Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘photo’

PHOTO OF THE DAY #276

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 6, 2012 | 2 Comments »

“Castle Reflections” : Ferrara, Italy, 25th March 2011

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I wasn’t particularly bowled over by the Italian town of Ferrara when I visited last spring.

However, it cannot be denied that the centrally located Castello Estense is an impressive structure whose sublime tones compliment a blue sky perfectly.

Just think yourselves lucky that you can’t see the hundreds of annoying schoolkids charging about everywhere on their bicycles nearly knocking you down at every turn…

Check out a larger version of this picture here.

 

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #274

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 4, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

“Snow Trees” : Hiroshima, 3rd February 2012

Last night it snowed for only about the second time this winter, and by morning there was still enough left on the ground to warrant taking the camera in to work and sneaking around the campus before the 9am class looking for things to photograph.

It was one of those classic winter moments, with blue skies and the crystalline deposits still pristine and untouched, a fairly rare occurrence in this neck of the woods (no pun intended), given the global warming that has taken place over the last few decades.

I say blue skies, but of course in post-processing I opted for this duotone rendering which really emphasises the stark cold of winter more than the natural colours, in my opinion.

As usual, you can see a larger version of this photo by clicking here.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #271

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 31, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

“Tourists in Action” : Lisbon, Portugal, 7th September 2011

Today I present you with a rarity – at least for me: a photo featuring human beings as the centre of attention.

I was walking along the river front (although it looks like an ocean) in Belem, Lisbon, enjoying the glorious summer weather and having already photographed the obligatory architectural delights to be found in that area, when I thought I’d try my hand at a little candid work on my fellow tourists.

This trio were just framed so beautifully against the bright concrete promenade, the turquoise water and the pale sky that I had to attempt a capture, and this is the result. It’s far from perfect technically – if you zoom in, you’ll see that these folks are all out of focus because I shot at a ridiculously slow shutter speed for some reason that escapes me – but I’m very pleased with it, nonetheless.

I still feel a bit uncomfortable doing this kind of shot, though…

A larger version of this picture can be found here.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #265

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 25, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

“Urban Crow” : Hiroshima, Japan, 28th December 2011

The crow is a much-maligned bird in many societies, and Japan is no exception, but I have always admired them for their incredible intelligence, ingenuity and sheer audacity.

Crows are one of only a handful of animals that can fashion tools for specific purposes: this puts them on the same level as chimpanzees and dolphins.

I remember once seeing a crow descend on an adjacent apartment’s balcony, put its head on one side, consider the options, then steal a wire coat hanger and fly off with it in its beak.

Respect the crows, people.

Check out the larger version of this photo here.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #187

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , on November 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

“Hot Cat’s Cool Idea” : Colmar, France, 30th August 2011

I always pity cats in their fur coats during the hot summer months: apparently they don’t have sweat glands, so the only way to keep cool is to maximise surface area by stretching out as far as possible, resulting in silly shapes with limbs akimbo.

As I was strolling along the narrow streets of Colmar, I momentarily forgot the colourful black timbered medieval houses on all sides when I caught sight of this little kitty and her neat, although dangerous, solution to the heat problem.

I watched her antics for quite a while: three times her mistress reached out from the second storey window to remove her and bring her back inside, but to no avail: each eviction was followed a few minutes later by a return to the precarious but well-ventilated perch…

Click here for a larger version of the photo…

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #176

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , on October 29, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

“Green Saw” : Hiroshima City University, 3rd August 2011

Well, tonight’s photo is something of a stop-gap.

I usually select a picture from the eight hundred or so of my best I have on display at www.lightfootphotos.com, my online gallery, but now the link is down and I can’t connect to it.

So, instead, I’ve uploaded from my computer this previously rejected shot I took earlier in the summer while I was lurking in the art department of a university I teach at.

Now I come to look at it, it’s not really so bad, is it?

This saw blade was enormous, and judging from the surrounding artefacts, it was used to cut stone.

The entire area is awash with a mélange of abandoned machinery, tools, statues, installations and all manner of unidentified objects, not to mention a troop of ginger cats who are lovingly maintained by the art students.

I love wandering around there, always with a slightly heavy heart in that I wish I could work in such a creative and interesting arena, rather than the altogether more mundane and grey department I toil in.

The other man’s grass…

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #173

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , on October 25, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

“Reflections under a Swollen Sky” : Strasbourg, 29th August 2011

I love strolling around on my own after dark. Or at least I do in cities where I know I’m not going to come to any harm.

Here I found myself in the old quarter of Strasbourg, which by day is bustling with tourists come to admire the narrow streets bordered by quaint medieval timbered houses, the quintessential Alsatian architectural look.

By night, most folk have retreated to the restaurants to unwind after a hard days’ sightseeing.

Not me, though. I’m perversely skulking about with my camera, intent on transforming the picturesque urban landscape into a gloomy foreboding twilight of unspoken evil.

OK, OK, I’ll shut up now… ;-)

You can stop by my gallery and take a look at the larger version if you so wish, readers.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #161

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , on October 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

I’m often attracted to the simple everyday things rather than the large and impressive.

As I walked back to the train station in the Burgundian town of Beaune I suddenly spotted this little shop and just loved the confluence of the green awning, blue sky, whitewashed walls and the reddish-brown of the pavement in front.

Perfection!

As usual, I can guarantee that I was the only person photographing in this residential quarter which does not register in the tour guides…

Bigger version here.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #160

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , on October 12, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

While most people were gazing at the admittedly very interesting museum exhibits in the Hospices de Beaune, I happened to glance upwards and realise that the ornate wooden support beams and ceiling offered better targets for my camera.

In terms of composition, it’s interesting to note that while centring and symmetry are sometimes eschewed in photography, it is the perfect alignment and mirroring of the elements that makes this shot.

Well, that and a bit of choice electronic enhancement…  ;-)

Get a look at the big version here.

Read Full Post »

PHOTO OF THE DAY #159

Posted in Photo of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

After my trek through the vineyards around the Burgundian town of Beaune, I still had some time left before my train back to Dijon, so I stopped by the amazing Hospices de Beaune.

Resembling a church, this ornate structure built in the fifteenth century was actually, as the name implies, a hospital for the poor.

Inside it houses some impressive art by Rogier van der Weyden and Lucas Cranach the Elder – big names indeed, considering the diminutive size of the town.

Here’s a detail from another part of this vast building’s roof:

Bigger versions of these photos can be found here and here.

 

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 74 other followers

%d bloggers like this: