Lo Scorpione's photostream

"All that is not perfect down to the smallest detail is doomed to perish."

-- Gustav Mahler

Sites like Antelope Canyon almost ask for open shots which, in some contradictory way, try to capture the twisted confines of the location. "Open" views, aimed at the point where the curving walls of the canyon overlap and almost touch each other.

But a world of different shots lies between these stone curtains as well. Camera almost glued to the rock, aperture wide open to make the most from the little light which falls down to the canyon floor, revealing the sandpaper texture of the small grains, the tiny building blocks that make up this wonder of Nature, the detail within the masterpiece.

Mahler had it all worked out: if you don't pay attention to the detail, you can't claim to appreciate the big picture ;-)

Press - L - to see those grains up close!

A chronological overview of our road trip:

Yosemite NP
Sequoia NP
Zion Canyon NP
Bryce Canyon NP
Grand Canyon NP (to follow)
Antelope Canyon
Horseshoe Bend
Monument Valley
Arches NP

"But whenever I look at the question of how to live, the answer's always staring me in the face. I'm already doing it."

-- Damien Hirst

A sunny afternoon here in Flanders, on the day of the biggest cycling event of the year: De Ronde van Vlaanderen (The Tour of Flanders).

Those guys can ride for themselves, I thought, I'll tune in 20km before the finish to see the toughest climb and the final battles.
Grabbed my camera instead and convinced my sister to pose outside for a while.

Single shot with the nifty-fifty and flashgun for the lighting balance.

Model: Sophie

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."

-- Carl Reiner

Well, Mr. Reiner, I beg to differ :-) Snow makes things more interesting for us photographers. Pretty much any winter scene looks better with snow on it, covering the naked shapes of the earth and softly taking away the edges of the world. And then I'm not even mentioning the sometimes very welcome reflection of the sparse winter light, bringing back life into the scene.

No, Mr. Reiner. I. Like. Snow.

Wandering through the park dividing Old from New Riga, you can discover views like this around every bend in the canal down the middle of the park. Naked trees poking in the cold air, an interesting combination of snow and ice, and a little bridge connecting both sides of the "water".

"Can someone within that society walk into the town square and say what they want without fear of being punished for his or her views? If so, then that society is a free society. If not, it is a fear society."

-- Natan Sharansky

Looking at the events of the past months, one could thus say Egypt went from a fear to a free society ;-)

Raekoja Plats, Lower Tallinn. The Town Hall Square has been the pulsing heart of Tallinn since the beginning of the markets in the 11th century.
It is said that the minaret-like tower of the Town Hall was based on a sketch made by an explorer after his visit to the Middle East. From the way it looks, I would say this is not unlikely!