Lighted Spaces and Landscapes

Excerpts from a Geographer's Photo Archive

recent posts

  • Got My Goat

    Here is a master at work. Shortly after this photo was taken, he cut off a small piece of meat for me to taste. It was excellent. I love goat–this was really good goat. I stayed for lunch, ate too much. (Cachi, Salta, Argentina, 2025)

  • Sometimes I’m Caught

    A student was getting a street shot as we were waiting on the ferry over to Ometepe. I was caught crossing the street. (Rivas, Nicaragua, 2004)

  • Love the Light

    This is not a great photo–I will be the first to say that. However I love the light here. I was rushing somewhere–but had to pause to capture the light. (Reykjavik, Iceland, 2024)

  • The Sun is on the Flag

    Lots of weather was moving through that day. It turned sunny an half hour later. (Iguazú Falls, Argentina, 2025)

  • Four Arenas–Four Sizes

    How the size of arenas have changed. I was flying out of Milwaukee and I was taking some photos of the city. I noted that all four major indoor sports arenas were standing. The Milwaukee Auditorium (bottom right) hosted major basketball events before the Milwaukee Arena was built (just above it in the photo). The Bradley Center is in the center and the new Fiserv Forum is in the last stages of construction. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2017)

  • When the Conference Gets Dull. . .

    . . .the conferrees hit the road. I have better photos of Zion from this day (and other days), but this was the day we broke loose from a dull conference and spent a glorious spring day in a national park. Best to show my co-conspirators. (Zion National Park, Utah, 2009)

  • Waiting on the Ferry

    I tell this story often. I was doing a consult in Grand Rapids and they offered to fly me over from Milwaukee. I suggested the ferry–same price and I get to use my car. This surprised them and at each meeting for 2 days, I was introduced as: “this is Julio Rivera from Milwaukee, and he took the ferry.” The only exception to this was my last introduction where it was announced that “the meeting would end at 1:30 because I had to catch the ferry.” Here I am, waiting for the ferry. (Muskegon, Michigan, 2014)

  • Corporate Mashup

    I was doing a consulting job at a university. They took me out for breakfast (to a nice local place–not here), but we drove by this and I had to get a shot of this combo platter. (Queens, NY, 2016)

  • Not Beautiful, but Still Memorable, and Malleable

    I was traveling from a conference in upstate New York. I was taking the leisurely way across Canada and Michigan. I crossed Lake Michigan on the SS Badger. I stopped for gas and snacks in a town I worked in for 5 summers when I was young. It was a gas station then. Here it is a sub shop. The internet tells me it is a pizza delivery business now. (Gaylord, Michigan, 2007)

  • It was a “Working Beach Day”

    My publisher wanted to promote my project to some schools in California. After 2 days of work, we took some time to walk on the beach before we went to the airport (Oxnard, California, 2016)