Weekly Photo Challenge: Corner
Posted on August 24, 2017
This angular building in Abu Dhabi is comparatively new, but reflects traditional architecture. It has the characteristic appearance of a wind tower – an old design that was able to capture the cooler breezes that circulate well above the ground and direct them down towards the ground.
Nowadays, of course, they have A/C.
Tuesdays of Texture: The Wall
Posted on August 23, 2017
A rather different perspective – from a roof terrace – of the cloister of the Cistercian Abbey of Noirlac:
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Pink
Posted on August 22, 2017
‘Pink’ is the theme chosen by Frank for this week’s Tuesday Challenge. I suspect that flowers will prove to be the most common source of inspiration: it was certainly my initial idea and I have a fair few images in my library. However, I decided to try to look for something a little different and came up with this.
In the centre of the French city of Limoges you can find this vintage carousel, or merry-go-round. It’s kept under wraps through the winter, of course, but during the summer tourist season it’s in full swing. It’s well-looked after and in excellent condition considering its age.
And, as you can see, it’s also very pink in parts:
Elephants!
Posted on August 18, 2017
Cee’s topic this week is ‘small subjects’. So here are a pair of elephants.
I should explain that this carving – part of Madame’s extensive elephant collection – is in fact only about an inch long.
Thursday Doors: Abbaye de La Reau (1)
Posted on August 17, 2017
The Abbaye de La Réau is an outstanding set of monastic buildings, some dating back to the 12th century, in the Vienne département of central France. In addition to the massive religious buildings, the site also includes the secular edifices that were a practical necessity to support the community of monks that lived here. The whole site is being sympathetically restored both internally and externally and a recent visit revealed many interesting doors – again, both internal and external – to be shared here over the next few weeks.
To begin with, though, some external views, starting with the great doorway of the Abbey itself:
The roof of the Abbey has completely gone, but the walls still look as solid as ever, even if some former doors have been closed up:
This is a view of the adjacent, and much more recent, residential block:
Although it seems clear from this image that some of the living accommodation was reclaimed from earlier uses:
This is in the grounds, next to what is now the Visitor Centre:
And finlly, for this time around, this building lies just outside the walls that enclose the complex:
Thursday Doors 17 August 2017
Weekly Photo Challenge: Shiny
Posted on August 17, 2017
This week’s photo challeneg from WordPress goes by the initially baffling title of ‘Ooh, shiny!’. In fact, it’s about the things that can distract us.
Rather like Andrea, who set the challenge, normally I’m pretty focused on whatever I happen to be doing at the time. However, if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to send me running to get my camera – apart from rainbows – it’s spotting insects buzzing around our flowers.
In particular, I’ve tried on numerous occasions to get a half-decent image of this little creature, a Hummingbird Moth. It’s not easy, because they don’t remain still for any time at all: the exposure on this photo is 1/750th of a second and still the wings are blurred. However, I think I got the rest of it as right as I’m ever likely to, so I think it was worth the distraction.
Tuesdays of Texture: Gladiator
Posted on August 15, 2017
Waiting for the start of a gladiatorial display at the Cassinomagus archaeological site.
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Alley
Posted on August 15, 2017
Frank’s theme of ‘Alley’ for this week was, you might say, right up my street. I particularly enjoy photographing old -= sometimes very old – urban architecture, so I have plenty of alleyways in my collection.
Very often, of course, it’s impossible to see right to the end of a medieval alley or passageway, which adds a sense of mystery to the image. On the other hand, though, they are also typically quite dark and gloomy.
However, I think I’ve found a compromise here. The island of Burano in the Venetian Lagoon is especially noted for the bright colours with which most of the houses are painted – even those down a mysterious dark alley like this one:
The Corridor
Posted on August 11, 2017
Last week I visited the grand old Franciscan Abbaye de la Réau, which is currently undergoing substantial restoration. On the first floor of the accommodation block is this long corridor with, it must be said, rather palaial ‘cells’ (more like ‘suites’) leading off it.
The combination of light and shadow is what makes this image particularly suitable for monochrome treatment. Further interest is added by the model of a monk sitting on a bench away in the distance on the left.
Thursday Doors: Liverpool (2)
Posted on August 10, 2017
For the second and final instalment of doors from the great city of Liverpool this week, we’re down in the city centre, which still shows plenty of evidence of the port’s historic prosperity.
To begin with, there’s the grand Walker Art Gallery (although it’s rather overshadowed by it’s immediate neighbour, the great rotunda of the Picton Library – where I worked once upon a time).
However, it was commerce that provided the resources for the architectural statements of the city, as in the case of these Victorian office buildings:
Behind the Town Hall, on an open space called Exchange Flags, there’s this imposing building:
I can remember when the Bank of England had a branch in Castle Street, although the building has stood empty for years:
Finally, here are the splendid bronze doors of what was originally the Adelphi Bank on Castle Street – just opposite the Bank of England in fact.. For a time this was a branch of the Co-operative Bank and I worked in it for a few months in early 1974. It’s now a coffee shop, which means that it’s open from early ’til late, so I couldn’t get a shot of the doors closed. However, for an excellent piece about the Adelphi Bank and its exceptional doors you should visit this excellent blog, Alan’s History & Genealogy Spot.
Thursday Doors 10 August 2017
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