A Stroll Around Jacksonville

Despite the crisp weather this past Monday, I spent the afternoon taking pictures of some of Jacksonville's more recognizable points of interest. 
 

#7_0288 Friendship Fountain - 1/3 @f3.5, iso 800, 28mm

Starting out at Treaty Oak Park, I photographed the oak tree centerpiece that is believed to be over 250 years old. Treaty Oak is over 70 feet tall and its width is more than double it's height. Here is a look at the tree from 2 different angles.

#112380 Treaty Oak - 1/160sec. @ f8, iso 200, 17mm



#112364 Treaty Oak - 1/125sec. @f8, iso 200, 17mm

The downtown skyline has not changed much the last few years with the exception of titles on the buildings.  Wells Fargo has now replaced Modis, on what was originally the Independent Life Building.  Just east of the Main Street Bridge is the Maritime Museum, and the US Navy Memorial behind it.

#112437 US Navy Memorial - 1/1600 @f4, iso 100, 24mm

From Friendship Fountain, I shot several photos of the city skyline and I like this one the best, mainly because of the really cool cloud formation.


#112262 Jacksonville Skyline - 1/160 @f7.1, iso 100, 17mm

Here is a similar image shot from the Acosta Bridge.   [click any photo for a larger view]



#112468 Jacksonville Riverfront Panorama - 1/400sec @f8, iso 100, 17mm

To the west of the bridge is the Museum of Science and History.  I have not been inside for several years and I don't know if it's still the same, but when I was growing up we came here for 'cosmic concerts' at the Alexander Brest Planetarium, located inside.  It had theatre seats that tilted back so that you were looking up at the dome shaped ceiling.  Music would be playing while a fancy Minolta gizmo using laser light would project all sorts of planetary images across the ceiling, which acted as a huge movie screen.  It was a hot ticket when I was a teen.



#112463 Museum of Sciense & History - 1/400 @f8, iso 100, 35mm

For anyone who is curious about the progress of the new courthouse, here is a photo of it under construction.   The building takes up 4 city blocks.



#112510 New Courthouse - 1/1000 @ f5.6, iso 100, 15mm fisheye
(this was shot with a fisheye lens and then straightened in photoshop)

Next to the Jacksonville Landing is the Times Union Center.  The second image (night photo) shows it back in 2004.

#112550 Times Union Center - 1/400 @f8, iso 100, 17mm

#10d_10430 Times Union Center at night - 2004

It's always fun to photograph the buildings on the waterfront when it starts to get dark and the lights of the buildings begin to appear. 

#112729 Waterfront at Dusk - 1/20 @f4, iso 400, 41mm

#112736  The Jacksonville Landing - 1/13@ f5.6, iso 400, 135mm



#112740 The Waterfront at Night - 1/10 @f4, iso 400, 17mm



I had planned to photograph the fountain at night, but skipped it because the fountain was not working properly.   I fill finish up with two images of Friendship Fountain below, that I shot back in November.





#7_0288  Friendship Fountain  -  1/3 @f3.5, iso 800, 28mm

#110246  Friendship Fountain  -  1/10 @f2.8, iso 400, 15mm fisheye
(shot with 15mm fisheye lens, then straightened in photoshop)