Tag Archives: stairs

Strong Lines in San Francisco

Posted on February 5th, 2015 by

Strong Lines

Today’s photo is an exploration of line. I was talking about this with a work colleague this week…sometimes things grab me and won’t let go. While I was in Singapore recently I was walking through an MRT station and I hit a hallway playing a Burburry ad. I linked it below…I hit the hall and it stopped me in my tracks. Literally. I tend to walk pretty quick for someone with really short legs and I literally just STOPPED! A lady behind me nearly ran over me and I didn’t even have the presence to apologize. I finally stepped over to the side. What got me, besides the dazzling iridescent plexiglass walls was Joss Stone. Her rendition of I Put a Spell on You with Jeff Beck grabbed me and it still hasn’t let go. I rarely buy music these days and I immediately purchased this song.

Isolating a Subject

When something grabs you it can be helpful to understand it by breaking it down and isolating the element that most strikes you. I have been doing this with the Stone/Beck song. For me, these stairs in from the of the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco are all about line. The color is nearly removed, all other distractions are removed…you are left with the line. The geometry of this common piece or art.

Strong Lines in San Francisco
Strong Lines in San Francisco

Photo Technical Info

Stone Spiral Stairs

Posted on June 27th, 2013 by

Golden Ratio

I love a spiral. Throughout history humans have been enthralled with the golden ratio and to me this particular expression is one of the best. This particular spiral staircase is one of the ultra narrow towers of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Spain. The last spiral staircase I shot was in Paris and people seem to love the Arc de Tripmphe staircase photo. Personally I think I hit the expression of the golden ratio more dead on with this photo and I particularly like the texture. Which do you like best?

HDR Photography
Stone Spiral Stairs by W. Brian Duncan

Embarcadero Stairs

Posted on April 11th, 2013 by

The Road Ahead

I read a quote recently on the internet that I found uniquely stuck in my head.

The only reason we get stuck in jobs we don’t love is because we choose not to leave.
~Simon Sinek

I belive this extends well past career choices and into almost every facet of life. We tend to externalize our problems, overplay obligations and declare that I can’t because (insert any reason). What occurred to me was the power accepting this notion has as well as the responsibility its acceptance requires. When we realize we are directing this life, it seems all the more important to make it one we want to live. I struggle with choices, but for better or worse they have been and continue to me mine to make.

Stairs

Today’s photo is of the Embarcadero Center Staircase located in Center 2.

HDR Photography
Embarcadero Stairs by W. Brian Duncan

La Conciergerie

Posted on February 19th, 2012 by

Of Palaces and Prisons

One of the interesting places we visited in Paris was the La Conciergerie. Build in the Middle Ages as a Merovingian Palace, it was later converted to a prison when Charles V decided the Louvre was much better digs. It had a bit of a notorious reputation, from the torture, to its roll as a holding cell for prisoners before meeting the guillotine during the reign of terror. This staircase is located in the main hall and leads up to the upper stories…we weren’t allowed to use them.

A Wonderful Place for Children

The day we visited there were these interesting blue lights strategically places all around the main hall. There was some sort of arts and crafts workshop for children going on. I thought it strange, given the heinous reputation of the place that it would now be used as a playground for kids, but perhaps a prison might be the best place to keep them…I am kidding…maybe. As a side note, I found it very interesting how well behaved the children and dogs where in Paris. Perhaps its just a product of being in a big European city, but everyone…and everything was just so darn polite.

HDR Staircase
La Conciergerie by W. Brian Duncan

The Golden Spiral

Posted on November 27th, 2011 by

Fibonacci

Before we left for Paris I reread The Da Vinci Code. The twists of the plot line repetitively find a home in the Fibonacci sequence, a mathematical integer sequence where the first two numbers are 0, 1 and all subsequent numbers are the sum of the preceding two. What is truly staggering is the number of places you can see this form represented in nature, music, art, etc.

One of Many

One of many places I spotted the expression was in the spiral staircase that takes visitors to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. What made it stick out to me was the slightly golden color of the stairwell which was bathed in some sort of halogen light. Enjoy!

HDR Photography
The Golden Spiral by W. Brian Duncan