built in 1929) many times and not seen the beautiful stained glass in the dome. But when I went in with my camera, the first thing I did was look up. And this photo is what I saw.

Canon 1D 1/200s f/6.3 ISO800 47mm (Canon 28-70mm 2.8L)

03-29-09 A 20th Century Cathedral?

This is the Illinois State Office Building and I must say that while it's not quite as amazing as St. Peters, it is still somewhat overwhelming. The first time I was in the building, I was able to go to one of the upper floors and look down. Being mildly afraid of heights, I found it unsettling and wondered if any of the workers on upper floors had to deal with their own acrophobia. When I visited this time, I think that security concerns prohibited me from going past the ground floor.

Incidentally, my title is not intended to imply that working for government or in a government building is a religious experience. It isn't. Right?

Canon 20D 1/100s f/6.3 ISO800 10mm (Canon 10-22mm EFS)

03-16-09 St. Peter's Basilica - Rome

Visiting St. Peter's is an overwhelming experience and I'm guessing that the architects had that in mind when they planned this massive place. The dome that appears in this photo was designed by Michelangelo, but sadly he died before its completion. The structure with the darker, bronze pillars rising from the left corner of the photo is called the baldacchino, and was designed by Bernini. It is close to 10 stories tall (98 ft.). That, alone, give you a sense of the scale of the dome.

On the technical side, this camera and lens combination was the first time I was truly amazed by the capabilities of the Canon 5D. I shot with a high ISO and low shutter speed to get this shot and I was impressed by how little digital noise that showed up in the photo and how sharp the photo is - in spite of shooting without a tripod at 1/40 of a second.

Canon 5D Canon f/4.0 1/40 Canon 17-24mm 4.0L (17mm) ISO 1000

03-15-09 The Pantheon - Rome

The Pantheon was built close to 2000 years ago and I am still awed by its design every time I walk in. In fact, I would have to say that the Pantheon is my favorite structure in Rome. For this photo I stood towards the wall of the building and pointed the camera towards the ceiling. I wanted to get some of the oculus ("eye") in the shot, though the bright light flowing in caused a little lens flair. I shot using my 24-105mm lens and I was wishing I had the 17-24mm lens that I had decided to leave at home, though the image stabilization built in to the lens I used allowed me to use a an otherwise impossible shutter speed.

Canon 5D f/4 1/30 24-105 4.0L (24mm) ISO 650

03-01-09 Art Institute of Chicago - "Paris Street; Rainy Day"

By Scott Shephard

As you can tell, this painting by Gustave Caillebotte dominates the gallery it is housed in. What I enjoy about candid art gallery shots is that there is a bit of irony of looking at a picture (as you are) of people looking at pictures. Photos like this seem convey quite and calm. I also enjoy seeing how people are grouped and wondering what they are seeing.