[Views of Cincinnati] Serial Killers and Scavenger Hunts

Oct 17

Taking "224 Views of Cincinnati" closer and photographing from the side of the highway, apparently a serial killer's view...

Recently I was at The Betts House hanging my prints for the Urban Landscapes Fotofocus show. While looking at the prints on the wall, I realized they were all shot with the same lens. I shoot with a wide angle 11-18mm lens all the damn time. It's the default lens I leave attached to my camera body no matter what bag I'm carrying and even a majority of shots in my portfolios are done with that lens. With 224 Views of Cincinnati, I've managed to vary things up a little more, but still find myself using the wide angle all the time.

Like in this frame made last night:

#83 - Serial Killer POV

The shot was done with the lens all the way backed out at 11mm. I like the photograph, I was happy with it, but the realization of how often I shoot wide, got me thinking.

First though, I should probably explain the photograph's title. The photograph was taken in the woods near a highway ramp, right by where 471 and 71 butt up to Mt. Adams. I hopped over the guard rail and climbed down the hill. While my main camera was exposing, I snapped a similar shot with my cell phone and uploaded it to Instagram. For the photo's caption I simply put: "In the woods of a highway off ramp." One of my followers on Instagram commented and said: "Subtitle: Serial Killer POV."

I'm not a serial killer, nor do I know what their point of view might look like, but if they do hide in the woods of highway off ramps near downtown - at least they have a nice view.

Thanks to @blondnbrains for the inspiration for the photo title!

In regards to shooting wide - I decided to make some frames in the series that focused on details of the buildings that make up the Cincinnati skyline. I've done some similar ones before - using a large telephoto lens to zoom in on the tops of the buildings in somewhat abstract compositions. However, until yesterday I never thought to look below. Even though these details can't be seen from far away or towering over the landscape, they're still part of the skyline - supporting it and holding it up.

I didn't add these to the map yet, wanted to see if people could guess where they were taken, a scavenger hunt of sorts. First person to comment and have all the right answers wins a TANK bus token my roommate gave me (does TANK even still take these?). Good luck.