Notice how the world is made up of all these interesting shapes? We tend to see what's around us in large chunks - trees, buildings, clouds - but sometimes miss the details that go into making up our macro perception. One great thing about photography is the camera doesn't discriminate between the whole and the details. When you point your camera at a subject you get it all. What that does is give the opportunity to really bring attention to the variety of shapes that make up things we may simply see as a whole. Telephoto lenses are really good at pushing aside lots of elements that might make it into an image and really narrowing down what makes up a subject. it's one of the reasons I enjoy playing around with architectural photos. I get to see all the little things the designer put into the structure.
These gables are part of a larger Victorian-style building full of decorative elements. To glance at the building it's easy to be overwhelmed by all the intricate design features. The roofline of this building contains lots of gables, almost like a frieze around the top of the building. Another detail that's easy to miss is the pattern of colored shingles. In passing it almost appears they are randoming placed but on closer looking it's obvious there's a structure to their placement.
The Calatrava designed art museum in Milwaukee is famous for the bird-like form it takes when the "wings" are extended to filter light into the halls. A closer look reveals the engineering details that go into supporting and moving all those shafts. Each one has its own bearing for rotation while they are all connected to move in parallel.
The contrast of the geometric repetitiveness of the domes with the curvelinear entrance structure has a futuristic look that would look quite at home on another planet.
Telephoto lenses are also great as a way to get a closer look at wildlife that is shy around crowds. This red-breasted merganser wasn't interested in joining the seagulls looking for a handout. Instead it was slowly cruising by the docks on its way to some other destination.
