corydon cowansage

Maybe my fascination with geometric patterns is just too strong, but I'm really loving these oil paintings by Corydon Cowansage. The extreme close ups and use of cropping create really beautiful patterns out of everyday objects that we're quick to ignore. Who knew shingles or siding could look so fascinating. They almost make me want to move to the suburbs so I can have that white picket fence. Almost.

gavin hammond's london

image courtesy of magnum photos

Henri Cartier-Bresson's 1932 image of a jumping man's reflection in a puddle has always been a favorite of mine. The symmetries created by the reflection along with the jumping figure on the poster in the background create a beautifully composed image that seems so spur of the moment that it's hard to believe it was caught.

So when I saw the London in Puddles series by Gavin Hammond I was excited to see some similar uses of symmetry and the alluring portrayal of a dreary London.

I particularly enjoy the dark silhouettes against the geometric patterns created by the sidewalk stones. It's almost as if you're looking at an old daguerreotype photograph and the world just couldn't stand still long enough for the photograph to be taken. It's a very dream-like way to look at the world where you can't quite make out the details but the overall feeling of the environment is more important anyway.

For more information on Henri Cartier-Bresson, check out Artsy. Artsy's mission is to make art accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

oxford circus in a puddle

regent street in a puddle

it's all go on oxford street - captured in a puddle

got a light?

My first impressions of these photographs were based solely on the fact that they are beautify composed. But as I researched the project a little bit more it became disturbing just how many lighters were found around waterfronts in New York City from August 2010 to May 2011. 1,946 lighters were found from 47 different locations, which were all logged and photographed. You can learn more about the project here and see even more collections of lighters, ranging from as few as one to the 488 found at Bergen Beach seen below.

So many of the products that we use daily are disposable and we think very little about what it going to happen to those items once we've gotten our use out of them. I personally own three disposable lighters because I very rarely use them and when a birthday comes around it's usually easier to pick up a new one than try to find the one I used last year. This is exactly the mentality that I need to change because these small conveniences are not always the best.

488 from bergen beach

19 from plum beach east

16 from summerfield creek