Does This Make Me An Artist Or Something?

A while back I saw a sign at a subway station advertising Philly Photo Day. The promoters of this event, the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, invited anyone to take a picture -- with any device, whether the most sophisticated camera or just a cell phone pic -- anywhere within city limits on October 28th and submit it on their website. Then, they'd take every photo submitted and hold an exhibition. So on the day in question, as I went to and from work, I took a few photos. I then had to decide to submit one. Here are smaller versions of the photos I took. I took the first one shortly after I left the house, just after 7 am...

I snapped a quickie on the crowded bus...

...and another when I reached the El platform at Frankford Terminal...

This "parking lot" is on Allegheny Avenue just east of Broad Street. I took this on the way into work. I was considering submitting this one (only one per person was allowed).

I really wanted to get a picture of this in the morning (again, just near Broad and Allegheny) but I didn't have time to figure out the best view in the sun, as I didn't want to be late for work. By the end of the day the bright sunlight had gone (you might remember the next day it rained and snowed). Had I gotten a better picture of this I would have submitted it. This corner stands out because of the combination of the street name and the condition of the buildings. And many days I see the sign and think of this song.

This was taken on the crossover (from westbound platform to eastbound platform) of the El station at Kensington and Allegheny Avenues. The Center City skyline off in the distances gives me a so-near-and-yet-so-far feeling.

In the end, a different version of the above pic was the one I submitted. It makes the distant skyscrapers look more like they're inside a frame than behind a cage.

 

Do you think I chose the best picture? There's no prize for this (although you can buy prints of any of the pictures for $25.00, and if you buy mine I get a cut). Every photo submitted is going to be exhibited. I'm just curious. There's an opening reception on Thursday evening (see their website for info). I might go.

Oh, and since this is a photo post, here's the one I posted to Facebook and Twitter the other day, taken from the same location. It got a Facebook "like" from Conrad Benner, whose art/fashion/lots of other stuff blog Streets Dept. is one of my favorites. It's sort of like Annie Lennox complimenting me on my singing. :) Click on it for the full-size version.