Jan 1, 2016

Photos and text by Karl Merton Ferron

Whether recent construction or a work completed decades prior, the building of high rises and bridges pierce the sky, offering the chance to catch a glimpse of when symmetry and geometry create a symbiosis with a cerulean dawn, or celestial transit.

Colorful hues surround man-made structures, embracing reflective glass, hardened steel and sculpted granite, once harvested from organic quartz, iron, aluminum, clay and shale. Architects and engineers planned and designed these structures, and then construction workers used machinery and pure human effort, building from foundation and footing, then capping off with the crest of an 85-year-old arch bridge, or the mast that tops a 509-foot tower. These structures themselves evoke a sense of artistry, yet make for an even more beautiful spectacle when paired with a dramatic sky or setting moon.

: The Guilford Avenue Bridge is illuminated by the orange glow of street lamps, blended with the cool cerulean dusk as twilight fades to darkness following a heavy rain Monday, March 28, 2005. The Guilford Avenue Bridge is listed as an historic bridge in Maryland’s SHA (State Highway Administration) website. According to the site, SHA teamed with Maryland Historical Trust and the Federal Highway Administration, taking inventory of bridges still in existence in Maryland, for SHA’s cultural resources initiative. The metal arch bridge, constructed in 1936 is currently listed as an “historic resource,” one of 415 bridges in the state listed in the National Register. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The Power Plant building and Hard Rock Cafe sign glow beneath clouds hit by vibrant shades of a sunset during a protest that started outside Baltimore City Hall in 2014. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: A full Moon, changing to a blood orange color from the particulates in the still night air, makes its way towards the western horizon above the Bank of America building in downtown Baltimore Friday morning, July 2, 2004. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, July’s full Moon is called the Full Buck Moon or the Full Thunder Moon — buck deer tend to have their antlers begin to emerge from their heads, and thunderstorms are usually frequent at this time of year. Native Americans may have begun the tradition, naming full Moons as they kept track of the seasons as each full Moon emerged every 29 days. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The Fidelity Building on Charles St at Lexington St around 1230pm in downtown Baltimore Tue., July 24, 2001. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The right field foul pole, which once marked the foul line at Memorial Stadium, rises from the field as the afternoon sun casts orange as it bounces off the Eutaw Street warehouse during a game against the Baltimore Orioles, who host the Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Saturday, Jul 28, 2012. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The Baltimore City Detention Center’s architecture reaches into the dusk sky Wednesday, Jan 2, 2013. The images were taken before a boys’ basketball game between Mount St. Joseph and host St. Frances Panthers. Images are filed with the sports disk, as the photos were not assigned. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The Hyatt hotel reflects a northern blue sky as clouds from the western area are bathed in the colors of sunset during the arrival of Santa Claus at the inner harbor Ampitheater at Harborplace Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: A full Moon begins to set behind the dome of Baltimore’s City Hall before daybreak in downtown Baltimore Friday morning, July 2, 2004. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, July’s full Moon is called the Full Buck Moon or the Full Thunder Moon — buck deer tend to have their antlers begin to emerge from their heads, and thunderstorms are usually frequent at this time of year. Native Americans may have begun the tradition, naming full Moons as they kept track of the seasons as each full Moon emerged every 29 days. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Lightning flirts around Baltimore’s Washington Monument, which is bathed in the red and blue to celebrate the Independence Day holiday in a view looking west across Charles Street, as nature gives its own fireworks display the following evening, Tuesday, July 5, 2005. Heavy rain and lightning ripped across Maryland, yielding a slight cool down from the dry, nights that have been common over the past several evenings. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The B&O Railroad Headquarters building on N. Charles Street Wed., July 25, 2001 for a project on downtown city architecture. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Reflections of waterfront property dance about on the calm waters of the inner harbor Monday, Nov. 27, 2006. Mild weather greeted the first recognized work day of the last week of November. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: First National Bank is one downtown office that has signage to attract attention in a changing skyline Wednesday, Apr 23, 2014. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Designed by architect George Frederick (who also designed Baltimore’s City Hall) and built around 1870, Moorish Tower rises at one of the highest points in the city as a visitor walks on the stone wall of Druid Hill Reservoir. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The evening sun casts orange against the clouds that float above the Eutaw Street warehouse during a game against the Baltimore Orioles, who host the Oakland Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Saturday, Jul 28, 2012. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The warehouse as light from the setting Sun strikes the building before the start of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards Saturday, Apr. 11, 2009. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The cupola of the Howard Peter Rawlings Conservatory at Druid Hill Park Monday, Apr. 8, 2013. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

Looking for geometry and light in Baltimore

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