Carnival Sunset

I honestly can’t remember which Carnival Cruise ship this photo is from.  That’s just sad if I say so myself.  Regardless, I’ve taken this photo, or a version of it, on numerous Carnival cruises in the past.   It is an easy composition, love setting and easy to capture.  Plus it always makes me happy.

 

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Wine Bar

This is the wine bar and steak house on one of the Carnival Cruise ships.  But I honestly, don’t remember which ship this is.  How sad is that, when I can’t remember which ship this is?  Anyone out there in the Internet world know?

Some of the spaces on these ships are so cool.  The design, textures, colors and just how warm they feel is appealing to me.  I can’t help but see the beauty in these spaces.

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10 Yard Line

Tonight’s post is a photo I took inside Ford Field prior to the Lions vs. Steelers game.  I explored the stadium for hours before they let the fans into the facility.  I had a wonderful time just taking it all in…. 

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Assembly Line Abandoned

Ok, I’ll avoid an aerial photograph today.  Here is a close up HDR photo of the assembly line at the abandoned china factory outside of Pittsburgh.  I got all kinds of great photos at this location, some of which I’ve already posted in the past.  Have a great Sunday.

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Havana Bar Again

Here is another photo of the Havana Bar on the Carnival Vista.  I loved this part of the ship.  It had such a good vibe, great colors, warm feeling, and wonderful music.  If you’ve checked out my blog in the past, you know MJ and I like Carnival cruises.    

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Line Of Scrimmage

Here is a photo from last season’s Steelers game in Cleveland.  There is just something about the line of scrimmage in football games.  That’s the battleground on the field.  When the players are lined up helmet to helmet waiting for the play to start, you can feel the tension.  Of course, the Browns don’t put up much of a challenge for the Steelers.

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Sunrise on Carnival Vista

Sunrise on the ocean is a very special place.  This sunrise took place last May on board the Carnival Vista in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.  It was the first ever cruise for this ship.  We were lucky and got to experience this wonderful brand new ship.  Like normal, I got up super early to photograph the ship and captured this beautiful sunrise. 

To view a larger version, click here:  https://500px.com/photo/201254531/sunrise-on-carnival-vista-by-brook-ward?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=3695440

Abandoned China Factory

About a month ago, Blair and I explored an abandoned china factory.  It was a fun morning checking out this large complex and photographing all the items left behind.  We spent a few hours there, but could have spent all day there.  I liked this assembly line portion of the facility.   

To view a larger version, click here:  https://500px.com/photo/198914071/abandoned-china-factory-by-brook-ward

Abandoned China Factory Assembly Line

Abandoned China Factory Assembly Line

Aft Deck

This is a photo I took of the aft deck on the Carnival Vista on its maiden voyage.  I should be clear, this was the maiden voyage with passengers (paying customers).  I’m sure they did some sea test before allowing the passengers on the ship.   Our stateroom was the upper deck in the middle.  The area in the foreground of the photo is the Havana Bar & Pool area.  What a cool new feature on the Carnival ships.  

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

Fisher Body Plant

Here is another from the Fisher Body Plant in Detroit Michigan.  It was a fun experience and cool to see so many other photographers in the same place at the same time.  You can see my other post from this location here:  http://brook-ward.com/blog/2015/11/28/fisher-body-plant-assembly-line

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

Fisher Body Plant - Assembly Line

We had a great time visiting family in the Detroit area over the Thanksgiving weekend.  While we were there, Blair and I made good use of some free time to photograph some abandoned spots.

To my surprise, we were not the only ones with this idea.  We hit three spots on Friday morning and ran into others doing the same thing.  In fact, when we showed up to the Fisher Body Plant, there were probably 20 other photographers already in the facility. 

This photo is from the assembly line on the upper floor.    We probably spent a little over an hour in this building, but we could have stayed all day because it is huge. 

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

What can I say....Blair is quick.

What can I say....Blair is quick.

Red Line

Here is a tone mapped photo (HDR image created with one exposure) I took at the US Steel Building subway station in downtown Pittsburgh.  I took this photo last week while on a photo walk with Dave and Brad.  Honestly, I had a great time and we walked around for a few hours, but I didn’t take a bunch of photos.  I don’t really know why….normally I take a ton.  I just wasn’t feeling it.  Anyway, I captured this scene and liked it.  So I’m sharing it with you.

By the way, the passengers waiting to get on the subway and getting off gave us a bunch of weird looks.  Clearly, they are not used to seeing photographers there.  I just stared back at them. 

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

Seattle Skyline

As you probably read in my past blog posts, I loved my time experiencing and photographing Seattle.  Why???  Because of the great locations like this one.  I took this photo from Kerry Park looking back at the city skyline so that I could see the Space Needle, skyline and Mount Rainier in the same frame.  What a cool location!!

This specific photo was taken at sunset.  I shot from this site on my visit during a sunset and sunrise.  I think I got lucky, since a local photographer told me that they only get about 10 good days per year, where you can see Mount Rainier this clear.  On both of my days, it was easy to see.  Lucky.

NYC Skyline

When we were in NYC last year, we made the most of our time to see as much of the city as possible.  I took this photo while we were on the Staten Island Ferry.  When I saw that old looking sailboat heading away from Manhattan, I knew a perfect photo opportunity was about to happen.  The sky was fairly boring that day, but I made the most of it.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, click the photo above.

Walkin' The Line

I had more time to kill by myself again this weekend, so I filled it with some photography.   Last weekend I toured the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.  This weekend, I toured the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville WV.   This retired, gothic style prison operated from 1876 to 1995.  This prison had a number of deadly riots and escapes through the years.  At its peak it held around 2,300 men, which like many prisons was more then it was designed to hold.  That meant three men to a 5-foot by 7-foot cell.  One guy had to sleep on the floor.  A 1986 ruling by the State’s Supreme Court sealed the fate of the prison when the court ruled the small cells were cruel and unusual punishment.          

This picture was taken in the maximum-security area of the prison for the most dangerous prisoners.  Notice the steel cell doors are even covered with mesh to prevent the prisoners from throwing options and/or assaulting the guards from within their cells.  Only a small slot was open to pass food trays inside to the convicts.  These men saw less then 30 minutes of daylight per day.  But compared to the “Hole”, these cells were like living in luxury.

Maximum Security Area - To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, please click the photo above.

Maximum Security Area - To purchase a print or view the entire gallery, please click the photo above.

Death Came In Many Ways

Although from what I learned, the size of the cells was the least of the prisoners concerns.  They had no heat in winter and no air conditioning in the summer.  The food was so contaminated with rats and cockroaches that inmates rioted in 1986.

This 5' x 7' cell belonged to Red, who was stabbed over 30 times within this space.  Prior to his murder here, he was known as the worst prisoner within the facility.

This 5' x 7' cell belonged to Red, who was stabbed over 30 times within this space.  Prior to his murder here, he was known as the worst prisoner within the facility.

There were 94 men legally executed by hanging and electrocution.  In the early years, legal execution was done by hanging and the public could buy a ticket to watch.  This was big business/money for the prison.  Electrocution was added in 1951 and was used until the State outlawed execution entirely in 1965.  Paul Glenn who was an inmate himself built old Sparky, the nickname of the electric chair.  Many of the prisoners didn’t like the fact that he built the chair, so the State was forced to transfer him to another prison. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, murder within the facility was an on going problem with an estimated 1,000 lives lost within the walls.  It was known as a “cons prison”, which meant that they had control and power of the facility.  Gang violence was common in the later years, along with torture and murder by guards in the early years.  It was weird standing in a number of the spots where the tour guide would describe a violent murder or murders that took place in that specific location as if it was nothing.  I wouldn’t call it spooky…more like a sense of being uncomfortable.  I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that the tour guides all believe the place is haunted and have all experienced super natural events.  It was as if you could feel the pain, evil, and torture that seeped out of the place.  It wasn’t as interesting as Eastern State Penitentiary from an architectural perspective, but it felt more evil.

 "Old Sparky"

 "Old Sparky"