This week’s challenge is brought to us by Ann-Christine of Leya. She writes, “On a visit to Gothenburg last week, I was mesmerized by some intriguing curves, in nature and at a museum…so, this week, I thought we would find more examples of curves: funny, beautiful, unusual – roads, paths, art, architecture, animals, plants – anything that interests you. Because, curves are everywhere around us. In nature almost everything is – curves.” You can read her entire challenge post here.
I start with the gentle curves of the petals of a rose blossom. Even the single rose leaf in the background features a complex curve.
Architecture often features curves, from the arches above windows and below bridges to the curves of spiral staircases. I have many examples I could have chosen, but I chose this beautiful building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Canadian Museum of Human Rights generated controversy from its inception to its opening in 2014. The design, however, is truly beautiful with those gentle curves of glass.
On a flight over Houston in a small plane, I was impressed by the stack of bridges needed to route traffic off the I-10 to what I believe is the I-610 loop around the city. The photo was taken several years ago and was not geolocated by GPS, so for this post, I pulled up Google Maps looking for a complex roadmap along the I-10. The most complicated stack is east of the city, and I think I was flying westbound if I recall correctly. Looking at Google Maps, I think that Faust Distributing Company is just left of the I-10, and on the other side of the 610 is Anheuser Busch.
In 2010, North Dakota saw some major flooding. Pilots, observers, and aerial photographers for Civil Air Patrol volunteer for flood patrol duty. Each flight crew is assigned routes that provide the state of North Dakota with imagery that helps the Department of Emergency Services with planning and resource deployment. On this day, I was an aerial photographer and I happened to capture an image that features a gentle set of curves on I-94 as it winds across the Minnesota-North Dakota border at the Red River in Fargo-Moorhead. The river itself provides its own set of curves as it meanders between the two cities. From this vantage point on that date, we could see the river was out of its banks creating minor flooding near the Interstate bridge.
Railroad tracks are, of necessity, gently curved so those long trains can safely stay upright when in high-speed transit. While crossing tracks on foot, one day, I happened to pass behind a line of oil tanker cars sitting on a siding. The cars were awaiting transit to the oil fields of western North Dakota. I couldn’t help but notice the leading lines and repetitive nature of the identical cars as they faded into the distance.
In 2013, for one of my first photo challenge responses, I spotted a freight train sitting on the tracks. The assignment was “curves” for the original WordPress Challenge, and I scouted the downtown area for examples to share.
I was struck by the sheer number of curves in this single image. The tracks, though laid straight east-west in this section, demonstrated a gentle curve upward over a slight rise in the terrain. The train itself showed a gentle curve as it followed the lay of the land. On the right, the fence also curved vertically as it followed the terrain. Even the powerlines exhibit their natural curve as the lines sag between power poles. It’s only too bad that the large yellow sign was visible only from the side in this shot. Had I been able to have a more frontal view, you would have seen the unmistakable curves of those golden arches of a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.
Several of these images were reprocessed in Luminar Neo and Adobe Lightroom to make them available in 2K HD on my Flickr site. You can click on one of them to pixel peep, or you can check out the entire album here.
Thanks to Ann-Christine for the challenge this week. Next week, it’s Amy’s turn. If you’d like to participate in these challenges each week, click here to find out how.
John Steiner
Flare Legend Adventures
I’m so impressed with your aerial photos, I didn’t even think about roads for this challenge. Cleverly done, John, you always have a unique point of view!
Thanks, Sofia. I count myself fortunate that I get to see the world from a unique viewpoint on occasion.
Always interesting take, John! And good eye for curves indeed – aerial views emphasize the multitude of them…My favourite is the oiltanker cars – an extraordinary curve into the distance.
I know I have shared that oil tanker view before, but it really fit the challenge this week. Thanks, Ann-Christine!
😀
Unfair showing curves from the sky John!!! You have a definite advantage there 😊. And of course your beloved trains – my favorite from this set is the oil tanker (although that’s not a happy topic these days!) Terrific examples.
Oil trains are what we get when pipelines are shut down or not built, unfortunately. Until the world can curb its dependence on old dinasour remnants, we are stuck with their infrastructure. >grin<
Hi, John. A wonderful collection of curves. I especially love that you volunteered to fly and take aerial photos after the flood. You helped me realize how essential that is for rescue and assessing damage and relief routes. Fabulous.
Shortly after learning to fly, I wanted to find something useful to do with my new skills. I found Civil Air Patrol and how the members volunteer their skills to help their state and serve the people in our country.
Flying during flood season is almost an annual mission in North Dakota and in many other states.
I went to several CAP meetings/flights when I was in high school, but I couldn’t afford the fees. But I love flying. That’s wonderful that you’ve gotten a license and help your community. 😀😀
In my 20 years in CAP, I’ve met so many people who are current or former members. Many, like yourself, were members only until they “aged out” of being a cadet.
A wonderful selection, John. They’re all very interesting. If I must pick a favorite, I would say the oil tanker car!
Thanks, Miriam. There are so many natural and man-made curves to choose from. 🙂
That’s true, John. We have all the shapes and lines around us. 😊
Lovely collection John.
I am hypnotised by oil tanker cars.
Love the aerial photography. Surely you have an advantage dealing with aircrafts.
I wish we are allowed drone photography here.
We are fortunate in the U.S. to be allowed to fly drones. Their use is being restricted here more and more because people can’t help from using them for things that are inappropriate or downright dangerous.
Thank you John.
And technology no doubt a double edged sword 🗡 indeed!
Great selections John. Texas knows how to stack highways! I’ve driven around Dallas a bit. Frightening!!
Same with Phoenix. I know of which you speak. 🙂
A great selection John!
Thanks, Aletta!
Amazing aerial shots John. And the rest of the post was great too. I also liked the story you tell about each image.
Thanks, Anne! I truly enjoy capturing images from the air.
I am so jealous!
Those two aerial photos are fascinating, especially trying to get my head around the routing on that interstate stack! But what caught my eye the most was how you’ve created such a beautiful image out of the oil tanker cars 😀
Thanks, Sarah! Those stacks can get complicated. I was lucky to see the potential for that oil car photo as I walked across the tracks.
John, I especially enjoyed the North Dakota photo (although too bad about the flooding!) and the oil tankers. I’m always amazed at the highway systems of this country. Although secondary roads are generally more scenic, I can’t imagine driving some of the distances I do on them, at least when I need to get somewhere. 🙂
janet
Yesterday, we were traveling on a couple of our major highways as we ventured around the Phoenix metro. Spent a lot of time on the parking lot they call the I-10. 🙂
Sorry for the late reply. We’ve been busy with packing and getting ready for our moving sale this weekend.
Ah, yes. I’ve been there. All the best with the moving sale and the move itself. It was really great to meet both of you in person before you moved. I’ll be interested to see where you end up next. 🙂