I had the pleasure of going on a harbor cruise around Lower Manhattan this past weekend. I loved the opportunity to see such a historic city that has seen incredible change since it was first settled, and dramatic change even in the past decade. The Freedom Tower can be seen in the frame, illuminated for the evening with red, white and blue interior lighting, among the other massive structures of Lower Manhattan.
For today’s post we travel back through the archives to December 2009 on a quick trip I made to Boston. This image features a few buildings…one of which is among my favorites in the Financial District. Exchange Place is a glassy structure that rises out of the 12-story Boston Stock Exchange, a classic Boston piece of architecture originally constructed in 1896 and redeveloped in 1985 to feature the glass tower. What I like about the building (and I’m sure others hate), is the fact that the original structure is still standing and compliments the new addition, bringing a nice blend of the modern and the historic character of the area. I love the way the structure captures the light around it and reflects neighboring buildings.
During our visit in San Francisco, I wanted to get out for at least a couple adventures. The evening walk that my brother Dave and I went on ended up bringing us down around the financial district and the Transamerica Pyramid that I featured a couple weeks back. We enjoyed a stroll around the area on a late summer evening, with the typical business meetings/dinners going on and plenty of foot and road traffic to be captured. As we were about to head home…we decided that we were too close to the water not to make a stop.
Thankfully, the Bay Bridge (which connects San Francisco to Oakland) was beautifully lit in the late evening air over the water. This has been one of the favorites that people seem to gravitate to of all the shots from my trip. One of my favorites from the trip was taken a few minutes later, featuring one of the office towers of Embarcadero Center in the Financial District.
The Transamerica Pyramid is loved and hated pretty intensely. The building was originally constructed in 1969-1972 and is easily the most recognizable and the tallest skyscraper in San Francisco, and drastically changed the skyline when it was finished. You can see it from many places throughout the city – as you can see from the evening shot from afar above…and the sheer scale of the building as taken from the base (shown below). I happen to enjoy the building, but it’s definitely not my favorite of the city. While I’m featuring shots of San Francisco…it would be a crime to leave this one out. What are your thoughts?
I’ve got ambitious plans to head out at sunrise to shoot another icon. Looking forward to the early dawn light.
The Fairmont Hotel sits atop Nob Hill in San Francisco near the Financial District and Union Square. The building occupies an entire city block and was nearly completed before the historic earthquake hit the city in 1906 – prompting an overhaul to its interior before it ever opened. The very stately building (and original hotel of The Fairmont brand) is neighbored by other hotels in the Nob Hill area and the very exclusive Union Pacific Club.
Would love to get an invite to check the place out. This particular Saturday night was very busy at the hotel’s entrance, and each shot I snapped had some headlights/tail lights in the shot, and I liked the vibe it gave. Below is a shot from Sacramento Street and gives a better scale to the size of the property.
The Fairmont Hotel sits atop Nob Hill in San Francisco near the Financial District and Union Square. The building occupies an entire city block and was nearly completed before the historic earthquake hit the city in 1906 – prompting an overhaul to its interior before it ever opened. The very stately building (and original hotel of The Fairmont brand) is neighbored by other hotels in the Nob Hill area and the very exclusive Union Pacific Club.
Would love to get an invite to check the place out. This particular Saturday night was very busy at the hotel’s entrance, and each shot I snapped had some headlights/tail lights in the shot, and I liked the vibe it gave. Below is a shot from Sacramento Street and gives a better scale to the size of the property.
The iconic Transamerica Pyramid is visible from many parts of the city. The building, which was finished in 1972, faced much opposition throughout its planning stages – probably due to the structure’s stark contrast against the traditional architecture of San Francisco. I think it looks especially cool with the retreating sun on its peak.
The iconic Transamerica Pyramid is visible from many parts of the city. The building, which was finished in 1972, faced much opposition throughout its planning stages – probably due to the structure’s stark contrast against the traditional architecture of San Francisco. I think it looks especially cool with the retreating sun on its peak.
THE DAILY PORTSMOUTH 