I explored the neighborhood of Palmetto Beach this afternoon and the odd and sadly interesting structures that remain on stilt foundations just off the seawall in McKay Bay. (I've posted about this fascinating place a couple of times before - a funky local bar with a shark, HERE, and an old world gasoline station with a 1930s soul, HERE.) At one time this sagging structure was connected to the land and was a bait house, sold fresh fish or something similar tied to its distinctive location. . The best shrimp in the entire area comes in at dock that are roughly a mile or less from here on the south side of the 22nd Street Causeway. Because of storms or rot, their docks no longer lead to the structures so they sit surrounded by water and inaccessible except by wading out or by boat. I don't know about their ownership, legal status or future, but as subjects for the camera I thought this one was perfect. Sitting out in the water, with the vast Florida sky framing it with the blue and giant white clouds, it was a photograph waiting to be taken.What i did was shoot it in color and black and white, but that wasn't my intention. My initial shots were for MONOCHROME Weekly. After shooting the image above, I shot a few in color. I was so torn between posting the monochrome without showing the color that I couldn't decide which I liked best. So, I've posted one of the color images at Tampa Florida Photo HERE. Which do you prefer of this particular subject.
I am so grateful to for presenting me and other photographers with the challenge each week of really seeing the world around us in black and white. I appreciate the vast difference between the two and love to search around me for images that scream monochrome - they just ;look best that way. Finding a scene like this one was unexpected and problematic. I'd be interested to know what you think.
If you love your world in black and white, be sure and visit some of the world's most interesting places and experience the incredible photographic artistry of Monochrome Maniacs!
