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Welcome to PentaGRAFX.

Before you read this, please take a moment to read the previous blog entry. I’ll wait.

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I'm RE-E-EALLY Pissed Off. Why am I pissed? This morning, as I was doing some copystand work (photographing old photos and memorabilia) for a video I’m producing, I was half-listening to the radio, just to cut the dead silence in the house while I worked.

The news came on and there was a story about a 19-year-old Jordanian, Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, who had been caught in an attempt to blow up an iconic Dallas skyscraper, Fountain Place. The FBI apparently caught him in a sting operation after watching him for several months and the “bomb” had been rendered harmless.

Fountain Place

First, I was furious that someone had made an attempt on a building here in Dallas. Then, I was relieved that the attempt was only that and that no one had been harmed.

Once my relief subsided, I became furious again. Why? Because, quite likely, I may not be able to photograph buildings in downtown Dallas or the Dallas skyline — one of my favorite subjects — for months. . . or even years because of this Muslim bastard. That’s right, I called him a Muslim bastard. The chances of the failed bomber being a Christian or Hindi or pagan or anything else is slim to none. And Slim’s outta town.

My experience with a Homeland Security wannabe the other day as I shot a 360° panorama of the Dallas skyline (in the rain, I might add) at Harwood and Woodall Rogers left a bitter taste in my mouth. It was my very first run-in with someone claiming I couldn’t photograph something from a public thoroughfare, which happens to be perfectly legal despite what some over-zealous fools would have photographers believe.

The likelihood of being left to pursue my photography in peace has suddenly diminished by several orders of magnitude. And I’m pissed. So, it looks like I won’t be shooting more photographs like these for a while — unless I want to be harassed by some big guy with a badge, a gun, and a nasty attitude. Who knows? I’ve taken bigger risks. Hell, I’ve beaten cancer! What are they going to do to me? Eat me?

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This past week, during the wettest ten days we’ve seen in Dallas in a very long time, I decided to do something a bit different. Actually, it’s not different, just more precise.

The Swiss Avenue Project has me shooting a lot of handheld panoramas. And while they work on a small scale — say, 3 to 5 photos stitched together into a single photo — shooting a 360° panorama requires more precision. (I’ll spare you further technical details.)

Here’s a 5-image panorama from The Swiss Avenue Project. Not bad if I do say so, myself. But try holding the camera steady and rotating around an invisible point inside the lens in a complete circle. Not easy, my friend. This is where special equipment comes in handy.

A quick trip to a rental house and I was in business. Or so I thought. In spite of the rain, I was determined to make some dramatic photos that were different from the run of the mill — full of detail and epic in scope.

My first thought was to photograph downtown from the end of Swiss Avenue, as a capper to the project. There’s a sweet spot beneath Central Expressway where it runs just on the east side of downtown Dallas. If you stand in the right place, you can see the end of Swiss Avenue and get a good view of the city skyline. Unless you’re homeless or on the lam, you may never see this view. I’ve done the work for you so you can enjoy it. What you see here doesn’t truly do it justice, however; the original is about 190 inches long and 24 inches high. 24 separate images. Epic.

Next, I thought I’d take in the view from Woodall Rogers. Finding a parking spot, I hiked over to the overpass on Harwood, overlooking traffic on the freeway. It was spitting rain, just enough to make things more difficult than normal, slowing me down so I had to struggle to keep the lens dry. I finished, shouldered my gear, and hiked back to the car. As I got to the car and stowed my equipment, I was approached by a big, burly dude in a suit. He had a badge and he wanted to know what the hell I was doing. So, I told him.

Evidently, photographing city skylines with big-ass equipment that nobody would ever not notice is suspicious. Besides, there was a ground-breaking (or is that mud-slinging?) ceremony nearby in the Arts District with the mayor and a bunch of VIPs in attendance. Can’t be too careful; y’know?

I’m beginning to believe we have truly lost our minds.

More panos soon.

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