Now and Ever
Tucked in the overgrowth of northern Tampa is an almost invisible forgotten bridge. Nearly covered in vines, bushes and trees, it was likely built in the 1930s or 40s, when most of these concrete sandbag bridges were put up. Its construction was certainly celebrated by neighbors who would have gathered to watch, knowing it would cut miles off daily travel or just make access to the other side of the canal a simple affair.
It wasn’t flashy but for decades it was a necessary local landmark for cars, trucks carrying goods and people.
But change came, the population grew, farms closed, new developments shifted traffic and little by little, the bridge fell out of use. No one tore it down - they just stopped needing it and eventually it was abandoned. And it never failed, it simply finished what it was built to do.Then nature moved in quietly and wrapped itself around it making it nearly impossible to cross anymore.
Today, it’s easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. But if you stand beside it you can almost hear the echos of what it once meant.---------
This shot did not come easy. We were staying at a hotel nearby, and for days I kept staring at this bridge, turning it over in my mind, waiting for the image to reveal itself. I walked around it, studied it, obsessed a little—but nothing clicked. Then, on our last night, I'm walking our dog Flo and finally I see the shot. But aaahhh! it's too late to do anything about it! The shot requires a sunset.
The next morning, we checked out and hit the road—we had another city to get to that evening. But as we drove, I couldn’t shake it. I told Nikki, “I’m gonna regret this if I don't give that photo a chance.” Without hesitation, she looked at me and said, “Then we’re staying another night.” So I spun the van around, heart pounding and excited, hoping there really was a shot.
That evening my main spotlight - that I'd charged and tested hours before - dies on me. I raced to the only nearby hardware store, getting there just before it closed and luckily they had a replacement. But after that glitch everything aligned - the light, the trees, the reflections, the beautiful dark blue sky - and Now and Ever was born.
"In none of his photos does Nuez exploit the obvious"
Montreal Gazette
"Seductive ... Nuez's photos do not leave one indifferent"
Ciel Variable - Contemporary Photography magazine
Light Paintings series
I sometimes fantasize that with the snap of a finger, I can escape reality ... in a moment, be transported to a dream world free of life's demands, a child's playground where magic exists and all is right with the world.My Light Paintings are that portal. Through them I can transcend reality and escape into these beautiful, vibrant yet peaceful realms.
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Although there is some digital manipulation in this series, the unusual lighting and surreal quality in the Light Painting series is achieved by using colored lights during long exposures. They are not digital effects.
