Feofaniya Park – Kyiv

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Steven

Autumn is here.. given color by the changing leaves.. and one of the prettiest places to see these in Kyiv, Ukraine is Feofaniya Park..

Located in the suburbs of the southern part of the city and easily reached by marshutka..

Brick pathways wind through this 1.5 sq km park

A couple small lakes with a gazebo sit waiting

And St. Pantelemion’s Cathedral stands watch over all

A great place to unwind from the hectic days in the city.. or just sit back and look at the wonderful show delivered by the coming of autumn..

Happy Travels!

Favorite Doors – Riga, Latvia

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Steven

It is impossible for me to visit anywhere without shooting some doors..and, besides Tallinn, Estonia, Riga had had some of the most diverse I have seen..

From old and faded with age…

to stunning…

Wonderful shapes and colors….

Impressive stone and wood work..

Plants and Ivy

and, needless to say, graffiti and posters ..

I was in heaven… and while not technically a door..next shot is just cool.. and door related 🙂

and finally..

What’s around the next corner? Up the next street? Something interesting, I bet …

Stay Tuned and Happy Travels!!

Photography as Art Travel with Steve

Side Streets – Riga

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Steven

I love to walk the cobblestone side streets and back alleys… especially in the early morning when no one is out..or at least, very few people.. There always seems to be the straggling partier from the night before..

The streets are quiet..almost lonely

I meander aimlessly through the narrow lanes…

It’s a great time to shoot doors and windows..

or wander into hidden courtyards that are often dead-ends..

Always something pretty.. always something interesting ..

sometimes classic..sometimes funny..

But always something new.. around the corner.. up the next street..

Later this week, we will take a look at some of the landmarks and churches.. stay tuned

and always ……… HAPPY TRAVELS!!

Photography as Art Travel with Steve

Riga, Latvia – Parks Galore

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Steven

I thought I would start stepping away from talking about a city’s landmarks.. When you search online for any city, there will be 1000 pages talking about the iconic landmarks and photos taken from every angle. Now don’t get me wrong..I love to see the landmarks..the sites that make a city famous..the churches and parliament buildings..the museums.. and I love to photograph them as well…

But I also look for places the locals hang out.. and in most cities, especially in warmer weather, that means the parks.. the green spaces..

and in Riga, that means along the canal..

Parks like Kronvalda and Bastion Hill … sitting on benches among the flowers and fountains in front of the National Theater

There are stone and wooden pedestrian bridges

Shady lanes and broad sidewalks

and, even, boat tours along the Riga Canal..

Parks and green space in Riga cover more than 30 hectares.. the fall colors were just beginning in September, and I can imagine the beauty of the changing leaves

So take the time to see the “Old Town” center.. experience the bars, restaurants, and all the wonderful and historic sights.. But spend a little time walking through the beautiful parks and shaded lanes too.. You will be glad you did..

Next we’ll take a little trip through the side streets and back alleys of Riga… stay tuned 🙂

Happy Travels!!

Photography as Art Travel with Steve

BK3 – Abandonded Brickyard

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Steven

About 25 km northwest of Kiev, you will find the village of Irpin, Ukraine and for the adventurous, and those willing to hike a bit, you can make your way to an abandoned brick works in the center of town..

It is surrounded by a fence, of course, but there are ways in.. one way is through the glass recycle yard..

Mounds of broken glass, which appeared to be mostly liquor and medical bottles fill an abandoned bridge, where they are separated, ground up and shipped off to places unknown.

The brick works is full of interesting buildings, that are remarkably free of trash..

Possibly because the 2 existing businesses occupying the territory, the glass recycling and a working cement plant, don’t like or encourage “visitors”. Still with no visible “No Entry” signs, we decided to take our chances..

As always, when visiting abandoned places, it is important to remember the Golden Rule –

TAKE NOTHING BUT PICTURES – LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS

Travel with Steve Photography as Art

Happy Travels!

Kyiv Fortress – Kyiv, Ukraine

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Steven

The Kyiv Fortress is a generic name given to structures located throughout the city of Kyiv.. They used to be a series of of fortifications part of and known as the Western Russian Fortresses in the early to mid 19th century.

Some of the buildings have been converted to a museum known as the Kyiv Fortress complex that includes the military hospital fort and a smaller fort on Bald Mountain from the1872. Other buildings are still in use by the military or commercial industries..

Aside from being a nice historical place to visit, there are also nice views of the stadium and the city beyond from the fort’s perch atop the hill.

Travel with Steve Photography as Art

Fine Art Prints, Postcards, Travel Photos

HAPPY TRAVELS!!

Selection of Black and White

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Steven

You know.. sometimes just like the “weird” photos I shoot, I like to experiment with different formats … lately I have been trying to improve my B&W shots.. I think alleys at night are good for this…

Parking lots.. especially cobblestone..

Abandoned, run down…dilapidated..

I prefer individual people, if any people at all, something with context or a story that catches my eye…

Always trying to improve… Riga, Latvia in 2 weeks should give me some more excellent opportunities.. I’ll keep you all posted..

Photography as Art Travel with Steve Fine Art Prints

Happy Travels!!

Weird Stuff

Posted on August 31, 2014 by Steven

Sometimes I just like to take photos of weird stuff…anything and everything that catches my eye.. as long as I find it interesting, it is fair game to be caught in my lens..

Sometimes it’s just good for training your eye and practicing your composition, to just randomly shoot things with no plan.

Other times..It’s just fun..

Have a great day! and Happy Travels!!

Train Graveyard – Ploeisti, Romania

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Steven

Usually, while just out exploring a city, you come across some amazing sights and places.. One of these I recently encountered was behind the Ploeisti Train station..

It seems, unlike other cities, they just store all the old railcars on discarded tracks adjacent to the platforms..

Of course the cars are all locked, believe me, we searched… but unfortunately there was no way in.

Still, the area was fun to explore and shoot.. It was the cap of a great day!

Travel with Steve Photography as Art

HAPPY TRAVELS!

Catedrala Sfantul loan Botezatorul – Ploeisti

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Steven

Standing at the round-about formed by the intersections of Bulevardul Republicii ,Strada Carpati, and Strada Vasile Lupu is The “Catedrala Sfantul loan Botezatorul” dedicated to St. John “The Baptist”.

Although it was built recently, between the years 1923 and 1937, it is an impressive building with a central tower that reaches 60 meters in height.

It is easily reached, being in the center of town, by walking along any of the wide pedestrian paths, by bus or tram..

Travel with Steve Photography as Art

HAPPY TRAVELS!!

Aren't We All Just Tourists Here?

One City at a Time

Feofaniya Park – Kyiv

Favorite Doors – Riga, Latvia

Side Streets – Riga

Riga, Latvia – Parks Galore

BK3 – Abandonded Brickyard

Kyiv Fortress – Kyiv, Ukraine

Selection of Black and White

Weird Stuff

Train Graveyard – Ploeisti, Romania

Catedrala Sfantul loan Botezatorul – Ploeisti

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