The Shapes of Architecture

When I was in junior high and at the beginning of high school and someone asked me what I wanted to do for a living, I would say “I want to be an architect”. That lasted for a short time, though, when I realized that career probably involved a lot of math, and math and I don’t get along. I’m eternally grateful there is a calculator on my phone and Microsoft Excel is my friend. My focus shifted when I got entranced with foreign languages and found out I had a knack for memorizing grammar rules, so I went in another direction.

In any case, interesting architecture still holds a fascination for me. The Gothic structures in Europe, the cathedrals and castles, the beautiful old row houses in Amsterdam, the counterpoint between the Louvre’s classic architecture and Pei’s glass pyramid, the curving chedis and the beautiful Wats in Thailand, and the astonishing pyramids in Mexico I have seen in person. The Alhambra and the Mosque of Cordoba in Spain, the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and of course, Notre Dame de Paris are treasures of humanity that I have visited. I cried openly in public when Notre Dame burned.

Due to the fact that many of the photos I have of these beautiful marvels of architecture were taken many years ago with less than professional equipment, and were rather poorly developed by the photo labs at the time, most of them are only suitable for my photo albums as reminders of my trips.

That doesn’t mean I don’t still take pleasure in all the wonderful shapes and styles of architecture I find around me every day, and I particularly enjoy photographing bits and pieces of interesting structures, not just the entire building. Doors, windows, roof lines, beautiful old brick walls - I guess these things appeal to my need for order, but they also represent “shelter from the storm” and their orderly geometric shapes represent a lack of chaos to me. We all need shelter and a break from chaos in our lives.

 

To see more of my architectural images, please visit:
https://mary-bedy.pixels.com/collections/architecture

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