Mike Busby Gallery - Electric Creativity

Bright lights, dramatic black and whites, and high contrast cityscapes are my thing, and there is nothing more rewarding than photographing a spectacular skyline. I started shooting cityscapes years ago to hone night photography skills, but new themes emerged, branched and became their own lines of exploration.    

Little Falls Dam - © 2015 Mike Busby

I shoot to a lot of city themes, but it was a recent reading that pulled everything together.  Vincent Mosco (2004) parallels the technological progression of the Internet with past technologies like electricity, the radio, television and the telephone.

Long Lake Dam - © 2015 Mike Busby

In its day, electricity was hailed as the technological solution to all of society’s ills. Electricity literally separated the light from the dark, and it was associated with civilization, knowledge, commerce, warmth and the future. Electricity was not a technology that served itself – it was a technology that served and inspired new ideas, innovation and technology.  Electricity is a powerful metaphor that still speaks to the optimistic future.

Nine Mile Dam, Spokane WA - © 2015 Mike Busby

It was winter, and I wanted something new to photograph. It dawned on me to start a portfolio that speaks to the sources of electricity.  It was a natural fit, as there are several dams on the Spokane River that are close to home.

Washington Water Power, Spokane WA - © 2015 Mike Busby

The images are presented as black and white because I like black and white, and because it was the best way to emphasize light from the dark. There’s a touch of a cool blue tone to images because I like a touch of blue tones to the black and whites. I also remember it being really cold for most of the images. 

Washington Water Power, Spokane WA - © 2015 Mike Busby

One final shot.

Up River Dam, Spokane Valley - © 2015 Mike Busby