• The needle top of the "old" John Hancock building. It flashes as follows:

    " Steady blue, clear view.
    Flashing blue, clouds due.
    Steady red, rain ahead.
    Flashing red, snow instead.    "
  • The "new" John Hancock Tower, currently the tallest skyscraper in Boston. It was built actually in the 1970's, but called "new" here to differentiate it from the nearby "older" John Hancock building.
  • The Post-Modern "500 Boylston Street" building.
  • The Prudential Tower, also called simply as "The Pru", a part of a complex of buildings in the Prudential Center area where you may shop and dine. The Prudential Center also includes many high rise residential and office buildings, and more under construction.
  • The "111 Huntington Avenue" is one of Boston's newest skyscrapers, adjacent to "The Pru" and is part of the Prudential Center. Its glass exterior serves as a good reflecting area for the fireworks during the 4th of July celebrations extravanganza in Boston.
  • The Sheraton hotel.
  • Row boats, near the MIT boathouse located in the Cambridge side of Charles River.

WinterNight 2007: Boston CityScape

A cold Winter Night
Back Bay, Boston, MA, USA

View of the Back Bay area at night from across the Charles River, Memorial Drive near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Boathouse in Cambridge.

The major landmarks in the Back Bay area are noted in the image, including the "newer" John Hancock Tower & the "older" John Hancock building (visit the John Hancock Tower set for more images of this landmark Tower viewed from different parts of MetroBoston), The Prudential Tower, 500 Boylston Street, 111 Huntington Avenue, and more.

The small boats on the foreground were on the Cambridge side of the Charles River which is just slightly less than a mile wide at this vantage. The two-level river and dark band shown in the glassy river indicates the boundary where the frozen icy portion still was evident.

This was taken a week after the Noreaster on Valentines Day 2007 and a day just before mild snow dusting we had yesterday. In the other shots it should be possible to see the remains of the previous mild "snowstorm", at least for Boston.

It was supposed to be a mildly warm night (for Winter) at just below freezing but the breeze from Charles River could cause frostbite.

This was my first time to try night photography to explore the potential of my ultrawide Tokina 12-24mm. I still do not know what I am doing but I decided to plunge ahead using the Manual priority mode.

N.B.
The image was uncropped. Except for "unsharp image" and the automated resizing and "screen image optimization" to reduce the diskspace usage, no further image manipulation was done.

Comments and faves

  1. ★

    scubapup, Christopher C. Smith, Jazmin Million, Merly *Sunflower* Busy *on and off*, and 226 other people added this photo to their favorites.

  2. scubapup (76 months ago | reply)

    excellent night shot!

  3. Pear Biter (76 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful shot! You're brave shooting on such a cold night! Nice job smoothing out the wind too.

    --
    Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)

  4. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Lenny, my trial and error shots for my Tokina. In time, I hope to get as good pics as yours. I have yet to learn how to deal with the "green" tinge caused by fluourescent light (in other pics)

    Thanks Eric. You are more brave than I was. I did not do any shoot at all for a week after the Noreaster because it was so cold. [I saw just now some of your pics during that week.] I did not expect it to be as cold when I took the series of pics for this, but you are correct, it was cold, I had the beginnings of frost burns. Today and tonight (20070223) were even much colder because of the wind, even in Copley and Park St., so I had to stop and did some indoors.

    I still do not have your mastery of night shots, as I have seen in your previous. My colors are still iffy.

    Cornelio

  5. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fav of this image, Lenny, Chris and Jazmin. I am glad you like it.

  6. Merly *Sunflower* Busy *on and off* (76 months ago | reply)

    Excellent and beautiful shot cornelio!

    I don't know and haven't spend much time taking night shot! :D Tonight would have been great shot here in Calif, especially after the rain. Its a perfect clear night!

  7. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave and for liking this shot, Merly. It is my first major outdoor night shot using the Tokina 12-24mm. I still have a lot to learn. LA should have so many interesting areas to take night shots and not as cold as Boston. -- Cornelio

  8. moemoechi (76 months ago | reply)

    i love this so beautiful and romantic

  9. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave Moemoechi. I am surprised it turned out well. I have more images of the area but will place most of them in an informational site -- both for local community building as well as help visitors know Boston more intimately, and not just the touristy places -- so that people could enjoy their visit. Eventually with the help of other locals the site will share some of the many good things, including freebies that Metro Boston has to offer. I wish when I visit other places, there are such informational redources without such internet site being too commercial. -- Cornelio

  10. acemarc (76 months ago | reply)

    What can I say cornelio....ang galing nito!

    Ganda rin pala sa Boston :)

  11. shoothead (76 months ago | reply)

    Well done. If you even need company doing night shots of Boston shoot me an email.

    -lee

  12. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave, kjspics.

    Ace,
    I am glad you like it. I still have a lot to learn, about composition. Overall, I still prefer your images, over mine.

    Lee,
    Coming from more experienced people like you, the compliment feels good. Overall, from what I have seen so far, your images are superb compared to any of mine.

    Thanks for the invitation for joint evening shoot. Let me learn more how to use my camera before I embarass myself too much. I am really new about this -- I do not know my camera yet. Too many buttons and features. Perhaps over the summer. when it is no longer freezing cold, I will take you on your offer. By the way, is there a group in Boston that meets up sometimes, for shoot out?

    Cornelio

  13. *AgL* (76 months ago | reply)

    Very very nice sir. The power of utra wide lense!!

  14. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks AgL.

    I found out today that it is better suited also for very tight situations when I shoot images in museums. It seems, because it is very heavy, I have better stability so I could handhold shoot (no tripod because it is not allowed in museums here) and still get decent pics. It is still soft when viewed at actual size but generally OK.

    Cornelio

  15. montblanc4 (76 months ago | reply)

    Nice picture!!

  16. Andrei Martin (76 months ago | reply)

    i love this picture. of all sights, my fave is city lights. :) great job!

  17. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks paspolc and Andrei,

    Indeed city lights fascinate me. We still have some old pubs or shops here with Neon lights. An ad of CITGO, in the Kenmore area, using Neon lights, was declared a landmark here in Boston.

    Cornelio

  18. Farl (76 months ago | reply)

    the colors almost remind me of exotic tropical hues

  19. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave and for liking the image Farl. It is the height of Winter though, although it gets cold (below freezing) and warm (near freezing) like a rollercoaster.

  20. diamonds_in_the_soles_of_her_shoes (76 months ago | reply)

    Lovely reflections !

  21. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Diamonds. I always love looking at it whenever I take the train and pass by the Longfellow bridge crossing the Charles River. Somehow, the day I took this, it led me farther away from the bridge closer to the MIT area.

    Cornelio

  22. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Rem (rembcc) for the fave.

  23. wilmack (76 months ago | reply)

    wow! great shot and reflection!
    A Big FaveA Big Fave
    You are invited to add this image to www.flickr.com/groups/bigfave
    Please tag this photo with ABigFave when you add it to the pool.

  24. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    I am glad you like it Wilmack, and thanks for the fave.

  25. maraus (76 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful night shot!

  26. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks Mario, for the fave and for appreciating this image. The green parkway that lines both sides of the Charles River, is one of the reasons why I feel in love with Boston, when I first saw it.

  27. sweetsexything (76 months ago | reply)

    power reflection shot! great nightshot cornelio!

  28. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave, Jenny. This one is among the first night shots I have done with my Tokina 12-24mm lens. I did not know what I was doing here yet, like how to use the White Balance control, when I shot this and the other ones in this series***. As it turned out, not making any balance correction, sometimes create some desirable effects, as was done here. I exploited that in the "A Tale of Two Bridges" experimental (learning) shots (also 2 & 3), where I did correct for the incandescent light but not for the fluorescent light in a mixed lighting situation.

    Come Summer, I should have more time to experiment with night shots.

    Cornelio
    _________

    ***Most of them I may show in the Boston webpage that I am going to create, much like the Likas-Philippines webpage.

  29. TOLZ (76 months ago | reply)

    i like the reflection on this one..very nice cityscape shot bro!

  30. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave TOLZ, and for liking this photo. The Backbay area is one of my favorite places in Boston. I spent quite a lot of time there because the main Boston Public Library is in Copley Square. The library has a good archive about the Philippines. In fact, it has a section devoted exclusively about the Philippines. I planned to digitize some of them in the future, to include in the Likas-Philippines. Just so many things to do.

  31. cgc0202 (76 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the visiting and the fav, Captain James T Kirk.

  32. cgc0202 (75 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave Henry. I am glad you like it.

  33. David Wilmot (75 months ago | reply)

    Love the columns of light across the water.

  34. cgc0202 (75 months ago | reply)

    Thanks David for the fave and for admiring this image. Both day and night, the skyline of the Back Bay area is one of the most distinctive features of Boston. For some reason, many have been promoting the Zakim Bridge.

  35. amydumlao (75 months ago | reply)

    Hi, I'm an admin for the
    WGBH Essentials Flickr Group    , and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

  36. cgc0202 (75 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for visiting Amy. I included this in your group.

  37. Michelle Lyles (74 months ago | reply)

    Fantastic night shot, Cornelio!

    --
    Seen in your Discover MetroBoston set.

  38. cgc0202 (74 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave, adr3988.

    Thanks for visiting and the fave Michelle.

    I have not had a chance to go out and photograph the city lately, because I have been so busy with the Likas-Philipppines -- so many things to do. I will try to go out next week, and during the weekend to welcome Spring in Boston.

    Cornelio

  39. skypecaptain (72 months ago | reply)

    Impressive work
    :-)

  40. cgc0202 (72 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for visiting Skype, and the fave. I was surprised actually that this turned up well, since it was my first night shot using my Tokina. You have much better work than I do. So, many explored stuff.

    Cornelio

  41. cgc0202 (70 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the fave, Tom (Aragon11). Sorry for the late response.... so busy.

    -- Cornelio

  42. rocailleantiques [deleted] (69 months ago | reply)

    Very Beautiful, as are ALL of your photos of Boston...... I was born and raised here in Atlanta, but I love Boston, and I get there every chance I get, about 4 times a year..... After seeing your beautiful photos, I am seriously thinking about looking for an apartment there and makeing the move! It is a beautiful City!

  43. nablavo (69 months ago | reply)

    Great Picture

  44. cgc0202 (69 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the comments and the fave, rocailleantiques. Yeah, you will like Boston. I have been and lived in many cities in the US. Boston remains one of my favorites.

    Thanks, nablavo.

    Cornelio

  45. cgc0202 (68 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for visiting and the fave lifeleftbehind and worstdecember. Cornelio

  46. StarrGazr (67 months ago | reply)

    Beautiful photo! I have it's twin. I love the colour and tones of yours. Great exposure.

  47. cgc0202 (66 months ago | reply)

    Thanks for the lovely comment StarrGazr. I did see your too. Sorry for the delay in responding. I was out of town.

    Thanks also for the fave from scubapup, Chris Wilder-Smith, Jazmin$Million, merlysunflower, moemoechi, kjspics, Farl, rembcc, wilmack, boet49, sweetsexything, TOLZ, Captain James T Kirk, Henry_UY, David Wilmot, Michelle Lyles, oncle.oswald, gugahh, The Wandering Angel, skypecaptain, mattwd87, rhino100604, Takato Akiyama, heatherparker, lifeleftbehind, worstdecember, michaeL likes the talking pictures...,, miguelão, Matheus D., hutch200120, lovechild2111 and all the others who like this.

    It was worth the three hours then that I spent that freezing and night.

    A Merry Christmas to you all and I hope we shall have a good year to look forward to.

    Cornelio

  48. Alyssa Almeida (66 months ago | reply)

    gorgeous. i love boston!

  49. heylorenn (65 months ago | reply)

    Absolutely amazing.
    Boston is all around amazing as well :)

  50. Matheus D. (65 months ago | reply)

    You're welcome, Cornelio ! Actually, I'm going to travel to Cambridge, MA and stay there for a month (this February) to study english. Is it very cold in February ? What are the main places to take pictures of ? I've never been to Boston/Cambridge/MA, before.

    Ah, btw, I'm from Brazil. Any help will be warmly welcomed :)
    Cheers !

  51. Brian Matiash [deleted] (65 months ago | reply)

    Excellent lighting and reflection. There is a nice gradient in the sky, as well.

    --
    [discovered in the photophlow welcome room] (?)

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