So I saw one of the most amazing things while in Chicago. In Millennium Park there is a GIANT polished  stainless steel bean. As you can see I was not the only one infatuated with this work of art. Created by Anish Kapoor and called Cloud Gate, it is sited as his first public outdoor work installed in the United States. Thanks to Mr. Kapoor for this awesome spectacle and creation!

Other images in the Chicago gallery:

You will find this digital billboard in Chicago across the street from the Chicago Theater. Its really a cool piece of technology blended with line and form. Ironically this perspective reminds me of a shark fin. Hmmm…advertising and a predator. One could make all sorts of inferences, but I’ll just enjoy it as art

Other Images in in the same gallery:

Chicago – Images by Tim Nault

Dilemma, a problem offering at least two solutions or possibilities, of which none is practically acceptable. I love this shot. The great thing…it was completely spontaneous. I had actually packed up my camera for the day and was headed back to the hotel when I passed by this scene. It was getting dark as you can tell by the blur from the slow shutter speed, but I felt this actually added to the photograph.

Other Galleries showcasing this image:

So as some of you know I am one half of Artisticblend. As such I am getting a lot of opportunities to expand my photography repertoire. With Artisticblend being all about art and design some of my images mesh nicely while others stand out like a sore thumb.

I  took this photograph in hopes of starting my first posted color shot, but I just couldn’t do it! I played around with this image in color for an hour, but no matter what I did to it  I could not get it to look like the image in my head. So what did  I do…added that monochrome affect with a green filter and bam there it was. This experience taught me that I have a lot to learn about color and lighting in the studio and only encourages me to jump back in and figure it out, but for now you get my first Flora post…in BW.

Here’s another one from my recent Chicago trip. This one really captures how I feel right now. So much going on…so much to do. I’ve fallen behind on processing and posting, but hope to get caught up soon!

Keep an eye on my gallery to see more of my Chicago collection.

Chicago – Images by Tim Nault

Happy 4th of July!

I captured this image on a recent trip to Chicago. Since I don’t live in a big city with massive skyscrapers I’ve never seen this affect. The building opposite this old office building was made of glass. As the sun set it was reflected back, coating the building in squares of light. As I walked past this phenomenon the flag passed between me and the building…that’s when I saw this truly amazing affect. See more pictures in my Chicago gallery.

While there are quite possibly hundreds of thousands if not millions of images depicting President Lincoln in one fashion or another, there is something about this statue that seems mesmerizing  and humbling.

On many a trip from Richmond to DC I’ve often looked out the window of the car and said to my self “One of these days I’m gonna stop and take a picture of that…” Well I finally did. On a family trip to DC we decided to stop at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Wow! What an awesome place. Not only is the architecture incredible but the exhibits and history within this one building are a must see for any one in the area.

The building structure itself was designed around Joe Rosenthal’s iconic image of  the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima. While this one is not near as momentous it reminds me of the honor, commitment, and courage the men and women fighting in WWII had.

Over the next week or so I will be polishing up the images from that trip and they will be for sale in a dedicated gallery. To help preserve the memory of those who fight for our freedom 90% of the proceeds on sale’s from the gallery will be donated to the Museum. I’ll post when all the images are loaded. For now I hope you enjoy this one.

While visiting the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle Virginia I loved the patterns of the flooring and shadows of the skylights above. While looking down over the main room in the museum this man paused to check his brochure just long enough for me to capture his thought.

This image is the first in my new gallery called Concept.

Lights Under Glass is an image I captured while in Kansas City.  In the future I hope to have camera or lens with technical movements to be able to capture architectural images with out the visual distortions, but for now I’ll just use them to my advantage.  I love the way these distortions cause this build to bows out. In doing so it almost accentuates the lights inside.

On a side note. I have FINALLY completed my first round of Architectural images. All of the images have been uploaded to my online gallery and are for sale as prints or Rights Managed. Please visit my Architecture gallery to view the complete collection.

Artistic photography is not just about finding new ways to see things. Its also about finding new things about oneself. This morning I woke up and decided I HAD to post something today. Looking back through my archives I found this image from a recent trip to KC. Not sure why I captured it, but at the time it just felt right. I’ve always been attracted to geometric shapes, lines and form. I think this is why I am so attracted to architectural photography.

With the power of the internet and this image I found something out about myself. You would think at close to 40 years of age you would know yourself, but as an artist I don’t want to. I believe that once you know everything about yourself your art will loose its ability to convey feelings and emotions. With nothing left to discover, art becomes cold and lifeless.

While there is not much life or warmth in this image it does represent a structured part of myself. One that feeds on form and composition.  I do not have a traditional education. My art comes from within and is not restricted by taught ideals, but what I discovered today is that I have found a traditional art theory that fits my way of viewing things. What I found was that I have an attraction to the formalism style of art.

According to wikipedia.org “…formalism is the concept that a work’s artistic value is entirely determined by its form–the way it is made, its purely visual aspects, and its medium. Formalism emphasizes compositional elements such as color, line, shape and texture rather than realism, context, and content.”

Reading this was like finding your lost keys. While I probably have stressed harder over loosing my keys then I have trying to find out how to “classify” my art, it was still a little bit of a relief. I knew these types of art theory classification existed just never took the time to understand if my approach ever fit into one. While I like the concepts of formalism and intend on dedicating a gallery to these types of images, it will remain just one aspect of my art.

I titled this image Full Moon. I could have easily called it Sun Raise or Sun Set, but I think you get the picture…no pun intended. I look forward to seeing where this is heading check back

Well as usually its been a busy few weeks since my last post. On Easter Sunday I got a bit of a break and went out to King William to visit with my in-laws. The really cool thing is they live on property that has been if the family for over 100 years…right next to the house my wife’s dad grew up in. I think the house was built in the 1930’s. I was able to get a few good shots, but got distracted before getting a full picture of the house. Guess I need to go back out there one day and finish the shoot.

Couple weeks ago I got to travel to Kansas City Missouri.  While there  I was able to take some time to walkabout downtown KC to get some shots. This one of the pylons of the Kansas City Convention Center reminded me of an AT&T commercial so I named it as such. I really did not even think about it until writing this post, but when you stop and think about it media has such a profound affect on out lives. So much that it affects even out most personal aspects..like it did with my art. I didn’t even think twice about calling this More Bars, but I wonder what I would have named this image if that famous marketing slogan was never invented. Probably something exciting like “Pylons over KC” or “Four in a Row”..any way hope you enjoy!

Another one from my recent walkabout in down town Richmond, VA. Richmond has some interesting architecture, but not all of it is as modern as this. I got a few good images, but I think I’ll need to return to get more. I’ll be adding more like this as well as other not so modern images to my Architecture Gallery…check back soon!

So if you have been following me on twitter or my blog you might have noticed I’ve been kind of quite lately, however, that does not mean I have not been busy. I’ve reach a place in my photography where I needed to make a decision. In life we periodically find ourselves at these discerning points. Do I continue doing what I am doing or do I change course….do I continue walking down the alley or go through the door.

I reached  a point where I decided its time for a little something new. Like the doorway in this image, I have no idea where it will lead me. You might have noticed a little switch up in my blog. I am currently putting together a gallery using Photoshelter and will be making my images available for sale as both prints and rights-managed. So far I’ve been working on the basic look and feel in integrating the two sites. I’m currently testing the AdoramaPix print option and will know shortly if things are going to work out.

Also, after 4 years of shooting with a Canon 30d I have invested in the 5d Mark II. I am a firm believer that the camera does not make the photography, however, this is one nice camera and I look forward to the many images it will help me produce. The Open Door is the first one that I’m sharing….I’m already behind, but soon my entire collection will be available.

If you are a follower…thank you! If this is your first time stopping by…thank you! Please check back often as there is more to come!

I love finding patterns in everyday sights. As I was wondering around in downtown Richmond, VA this one caught my eye. Hope it catches yours.

We all at one point in our lives suffer from a feeling of emptiness. While my life is anything but empty right now, I’ve been there, done that, got the T shirt to prove it. While out and about I passed by this scene and it brought me back to those days where I felt like I had no one…no one to hang out…no one to love…no one to share life with. Thank God those time are gone.

If you happen find your self there today…don’t give up! Dig in…buck up…do something new or different; get out of the rut and take chances. Remember Einsteins definition of insanity “…insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.  Life is too short to do the same things over and over….too short to play it safe…too short to not experience…too short to live in emptiness.

Religion is one of those untouchable things like gravity, you can’t see it, taste it or smell it; but you know its there.  It comes in some a wide array of sizes, shapes, and colors yet it has no mass, form, and is for the most part its invisible. Why is this? No matter who your “God” is; whether you believe in a Christian God, Allah, Mother Nature, Science, or your Wife; we all have that larger force that guides us through life. We have no control over it. We can’t ignore it. It has survived through eons of eons.  Its just one of those things that is larger then life.

Comment with your favorite determination quote…

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

“Strength is a matter of the made-up mind.” ~John Beecher

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” ~Vincent T. Lombardi

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~Winston Churchill

“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” ~Og Mandino

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” ~Harriet Beecher

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow — perhaps it all will.” ~Albert Einstein

“Some are destined to succeed, some are determined to succeed.” ~H. H. Swami

“When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.” ~Wilma Rudolph

“When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine, with God’s help.” ~Robert Half

“I don’t think about risks much. I just do what I want to do. If you gotta go, you gotta go.” ~Lillian Carter

“If you keep at it, one day something which at first appeared impossible will become merely something very difficult indeed.” ~Danny Paradise

“The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed” ~Richard Brinsley

“Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.” ~Abraham Lincoln

“Other people and things can stop you temporarily. You’re the only one who can do it permanently.” ~Zig Ziglar

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” ~Eddie Robinson

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” ~Samuel Johnson

“There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.” ~Clare Boothe Luce

“So long as there is breath in me, that long I will persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles on success; if I persist long enough I will win.” ~Og Mandino

“We will either find a way, or make one!” ~Hannibal

“Nothing of great value in life comes easily. The things of highest value sometimes come hard. The gold that has the greatest value lies deepest in the earth, as do the diamonds.” ~Norman Vincent Peale