Games With Sketch Guru [Orange You Glad It’s Friday]

Inspired by the superb images posted by Laurie, I thought I’d try some editing using an app for Android cell phones.  I have not found yet the specific app and option she uses for her creations; but, I came across a [free] app, Sketch Guru, that is simple and made some interesting images that I’d like to share today. The image below was made originally with a DSLR; I opened it in Lightroom and then photographed it with my cell phone, where I made the subsequent manipulations.

 The four images below were created by choosing different options and saving. Luckily, one of them generated a patch of orange, thereby allowing me to post on OYGIF.

Savannah Skies [Sky Watch Friday]

Last week I completed my series of infra red images from Savannah, GA. Today I start posting conventional color shots. One of my favorite targets was the Talmadge Memorial Bridge [completed in 1991] spanning the Savannah River between downtown Savannah and Hutchinson Island.  

The locations of the shots below were those that appeared in my SWF series, The World of Infra Red. This magnificent fountain, located in Forsythe Park, is the iconic image of Savannah.   

This is of the twin towers of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, shot from Lafayette Park.

These images are of the William Washington Gordon monument in Wright Square.
 

Savannah Finale [Orange You Glad It’s Friday] & [Sky Watch Friday]

 I’ve saved these images from Savannah for joint posting in OYGIF and SWF. This completes my series shot in this delightful city. The first three images below are of the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The top one was taken with my cell phone and lacks the sharpness of the DSLR pics.

Savannah is a busy port and large ships sail up and down the river. This huge vessel was transporting storage containers. 

 

World of InfraRed 7 -- Savannah (iii) [Sky Watch Friday]

Today concludes my series on the world of infra red from Savannah. There were so many wonderful old trees and green areas along Savannah’s streets that I simply did not always note where I took a particular shot. The two images below are representative examples. 

This was shot in Wright Square, which contains the monument to William Washington Gordon. This is one example of the peculiarities in naming the city’s squares. More often than not, the name is not that of the person buried or honored there.

Savannah 4 [Orange You Glad It’s Friday]

The friendly relaxed atmosphere makes Savannah an excellent place to do street photography. My favorite encounter came along River Street late one afternoon. A craftsman had his table set up displaying necklaces, bracelets, and rings that he had made. I wandered over to look at his wares and began to chat with him. His name was Mamedy and he came to Savannah from Senegal some 29 years ago. He was fascinated by the amulet I was wearing [that of a miniature djembe], and we started talking about drums. Bottom line, I ended up buying a necklace and getting to take his picture. I think the images capture his persona.

Earlier in the day a large group disembarked from a river steamer cruise. Here is a shot of some of them relaxing along River Street.

Forsythe Park is a huge area at the southern end of the historic section. It contains a magnificent fountain [see my July 2 posting in Sky Watch Friday] that is its main attraction. The young fellow playing violin for tips knew how to  take advantage of the large numbers of passersby.

As I noted in last week’s OYGIF posting, I came across a club that had live entertainment. The musician below is Thomas Claxton playing solo; he happens to be the lead singer in a group, The Myth, that can be seen on You Tube. The lighting was not conducive for shooting, but I managed to get something acceptable.

Savannah 3 [Orange You Glad It’s Friday]

Today’s images were shot along cobble-stoned River Street, which runs parallel to the Savannah River. It is a good nine blocks long and abounds with boutiques, shops, restaurants, pubs,and  galleries. Day and night finds the street bustling with pedestrians [window]shopping, hanging out, watching the endless boat traffic or stopping to listen to some street musician. The two images below involve a shop that really spoke to me, as I am a ‘hat person’.

This next image was shot at night [obviously] and captures the ambiance of River Street. I should mention that many of the buildings were formerly cotton warehouses, which have now been renovated. To the left of the candy store is a pub, The Warehouse, from which I heard a singer performing. His pic will be in a later posting. 

At one point, River Street becomes a short enclosed passage. The image below was shot just about halfway through it. Next week I'll post some portraits of folks we encountered during our stay.

World of InfraRed 6 -- Savannah (ii) [Sky Watch Friday]

Today’s posting [notable buildings] continues my infra red images from Savannah. The shot below was made in Lafayette Park [see map in June 25 posting] while looking up through an opening in the trees towards the twin towers of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. 

The City Hall is on Bay Street, one block south of River Street. It was built in the Renaissance Revival style and completed in 1906. The most noticeable exterior feature is its golden dome.  

Temple Mikveh Israel [a synagogue completed in 1876] is located near Monterey Square [see map in June 25 posting]..   

World of InfraRed 5 -- Savannah (i) [Sky Watch Friday]

   As I noted in an earlier posting for Orange You Glad Its Friday, my wife and I recently took a holiday in Savannah, GA. Here was a perfect opportunity to exploit my retrofitted IR camera, taking advantage of the presence of the many magnificent old live oaks found throughout the city. The first three images below are of said trees, some of which are hundreds of years old.

This image below was shot in Forsythe Park, which is situated about a mile south of the river, and on the southern edge of the historical section of town. 

Savannah 2 [Orange You Glad It’s Friday]

This continues my series of posts on Savannah, GA. For me a must see venue is the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, located near Lafayette Square [see map in June 25th posting]. It is a Gothic style church that was completed in 1896 [rebuilt in 1899 after a severe fire] and one of the largest cathedrals in the South. It contains many fine stained glass windows, beautiful vaulting, murals and marble railings. 

Within walking distance of the cathedral is Monterey Square [see map]. Located around this square is the Mercer Williams House [featured in the movie “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”] and the Temple Mickve Israel [an 1876 synagogue shown below].

Another item of particular interest was the monument located in Franklin Square [see map]. It was dedicated to a group of volunteers who came from San Domingo, Haiti to fight in the 1779 campaign to capture Savannah back from the British. It honors their sacrifice and is a reminder that men of African descent were also present on battlefields during the American revolution.