Thursday, August 1, 2019

City Daily Photo Theme Day: Black

The first day of each month is a theme day for members of City Daily Photo, and for August, that theme is Black. You can see other takes on the theme right here.

In April I paid a visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature and went through its galleries. One of them is the Earth Gallery, and among the artifacts on display is this mineral combination, scolecite and apophyllite. The way it stood out against the black display case caught my eye, and so I held it back for today.


On a night in May, I was having one of those bad nights that one occasionally gets where sleep just doesn't come. I went for a walk, and ended up at Lansdowne Park. I photographed the moon mixed with some clouds to the west, at the base of the Bank Street Bridge where it crosses the Rideau Canal. It felt appropriate for the theme.


My walk took me along a path on the south side of the stadium. This view looking back to the moon includes the large wooden screen that wraps around this portion of the stadium.


From here I went along the path to a hill that runs along the east edge of the stadium field. This view looking east takes in the darkness of a large stretch of lawn below. The very first light of day can be seen on the horizon.


Turning around gives a view into the stadium, dark at night, with the south stands at left and the north section at right. A condo tower on the west side is beside the moon from this perspective. Most of everything in the shot is black.


On Canada Day I was on Major's Hill Park and took in the fireworks. They shone brightly in the black sky.


Afterwards I took this shot. Parliament Hill's Peace Tower and Library loom in the darkness over the Ottawa River.


Back in May I attended our Comiccon event, something I covered here in the blog at the time. Among the items I purchased were a number of T-shirts. Two of them are here. Alex Ross is an artist in the industry who has done a lot of great work for both of the big two publishers in the field, Marvel and DC. He tends to use dramatic lighting for covers in the style of Caravaggio, often featuring characters on a black background. These two are taken from his work, set on black T-shirts, with Catwoman and Wonder Woman looming out of the darkness.


I finish with another one of these utility boxes. The Arts, Fashion, and Theatre District is an area around the Byward Market area where you get something of each of the three. Utility boxes here are decorated with these fashion statements. The black dress suits this theme.

37 comments:

  1. That´s quite a collection - I like the moon pictures best.
    Hope the peace and quiet of the night was a little reward for the lack of sleep.

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  2. this is original approach - what's blacker than night? accented with colours or shapes (I like that mineral very much).

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  3. Fascinating piece of mineral combination artifact. Beautiful moon and fireworks shots.

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  4. Gostei destas fotografias nocturnas e aproveito para desejar a continuação de uma boa semana.

    Andarilhar
    Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
    O prazer dos livros

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  5. ...beautiful in basic black!!!

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  6. This is a museum I need to get back to. I have always enjoyed my visits there and have even gotten a good deal on a couple of books.

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  7. so cool. enjoy the shot where it is kind of creeping around the building. way neat! ( ;

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  8. Hello, great night time photos. The fireworks are beautiful! Wishing you a happy day and weekend ahead!

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  9. A fine array of interpretations. I rather like the city at night pictures, something I rarely photograph or experience.

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  10. @Iris: thank you!

    @Italiafinlandia: they do stand out.

    @Klara: I liked that mineral as well.

    @Nancy: thank you.

    @Francisco: thanks!

    @Tom: I thought so.

    @David: I enjoy that museum.

    @Beth: I liked that too.

    @Eileen: thanks!

    @Marie: it's a stand out.

    @John: I like photographing at night.

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  11. Very interesting collection of black themes. I enjoy your first of the month theme days. :-)

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  12. Excellent series of images William, especially the night shots ✨

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  13. Such fun. And I must admit to being jealous of a man who can just wander the city streets alone in the night. Few women, and certainly not myself, enjoy the freedom of safe movement in the wee hours. When I once worked nights, I was always locking my doors when driving around. I do enjoy seeing through your lens!

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  14. The black theme gave you some very interesting night scenes. Good eye on these photos.

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  15. Interesting photos for the Black theme.

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  16. You found lots of black to share!

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  17. @DJan: thank you!

    @Grace: thanks!

    @Barbara: I am quite mindful of my surroundings, admittedly, walking about at night.

    @Red: thanks!

    @Sami: I thought so!

    @Sharon: there was no shortage of black.

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  18. Great photos! You took a walk at night?? Your town must be very safe.

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  19. What a great series of photos for the theme. The night shots are my favorites.
    Excellent photos, William.

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  20. I hope you sleep well tonight. But I love the moon photos. Thank you so much.

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  21. All your photos are beautiful! I have a lot of sleepless nights, they are not fun! My granddaughter loves to go to Comiccon events.

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  22. @Sandi: oh, there are areas I will stay out of at night.

    @RedPat: thanks!

    @Bill: thank you.

    @Aritha: it depends on if the humidity's still around.

    @Vicki: I get it once in awhile, but I can say that humid nights tend to be the worst.

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  23. Did you get to see the so-called "Black Moon" where you are?

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  24. What a super selection of photographs for the 'black' theme … excellent.

    All the best Jan

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  25. Isn't insomnia the worst? I hate it!
    I love your fireworks shots.

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  26. Wonderful nite shots!

    Happy Day to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  27. Great photos. I like the moon peeping out from behind the buildings and the explosion of fireworks:)

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  28. Terrific follow through of the theme!

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