Lighted Spaces and Landscapes

Excerpts from a Geographer's Photo Archive

recent posts

  • 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)

  • Not All Doors Lead Somewhere

    Some doors are just for fun. It was hokey, but I loved this one for some reason. I’m also fond of who was in the doorway. (Toyakoonsen, Japan, 2024)

  • Museum Door

    The door is classic Mudejar and sits at the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo. (Seville, Spain, 2024)

  • Ice Cream Has Priority

    So many times I’m with others and I shoot a quick photo while we are walking somewhere else. This was one of those times. We were heading out for ice cream, so it was important that we not dawdle over doors. (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2025)

  • Go Slower Next Time

    The next time I go to see the Alhambra I have one piece of advice for myself. Go more slowly. I didn’t rush the first time, but I look at my photos and I find something like this door and I know that I didn’t pause long enough to fully appreciate it. (Granada, Spain, 2022)