Werner bracing for a slow exposure 32 stories over Minneapolis on the Foshay Observation Deck.

Last weekend I ventured on a Minneapolis Photo safari with Diane, Werner and Rob. Diane was the one that came up with the location — the observation deck of the 447 foot-tall 1929 Foshay Tower. The tower has an interesting history. It was completed just months before the 1929 stock market crash and had (according to Wikipedia) a fantastic dedication ceremony:

Foshay invited 25,000 guests to the dedication ceremony and provided all-expenses paid trips to many who included cabinet members, senators and congressmen. Half nude dancers entertained. Each guest received a gold pocket watch. The military gave 19-gun salutes. John Philip Sousa conducted music, including “Foshay Tower-Washington Memorial March” a march he wrote for the occasion. Foshay presented Sousa with a check for US$20,000.

But Sousa’s check bounced and soon after the building went to the creditors and poor Wilbur Foshay landed in jail and never was able to live in the apartment he built for himself on the 28th and 29th floors.

The tower held the record until the IDS Center was built in the 1970s. It eventually fell into disrepair and it disappeared from the public consciousness as other buildings surrounded it and hid it from view.

In 2006 it was purchased by local investors and everyone but Keys Cafe moved out as the building was converted into a W Hotel. On August 13th of 2008 the W opened with a museum on the 30th floor that leads to the 32nd floor observation deck.

Shooting the city from above at night is pretty fascinating, there are so many lights of varying color and the glass buildings offer fantastic reflections (see above). You might recognize the parking lot in the lower right corner.

We arrived at the tower around 6:30 just in time to watch the sun set. I’m planning on going back soon, it was a lot of fun. If you’d like to join me, let me know.

Here’s a photomontage of my adventures Thursday Night in Downtown St. Paul during the Republican Convention. The oddest thing about the experience was that despite the apparent tension expressed in the photos, everyone was really calm and civil. It was just a few agitators that made it a problem. The cops were really cool about everything and not antagonistic at all. I was joined by Snapshutter and Slinger. Check out their sites, they have some great photos and Slinger has a full account of our day, so I don’t have to repeat it. Thanks guys, I had a great time! My only regret at the end of the day was that we didn’t go back to check out the protesters one more time before we left. Now I’m glad we didn’t the police got sick of them at around nine. They were driven into the Sears parking lot and arrested. I didn’t get and photos of that, but I did get to sleep in my own bed.

That’s OK, I didn’t want to go that way anyhow. Really.

Key kids, stay in the museum, reality is just too interesting right now.

Which one of these guys should we Taze? Should I take a poll?

Note the riot cops on the left.

A Snow Plow in the summer. Huh. I wonder what else you can get off a bridge besides snow with one of these?

I wonder where this guy stands on the issues…

I don’t think he was born in the US, maybe he should try the Senate.

During the speech, Chris Matthews takes a break for dinner.

In spite of all the crazies, out-of-town trouble-makers and the invasion of the National Spotlight, St. Paul is still a beautiful place. Maybe we should invite all of them back in February for the Winter Carnival and show them how we have fun?

Friday night was the last night before the RNC Republican National Convention begins to rev up, so I went down to walk around and see all the ruckus. This photo is from the MSNBC set in the middle of Rice Park. It’s pretty cool to be able to walk around a production like this, it’s the count down to The Countdown…

This photo shows the crews setting up the security fence around the Excel Energy Center. It’s exciting to have the national stage for a week, but all the protesters are going to be out in force as well. These fences are pretty scary; I think they’re brand new. Hopefully I can get down to the show next week and catch some Denver-style protesters.

Fox News has the corner lot right in front front of the Excel Center at 7th and Kellog. I talked to the security guards and they said that there’s not much going on Saturday morning, but that they would be broadcasting Sunday AM and real early every day next week. Check out the megatron on wheels! That giant screen folds in half and lowers down onto the truck. Cool toy.

I made the jump to lightspeed last night and man, does my head hurt.

ISO 1600, F3.5 1/2 sec. That’s right, the human tripod strikes again! Hand-held shot of the jump to lightspeed at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Today’s the last day of the Star Wars Exhibit and if you haven’t been there, you gotta go! It’s the last day!

They’ve got the hero models of the X-wing and the Millennium Falcon as well as several other ships; costumes and weapons spanning all six movies. Oh yeah, that shot above of the x-wing? 1/5 sec. Hand-held. Yep, human tripod.

Whadda you lookin’ at?

Professional Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow shares daily photos of the city he loves. Exploring Minneapolis through Photography while teaching composition and techniques.

The new Twins Stadium construction OVER I-394. Yep, this whole thing spans over the interstate, railroad tracks, a bike trail and probably the new light rail tracks. This whole area is a snaggle of bridges and parking lots. The location is obvious when you look at an areal view, but from the ground it’s a terrifying location to build anything on. Oh yeah, the basketball stadium is across the street and on the opposite side is the recycling & incineration plant.

I took this photo from the middle of an overpass with no sidewalk.

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow presents daily photos of Minneapolis. Cityscapes, People & Perspectives: Mitch explains composition and techniques.

For your High Lo’s, hop on over to the site of the new Guthrie Theater and look up.

I’m itching to get back there, I took this when I was down to see the bridge with my friend Chris. We stopped by to visit his sister-in-law Amy who sells yummy shortbread and scones at the open-air market there. She said that in the morning, the shadow of the sign hits a red wall behind it in a way that all you can see are the two letters ‘ME.’

Minneapolis Photographer Mitch Rossow’s daily photos of Minneapolis and the Twin Cities.

Fireworks over Saint Paul.