Today’s #FriFotos is supposed to be a Wedding theme, but since my #FriFotos are to be taken through my cell phone, at least for now, I couldn’t stick to the theme, so I’m doing my own thing anyway.

My Mother and I work for the same company in Downtown Tampa, I barely see her at work or home so for the past two weeks since we’ve moved offices I have been walking with her. We have found quite a lot of awesome places around Tampa that I never knew existed. I have lived her for 16 years and have never really taken the time to explore the city to the extent that I have lately. We decided the place today was the Primos Prime cafe located in the South Regional parking garage complex. The food was ok, not anything to ramble about. But the setting was nice.

During these walks I’ve also been scouting locations for some upcoming photo shoots… We were walking toward a park when I spotted this beauty on a run down looking building that houses a Dominoes Pizza off of Tyler and Tampa Streets. I had it in my head that it was the perfect colorful item for todays #Frifotos

Enjoy your weekend folks, be safe, and celebrate and early CINCO DE MAYO!

I have always wanted to go on a cruise. I love boats and being on the water although I don’t have many chanced to do either, and I live in Florida… Go figure.

When my office was still located on the infamous Davis Islands in Tampa Florida, I could look outside any window on our penthouse office suite and see the cruise ships leaving, the distinctive Carnival whale tale smoke stacks leaving a faint bit of marine diesel in the sky as they gently floated like a giant down the small Sparkman Channel, Between Davis and Harbor Islands and into Tampa Bay waterways; headed toward the Skyway bridge which would take nearly an hour to reach, then full speed ahead into the Gulf of Mexico.

This ship was late the sun would soon be setting, as she floated past me in the Cut “D” channel corridor, I stood at the very edge of Davis Island to snap this photo. I waited for the right angle, the right moment to capture the expanse of the ship in the phones tiny screen.
As I watched the ship float by with its live bands, whoops, hollers and shouting… I thought to myself “One day, I will enjoy a cruise…”

It may not be soon… But, one day.

Todays Friday Photos topic is “Monuments”. Then why do I have a payphone as todays photo? Well… It’s simple, Payphones were monumental to communication, they used to be EVERYWHERE. Now, it’s a rarity to see one.. In fact this is the only payphone I have seen around the Tampa area for 3 years. At a dingy gas station, on the other side of Interstate 4 from the ghetto. Surprisingly, it still works too.

Now, I know what you may be thinking.. “A Payphone is not a monument.” Well, I beg to differ. According to Definitions a monument is defined as the following:

mon·u·ment  (mny-mnt)

How is a pay phone not a monument to human society and communication. While the telephone brought the expansion to social communications there is hardly action/crime movie, or TV show dated in the 60s 70s and 80s that didn’t use a pay phone at some point. We all used to see them and know exactly how they worked, and all teenagers have attempted to connect to that elusive 1-900-****-me  line.
I strongly feel a payphone is a monument, as it was a past staple to humanity. They still exist all over the world but are a dying breed, they were easily forgotten, and are readily replaced with cellular technology in our new age. You may, or may not agree but this simple photo of a pay phone, which has battled rain, wind, sand, filth, crime, and technology, sits still as a monument and example of how Alexander Graham-Bell changed communication for the world.