Boulevard Twilight
In Kansas City, the Boulevard Brewery is just enough off the beaten path that you probably wouldn’t just stumble upon it, even though it is no more than 1/4 mile off the highway on Southwest (Boulevard). It is a place that locals love to brag about to their out-of-town guests, and the tours are so popular that you have to make reservations months in advance in order to secure a spot. The building itself is the old Santa Fe Railroad building, where sheets, table linens, napkins, etc. were cleaned for the passenger cars. It has since been added on to once already in order to accommodate the demand in new markets accross the country, and is currently undergoing further rennovations for the same reason. Boulevard is a big part of the Kansas City community, and is one of the founders of the ripple glass program in the city that recycles all shapes, colors, and sizes of glass. If you are ever in the Kansas City area make sure you book a tour and enjoy some locally made craft beer.
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Nelson Atkins Art Museum (Bloch Building)
With fall color right around the corner, I have been searching out spots that may have the best ‘fall’ potential. One place that quickly came to mind was the Nelson-Atkins art museum. Unfortunately the trees in the front lawn do not show signs of the transitioning season. Although I was a bit disappointed I decided to focus more on the Bloch Building designed by Steven Holl. It turned out to be a beautiful night to be outside shooting.
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The Scout
Just outside of the downtown area, perched atop Penn Valley Park, sits “The Scout” statue. He keeps watch to the west for any impending trouble for the downtown area. This area is one of the most picturesque places to view the Kansas City skyline, but it seems far less traveled than the nearby Liberty Memorial. I have wanted to explore this shot for a while, and after shooting it once, I am sure I will be back in the future. On my way back home I made a brief stop at a new installation art piece by John Salvest. It sits on the west lawn of the Federal Reserve in Kansas City. Look carefully because there is a hidden message buried in these foreign shipping containers.
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Kauffman Performing Arts Center (Entry)
With the opening of the Kauffman only a few weeks away, the site has started to open up little by little allowing me to explore more than I have ever been able to. This week I wanted to focus on the front of the building because I already have so many shots of the shell. I also focused on the backlit sign on the corner of 17th and Broadway.
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Holy Family Shrine
Presidents day weekend is always a time for me and Katy to disappear somewhere for a mini-vacation. In the past we have been visiting different national parks around the country. This year we decided to something a little different and stay a little closer to home. While it may not be the most exciting vacation we have ever taken, there were definitely some interesting things to do and see in Omaha, NE. Just West of Omaha, and just off of I-80 on the South side, rests a quaint, simple chapel. It’s the kind of architecture that ,during the day, becomes a part of its surroundings before one has a chance to even notice they have passed it, and at night becomes a glowing lighthouse on the prairie. I was lucky enough to be able to experience it through overcast, sunny, and twilight. It really is amazing how your impression of a place can be drastically altered by the proper light. I think you will find that this place is made only more beautiful by the different light that passes through or eminates from it.
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Urban Hunt
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Despite the bone chilling temperatures this week, I somehow convinced myself to get out there and find some images capturing the cold nature of winter. Living in Kansas City, the winter can cut straight to the bone and leave you numb and weary. As I speak the windchills outside are reaching as low as -10 F. I think that is part of the reason I like living here. There may be bitter cold, but there is always something to look forward to. I feel like if I were to live in a climate where the seasons have far less variation, I would take it for granted and time would seem to fly by me without any checkpoints. I hope these images inspire you to go take in the cold weather so that at some point you can be that much more appreciative of a warm day in the middle of summer.
Downtown
For those of you who don’t know, I recently put my artwork on display at Cellar Rat Wine Merchants in the Crossroads district of Kansas City. If you live in, or somewhere near Kansas City, I urge you to go see my art and buy a bottle or two of wine! Thank you to all of you who made it out on First Friday, I had a great time talking to all of you!
That all being said I have been holding out on putting these photos from a downtown shoot I did a few weeks ago. There are images from all over the downtown and a few from Liberty Memorial overlooking downtown. If any of these images strike you, and you wish to have it grace the walls of your home…..head on over to my newly refurbished website( www.ryanestesphotos.com ) and purchase it. Prints start at just $30! I hope you enjoy!
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Clock Tower Twilight
Rising above an urban courtyard, the power and light clock tower is sometimes overlooked. The tower has a spiraling turbine that turns the wind energy into electricity. A strip of lights runs vertically up the twisting edges of the turbine and as that turns in the long exposure it leaves a light trail. There are still more images to come in the next few weeks, but for now enjoy the latest and greatest!
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