Autumn

Autumn, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

One more shot from my walk in Fairmont Park last weekend. I wish there hadn't been so much rain this month, as there would probably gave been more leaves on the trees and less on the ground.

I did a bit of digital cross-processing and added a texture to give it an older-painting feel.

Last Light

Last Light, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two exposure vertorama of another beautiful Jamaican sunset. I think I'm just about done with the Jamaican pictures, although I like this one a bit better. I feel like I overprocessed one or two of the others and this is a bit better. This is what it actually looked like standing on the beach. My wife and I have made a pact to get down to the Caribbean at least once a year. It's too easy and there are too many good deals from Philly not to.

Warmth

Warmth, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

More of the beautiful colors of fall as seen in Fairmont Park. It never ceases to amaze me as I hike the trails of the Park that I've never left the Philadelphia city limits and I'm less than 5 miles from my house. Pretty amazing park for a huge city.

Fall

Fall, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Every year the tree behind our house turns a brilliant hue of orange-red. My wife and I love the few weeks each year when we walk downstairs and see the tree blazing in the sunlight though the window. It's the perfect symbol of fall.

I tried to capture its beauty with this shot. This is actually a huge (for me) file made up of 4 separate raw shots stitched together. Also, I've decided to add a watermark with my name and title to each shot. Thoughts?

Driftwood

Driftwood, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Apparently, I still remember how to process photos. Taking photos is a different story, as I haven't been able to get out and about in a long time. Instead, I went back and looked through my shots from Jamaica. This one was taken just as the afternoon storms were rolling in.

It's a two exposure vertorama, stitched together in Photoshop. Taken with my trusty Canon 10-22mm.

Picture Perfect

Picture Perfect, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

2 exposure vertorama of the Grand Palladium resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I've stayed here twice since it opened last year, and it's been great both times. Beautiful pool, good food, and great drinks. Not much more you can ask for.

JoePa

JoePa, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

For the Penn Staters out there. Had to take a shot of the JoePa statue while I was walking around with my tripod. It would have been disrespectful not to.

Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno (born December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York), is an American football coach and the current head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, a position he has held since 1966. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an FBS football coach, and has coached more bowl game wins and undefeated seasons than any other coach in college football history. Paterno is one of four active coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (along with Chris Ault, Bobby Bowden, and John Gagliardi).

Monolith

Monolith, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Literally the calm before the storm. Taken on a beautiful Friday evening, September 25, 2009. Beaver Stadium on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University. Penn State football was undefeated and things could not have been better. 24 hours later and it was 20 degrees colder, pouring rain, and Iowa had beaten Penn State for the 7 time in the last 8 meetings between the two teams. What a difference a day makes.

This is a two exposure vertorama, taken with my favorite lens as of late, the Canon 10-22mm.

Penn State Law

Penn State Law, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Watching the transformation of the Penn State campus is amazing to me, and I've been gone less than ten years. I can only imagine what my parents think when they compare campus to their time at Dear Old State.

This is the Katz Building, which houses the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. Had this building (and a State College campus) existed when I was applying to law schools, my life may have turned out quite differently.

From Wikipedia: The Lewis Katz Building in University Park, Pennsylvania, opened for classes on January 9, 2009. The $60 million, 114,000 square-foot building is the first academic facility to be built on the west side of Park Avenue, opposite from Penn State’s main campus. It is adjacent to the Penn State Arboretum.

The Lewis Katz Building is LEED certified and equipped with advanced high definition digital audiovisual telecommunications capacity that enables the real-time delivery of classes and programs between the law school’s Carlisle and University Park campuses and other collaborative projects and programs with schools and institutions worldwide. The second floor includes the glass-enclosed library, with a two-story information commons, four group study rooms and 11 offices among the features. Library spaces comprise about 50 percent of the building.

In 2009, Judge D. Brooks Smith used the Lewis Katz Building's courtroom to hear an oral argument to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition to the courtroom, the Katz Building includes a 250-seat auditorium, four specially designed 75-person classrooms, several seminar rooms, and a highly advanced “board room” permitting electronic “face-to-face” contact with meeting participants worldwide.

Until We Meet Again

Until We Meet Again, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A while back I said I wasn't going to post any more shots of my bike. Well, I had to post just one more, because I finally sold her today. It was bittersweet. I needed to sell her because I no longer have the time to ride, but man, what a sweet, sweet bike. I always wanted a Daytona, and when I finally got one I didn't have the time to devote to riding. Emma (that's her name) was far and away the best motorcycle I've owned, and I'll miss riding. There's something so relaxing and free about being on a motorcycle. Hopefully I'll be on the road again in the not too distant future....

47

47, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Last time I was in Atlantic City, it was way too hot. I didn't take many pictures. Once it gets cooler, I'll go back and try and get some nice shots. Also, I'll try not to lose so much money.

Church of Our Lady Before Týn

Church of Our Lady Before Týn, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I was going through some of my shots from my trip to Prague a few years ago and I came across this one of the Tyn Church. Unfortunately, at the time I didn't have a DSLR or tripod or know what a .raw file was, but for a point and shoot, this came out pretty well. I'd like to go back through some of those shots and process them a bit.

For those of you who like your history:
The Church of Our Lady before Týn (in Czech Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem, also Týnský chrám (Týn Church) or just Týn) is a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, and has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. The church's towers are 80 m high and topped by four small spires.

In the 11th century, this area was occupied by a Romanesque church, which was replaced by an early Gothic Church of Our Lady in front of Týn in 1256. Construction of the present church began in the 14th century in late Gothic style under the influence of Matthias of Arras and later Peter Parler. By the beginning of the 15th century, construction was almost complete; only the towers, the gable and roof were missing. The church was controlled by Hussites for some time, including John of Rokycan, future archbishop of Prague, who became the church's vicar in 1427.

The roof was completed in the 1450s, while the gable and northern tower were completed shortly thereafter during the reign of George of Podebrady. His sculpture was placed on the gable, below a huge golden chalice, the symbol of the Hussites. The southern tower was not completed until 1511, under Matěj Rejsek. In 1626, after the Battle of White Mountain, the sculptures of George of Podebrady and the chalice were removed and replaced by a sculpture of the Virgin Mary, with a giant holy made from by melting down the chalice. In 1679 the church was struck by lightning, and the subsequent fire heavily damaged the old vault, which was later replaced by a lower baroque vault.

Under the Front

Under the Front, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

A totally different view and different mood of the same beach as in yesterday's shot, taken from about 20 yards to the right. This was also as the sun was going down, but at the same time the storm clouds were rolling in. Northern coast of Jamaica.

Vertorama composed of two raw exposures.

I'll Take Mine on the Rocks

I'll Take Mine on the Rocks, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Yet another Jamaican sunset. I don't think I could ever get tired of them.

This is a 6 exposure vertorama. 3 exposures for the bottom, 3 for the top. I think it's a bit overprocessed, but so are Jamaican sunsets.

Paradise Found

Paradise Found, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This was the scuba/snorkeling/kayak dock of the resort I was at in Jamaica over Labor Day weekend. I'm fairly certain I could sit on that beach every day and never get sick of the view.

If you're curious, this is a two exposure vertorama, meaning that it is taken from two different shots, one placed on top of the other. They were blended together in Photoshop, where I did some other editing, adjusted curves, etc.

Lightning Crashes

Lightning Crashes, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The second night we were in Jamaica, there was an awesome lightning storm out over the Caribbean. Of course, me being in Jamaica at an all inclusive resort, and it being 10pm, instead of a camera in one hand and a tripod in the other, I had a drink in one hand and another drink in the other.

Luckily, I had my camera nearby, and I was able to use the wide railing as a tripod. I sort of wish I was able to set up with a tripod closer to the water so I wouldn't have the chairs in the foreground, but I can't be too upset seeing as how the drinking was going well.

Anyway, this was my first time ever shooting lightning. Came out pretty good I think. Didn't do much processing at all here other than lower the hue of some yellows and oranges. The sky actually was that purple. Single exposure raw, 30 seconds I believe.

The End

The End, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Just got back from Jamaica. What a great, easy, trip from Philly. Perfect four day weekend.

I saw some of the most amazing sunsets, including this one. I don't think I have ever seen the clouds split the sunset so that rays of pink streaked across the sky like they did here. I took a ton of shots, so many more to come.

Filly Fallout

Filly Fallout, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Messing around in Photoshop. This is actually a great place to shoot a sunset, as the sun goes down directly behind Center City Philadelphia. Now, I just have to get out there and actually take a sunset shot. It'd also be a great place to shoot after dark, once the Ben Franklin Bridge (just out of the shot to the right) is all light up. Of course, I'll need volunteers to accompany me. Take turns shooting and watching each other's back.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Jellyfish at the Camden Aquarium. Such weird animals, yet I could have watched them float around for hours. It's hard to believe that they're sentient beings seeing as how they look like a condom filled with water.

Single exposure processed in Photoshop. I think, looking at this shot on Flickr, that the border is distracting. I'm not sure that I really feel like changing it though.

You can see more detail by clicking on the image to go to Flickr, where you can view this shot larger. You can do that for all of my shots, by the way.

RCA Victor Building 17

RCA Victor Building 17, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is what's left of the giant RCA manufacturing complex that used to take up much of the Camden, NJ waterfront. Now, this building houses trendy apartments. It seems to me though, that it doesn't matter how nice the inside of your apartment is if you're going to get stabbed when you walk outside of it.

Hungry Hungry Hippo

Hungry Hungry Hippo, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

So. This is a real, live hippo. I don't think I had ever seen a real, live hippo before until this past weekend. I've never seen a more fake looking animal. I don't know if that's the best way to describe them, but they just don't look real to me. They're more like one of those animatronic devices you'd see at Disney. Anyway, these were real. You can see them for yourself at the Camden Aquarium.

This guy (or gal, I don't know) was trying to give me a kiss though the glass. Or trying to bite my face off. One of the two. Most likely the latter.

Towne Park

Towne Park, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Saw this sign in downtown Camden today and thought, that's a pretty cool old sign. It's just sitting in the middle of a parking lot with no hotel in sight. I'm guessing the Towne Park hasn't been around in many years. Although if it did exist, they'd have to pay me to stay in downtown Camden after dark.

I did a little more research and found this old picture of the motel from the 70's when it still existed:


"The Towne Park Motel stood in the 800 block of Market Street in Camden NJ. Built after World War II, its business declined as Camden's economy fell off. By the early 1990s it had devolved into a rooming house, inhabited mostly by junkies. prostitutes, and other undesirables. It was razed early in the decade."

One raw image edited in Photoshop.

Under the Boardwalk

Under the Boardwalk, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Under the Pier at Caesars, Atlantic City. Storm surge from Tropical Storm Bill, although you can't really see it here.

What was I doing under the Pier at Caesars? Well, I can't tell you that.

Independence Hall

Independence Hall, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Independence Hall. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Birthplace of the Nation. Declaration of Independence. Constitution. Ben Franklin. Etc., etc., etc.

One exposure raw image processed in Photoshop using Topaz Adjust.

Walk With Me

Walk With Me, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot was taken on Forbidden Drive in Fairmont Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. About 6pm on Sunday, August 23rd. Sometimes, walking, hiking, biking, or running through Fairmont Park, it's hard to believe you're still in the middle of the 6th largest city in the country.

Sunday's walk in particular was special, as it was my first official hike traipsing through the woods with a tripod. I didn't get as many odd stares as I thought.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.", originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The title of the shot is a quote by Churchill.

This is the new (although a few years old now) WWII memorial in Washington, D.C. Really beautiful memorial and I'm not sure I was able to capture it's full beauty. It was amazing to me how many people were there enjoying the memorials at 10 pm at night. It was nice to see.

Anyway, I'm not 100% pleased with the way this came out, but it will have to do. Created from 1 exposure, shot in raw format.

The Angry Sky

The Angry Sky, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two days ago we had strong storms roll through the Philadelphia area. When I say "roll" that's really what the sky looked like. The clouds were churning and rolling and twisting as they moved across the sky, so I ran up to my roof to take a picture. I would have liked to have the 10-22mm on the camera, but I didn't have time to change it, and the clouds were gone in less than 5 minutes. I had to share, since I've never seen the sky seem so angry.

Also, here's a secret for you loyal blog readers (as best as I can tell, there are between 0 and 1 of you): the streetlight beams are fake.

The Lincoln

The Lincoln, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Looking down the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. I'd love to get back to the same spot to watch the sun set behind the Memorial.

This shot is much better viewed larger where you can actually see the Lincoln Memorial as more than a white speck in the middle. If you go to the Flickr page by clicking on the picture, you can do just that.

The Jefferson

The Jefferson, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The Jefferson Memorial at night. Friday, August 14th to be exact.

I lived in Washington, D.C. (or just outside) for almost 5 years, yet it took until now (when I haven't lived there in 4 years) to finally visit the monuments at night. It's awesome the things you do and the places you'd never otherwise visit when you take up photography. It's so cool to see the world in a whole new light. Sappy, but true. And I'm sure all of you on Flickr already know this.

This is actually an HDR shot, so it's a combination of 5 exposures of the same shot. This technique worked well here, since the building was lit so brightly but the surroundings were so dark. Taken with my new Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 lens.

Into the Clouds

Into the Clouds, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Two exposure vertorama taken with the trusty Canon 10-22mm. Processed in Photoshop using Topaz Adjust. Shot was taken in the Manassas National Battlefield Park in Northern Virginia.

Birth of a Nation

Birth of a Nation, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Built between 1732 and 1753. It was within those walls that both the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed. The tower at the top originally housed the Liberty Bell (which is now across the street). This is actually the rear (South) side of the building.

Funny story, I decided Saturday would be a good day to go take pictures at Independence Hall. Normally, I would have had to deal with tons of tourists walking around in front of the building. On Saturday though, Michelle Obama and the kids decided they wanted to take a tour, so the whole area was shut down while they toured. Bad for tourists, but great for me, since I could walk up to the barricades and take pictures without anyone getting in the way. If you look hard, maybe you can see the First Lady and First Children in the windows.

Finally, I should point out that this is not and HDR shot, even though it looks like it. It's a single .raw exposure that I processed in Photoshop with Topaz Adjust

Second Bank of the United States

Second Bank of the United States, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Carpenters' Hall was designed by architect Robert Smith (1722-1777) in the Georgian style and built as a four-story brick building between 1770 and 1773 by the Carpenters' Company. It would be first used as a meeting site by the guild on January 21, 1771, and would continue to hold annual meetings there until 1777 when the British would capture Philadelphia. On April 23, 1773 (St. George's Day), it would be used by the Society of Englishmen and Sons of Englishmen.

The First Continental Congress of the United Colonies of North America met here from September 5 to October 26, 1774, since the Pennsylvania State House (Independence Hall) was being used by the moderate Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania. It was here that Congress resolved to ban further imports of slaves and to discontinue the slave trade within the colonies, a step toward phasing out slavery in British North America. The building has a long history as an assembly place and has been the home to numerous tenants in the arts, sciences and commerce. The meeting hall served as a hospital for both British and American troops in the Revolutionary War, and other institutions in Philadelphia have held meetings in Carpenters' Hall, including Franklin's Library Company of Philadelphia, the American Philosophical Society, the First and Second Banks of the United States.

The Drake

The Drake, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Constructed in 1929 as a luxury hotel, the Drake was once the tallest building in Philadelphia. I've always thought the architecture of this building, especially the top, is just fantastic. I would love to go up top and out on those terraces, I'm sure the views of Philadelphia are fantastic.

I would have liked to include more of the building in this shot, but I took it as I was leaving work, and didn't really take the time to get a clean shot of the building. The Kimmer Center was actually blocking everything below what you see in the picture.

This is an HDR image taken from 3 exposures, processed in Photomatrix and then in Photoshop.

It Doesn't Always Go Your Way

It Doesn't Always Go Your Way, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I'm posting this photo more for the story than for the shot itself. This past Saturday, I decided I would get up for sunrise and shoot the sun rising over the Philadelphia Art Museum. My first sunrise shoot ever. Unfortunately, as I was headed to the spot I thought would be best, I found out the road was closed, which meant that there was absolutely no way I could get to where I wanted to be in time. That was immediately followed by me freaking out, because I got up 5 hours too early on a Saturday only to find out my plan was foiled.

After driving around, cursing, and looking for spots to shoot from, I found this one, which turned out to be fine, except for the fact that I was standing about 20 feet over the freeway, on the top of a retainer wall, crouched in the bushes, and terrified I would fall onto the freeway below. Not the best place to be at 5 am in Philly. So I took about 3 exposures and got the hell out of there. This is one of them. Just imagine how beautiful this would have looked without the bushes or freeway in between me and the river.

I added some notes to help illustrate my story, and so you can see that it was a good plan in theory. I'm sure we all have stories like this as aspiring photographers, I just wanted to share mine. It doesn't always go your way....

Sunrise Over Philly

Sunrise Over Philly, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This shot represents a few firsts, most notably, the first time I have ever gotten up before 7 am when I didn't have to get to either a) work, b) class, or c) the airport. This is also the first vertorama I've attempted (created from just two exposures, this is not an HDR). Apparently, this is what Philadelphia looks like before 6 am. Who woulda thunk?

A vertorama is like a panorama, only vertical. For instance, this shot is actually two shots stacked one on top of the other. That way, the angle is not only wide horizontally, but vertically as well.

Out of Service

Out of Service, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I wasn't originally going to post this, but why not? No reason not to post what I think is a cool image. That's actually an overturned toilet in the foreground. Let's hope it's no longer in use. If you couldn't figure it out from the other shots in my photostream, this is from one of the cells in the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Summer's Calm

Summer's Calm, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Now for something completely different than what I've been doing recently.
Sometimes, when looking for subjects to shoot, I forget to look at what's right in front of me. I was going for a bit of a "dreamy" effect on this one.

This one took a bit of processing to get it to where I wanted it, and it's still not quite as ethereal as I'd like. The only way to fix that though is, I think, with a longer lens. It's hard to describe, because I can only picture it in my head. Here's a link to an example though: A Dream to Dream, by Aileenie. If you have time, you should check out her photostream on Flickr, it's really, really excellent.

High Water

High Water, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Another shot of the flooded Wissahickon Creek from this past Sunday (7/2/09). This shot is a little busier than I'd like, but the sky and clouds were just so great in this shot, I had to process and post.

In hindsight, I should have stepped to the left so that tree wasn't in the foreground and I had more of the river. I'll have to go re-look at my pictures and see if maybe I didn't do just that, although I don't think I was that smart.

The Flood

The Flood, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

We had torrential rains here in Philly on Sunday (7/2/09) and there were flash floods everywhere. This is the Wissahickon Creek, which was higher than I've ever seen it. Another foot or two and I wouldn't have been able to get to where I was standing. Good for photography, bad for travel.

Where the Earth Meets

Where the Earth Meets, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This literally is "where the Earth meets." It was taken in Thingvellir National Park, which is in Iceland. The rifts between the rocks are actually a result of movement of the Eurasian and North American plate boundaries that run through Iceland. In the south, the plates inch past each other, but at Thingvellir, they break apart and the land between subsides. Away from the plate boundaries the activity is fairly constant, about two centimetres a year, but in the rift zones themselves, tensional stress accumulates during a long period and is then released in a burst of activity when fracture boundaries are reached.

Bonsecours Market

Bonsecours Market, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I was looking through some of my old photographs from past trips when I found this shot from Montreal, one of my favorite cities in the world. Thought it might looks nice all gussied up.

From Wikipedia: Bonsecours Market (French: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. Named for the adjacent Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, it opened in 1847. Construction began in 1844 by architect William Footner, and was completed in 1860 by George Browne. Bonsecours Market housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of United Canada in 1849. Today, the market houses outdoor cafés, restaurants and boutiques.

Also, I'm 30 today, which is neat.

Can't Stop the Hustle

Can't Stop the Hustle, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I wanted to go back and look through some of the shots I took of City Hall a month or so ago. This one captures a bit more of the street than the last one I posted, "The View Up Broad", which focused more on City Hall. It really is a great place to shoot at night, but I guess you can only take so many shots of the same thing.

Single exposure using my ultrawide Canon 10-22mm.

The Verdant Creek

The Verdant Creek, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The creek I was standing in is the Wissahickon Creek, in Fairmont Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For those familiar with the area, just past the bridge and to the right is the Valley Green Inn.

This is an HDR shot from 5 exposures. I quite like the way it came out, especially all of the greens and blues. It looks quite like a watercolor to me. I took this at about 8:15pm. I was hoping to have a more dramatic sky, but it was overcast and started to rain about 15 minutes later. Oh well.

A Facade of Skyscrapers...

, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

... facing a lake and behind the facade, every type of dubiousness.
- E.M. Forster

I thought that was a cool quote to describe Chicago. This is another shot taken from the top of the Hancock Center. Its similar to the one posted a few days ago, but you'll see that it is actually different. Different sky. This one was taken about an hour (and two drinks) later.

This is actually a black and white shot with, I believe, three layers on top of it. One layer giving it the colors, one layer adding the "sun" streaks, and a third layer giving it the gritty/worn appearance. Finally, I added the border around the edges. This is what happens when you play around in Photoshop.

Passing By

Passing By, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

I've been meaning to experiment more at night. The problem is, I'm so tired after work I rarely venture out of the house. I was able to make it down the street, tripod and all for this one. Don't know how interesting it is, but I like the lights.

"Very Little is Needed to Make a Happy Life."

"Very Little is Needed to Make a Happy Life.", originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The title is a quote from Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Roman Emperor, A.D. 161-180.

I actually took this shot a few weeks ago. I was looking out of my window and the clouds were so cool looking, I had to snap a few pictures. This was the best one in my opinion. I wish the foreground was more interesting, but I like the silhouette.

The John Hancock Center

The John Hancock Center, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

The John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan Avenue in the Gold Coast area of Chicago, Illinois, is a 100-story, 1,127-foot (344 m) tall skyscraper designed by structural engineer Fazlur Khan of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. When completed in 1969, it was the tallest building in the world outside New York City. It is currently the fourth-tallest building in Chicago and the sixth-tallest in the United States, after the Willis Tower, the Empire State Building, the Bank of America Tower, the Trump Tower, and the Aon Center. When measured to the top of its antenna masts, it stands at 1,506 feet (459 m). The building is home to offices and restaurants, as well as about 700 condominiums and contains the highest residences in the world. This skyscraper was named for John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company, a developer and original tenant of the building.

This photo was made using one single .raw shot, but I created two different layers, one for the buildings and one for the sky. I was able to add a bit more depth to the clouds this way.

The Loop

The Loop, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

Was in Chicago this past weekend visiting friends. Before dinner on Saturday, we had drinks on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Center. What a great place to have a drink or two. The views were awesome. I have many more pictures like this that I'll post in the coming days.

This is an HDR image blended from three exposures at -2, 0, +2 in Photomatrix and then tweaked in Photoshop. You should really click on the picture to view it in Flickr, where you can then view it large. It's the only way to do it justice.

Steel

Steel, originally uploaded by M. Rosenberg.

This is a bridge crossing the Schuylkill in Manayunk that I've always wanted to cross. It's private property, so I didn't. I actually went over for the sunset, but none of those shots came out, but I thought the bridge itself was pretty cool looking. I added some texturing to give it that old, worn feel.