walls

Brick Walls of Ybor City Tampa

Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/320th - Ybor City Tampa FloridaSeveral lifetimes ago I actually occasionally visited Ybor City by choice at night for a multi-month stretch.  I remember knowing of this "secret" location to park for free thinking it very clever.  As a lifelong non-drinker I did not go there for any particular liquid, but for concerts and even sometimes, if one can fathom it, to dance in rock clubs (Empire!).  I have long since retired from dancing, so this visit in broad daylight to Ybor City was to scout locations for an upcoming car photography gig.  This lead to a most unusual mini-set of photos with a brick wall theme.

Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/160th +1 ev - Ybor City Tampa Nobody noticed me hanging out behind this warehouse & "showroom."  You could feel the oldness of the place just standing next to it.  It was still functioning in some capacity though as you can see a truck picking up or dropping something off.  I stood there wondering, "is there really any glory in tagging a dumpster?"

Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/200th - Ybor City TampaAlong another road the brick walls of this building seemed to stretch the entire block.  No tags to be seen on its walls though, which I guess means whoever the owner is that person commands a lot of respect.  The white vehicle would be mine.  In this part of Ybor City the brick just goes on and on making one feel strongly confined, as if in a drivable prison.

CLICK PHOTO for LARGE version - 4-shot panorama - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 1/320th

There was a way out of all these walls . . . and you could even hop a train to the modernity of downtown Tampa!  One rumbled by me giving me a good scare just as I finished making this panorama shot.  

It was a pleasant reacquaintance with Ybor City this afternoon . . .