Pure Hilarious

I ask you, how can one man contain so much hilarious? HOW???

jon

And Flowers, why not.

Right next to Ryan and Samaria is a beautiful park. We must have walked 6 miles that morning. The Peace Garden flowers and butterfly garden were a great introduction.

The signage did say, butterfly garden, and they were not kidding. Monarch bonanza. I haven't seen many in Milwaukee this year, so spotting a whole heap in Minnesota was a delight.

Another example of why I truly enjoy my giant lens. Being able to pull these straight out of the camera uncropped justifies the investment. In my mind, anyway.

Of course, the downside in loving that lens, is being sad about the system dying. Picked the wrong horse for the camera race. Lame.

Well, one cropped one.

jon

Solmenly Imposing

I think only churches can draw together being solemn, and imposing. Maybe it's all the perceived "shushhing". You want to be quiet because everything you do is so loud. Marble, on marble, on marble. Echoeing and loud, forcing everyone to be consentious of being like a church mouse.
jon

Nyah.

Numbers in the alleys are not quite as showy as front addresses. What's up Summit Street, are we, the alley dwellers, not good enough for you? Fine, I won't move into your million dollar mansion street.

jon

A Madam

There is always an odd reverence for Madam's of the past. At Winter Park, they named a whole section of the mountain after one, Mary Jane, and here we see another. Right smack dab in the middle of the fanciest street in St. Paul is a carved wooden statue of a lady of the night hotelier. Carved from a tree that struck by lightning, roots still in the ground. I'm sure the neighbors just love it. The tour guide barely wanted to mention it, letting her disgust drip through when answering related questions. I think its hilarious.
jon

It Spares No Man

Album Cover

Matt commissioned me to take his rap album cover. I think I did a good job. Yea, dj Dellingah y'all! Actually from the spring, I only spotted this picture because of Picasa's facial recognition software.

jon

Italian Renaissance , in my yard?????

I, for one, would refuse to have such non-sense in my neighborhood. Italian Renaissance fountains? What is wrong with these people? You might as well just throw some junked out cars and a horse and buyy out there.
Sheesh.
Jon

Content Lion

Content lion is satisfied with his position in life. Are you?

jon

A Friend in Green

Man, our eyes truly love the green. It is just this innate fact of human nature to enjoy many shades of green. It makes me truly sad for those poor color blind people out there. Well, either sad or mocking. Ha, color blind people cannot see green. What kind of freaks are they?

Jon

Ominous Much?

Not that far away architecture (St. Paul, Minnesota) isn't amazing in its own right, but I really thought black and what would add a little bit to the flavor of these buildings.

They seem plenty old enough to be haunted. And if I know anything about hauntings, they definitely happen in B&W. Can't you just hear the woooooo!

Jon

Rush River

Ahh, new beer. Not that I think the local varietals are getting boring. But it was nice to shake things up a bit.

Jon

I Like Bikes

I just do. Okay?
jon

A Cleaner River

This one is a little confusing. It is a a mural put up by the Milwaukee River Keeper organization as a note to support cleaner, enjoyable rivers. Coming out of this weird waste water spot. About a month or two after the mural, the River Keepers had a story on WUWM about water being dumped into the river long after it has rained being a red flag for untreated waste water. Which was interesting, because this particular spot dumps water at an entirely random interval from the rain. I don't know why the Schlitz Park would allow a mural to be painted pointing out there possibly dirty, untreated waste water on its campus. The motivation just doesn't seem to jive. Also, whomever painted the mural got the web address wrong, it is MKEriverkeeper.org, not MilwaukeeRiverKeeper.org. Just an all around weird thing.
Enjoy,
jon

Huge Door

That's a huuuuuuuuge door.
enjoy,
jon

The Shrine

 

The Tripoli Shrine on Wisconsin is one of the coolest places I have ever been in. Tremendous hand laid tile, by one family, and throw back original couches and fixtures. It is a sight.

 

I'm not sure if they do tours, or showings, or what. We were given a tour because it was on the wedding venue list..

Honestly, it was the hardest place to pass up for the final winner. It had so much going for it. Unfortunately, the hall itself is quite, well, blah.

So, here's another shot with the hall cropped out. Not that its a bad hall, it just that its just a hall. No awesome fancy Turkish style tile. Lame (ish)
Enjoy,
jon

Just One

As my "official" blog, I had to put one here. If you do so choose, you may find many more at the engagement blog. Which, needs some updating! Better get going on getting married!

http://jonandkatengagement.blogspot.com/

jon

Nom NOM!

The best part might be the interpretation of the "butt chin" on this little guy. After further review, he is really freakish looking, possibly nightmare-ish.

jon

Boo!

Yeah Baby!

So city chic' Yeah baby!

jon

iPhonography

Foolishly, we took a trip out to Madison, and I forgot my dSLR. Fortunately, the allmighty iPhone allowed my photo-freak to shine.

The botanical gardens in Madison are stupendous. I was truly blown away.

Not to draw comparisons, but compared to Milwaukee's it was super awesome. Not that the Boehrner (SP?) was terrible. Just that Madison's was spectacular.

The sculptures may have been a bit abstract. But, whatever it's art.

Reflecting pond. Always bad-ass.

The Thai Pavilion was outrageous. Just stunning. I am telling you right now, go just to see it. Go. NOW!

Taking Credit for Others

Composition, tone, color, and other artistic choice from a photographer's perspective doesn't always trump the fact I'm taking a picture of someone else's work. And this would be one of those times. 'Cause this is pretty cool. I also think he looks like a bomberman character.

As a composition, slightly less straight forward, slightly less "steally". But, ultimately I'm sharing their work, not my own.

Enjoy,

jon

Geometric Bud 2

As pretty as the park is, I always have terrible trouble taking it all in through the camera. I would not say that landscape photography is my strongest skill. So, here's another close up. At least it is a really cool close up.

jon

Geometric Bud

There are some great hidden, and not so hidden wildflower fields dotted across the city. Some are the abandoned lots of long ago demolished buildings. Some are the sign of pride and love for creating public space. One of these wildflower fields is just north of where I work. It is the same park which was infamously in the news on the 4th of July for roving packs of juveniles. But, when I go to the park all I see is the beauty and delicate flowers. Yeah city.

Jon