Daily Photo Dose

As an architectural photographer, I’m always drawn to the relationship between light, structure, and place. My goal with this image was to photograph the full moon rising over the Nashville skyline, but what makes the scene special is the balance of three elements occurring at once. Behind the camera, the setting sun cast warm light onto the downtown buildings, illuminating their glass facades just as the full moon appeared above the city. For a few brief moments, the skyline sat perfectly between sunset and moonrise, connecting the end of one day with the beginning of the night. Capturing the photograph required careful planning, timing, and positioning, but the result reflects exactly what drew me to the scene: the intersection of architecture, natural light, and the rhythms of the landscape surrounding the city.

Figure walking a dog perfectly framed between the columns of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, illustrating the scale and symmetry of the landmark’s classical architecture.

Lower Broadway is one of Nashville’s most recognizable streets, where historic architecture, live music, and constant activity come together in a uniquely urban setting. I photographed this evening scene using a Pentax ME Super 35mm film camera loaded with Rollei RPX 400 film. The combination of black-and-white film and the fading evening light helped preserve the atmosphere of the street, from the illuminated storefronts to the historic building facades that define Broadway’s character.

Rollei RPX 400 handled the challenging lighting conditions well, retaining detail in both the bright signs and the darker shadows of the street. As an architectural photographer, I’m often drawn to how buildings shape the identity of a city, and Lower Broadway’s collection of historic commercial structures remains one of Nashville’s most iconic urban landscapes. This photograph captures a brief moment when the architecture, light, and activity of downtown Nashville all came together within a single frame.

The Franklin Theatre Marquee in Tennessee, photographed with a widelux panoramic film camera.

Nashville’s Parthenon shot on a Widelux 35mm panoramic camera with Ilford SFX Infrared 200 film

Two photos from Franklin Factory in Franklin TN. Shot on Widelux 35mm panoramic camera.

A Day To Remember on stage at Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Shot on Widelux 35mm panoramic camera with Cinestill 800T

A Day to Remember at Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Shot on Widelux 35mm panoramic camera.

The Dead South performing at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville TN. Shot on a Widelux panoramic film camera with Cinestill 800T.

The Dead South perform at the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville. Shot on a Widelux 35mm panoramic camera.

The Dead South on stage at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville TN.

Photographing the Ryman Auditorium with a standard 35mm frame wouldn’t capture its full essence. However, by using the Widelux camera, I was able to create a sweeping panoramic image that includes the stage, the upper balcony, and the stained glass at the back of the room.

Waiting for that decisive moment to swing the Widelux’s panoramic lens across this scene and capture the person walking centered under the downtown Nashville “Cashville” sign.

The now demolished old fire hall on Charlotte Ave, Nashville Tennessee.