Birmingham I

The huge sign, "Sweet Home Alabama" greeted me on Interstate 65 as I make my way to Birmingham, Alabama! But while on the Interstate, something else caught my eye...a h-u-g-e rocket! So I just had to get off at the next exit to see it. After finding a parking spot I find myself in front of a Saturn IB Launch Vehicle, which stands outside the Alabama Welcome Center in Elkmont, Alabama. I was definitely fascinated being this close to an actual rocket that went into space. Also on the premises of the welcome center were the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Alabama Korean War Memorial.

Minutes later, I arrived in Birmingham, checked into the Sheraton Hotel and went out to start shooting. While driving to the hotel, I saw Enzo Plazotta's "Vitruvian Man" sculpture outside the Medical Forum Building, so I went back to capture it. I've seen photos of this sculpture many times, but never saw it in person. From there I walk over to Uptown, a premier entertainment district of restaurants and bars, conveniently located in the downtown community. After walking through the park, I stopped to photograph the Alabama Sports Hall Of Fame and the statues out front. Next up, I photographed Paul Cordes Wilm's "Forging Ahead" statue outside the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and Legacy Arena. The Birmingham Museum of Art was next. There in the art concourse, I photographed the Mosaic murals and waterfalls, John Scott's "Target I" sculpture and Yaacov Agam's "Super Line Volume" sculpture. On the Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard side of the museum, I photographed more sculptures: Darius Hill's "Fiber" sculpture, Douglas Hollis' "Highback Windharp Chairs" sculpture and Sol LeWitt's "Vertical Number Five" sculpture.

After a quick walk to the hotel, I head into Linn Park. While in Linn Park, I spot Ronald McDowell's statue of Nina Miglionico and Branko Medenica's statue of Charles Linn, the man for whom the park is named after. I passed the Eternal Flame Of Freedom while walking across the street to City Hall. I also photographed a pretty cool abstract statue on the side of the building. While walking through downtown, I noticed many Birmingham Civil Rights Heritage Trail markers, and photographed as many as I could. The markers detailed the history that took place at the point the marker is placed. After spending too much time in Linn Park, I start heading back towards the hotel. In my sight were the Historical Boutwell Municipal Auditorium, Alabama School of Fine Arts, The old Greyhound Bus Station, Birmingham Fire And Rescue Service, Linn-Henley Research Library, Birmingham Board Of Education building, Birmingham Public Library and the Jefferson County Courthouse. After waving to a Jefferson County Sheriff, who blew his horn as he drove by, at the Mel Bailey Criminal Justice Center was Branko Medenica's "Centurion-Jus Fides Libertatum" statue, a memorial dedicated to law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.