Shutter Mike Photography

There are quiet a few architecturally interesting churches in the greater Phoenix area.  Many from the middle part of the last century are of particular photographic interest to me.  They represent a time in architectural history when a building such as a church was truly designed to be a statement and a representation of the congregation and the community.  Today a little stucco slapped over a box and voila, you have a church.

The Capstone Cathedral has a colorful history to it which if you are so inclined you can read all about here.  It involves all the good stuff; a colorful TV evangelist, bizarre behavior, the voice of God and the downfall of an “empire.”  But the end result is still a great piece of architecture that makes for some interesting photography.

f/9.0 – 1/250 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 50 mm

Phoenix has many, many golf courses.  But most are in the outlying suburbs of Scottsdale, Mesa and the like.  There are few urban courses probably because the land is much more valuable as a shopping center or condos.  But the Encanto Golf Course, built in 1935, is the 3rd oldest course in the state and remains in use today in the center of the city.

If I had to limit my Phoenix photography spots to just a handful Arizona Falls would, without a doubt, be on the list.  Located in Phoenix off Indian School Road and 56th St., the falls are a hydroelectric plant that double as a public space and work of art.  From a  photography standpoint there are an abundance of image opportunities.

Arizona Falls is one of the things that make photography exciting, thrilling and fascinating to me.  Yes, those are a lot of adjectives, but this is a place that reinforces my passion for photography.  I have been there to photograph more times than I remember.  And still, it is a different place every time I go.

It is a solid concrete and steel structure.  Yet it is fluid, literally and figuratively.  The water that flows through the falls creates an ever changing scene.  The light, both natural and artificial, brings out highlights and shadows that transform the structure at various times of day and night.  On top of that, I personally view it differently every time I go.  I bring a new perspective and a new eye each time.  That turns  every photo trip to Arizona Falls into a unique experience.  That is what photography is all about to me.  Seeing the ordinary, something you have seen a million times before, in a new light through the lens of the camera.  And more than just seeing it, capturing your vision with the camera to share with the world.