Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Detail Shots from Brussels




I'm not really your average tourist. Others take photos of famous sites, churches, panoramic views. Me, I take photos of architectural details. Actually, it gets even more specific than that. I take photos of iron railings.

Why? Beats me, because I'm certainly not an architect, nor am I planning to build my dream house anytime soon. I believe that it's the railings' motifs that catch my eye. When I take a photo, I'm always thinking how I might incorporate that particular design into my home. Perhaps one of the motifs might be the inspiration for a nailhead pattern on the bottom edge of a sofa or chair. Or, another might make for an interesting painted border on a wall. Maybe even a unique pattern for a pelmet.

As you can see, even on my trip to Brussels last week I still had design on the brain.








The best part about this one, above, is that it's located in a dry cleaners. The Carriage Cleaners that I go to certainly doesn't look like this.








I guess I broke rank here since this is actually gate. It's located at Pierre Berge & Associes.







Oh, the other thing that I like to take photos of is signs. Go figure.



I love this Jazz Age font.









(All images taken by Jennifer Boles)

22 comments:

  1. Now that you mention it, at the moment I can't think of any dry cleaner in Atlanta located in a cool building.

    These are great shots and I love your point about seeing possibilities (nailhead trim) in the detailed ironwork.

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  2. Finally someone who takes pictures of what I do! Returning from vacation it seems to be the only thing in my camera. However I've designed some amazing firescreens, gates and other things inspired by old iron railings in Capri.

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  3. C- So true, especially since Modern Drycleaners moved from that awesome midcentury building!

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  4. Jill- I just got a few emails from readers who take architectural detail shots as well. Evidently, there are quite a few of us out there! Who knew?!

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  5. Oh, I thought I may have been to Brussels for a moment...these look like my pictures! I think many of us design types can not help ourselves. My last trip to Charleston S.C. netted three times as many photos of architecture and iron than my family!!!

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  6. A & A- Join the club :) Maybe we should set up our own group on Flickr to share our architectural photos.

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  7. Anonymous9:49 AM

    I also do this on my travels! (Maybe it's genetic--my daughter went to Barcelona a year ago and sent me back, not pix of herself & friends frolicking in historic places, but building details.)

    Have you seen the English Ironwork gallery at the V&A in London?? Heaven! Also, the little church just over the Westminster bridge, near Lambeth Palace, that houses the Garden History Museum? (Along with Captain Bligh's grave~) Lovely iron work!

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  8. Beautiful -i think the photographs of our trips would look similar - lots of architectural details,a few 'overalls' and very few people LOL. I'm always being made fun of -but it's my 'thing'! They are great for inspiration even if not DIRECT inspiration as an architect!

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  9. Anon- I have not seen that gallery at the V&A, nor have I visited the Garden History Museum. I must get to London soon!

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  10. Stefan- So true. As they say, "inspiration is all around you" or some such business :)

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  11. I have always loved French and Spanish iron work--especially 18th c. and art deco--the dry cleaner's example is fantastic. Thanks, have a wonderful trip.

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  12. Great images! I too, take photos of architecture...it never grows old to look at beautiful designs regardless of the source!

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  13. Signs captivate me too..the size, the font, the awnings! I find that I always come back with lots of pictures of roofs as well, funny as thatorfangs may seem!

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  14. Okay...these are going in my Iron Railing file. Such variety!

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  15. These are a truly great resource. I am going to note down some of the railing designs in my sketchbook. Thank you.

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  16. I do the same thing too! And of course I do it all around Atlanta too on my bicycle.

    When I was in San Francisco back in November I saw a great iron railing on the Hermes building. I definitely got some pictures of it.

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  17. Our photos would look very similar! As I am getting my masters in Historic Preservation, all I really care about on a trip is the architecture and architectural details!

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  18. I do the very same thing! Love it, thanks!

    Best,
    Jaime

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  19. these railings are divine. i wish there were more of them to be found here in architectural salvage stores. i've been anxious to convert one into a headboard for some reason.

    welcome back!

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  20. Anonymous4:55 PM

    Love the railings and concur with your and other comments about being made fun of when taking photos like this... very few people pictures. Oh well...
    Have you been to Lyon, France? The windows in old town Lyon all seem to have railings at the windows. Fabulous. Love it!

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  21. Hi Jennifer, I hope that you had a wonderful time in Belgium. We moved from Antwerp just last year to Tokyo and I am finding the transition difficult, purely due to the interior shopping aspect, or lack of! When I do find anything remotely Belgian in feel, I pay way over the odds for it here. Anyway, back to your discussion. I have to confess that I completely understand. We vacationed in Italy for 8 Summers and I can honestly say, that hand on heart, almost all of my photographs are of doorways, post-boxes, signage, the beautiful detailed wooden mouldings which you find underneath the guttering (sorry, this might be an English expression) and I have to admit that I have tripped and almost fallen on several occasions doing this and would not advise it whilst walking! Thanks from Bringing a little bit of Belgium to me! Angela xoxo

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  22. Anonymous1:49 AM

    Jennifer, this post made me laugh. On my first trip abroad, way before digital cameras, I took an entire 36 image roll of film of the rococo plaster moldings at the hunting lodge at Nymphenburg Palace. I also came home with photos of the ceiling medallions from every hotel or public building we visited. I'm sure my parents wondered what was wrong with a 14 year old who took more photos of light fixtures than I did of Paris! C'est la vie-
    Best wishes,
    Laura

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