THE ARCH

It is the focus of all things in St. Louis, and for good reason. There it is just off the banks of the Mississippi, on a bluff that the city is built on. It is a simple design, used by the ancients, an arch. There is a park all around the base that stretches to each side and through downtown in the form of an esplanade. This boulevard has sculpture, gardens, fountains, playgrounds and walking paths with old business buildings and modern skyscrapers on each side.

The people watching at the Arch is great. Everyone has a camera. Just like us, folks from all nations are standing, sitting, lying on their backs to get the right angle, trying to get the whole thing in a single picture, adjusting the sun's angle. I really liked capturing the sleek stainless steel structure framing St. Louis Cathedral, built centuries before. Also am proud of the reflection in a nearby glass skyscraper. Watching the sun reflect in various angles could create a whole book of photos, as I'm sure someone has done.