The year 2024 marked a change in this site, as I veered away from photo blogs. It wasn’t so much that I set the camera aside and lost interest in photography. It was more a function of WordPress affordability and not wanting to shell out the $$$ to support photo blogs. It was also a function of turning towards writing in a year that was filled with political and social fireworks. To celebrate the year end, here is a short collection of some favorite photos.
This year my wife Cora and I traveled to Chicago, Vienna, Bavaria (highlighted by Munich), and Krakow, all of which provided magnificent photo opportunities. As always I also ventured to San Francisco.
The cities provided opportunities to focus on both modern architecture and what I like to call urban grit. Both of these aspects have caught my fancy. Away from the cities there is always natural beauty and rural charm to focus on.
I’ve included twelve photos in no particular order, each one representing a month of the year (though in honesty there were months in which my camera sat idle), and just for the hell of it, one banner photo.
As you’ll see in a few photos I took some license as regards editing. I avoided AI (something that PS is making difficult to do), except for a feature in Lightroom which reduces noise (that fuzzy appearance when a shot is taken in low light using high speed).
Comments, both positive and negative, are encouraged. What style do you like and what turns you off?
Urban Geometry (San Francisco)
What is urban geometry? Hell, I don’t know if it’s a correct term but it’s my term for close ups of modern buildings and the various patterns, shapes and colors that I think combine to make an interesting image. This photo was taken in the Financial District of San Francisco on New Year’s Day when there was less chance of a photo bomber.
Chinatown San Francisco
This photo was taken during the same photo walk as the photo above. It’s an example of the urban grit which I like to feature in monochrome.
Südtiroler Platz – Hauptbahnhof, Vienna
I was astounded by Vienna’s Hauptbahnhof, the main train/subway station. Clean, modern, efficient and enormous. I noticed this corridor when we got off of a metro train. It was packed except for early on Sunday morning when I ducked into the station and captured this shot which looks like a kind of time tunnel (for those familiar with the very old and very bad TV show).
Fire Escapes (Chicago)
When I look at floor after floor after floor of fire escapes I think urban grit (and futility in case there’s an actual fire). Much to my wife’s dismay, I’m attracted to alleys and the back sides of buildings because that’s where you often find the coarse, hard edged images of a city. This photo was taken in some random alley that caught my attention while strolling within The Loop. Yeah, I have lots of photos of fire escapes.
The L (Chicago)
For some reason, I was fascinated with Chicago’s L, the city’s train system. If you’re photographing Chicago the instinct is to always look up. Up at all of the magnificent architecture. In this case I did the counterintuitive and found a parking garage on Wabash where the idea is to look from the top at a rail junction. The doors to the staircase were locked to those entering and I had to wait for someone to pop out and hold the door open for me which, after I waited about five minutes, a woman did. “Thank you, so much.”
Birkenau (Oświęcim, Poland)
During our trip to Krakow, we took the 90 minute bus ride to Auschwitz-Birkenau. This boxcar (I don’t know if it is a replica or an original) is representative of the thousands of boxcars that transported prisoners to their certain death at the Birkenau death camp. I took very few photos at Auschwitz-Birkenau. All of them I edited to monochrome. There is no color there.
University of Economics and Business (Vienna)
WU Wien is an architectural wonderland, a fascinating collection of modernity and creativity. While Cora sat amongst the students I wandered around with my camera. Our stay was cut short when a university rent-a-cop told me I couldn’t photograph with a camera but had to use a phone instead. What the fuck! I was going to ask him why, but to what end. I can’t imagine that the architectural geniuses who created these buildings would have wanted some random minion to censor their artwork. Yes, I took some editorial license with this image.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
What a jewel is Rothenburg ob der Tauber located along Bavaria’s Romantic Road. It’s like a Christmas village come to life. Even the rooftops are colorful. I took this photo during a stroll along the wall that was built in 1142 to protect the town center. I learned that the half timber (those crisscrossing beams) design is not merely for charm but is essential to the building’s structure.
Frauenkirche, Munich
We could see the twin towers of Munich’s Cathedral Of Our Dear Lady from our apartment in Munich. As usual Cora sat and prayed while I walked around the church with my camera. This crucifix which hovers from the gothic ceiling in imposing fashion caught my eye. I know that it is counter to the notion of Jesus as loving and benevolent but this view struck me as very stern. Note: Photography was allowed in this church. Most regular readers know that I’m not at all religious but I follow the rules because it isn’t my house. I remove my cap when it is a Christian church, I don’t take photos if or when it isn’t allowed and I don’t take flash photos. It amazes me how many people don’t have the courtesy to follow the rules.
Stare Miasto (Krakow, Poland)
Just one of those gritty shots in Krakow’s Old Town. Not much to say about it. Just one of those things that caught my eye.
Bratislava, Slovakia
Cora and I took a day trip from Vienna by train to Bratislava. Well worth the trip though we did have trouble finding the bus to the old town from the train station. While we were on the bus I got read the riot act by a guy who jostled past me as I was standing. Had no clue what I did to piss him off or what he was saying except that he did ask me if I was insane. “Nice friendly town you got here,” said Coach Norman Dale sarcastically in the movie Hoosiers. That’s about what went through my head at the time. Anyway, Cora and I were trying to keep from rolling our ankles on the cobblestones of a very old street when this presented itself. I tried monochrome but the rich color of the door demands color.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Built in 1927, this image of a commanding center of commerce captures a sort of Gotham power of big money. These early 20th century jewels of Chicago demand a monochrome that has a kind of old newspaper feel about it.
Banner photo
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria
Yeah, I know, this is the calendar photo. I was lucky for autumn and clouds. Cora and I never got inside. We were late for the tour but from what I understand there isn’t much to the tour as this castle was never occupied for long. I took this photo at the end of the following day from the “Marienbrücke” (Mary’s bridge) that towers over Pöllat gorge. If you don’t get to go inside the castle be sure to take the bus ride which drops you about five minutes from the bridge.
The Life in My Years 
That indeed is a cool collection Paul! I like them all and many of the places are familiar to me. The pictures that caught my attention the most are the tunnel in Vienna en de Chicago Exchange building, although Neuschwanstein from the hapless King Ludwig of course is a first class eye catcher. It IS worth a look inside, especially the Singer Hall with murals from Wagners grand opera’s Tannhäuser, Parsifal and Lohengrin. It did cost a rather grandiose amount of money, wich became Ludwigs ‘untergang’, but one has his hobbies hasn’t he? So, lovely images Paul and I wish you and Cora all the best for 2025.
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Hello Peter, Neuschwanstein is almost like cheating it’s so picturesque. Cora and I arrived too late for the tour. We did tour Hohenschwangau. Between Vienna, Bavaria, Munich and Krakow this year we toured more rich people’s palaces than I could count. I’m particularly glad that you liked the subway photo. I like that one a lot but it seems to be something of an acquired taste.
Thank you for the kind words. Have a Happy New Year.
Paul
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All very interesting, but two grabbed me: Rothenburg and Bratislava. The former seemed pulsating with life; the latter to be hiding tons of old secrets. The stark angles of the Vienna university economics building was compelling, set off as it was by the blue of the cloudless sky. When you say you took license, Paul, did you remove the clouds and/or intensify the color?
Here’s to a happily creative New Year!
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Hello Annie, Thank you for the kind words. To answer your question, the sky was cloudless and I did intensify the colors of both the building and the sky. When I stop and think about it, I guess that taking an image and turning it into monochrome is taking license.
That University of Economics was fascinating. I managed to get a number of images but the minion of the law robbed me of a few opportunities. I’ll never understand why taking pictures with a phone, which can be surreptitious, is okay but using a DSLR is not.
Have a Happy New Year
Paul
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Wonderful photos! I like taking pics of abandoned houses and dead trees. Old houses tell a story which can’t be put into words. The “bare bones” of naked trees can be beautiful and graceful, as though they were sculpted by a master artist.
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Hello Marie, Agree completely about old buildings and gnarled trees. That said, my walks through cities have given me an appreciation for modern architecture. Now I’m the foolish looking old guy who’s walking along the sidewalk staring up.
Have a Happy New Year,
Paul
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I enjoy your writing so much that I hadn’t realised until now how much I miss your photography! I do understand what you’re saying about the added cost of a decent sized media library on WP, but personally I bit the bullet and paid. But I’m much more of a photographer than writer whereas you are equally good at both!
I love your term, ‘urban geometry’. I take that sort of photo but hadn’t thought to call them that. I’m most drawn to all your urban images, both gritty and modern architecture, but in particular the shot looking down at the L is inspired. I was fascinated by the L too and remember several times turning that tight corner and feeling I could almost reach out and touch the buildings, but it never occurred to me that it might have been possible to photograph from above – very creative! Oh, and I too have a thing about fire escapes – again, I think it’s the geometry of them that attracts me.
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Hello Sarah, I bit the bullet and bought the upgrade. I’m paying monthly. Even though it’s more expensive it’s more palatable (I never rip off the Band Aid).
The L was fun. I rode it a few times when in Chicago. Now I understand why people get so excited about riding the cable cars in San Francisco. For me it’s, “meh.” When I lived in San Francisco, I rode it to get from one place to another and not as an adventure. There were no lines then.
Thank you for the kind words. Have a Happy New Year. Let’s hope the orange guy can keep whatever cool he possesses.
Paul
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I had forgotten how beautifully artistic your photography is, Paul. I’ve missed it.
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Thank you so much Jane. Wishing you a Happy New Year.
Paul
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Wow Paul, this year I totally enjoyed your written tirades on politics and our social conditions that I forgot what a terrific photographer you are. I hope in 2025 you continue your blogs dedicated to self-expression, and, maybe, add a few images here and there. Happy New Year!
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Hello Anne, Thank you for the kind words. Not certain what 2025 will bring. Given the situation, who is? You may have heard of the author William Shirer who wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I’m reading his book The Nightmare Years 1930-1940 which is more or less a journal of his time in various cities in Europe in the run up to WWII. It’s given me the idea to do a journal blog of our coming nightmare years. I started something similar in 2017 but it was so frustrating and maddening that I had to quit. We’ll see if I have the patience to pursue another one.
Wishing you a Happy New Year.
Paul
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I hope you do Paul. I fear for our future, and your written voice comes through loud and clear. Happy New Year to you also.
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Hi Paul,
So much to love here! The urban grit of your B/W and sepia pics are probably my favourites, but then I keep going back to the Rothenburg ob der Tauber and that sensational banner photo. Suffice it to say, you have a terrific eye for form and composition, regardless of the subject matter.
What resonates always with your photos is how they evoke curiosity. I’m a fan of doors when I travel as many are intricate and unusual, and I notice you have three doorways in your collection here. Your marriage of storytelling and photos is never dull, and oftentimes, invites me to investigate further. That’s a gift and a talent, and I thank you for sharing both. xo
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Hello Eden, Happy New Year.
Thank you for the kind words. I’m also a fan of doors. Doors and windows are common subjects and even though I don’t publish them a lot I do turn to doors and windows quite often. Tons of doors and windows in my collection. Europe with it’s history provides old doors with character and the brightly colored towns offer brilliance.
Neuschwanstein Castle from Marienbrücke bridge is almost like cheating. I was very fortunate to have been there during the season of autumn colors and on a day when the clouds were dramatic.
Thank you again,
Paul
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