Urban Balance

The balances and photos here resulted from an unplanned stroll through Denver yesterday.  Circumstances had me in Denver with backpack and camera.. so I decided to explore for interesting urban rock beds… found different shapes, sizes, colors… One awesome thing about Colorado, is that most cities and towns love a rock bed aesthetic.. If it’s public space, green light. Depending on sizes, arrangements, and locations I choose whether they’re generally safe to leave up..  but normally I feel removal is necessary and respectful.. Though, in a big urban setting the balances are almost like temporary graffiti.. (didn’t say that ;) I neither support nor reject the notion of urban stacking. either way, safety for others must be the first concern.

I enjoyed the experience greatly… Changing pattern is a perfect way to relieve the mind of over-thinking. Do something new. Go somewhere else. engage and flow with whatever turn you take. The day and altered routine yielded a strong feeling of having done something productive with my day… Many balances, Many pictures, hanging outside with a friend… beautiful January afternoon in Denver, Colorado. :)

Some people looked at me a little bit weird, not knowing exactly what I was up to… but most people who caught me with a finished balance along their downtown stroll commented and/or smiled… :)

Each location had a unique mix of rock sizes, shapes, and colors…

Down by the river, the rocks were generally darker in color, more jagged and seemed as if they had been melted at some point in the past.. the funky shaped rock; the large one on top in the river picture, is an example.

Each unique setting inspired a unique arrangement, generally governed by size, shape, and color varieties… Another interesting element throughout the day was working in relation to the changing sun position.  one of the balances in here I left standing all day due to size and location… It was the balance I photographed first and last of the day… I was actually surprised to see it still standing on my return back to “base”… but the dramatic change in light yielded some nice angles, unique to each moment.