Author: Bill

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Indian River Bridge at Twilight Panorama

Four styles of this popular photograph are now available in a 2:1 panorama ratio.

I’ve had requests for a more-panorama-shape of one of my most popular photographs of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. So I made a “regular” Panorama (2:1 ratio) and three additional presentations. Might you be interested in any of these please let me know. If so, which one? Leave a response in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Indian River Bridge Panorama Photograph Assortment
Indian River Inlet Bridge at Twilight Panorama Photograph in Four Presentations.

The Charles W. Cullen Bridge is the official name of this beautiful example of cable-stayed suspension bridge architecture. The Indian River Inlet Bridge carries coastal traffic on Route 1 across the Indian River Inlet just north of Bethany Beach Delaware.

This beautiful structure is sight to behold at any time of day or night. However, twilight, the transition between day and night, brings out the spectacular color of the bridge, the water and the sky – all in shades of blue – at this magical time.

The Indian River inlet joins the Rehoboth Bay and the Indian River Bay with the Atlantic Ocean. The Indian River Bridge over the inlet allows traffic to flow north and south along “Coastal Highway” (Route 1), connecting several beach resort towns from Ocean City in Maryland to Rehoboth Beach and Lewes in Delaware.

The Delaware Seashore State Park facilities on both the north and south sides of the Indian River Inlet and along the shore of the Indian River Bay attract thousands or people, who can enjoy sights like this, all year ’round. The area, just north of Bethany Beach, DE boasts campgrounds, a large marina, fishing and, of course, a well-maintained and guarded (in season) beach on the Atlantic Ocean.

Indian River Inlet Bridge Twilight Reflection
The original “best selling” print: Indian River Inlet Bridge Twilight Reflection

Charles W. Cullen Bridge – Dedicated 2012

Indian River Bridge Dedication Plaque
Dedication Plaque on the Indian River Bridge Pedestrian Walkway

This bridge is named in honor and remembrance of Charles West Cullen, 1865-1948, a man who dedicated his life to public service and the the citizens of Delaware. Between 1930 and 1940, he served on the State Highway Commission, eventually being elevated to Chairman of the Commission from 1938-1939. While he was Chairman, work was started on a new bridge to span the Indian River Inlet. In recognition for his service on the Commission, the bridge was dedicated on May 18, 1940, in his name for his advocacy for the proper opening of the inlet and the internal development of the Indian River. Two additional bridges bearing his name have spanned the inlet since that time. This, the fifth bridge to span the inlet waterway, is was also dedicated in his name. (Paraphrased from the bridge dedication plaque.)

Use the links below to browse or shop more of Bill’s photographs of the Indian River Inlet Bridge.

Link to: Bill’s Indian River Inlet Bridge Collection, including the four panoramas above.

Link to: Panorama Wall Art Print

Link to: Simulated Charcoal Print

Link to: Dramatic Black & White Print

Link to: Abstract Expressionism Print

Link to: Bill’s full Gallery at Pixels/FineArtAmerica

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National Lighthouse Day is August 7th

Celebrating the commissioning of the first Federal Lighthouse…

It was on the Seventh Day of August in 1789 that Congress approved an Act for the establishment and support of lighthouse, beacons, buoys and public piers. In Celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the signing of the Act and the commissioning of the first Federal lighthouse, in 1989 Congress passed a resolution which designated August 7 as National Lighthouse Day.

Collection of Lighthouses by Bill Swartwout Photography
Collection of Lighthouse Photographs by Bill Swartwout Photography

The Lighthouse Act of 1789 was approved by Congress, ensuring the upkeep and repair of Lighthouses, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers “shall be defrayed out of the treasury of the United States.”

National Lighthouse Day was first celebrated 200 years later when President Ronald Reagan signed Senate Judiciary Resolution 306 of the 100th Congress into law.

I have several lighthouse photographs available on a variety of substrates (Prints, Canvas, Metal, Acrylic, Matted & Framed) in my Gallery at Pictorem. These are all available with Free Ground Shipping throughout the United States and Canada.

Shopping Link: https://www.pictorem.com/gallery/Bill.Swartwout.Photography?keyword=Lighthouse

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Certificate of Authenticity at my Pictorem Gallery

Certificates of Authenticity show collectors/buyers that the work purchased is authentic and valuable.

A valid certificate, created for each product produced, will assure you this is an authorized and quality piece produced by a bonified production partner of Bill Swartwout Photography/US Pictures. This will give you reassurance that the piece you receive is not from some bogus Internet “scraper” or copyright-theft website.

Certificate of Authenticity at Pictorem
Certificate of Authenticity for Photographs by Bill Swartwout Photography.

Each certificate of authenticity is completed by hand & identified by a unique traceable number with an hologram. The COA will be inserted at the back of your artwork or within your package if you order a paper print.

These are currently offered only through my Gallery Store at Pictorem. My Fine Art America Gallery Store is, of course, also authorized to produce my photographs on their wall art and decor products but they do not offer a Certificate of authenticity.

Link to: Bill’s Art Gallery at Pictorem

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Sunflower Power

Nearly everyone loves sunflowers, the most popular flowers of summer.

The sunflower stands tall to meet the rays of the midday sun – it stands tall and reaches high into the sky. Golden hues of sunshine are reflected in the petals, making this wonderful yellow bloom among the most popular flowers of summer.

sunflower images college
College of Sunflower Photographs from the Bill Swartwout Photography Gallery.

A field of bright yellow sunflowers is one of summer’s most popular sights and with good reason. These cheerful, cheerful flowers are easy to grow, requiring only a sunny spot to thrive. Sunflowers are also easy to customize for any occasion: add stakes or wire for height, use in bouquets, or leave them out as the centerpiece on your kitchen table. Did you know the the flower petals within a sunflower’s cluster are usually in a a spiral pattern?

Sunflower Field near Roxanna Delaware
Field of Sunflowers near Roxanna, Delaware
sunflower with bee gathering nectar
Even the bees love sunflowers – for their sweet nectar.

Sunflowers are usually yellow or orange. They can also be red or white, but yellow is the most common color for sunflowers. The petals on each flower all face one direction, making the sunflower look like a bright disc when it faces the sun. Sunflowers are native to North America and were first cultivated by Native Americans.

What’s not to love about sunflowers? They’re bright and cheerful, they grow in fields and on farms, and they are the most popular flowers of summer.

In fact, sunflowers have been grown for thousands of years—and they weren’t even originally intended to be flowers! They were actually used as a food source by Native Americans. The seeds were ground into flour or roasted like popcorn. Every 100 pounds of sunflower seeds yields about 40 pounds of oil, 35 pounds of high-protein meal and 20 to 25 pounds of other by-products.

Sunflowers are native to North America, but now grow all over the world. They have become an important part of many cultures around the globe, including China, Africa and South America. When Europeans got their hands on the plant it quickly became one of their favorite things to grow in their gardens.

Heliotropism – a plant’s propensity to face, and follow, the sun…

A young sunflower has a supple stem that responds to the sun. The flower will follow the sun from its rising in the east to setting in the west. Over night the stem will tend to grow more on the west side – from the “afternoon sun” and will make the head swivel back toward the east. This repeats every day for a part of the plant’s growth cycle. But as the plant matures and the head becomes laden with seeds and quite heavy, it can no longer swivel during the day. Therefore the older, larger and mature sunflowers tend to face east – toward the rising sun – and stay that way until the harvest.

Use the links below to browse or shop more of Bill’s photographs of Sunflowers and other Flora .

Link to: Sunflower Collection

Link to: Bill’s Flora Collection

Link to: Bill’s full Gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels

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The Most Popular Photographs at Bill Swartwout Photography.

After many years with Fine Art America here are the overall favorites at Bill’s USPictures Gallery.

I first joined Fine Art America/Pixels in late 2013 and with over 500 sales to date, here are some of the most popular photographs based on a mixture of sales, number of views, number of comments and people who have “favorited” and/or “liked” what they saw. Sales, however, are among the most prominent criteria. Each of the images below have been purchased more than twice, with some of them having been purchased more than a dozen times each.
Link to: Bill Swartwout Photography’s Gallery.

Bill Swartwout Photography Montage
Montage of Bill Swartwout Photography’s Most Popular Images.

Is that my own arrangement of “popular” pieces? No, it is not. Fine Art America, one of my two main production companies, changed the selection algorithm, based on company criteria, for the image display order. It used to be solely up to the artist to determine the initial order and I formerly let the display order default to my most recent uploads. It remains that way in most of my separate collections. However, the change in general display order has had a positive impact on people viewing my gallery – they tend to browse longer and look at more photographs. I am also seeing an uptick in sales, which, of course, is a good thing.

I bill myself (yes, pun intended) as a landscape/seascape photographer, but it is easy to see that my seascapes win out over the landscape category. While I have sold something from each of the many collections in my FAA/Pixels private gallery, my most popular collections are of the Indian River Inlet Bridge, Ocean City Maryland and Delmarva Peninsula Beauty. I am fortunate in that I live in coastal Delmarva (exactly two miles from the Atlantic Ocean) and in close proximity to both Ocean City, Maryland and The Indian River Inlet Bridge just north of Bethany Beach, Delaware.

I also live within a short drive to the Assateague Island National Seashore and the Wild Ponies of Assateague Island. My former home was in Baltimore, Maryland very close to Fort McHenry. These special places also give prominence to other collections relating to those destinations/topics – and have produced photographs purchased by many art collectors.

Thank You!

I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported my art over all of these years. Y’all rock!

Link to: Bill Swartwout Photography’s Gallery.

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Two Flags over Fort McHenry Wall Art

This unique photograph speaks of American History and Patriotism.

So, why are there two American Flags in this photograph? Few people know this, but you can actually fly your own flag over Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. You can either bring your own American Flag or buy one in the gift shop and take it to a Park Ranger in the fort. He or she will hoist your flag up the historic flagpole (may even let you help) and you can see your own flag flying over Fort McHenry. The Visitor Center staff will then give you a certificate to certify that your flag was flown over Fort McHenry.

two flags over fort mchenry baltimore
Two Flags Over Fort McHenry in Baltimore

It was at this revered place that American soldiers defended our young country against the British fleet during the War of 1812. This final battle took place on September 13-14, 1814 and marked one of the culminating battles of the war.

During that overnight battle is when Francis Scott Key penned his poem entitled “The Star Spangled Banner.” That poem was eventually adopted by President Woodrow Wilson as the standard National Anthem of the United States. But it wasn’t until 1929 that “House Resolution 14” was enacted by Congress naming “The Start Spangled Banner” as the official National Anthem of the United States of America.

Use the links below to browse or shop more of Bill’s photographs of Fort McHenry and the American Flag.

Link to: Two Flags over Fort McHenry

Link to: Bill’s Fort McHenry Collection

Link to: Bill’s full Gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels

fort mchenry with baltimore in the background
Fort McHenry with the City of Baltimore in the Background.
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Delmarva Farm Scene in Black and White or Color

This Delmarva Grain Elevator received positive comments in both presentations, color and B&W.

How does one choose which presentation to publish to one’s online gallery? Why, ask your followers on Social Media, of course – specifically on Facebook.

delmarve grain elevator in color
Delmarva Grain Elevator in Color

The steel-gray color of the sky seems to emulate the steel-color of the silos and transfer screws of this grain elevator on a Maryland farm. When asking friends and followers a piece of art, one must have a thick skin because some of the responses my be quite critical. Fortunately, most in this survey were complimentary.

delmarva grain elevator black and white
Delmarva Grain Elevator in Black and White

This was the question – simple and straightforward:

  • Does this work better in Color or in B&W? (It was also identified as a Delmarva Grain Elevator – photographed on 06/18/22.)

Here is a list of 18 unmodified responses – in the order received:

  • The color shot is FANTASTIC. !
  • Color. Love it.
  • I like the touch of blue in the color version.
  • Love the color with the blue sky peeking through.
  • Black and white photography for me, as your subject is mostly monochromatic and lends itself to that medium. The color version almost takes on a selective coloring look to it. But you should always go with what your vision is for the piece, speaking from your heArt.
  • Color wins…
  • I personally like the B&W more but it seems that the darkness of the clouds goes away in the above B&W version. I still like the second/B&W version more but would make it a bit darker.
  • I like the color shot.
  • Color for sure!
  • Both great. BW for me.
  • Color shot!
  • Black and white, more dramatic.
  • B & W
  • Rather ominous in BE. Pop of blue in color is interesting but overall BW
  • B&W
  • I like the black and white due to the detailed shown on the structure of the grain silos and transfer screws.
  • I’m usually a black and white fan but for this one I’ll go with color.
  • Just enough color in the sky enhances it…my opinion! Great picture!

The overall result is 10 prefer the color presentation and 8 prefer the black and white. While the color version appears to have won the poll, the margin is small, and I would not like to disappoint the 44% of my responders who chose the black and white version of my Delmarva Grain Elevator photograph – so I have uploaded BOTH versions to my online galleries.

Choose a link below to get a better look at YOUR choice…

Shop: Color version of Delmarva Grain Elevator

Shop: B&W version of Delmarva Grain Elevator

Shop: The Farm Collection in Bill’s Gallery

Shop: Bill’s Full Gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels

The chicken is in the heart of Delmarva.

The Delmarva Peninsula – home to a wide variety of grains, vegetables and livestock – has a long history of farming, but in the 1950s the peninsula began to focus on its poultry industry. Today, Delmarva is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the nation; it is also one of the largest chicken-producing regions in the world. The mainstay diet of a chicken is corn, followed by soybeans, wheat and to a lesser extent, other crops.

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Protecting the Dunes at Bethany Beach, Delaware

Dunes grasses and fencing are important to our coastal ecosystem.

A sea of grass and sand dunes extend out to the Atlantic Ocean at Bethany Beach in Sussex County, Delaware. This photograph, captured along a beach pathway at Bethany Beach, Delaware, highlights the importance of healthy dune grasses and fence to our coastal ecosystem. These beach grasses and dune fencing help protect the sand dunes and also delineate a pathway to the beach.

bethany beach dune grasses vertical
Dunes Grasses, Fencing and a Path at Bethany Beach

Bill Swartwout’s photograph of a pathway through the sand dunes at Bethany Beach draws the viewer in to explore the scene.

Bethany Beach, Delaware, is a popular summer destination along the Atlantic coast of the United States. A beautiful beach with no public access road over the dunes, the town relies on dune fences and grasses to direct visitors towards its sandy shore. Some people like to walk along the dunes and look at the grasses and the fence and maybe even imagine what it must have been like before there were people here.

bethany beach dunes grasses
Bethan Beach Dune Grasses and Fence

The very best way to approach photographing a subject is to imagine yourself in conversation with the subject, then moving closer and closer, becoming more of a participant as time goes by. Bill Swartwout’s work is an amazing way to capture the beauty of our natural surroundings, and Crossing the Dunes at Bethany Beach is a wonderful example of that. The photo is tranquil and peaceful, and looks like a scene from a faraway land. It’s an instant favorite!

Thought for the day: If you can’t find joy on the beach, then it’s not the beach that’s wrong.

Browse and/or shop with the gallery links below.

Link: Dune Grass at Bethany Beach – Vertical

Link: Crossing the Dunes at Bethany Beach – Horizontal

Link to: Bill’s Bethany Beach Collection.

Link to: Bill’s full gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels

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Patriotic Landing on the Ocean City Beach

A Para-Commando Parachutist displays the American Flag as he “drops into” the OC Air Show.

Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City
Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City

During the Ocean City Airshow in June of 2022, parachute jumpers from the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM, or SO COM) performed the opening act. They jumped from a helicopter about 8,000 feet above the ocean city beach and landed in the sand near show central at 17th Street on the boardwalk. Show.

Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City Charcoal
Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City as a Simulated Charcoal Sketch

The last of the jumpers flew an American Flag from his rigging and landed to the playing of our National Anthem, the Star Spangled Banner. It was a wonderful way to kick off the OC Air Show and set the stage for three hours of spectacular aerial displays. The event (this year**) was capped off with a rousing performance by the The United States Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team.

Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City Expressionism
Patriotic Beach Landing in Ocean City in an Abstract Expressionism Presentation

** The Ocean City Airshow usually alternates year-to-year with the Thunderbirds and the United States Navy Blue Angels demonstration team. These are both incredibly powerful displays of the American military and patriotism.

Photographs on a variety of substrates and also on home decor items are available at the links below. Click to shop…

Link: Patriotic Beach Landing Wall Art

Link: Patriotic Beach Landing Simulated Charcoal

Link: Patriotic Beach Landing Expressionism

Link to: Bill’s Ocean City Collection.

Link to: Bill’s full gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels

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Ocean City Beach Rocks, Waves and Sand

A recent storm creates a painterly style beach in Ocean City, Maryland.

This beach scene in Ocean City, Maryland is a bit extraordinary because of the numerous rock jetties that have been exposed by a recent massive coastal storm. The wave action and green water of the Atlantic Ocean is enhanced by the exposed rocks and cliff-like shape of some areas of the beach.

The beach in Ocean City, Maryland on a beautiful day in June.
The beach in Ocean City, Maryland on a beautiful day in June.

This area of the Ocean City beach, about mid-boardwalk in the 12th Street to 15th Street area never has rocks and or jetties exposed the way these are seen. The storm repositioned hundreds of thousand tons of sand, exposing some areas and filling in some other areas. But, not to fear, time and wave action will eventually restore the beach to what we are more used to seeing.

There is a Coast Guard Cutter lying at anchor just offshore. It is not there to protect swimmers from the occasional rip currents, the lifeguards are fully capable of that, but is there to assist with the Ocean City Air Show taking place the weekend this photograph was captured.

This has been an enormously popular beach scene of the Ocean City, Maryland surf. When it was originally shared on social media it received hundreds of engagements, comments and shares. It is an actual photograph that appears a bit “painterly” because of the colors and the lighting. One seldom sees the beach, sand and waves in OCMD quite like this.

Photographs on a variety of substrates and also on home decor items are available at the links below. Click to shop…

Link: Ocean City Beach Rocks, Waves and Sand

Link to: Bill’s Ocean City Collection.

Link to: Bill’s full gallery at Fine Art America/Pixels