Las Vegas Building Walk #1
Cee Neuner’s topic this week for the Black and White Challenge is buildings. My husband and I spent two days exploring Las Vegas to break up the nine-hour drive from Prescott to Woodlake, California. During our first photo spree, we didn’t leave the hotel drive. I’ve divided this series and will post it at random times during the next few months as it works with photo challenges.
Also included are two Cinquains for Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday. Synonyms for life and move are integrated in the poem. In the first poem the buildings show life by crying out for attention and speaking. The second uses an actual synonym danced for moved.
The “Aria consists of two curved glass and steel high rise towers adjoined at the center. It opened on December 16, 2009 as a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Infinity World Development. At 4 million square feet (370,000 m2) and 600 feet (180 m) in height, it is the largest and tallest structure at City Center.”
Wikipedia
To create these first three photographs, I simply enhanced the color photos photo by selecting “Convert to black and white.” In her basics classes, Cee Neuner always recommends starting with color pictures.
Big cities - buildings Crying out for attention "Take my photograph." © 2021 Marsha Ingrao
We looked down the street For interesting angles Glass reflections danced. © 2021 Marsha Ingrao
The angles, and reflections caught our attention as my husband and I both stood outside our hotel and snapped until our phones went dead. Taking just a few extra minutes in Photoshop Elements allowed me to experiment with these last two photos. By adding an adjustment layer and playing with brightness and contrast I felt that I achieved a result that best accented the angles.
I can’t even imagine being this creative. This ledges on the building next to us reminded me of ruffles. The building to the left was no-nonsense squares. The one to the right specialized in reflections.
Here is a sepia version and a different angle on the no-nonsense building and its glassy counterpart. I added a brown filter and then adjusted the brightness and contrast.
Coming Up and Looking Back
- Please join me for Story Chat, which posted Tuesday and leave Anne Stormont a wonderful comment. I will weave some of your comments into a follow-up posts with a link to your blog, if I use them. If you have an unpublished short story you want to share, contact me.
- Are you looking for a place to honor your mother or the beauty of the universe using quotes? I’d love to have you join the fun at Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays Writing Challenge.
- Please visit any one of my interviews with the wonderful people who host or participate in challenges regularly. They dedicate a lot of time to bringing people together and building friendly communities. Learn how to twill on one of John Steiner’s posts. Or check out Sarah Wilkie’s experiments after she read his post.
I apologize for my low number of visits to your wonderful blogs while we’ve been on the road. The internet service at our friends’ is super slow and shared between six of us, two of whom are under ten and well entertained playing Mindscape with friends. I schedule myself for part of the midnight to five a.m. slot.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
37 responses to “CBWC: Las Vegas Buildings in Shades of Black and White”
I’m so sorry, but the links like “Read more of this post” are no longer live for me. Darn.
>
LikeLiked by 1 person
That doesn’t make sense, but I’m sorry. I’ll see if WordPress has an answer for that. Are things going well?
LikeLike
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Vegas and I think your clicks are the best part of being their for me!!! nice
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cindy. Next time you go, we should meet up. It’s only about three and a half hours from here. 🙂
LikeLike
Wow! Lovely pics…the special effect does wonders.
Love them. 😊👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Goutam.
LikeLiked by 1 person
[…] Marsha […]
LikeLike
What a great adventure. I had no idea that black and white photos of buildings could be so interesting. Great textures and reflections, Marsha. I like your senryu poetry sprinkled in the midst of the commentary. It’s like being on vacation with you! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Colleen. Because of your influence on my blogging I sprinkle poetry and quotes into lots of my posts. I didn’t know it was senryu.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haiku is always nature related. Senryu discuss the human condition. These really are just 17-syllable poems more along the lines of what they call hybrid haiku. They are still fun to write. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. I’m looking forward to getting home so I can check out your new launch.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I working furiously on the print copy. Formatting is always difficult. I’m almost there! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Formatting is a pain!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know it! Charli and I finally figured out that the Scrivner program is perfect for books, poetry, photos, etc. It’s affordable too! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve tried it a few times, but there’s a learning curve. I’d have to write more heavily than I do to make it worth the effort to use it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get that. Word is just too constricting for books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get that, too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful black and white photography and poetry too! Such a lovely post. Happy Sunday Marsha. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Marne. You have a wonderful day! ❤️❤️❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Marsha, you have some cool reflections for this week 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I thought they turned out well.
LikeLike
the buildings, and the phots, are stunning. I like your haiku as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Jim. Can I bottle you for whenever I need a nice compliment?
LikeLiked by 1 person
feel free to copy and pate as often as you like 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL, I will!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s interesting to see Las Vegas buildings in black and white. You still get a sense of light in the first one especially. The framing and contrasts in these architectural shapes is very interesting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Susan. It is weird in the city of color and lights to see them in black and white. It’s nice to have so many choices when we take pictures now. I remember hours in the darkroom with my dad developing black and white pictures.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We do have a lot of options with our photo editing software. It’s pretty cool. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
So cool! Nice chatting with you, Susan
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
These modern buildings work well in B&W and I like the frames you’ve added too 🙂 And thanks so much for linking to my post!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Sarah. I like adding frames. That way I know which ones to keep for my post as I’m going through them. 🙂 You are so welcome for the link. 🙂 I love your twills. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
These pictures are incredible in B&W, Marsha. Very artistic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Robbie. I am almost finished with your book. Marta has just died.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, a little more to come. Thanks Marsha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it’s been a great book for our trip. It keeps me anxiously awaiting my next spare moment to read.
LikeLike
What is the difference between a ghost and poltergeist?
LikeLike