Columbia St. Mary’s Womens Hospital

Columbia St. Mary's Women's Hospital
Columbia St. Mary's Women's Hospital

On the East Side of Milwaukee Wisconsin, on a bluff overlooking the waters of Lake Michigan, stands the Columbia St. Mary’s hospital complex.  This “clover-leaf” building, which served as the main hospital for 38 years, became the women’s center when the new building was opened in 2010.   This structure, opened in 1976, was built by Bertrand Goldberg, a Chicago-based architect known for the Marina City complex along the river in downtown Chicago.

I have an affinity for this building that goes beyond the shape and the structure.  It is also where my son was born just over two years ago.  So there are some great memories attached to it.

To get this shot, an image I’ve been trying to capture for a long time, I waited for a day with a crystal clear blue sky, with no clouds or contrails in sight.   The bright late-morning light created nice high-contrast shadows without any of the window highlights or reflections you’d get if the sun was lower in the sky.  All I had to do was find the right place to stand and make sure the lines were straight and everything was in focus.

Day 206 of my 365 photo a day project.

Columbia St. Mary's Women's Hospital
Columbia St. Mary’s Women’s Hospital

By Scott Norris

Emotion. Mood. Feelings. This is what I capture through my photographs. Whether it is landscapes, architectural elements, still life, or macros - it is a very personal journey as my own fears, triumphs, beliefs, and shortcomings are exposed with each photo. In the end, it is all about telling compelling stories.