Back Home Again in Indiana (and now that's in your head)

So, you know how I've been out and about taking pictures in Chicago? This past weekend I was back in Indianapolis and decided to take a crack at it. The results were, as I'm sure you (might) agree, pretty bitchin! I'll be back again this weekend for the 500 parade (one of the highlights of my year!), and I have a few more things in mind that I'd like to get so stay tuned, all you Indy fans! (Also, I thought about spreading this post out over the next couple of days to work up to 500 weekend, but I am entirely too much about instant gratification to roll that way.)

These flowers were so, SO vibrant and right out in front of the Murat. And the bees were posing for me! You know, it's so weird--I'm not afraid of bees at all. Wasps yes, bees no. But I am HORRIFIED of bugs in general, particularly june bugs and things that make their way into my bathtub. Guh-ross.

So pretty I can hardly handle it. I love spring and I LOOOOVE summer. :)

I was actually really, really happy with how this one turned out. I love all the sculptures in Indy involving tires, mostly because people manage to get pretty creative with them, but I just felt like this was the perfect meeting of the Indy 500 tradition and art. It was right outside the Chatterbox on Mass Ave, so if you make it over there, check it out.

This picture wasn't doing much for me until I tried it in black and white, and then it just exploded off the screen at me. I love it, especially the raggedy edges. Billy said it reminded him of a Johnny Cash song. (It's something about a ragged old flag, but I'm too lazy right now to look up the name. It happens.)

This one also appealed to the city girl in me, because I like the street and Riley towers in the background, and again, that flower really was that purple. I don't know if I've ever seen irises looking so lively and so deeply purple, but I'm into it!

This one wasn't necessarily my favorite, but I had to include it because as soon as I took it, I titled it in my head--"The Back Side is the Best Side." It was just too good of a title to waste.

This ended up being my favorite shot of Wheeler Mission. I tried to get some with the people in front of it, but they just weren't working. I think I might need to try again later with a wider lens and possibly at night, because I am serious--Wheeler Mission is one of the most interesting places to look at in the city. I purposely used to drive past on my way home from work because you were guaranteed to see something ridiculous happen, and I love a funny story. And it's just ... never dull.

This squirrel was posing for me! FIERCE! But seriously, he's the cutest little thing ever and when I left, I told him what a good squirrel he was (seriously).

LOVED this shot of the fountain ... I forget which park it is, but you know--it's over there on Pennsylvania across from the Indianapolis Star building? Anyway, I thought this turned out great and I even tried it in black and white, but I felt like it lost all the depth of those greens and blues, so this was the big winner.

I snapped this one from a parking garage, and granted, everyone knows I love derelict buildings, but my absolute favorite thing on this one was all the stars. Super perfecto. I hope to one day live in a building covered in stars. Hopefully not derelict, but, you know, I'll take what I can get.

This one was a total dark horse and wound up being one of my very favorites of the day. I am in LOVE with it, and sorry if the tooting of my own horn is giving you a headache, but I totally want it on my wall. I think that, first of all, I love all the different building facades and how there is so much to look at. And I really like the composition, too. I like the trees peeking into the bottom and the stoplight totally rocking the rule of thirds, and how the streetlamp adds interest to the top left hand corner. But mostly, I just like how I finally feel like I'm getting better at taking wider pictures, and pictures without people, because that isn't what I've been historically great at. I mean, don't get me wrong, people and animals are still my favorite subjects, but I just want to be more well-rounded and I feel really rewarded that the practice is paying off. :)

And I liked this one too. :) I've been a big fan of that clock since day one--it adds some interest and it looks so classy, but in such an interesting, vintage way. And the way the windows are distorting the building across the street gives it just enough interest and color for me.

This shot just kind of grabbed me, probably because the light was pretty good around that time and everything looked interesting. This was on the corner of Delaware and Market, right outside the Subway and across from City Market. People who work (or spend days) downtown will recognize this as the corner that the Have a Great Day Guy stands on. I hope this isn't impeding him. He's seriously the best--he's an old war veteran with probably not all his teeth, and he is the happiest, sweetest, cutest thing you can imagine. He never asks anyone for anything, just tells everyone that walks past to have a great day (hence the name), makes sure his corner is swept up, and I am telling you--he is the most cared for homeless person in that city. Someone got him a chair, people bring him lunch, he has a snowsuit and coat that would pass the Chicago winter test (which is major, let me tell you) ... and I just think it's awesome that by being a happy, nice, good person, that will come back to you and you will have the things you need. Great job, humanity. :)

Speaking of the City Market, I got this pretty good shot of the sign, but the real action there is inside. I have next Tuesday off, which will be a work day for most people, so I think I'm going to have to go hit that. I loooooove the market. It actually seems a little out of place in Indy--it seems like something you'd find in New York or something, but it's so great and adds so much character to the city that I can't wait to go back and take some pics. Oh man, I'm getting so excited just thinking about it!

I almost walked right past this, and I have no idea what made me stop and do a double take, but I'm glad I did. I was on my way back to my car on Alabama, and I passed this pole out in front of the Salvation Army. "What are you waiting for?" is totally a question I feel like I should always be asking myself, and I felt so inspired by it. Not to even mention that the ragged, disintegrating label is completely gorgeous and perfect. More for the wall? Maybe. :)

Good for you, Person in Fountain Square Responsible for This. You're awesome. And I think I kind of love you.

And since I was in Fountain Square anyway, I thought I'd take a shot of the Duckpin Bowling signs. It's totally one of the most awesome things to do in Indy, if not a tiny bit expensive and, okay, they're sort of nazis about making reservations, but as long as you make sure to do that, it's SUPER fun and the place is a feast for the eyes, no joke.

This was taken on Pennsylvania, right across from the Abbey. I love how it distorts the buildings, and how the buildings reflected are so old school and that metal is so modern and space age. It's like the best juxtaposition ever, and I wonder if the person who designed it thought so too.

And finally, because I can, some garbage! I was headed back to Plainfield on 40 from downtown and this was the last thing I felt really inspired to take a picture of. And why not? Trash can be pretty too. (Insert your own joke here.)

I'm really REALLY looking forward to this coming weekend and there will be more to come, including (hopefully) some shots of one of my favorite places in the entire universe. If you know me, there's a good chance you already know what that place is, and if you don't, whoa buddy. Strap yourself in. I'm also going to take a picture of the world's cutest twin babies, and with any luck, some serious B-listers! You won't wanna miss it. :)