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Forest Park Balloon Race

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Hot Air Balloon in Forest Park, St. Louis

The title for this post is a bit of a misnomer, since I didn’t stay for the balloon race. I was there, however, to see all of the balloons inflated and on Central Field in Forest Park – an exhilarating scene, all the same.

This is one of my favorite photos, showing one of the hot air balloons, fully inflated.  You can see a large apartment/condominium complex in the background, with the trees of Forest Park in between. This photo ties all three components together, establishing scale and location.  The red, white, and blue of the balloon provides great color against the green foliage and the pastel building.

Girls at a Hot Air Balloon Festival

Another of my favorites is this picture of two young girls, examining one of the transport trailers that has been brightly painted with a hot air balloon scene.

Again, the colors are bright and draw the viewer into the scene. It is not at all immediately obvious that this is the side of a trailer. As you look at photo more closely, you start to notice the tail light of the trailer, and the wheel well between the girls.

The Forest Park Balloon Race is an annual event, with 70 balloons competing in a race against an Energizer Bunny hot air balloon.  The bunny takes off first, and the chase balloons are challenged to drop a bean bag closest to where the bunny lands.

To see more balloons, including some photos capturing the propane flames that provide the inflation for the balloons, click here.

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Forest Park

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Butterfly on Lilac

Yesterday I went with a friend to Forest Park in St. Louis to meet a couple of friends who had driven down from Milwaukee to take in a couple of St. Louis Cardinal games. The reason to go to Forest Park was to see the annual Forest Park Balloon Race.

Unfortunately, my timing was a bit off, and we were there well before any of the balloon festivities began. So this provided an opportunity to explore a bit of Forest Park, and to look for photo opportunities in the park. Forest Park was established in 1874, located 2 miles west of the city of St. Louis, which required a 40-minute carriage ride for residents located in the city center.

The park was over 1,300 acres in size, mostly comprised of virgin forest land (hence the name of Forest Park). And the park retains much of its natural setting, as seen in this picture of a lilac flower to the right.

The World’s Fair in 1904 contributed a number of new facilities located within the park, including the World’s Fair Pavilion overlooking one of the numerous man-made lakes in the park.

Outside the Muny

In 1919, the city founded an municipal opera house in the park, establishing what is now known as the Muny. This man-made pond sits across from the main building, along a circular drive – providing some of the beauty and majesty that is everywhere within the park.

With plenty of time before the balloon festivities began, we took a leisurely walk around the park. Click here to see more pictures of Forest Park.

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The Gateway Arch

Monday, November 9th, 2009
Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch

I’ve been in St. Louis now for 3 months, so it’s time to share a couple of photos of the Gateway Arch (whose full name is the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Gateway Arch).

The Arch was designed by Eero Saarinen, built in 1947, and stands 630 feet tall. Standing under the arch you get a sense of how amazing it really is. And riding the elevator up the arch is even more amazing as you sit in the specially designed elevator cars that rotate as they travel up the arch. The rotation is needed to keep you upright as the cars travel along the curvature of the arch.

The observation room at the top of the arch is only seven feet wide, but 65 feet long. Rows of windows on either side provide a clear and long distance view both east and west of the Mississippi.

I was there on a bright, sunny day late in the afternoon. The arch looms over a pond that was perfectly still on this particular day.

The Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch

While the arch lends itself to a portrait (vertical) layout, the natural surroundings provide enough visual framing to allow for a landscape (horizontal) layout.

On a warm summer day, the park is crawling with tourists as they descend below the arch to visit the museum and board the elevators to the observation room.

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Picture of the Month – September 2009

Monday, October 19th, 2009
Click here to enlarge

Click here to enlarge

My picture of the month for September 2009 is this brightly colored photo of a set of concrete steps painted to look like M&M candies as you approach them.

The steps lead the way to the Superman ride at Six Flags St. Louis – previously known as Six Flags over Mid-America. This theme park is the third one built under the Six Flags name, and parts of the park show its age. There are newer sections, however, that rival any of the more recently built theme parks.

The shadows on the steps help add to the 3D illusion of the M&M candy – which when viewed at the right angle appear to be a whole, uninterrupted mural celebrating this common candy.

To see pictures of the month from previous months, click here.

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Swans

Friday, July 31st, 2009
Swan

Swan

This week has involved a lot of traveling for me – so I’ve been a bit tardy in posting any updates. Hopefully, I’ll come back with some new photos to share next week.

The beginning of the week started with a trip to St. Louis, Missouri, to find some temporary housing as I start a new job in the St. Louis area.

The swan you see pictured here is one of a family of seven swans inhabiting a man-made lake in the apartment complex where I’ll be staying.

Two swans were initially relocated to the lake, and they since have started a family.

Young Swan

Young Swan

Shown here is one of the offspring of the pair of swans, swimming peacefully on the lake.

After getting back home from St. Louis, I got on a plane and headed for Coral Springs, Florida for a few days.

The Miami and Ft. Lauderdale areas have many sights to see and photographic opportunities. And while that’s not the primary purpose of my visit, I look forward to finding some opportunities to take some more photos.

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