Day 13 of Photo 101 brought Cheri’s instructions for us to dig deep to discover our individual moments of motion.
After a business meeting in downtown Syracuse, I took a moment to stand on the sidewalk of a bridge. Down I looked onto Onondaga Creek and the Syracuse Creek Walk. On this brisk almost-Spring day by the calendar, the gray water, my friend, looked angry as she rushed toward me.
Watching the creek come in.
My fingers were cold, but I focused down, further out, way out, changing focal points and squeezing shots on my iPhone 6. I did not try to pan with the water, per Cheri’s guidance. I did not lean, nor hold my phone out over the water. Cold fingers, increasing chill … I did not want my technology to swim with the fishes.
Parallel to the creek.
Instead I moved to drastically change my angle.
I don’t think that I necessarily caught the waves or splashes of movement in the water that’s I’d envisioned when I came to this spot in downtown Syracuse. But I do think that the backdrop of this urban water setting, above and beside the Syracuse Creek Walk in Armory Square, provided two interesting moments.
How might you have worked the iPhone 6 to suggest more movement? Would you have moved to a different vantage point? Which shot do you prefer, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
I like them both, and I think they both demonstrate the water’s movement. I don’t blame you for not risking your phone. Even now, I still use my camera strap when most other professional photographers don’t even attach it. I’m not one to take chances like that. 🙂
LikeLike
Smart woman, Rachel. Caution is good!
LikeLike
Hmmm,I have to say that I like the second photo best Mark. There is the spring comes… writing that adds to it plus I feel it makes the river look like a part of the city as opposed to the first one where it flows separately between its banks. The first shot is predictable – the second shows the photographer actually got down on the bank – closer to the river. Anyway, they are both great.
LikeLike
Thanks, Paul. You have a great eye for photographic art. My take on the second shot is the urban graffiti seasonal poetry on the bridge. I love that.
LikeLike
i prefer the first shot, much more ominous looking if that is the mood you were going for. as for the tech, mine is all trial and error and my goal is not to get things wet )
LikeLike
It is ominous, Beth, with the gray and the buildings and snow on the banks. I agree. And some of us have found out about wet-tech from a friend’s unfortunate encounter. Ouch. 😦
LikeLike
I can feel the motion in your pics Mark, especially the first one. And yay after rebooting my computer this post loaded quickly – YAY! ❤
Diana xo
LikeLike
Hooray for fast moving computers and the feeling of motion in my photo, my friend Diana. 😉 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know a thing about photography (iPhone or other) but I’m really enjoying this series!
LikeLike
I get to show off some of Syracuse to you, Barb. I like that part of this series, a lot. Thanks for looking in. (I know you miss the States some, my friend.) 🙂
LikeLike
Nice! If you had captured whitecaps on a narrow urban creek, we’d all be I trouble. (And a great Costanza reference, by the way). Is it spring yet?
LikeLike
I could have plucked a Titleist ouf of the spout, right? 🙂 Not spring yet, Jim.
LikeLike
Nice shots! Ya dun good kid!
LikeLike
Thanks you, Cate. Not bad for downtown. 🙂
LikeLike
I like the first one, its so much more powerful. You certainly do get a sense of movement in the water rushing toward you, but even more than that I get a sense of real deep bone chilling steely cold, not just in terms of temperature, but the dour grey urban setting in the background which seems quite detatched and unmoving after the energy of the water. Really good pics!
LikeLike
Thanks, Ali. Great observations about our Syracuse gray and the setting there along the creek. Not like your Irish countryside, I’m afraid.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh it gets pretty grey here believe me lol! Especially on the days when the mist never lifts all day. But today was a lovely Spring day… probably the first and last! I’ve seen lovely pictures on your blog of your neighbourhood, lots of beautiful gardens and lovely buildings. Looks like a great place to live!
LikeLike
It is very nice, Ali. I do enjoy my city. I’m glad you had a great spring day, no mist to bog you down. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mark would you believe we have anotber beauty today! Spring is here! 😁
LikeLike
I am sittingn in my work chair recliner, looking at an 8 a.m. blue sky myself, Ali! I don’t even mind so much tht the temperature reads only 24 F. Hooray for us. Especially for you. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its such a lovely start to the day isnt it?
LikeLike
It is. Makes it easier to work, Ali, it really does.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sure does! SPRING COMES and SUMMER WAITS
LikeLike
Aren’t those interesting bridge sayings, PJ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I love them!
LikeLike
Kinda poetic.
LikeLike
I can see the movement of the water in the photos. Probably not as drastic as you saw it, but it’s still there. I noticed everyone likes the first photo best but I like the second photo best.
LikeLike
You know what I like best about the second photo, PJ, and why I moved around to take it? The bridge with the sayings about Spring and Summer in the background. Thanks for giving it a vote, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yea, I did see some bright lettering but I didn’t read it. I will go read it now. LOL!
LikeLike
Top photo….it’s give more of a meandering motion/path visual.
LikeLike
Plus MBC got to watch the creek meander through my city! Pretty cool spot in a city, hey?
LikeLike
Very cool spot MBM. I like that they didn’t straighten it, they let it keep to it’s meander. 🙂
LikeLike
There’s always something about symmetry that’s pleasing to the eye which is why I’ll go with the top photo. No clue on the iPhone thing…I’m sure you’re doing way better than I ever could!
LikeLike
I was thrilled not to dunk my phone into the raging river. Ah, rushing creek. Thanks, Marissa. I agree, the symmetry of the top shot is what caught me eye in the first place.
LikeLike
Raging river, rushing creek, ah potato pa-tah-to
LikeLike
Love those pictures!
LikeLike
Thank you, Cynthia. Cold, gray day downtown precluded me from taking the wide walkaround to the Creek Walk for closer inspection of the movement portion of my assignment. You know what I mean about the brisk. These were pretty fun, though, considering!
LikeLike
Lovely
LikeLike
Thanks, Skye! I appreciate your praise. 🙂
LikeLike
I like the first shot, as it also captures the movement from before (background) into now (foreground).
LikeLike
Thanks, PP. I agree that the come-to-me perspective is a plus.
LikeLike
I’d have put my iPhone 6 in video mode, taken a brief video, and then posted it…to, you know…show motion. Of the two stills you posted, though, I think the top one give me more an impression of movement!
LikeLike
Thanks, Doobster. I wonder if the Photo 101 class would give me a (Jimmy) DeMerrit for turning in a video … Ba-da-boom.
I liked the feel of the water coming right at me and under the bridge. The challenge was getting that on a still shot. I wanted a blur of movement from a spash, but the preset shutter speed stopped it all. There are some limits of what our iPhone 6’s can accomplish after all. It was so cold I was not going to take the walk around the path and down to the actual creek side for closer experimentation.
LikeLiked by 1 person