It doesn’t take long to realize when you’re walking through the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston that you’re increasing drawn to the skyline and the buildings that create the backdrops to the city streets. While all cities have buildings and skylines, the Back Bay neighborhood allows you to readily see more of it. The wide straight streets, the open parks and squares all intersect at varying angles, creating clear sight-lines. At street level, twentieth century buildings reflect centuries of history off their blue-glass skins and hint at the city’s industries that built both. In the streets and squares, building ornamentation details the pride that its builders and owners took in constructing their spaces -- no “need” to add expensive architectural details along the tops of building – just the right way to do it.

Details abound in easy sight. Ten-story black spiral fire-escapes against pinkish buildings; deep red brick homes mix with glass-front three-story clothing stores; a public library flies flags in a square, and inside spaces display wondrous Pre-Raphaelite murals; red rock churches painted with age-blackened details; and hidden subways access the neighborhood in lighted glass and steel skywalks. All within easy sight.

The photographs in this gallery makeup the images for the handmade photography book, "Boston: Back Bay to Downtown."