Weekly Photo Challenge: dialogue

The photo challenge at The Daily Post is called “dialogue” this week.

The idea is, to set two photos in a connection. This might be the same color, the same subject from different angles or two different photos having a certain  connection.

I’ve chosen, to take two photos with a “before and after” or “then and now” connection. You can see a photo taken two days ago: 2 apples in an apple tree. The other photos is taken back in April and is showing the blossoms at the same tree. So, here you have a then and now connection.

Enjoy the harvest time 🙂

 

 

Take care!

Magic Fountain of Montjuic

Here it is: the Magic Fountain of Montjuic!!

It a huge, illuminated fountain. At night you can see a fantastic light show with music here in the fountain. According to the played music the lights change their colors and the water nozzles inside the fountain modify their direction and their intense. What a spectacle!!!

During winter this only happens on week-ends, but during summer every night. It was very crowded, so go early to get a good spot. I can only remember the song played last: “Barcelona” by Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé.

A very impressive experience (although a bit wet in some places because of the wind distribution the fine water in the air).

Enjoy the fountain.

Take care!

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Monochrome Madness 26

This is the 26th time, Leanne holds her Monochrome Madness. Every week several talented photographers share a monochrome photograph with her to include it in her weekly post. In case, you wasn’t aware, check it out now. I’d really recommend, to go back in time and check out, what a huge variety of different monochrome photos she collected during this 6 months. By using the right category tag mmc you can find them quite easy.

My contribution to Leanne Coles Monochrome Madness for this week is taken a few years ago during winter, right before Christmas. A solid layer of fresh snow covered the ground and only the twigs of this small bush were able to stick out of the snow.

Although black-and-white photography is so old, it still has a very distinct mood. A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on that, where I included the same photo twice: first in color and additionally one in monochrome.

But, there is much more, then simply using a monochrome film or convert a color photo into a monochrome one. There are also natural-born monochrome photos, just like the one above. In case, you’d analyze the photo, you’d see, every color channel (red, green, blue) is still there and has information other than you’d see in a real or converted monochromatic photograph. All you can see, is a mixture of these 3 basic colors. That’s the way you monitor or TV work.

Take care!

dps Weekly Photography Challenge – Flowers 2

This weeks photo challenge at dps is on flowers. Although some people think, photographing flowers would be as easy as eating bread, it’s not that easy. Try it yourself. So, I’m not the typical flower photographer, but every now and then, I try it. I scrolled though my blog and I was very surprised, how many flower photographs are already online here. You can find them with the tags “flower”, “flowers”, “blossom”, “blossoms” and probably a few more. (Does anyone know a tool for editing the categories of many posts at the same time easily?)

Here is a second photo: an orchid (literally 3 of them ans you can see in the gallery below 🙂 )
This one is taken in our living room by using a studio setting: A macro lens, a tripod, a remote for the camera, a black backdrop and 3 manual controlled flashes.

First of all, I had shut the roller shutter at the windows. Next I set the flower on op of a little footstool and the backdrop about half a meter behind. Positioning the flashes is both that trivial. You have to look for shadows. Are they disturbing or appealing and then  rearrange the setting.

I hope, you like them.

Take care!

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dps Weekly Photography Challenge – Flowers

This weeks photo challenge at dps is on flowers. Although some people think, photographing flowers would be as easy as eating bread, it’s not that easy. Try it yourself. So, I’m not the typical flower photographer, but every now and then, I try it. Although, I’m often not very satisfied with the results. Nevertheless, I won’t to bore you with such lamentations.

Here is my photo:
I saw these funny flowers in Barcelona, Spain, when I was there in March. Their shape reminded me to a toilet brush. But, the colors are more appealing, aren’t they?

I’ve never seen such flowers before. Thus, I don’t know their name. In case, one of you know their name, please write it in the comment box below.

Take care!

Weekly Photo Challenge: fray

The photo challenge at The Daily Post is called “fray” this week. What a contrast to last weeks theme.

I looked it up in a dictionary and found its meaning to be ‘fight in meaning of a battle’ or ‘fighting against adverse conditions’ and as well ‘damaged’ or ‘scraggly’.

I picked out a fight. A fight between the powers of nature: a heavy thunderstorm on the ocean. Luckily in a distance, for not endanger us. But, I love such a dramatic sky.

Take care!

“dancing in the street”

Who expected to read a post on David Bowie? Sorry, guys.

This post is also on Barcelona. You know, we were in Barcelone to escape the Carnival processions and fetes hold here in the metropolises at the river Rhine, as well as getting some sun and warmth during winter. Our plan on that certain saturday evening led us to the Magic Fountain of Montjuic (I’ll explain this in my next post). When we accidentally run into a carnival procession – what a funny coincidence.

Several groups of people were coming down the street dancing to music. As far as I understood, this procession was organized by people originating from south america.

Maybe, someone is here, who is able to confirm this and explain it bait more detailed.

Take care!

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Monochrome Madness 25

My contribution to Leanne Coles Monochrome Madness for this week is taken here in my Region a few month ago in spring.

I picked this photo for its soft colors. By using a yellow filter I got this nice IR-like style.

Take care!

 

dps Weekly Photography Challenge – blue

The guys over at dps asked for their weekly photo challenge for “blue”.

Blue as a color is found everywhere on the planet: water, ocean, lakes, sky, flowers, eyes and many other things, too. Also, you can feel blue, when you’re depressed or exhausted. When describing someone as ‘blue’ in German, you’re saying he or she is found drunk.

This photo from my upcoming series on Iceland has several kinds of natural blue, so I preferred it on many others:

1. the sky
2. the water reflecting the sky
3. the water
4. the ice in the shadows on the mountains
5. the very dense ice swimming on the water
6. my hands and nose from the cold air 🙂
and, maybe, you can find some further blues, too.

Take care and enjoy the silence!

 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Silhouette

The photo challenge at The Daily Post is called “Silhouette” this week. So, I picked this photo for the challenge.

Currently I’m feeling hounded by so many thing, so that I need a rest. Oh, look, there’s a bench over there. Come on, let’s have a seat and enjoy watching the sunset over the ocean.

Take care!

Mercat de la Boqueria

When in Barcelona, don’t miss the big market hall “Mercat de la Boqueria” located in the old-town, next to La Rambla. You definitely dive into a wonderful experience. It’s not really a hall. It’s a big square, equipped with a roof carried by pillars. But, you’re still outside. So, you always have a slight fresh wind and get some fresh air, even when it is crowed. But, you won’t get wet, in case it starts to rain.

There are at least two entrances, when coming from La Rambla. As soon as you come in, you’ll astonish about all the smells, colors and product variety. Take you time for an extensive visit.

You can buy all kinds of food: fruits, veggies, bread, meat, fish, sweets, wine, ice-cream. All is available fresh and in huge masses. You can also buy ready-to-eat food to take with you or eat at once.

We were here at about noon. I’d recommend coming at least in the late morning hours at around 11h, or so. Keep in mind, the later you come, the more products are sold and the weather becomes warmer, what isn’t good for meat and fish. When coming around noon, you can have your lunch here and watch locals having lunch.

Don’t wonder about the funny dresses of some of the shop assistants – keep in mind, I took the photos at carnival 🙂

Take care!

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Monochrome Madness 24

My contribution to Leanne Coles Monochrome Madness for this week is taken in Barcelona.

You can see, the teacher’s desk in the school for the workers kids at the construction site of La Sagrada Familia. I’ll tell you more on La Sagrada in one of my next posts. Only so much for now, there was (and still is) a small building for the architect, the plans and to hold planning meeting. One of the rooms was equipped with several benches, a blackboard and some maps: the school.

Here, the workers kids (usually uneducated) get the opportunity to learn. One intention for this, beside the philanthropic idea, might have been to get new workers, but these would already have a certain kind of knowledge in math and technique. So, they might get better jobs at the construction site.

I’ll show you some more photos from inside the school soon, too.

So, stay tuned. Take care!

 

dps Weekly Photography Challenge – All things green

The guys over at dps asked for their weekly photo challenge for “greens”. Here we are: a green mamba

Take care!

 

dps Weekly Photography Challenge – All things green

The guys over at dps asked for their weekly photo challenge for “greens”.

Have fun with these two little guys.

Take care!

 

The hidden secret of Barcelona Cathedral

In my last post on Barcelona Cathedral I wrote about a hidden secret inside the building.

Once, the cathedral was part of a monastery. Thus it has a cloister. The cloister was used by the monks for their religious exercises. It looks a bit like ancient roman houses were build: a roofed part of a house around an open atrium. Inside the atrium, you can find here a fenced garden with a pool and 13 geese. These geese are the symbol of St. Eulalia and are supposed to guard the cathedral and the monastery for centuries. You know, geese are better watchdogs than dogs, because they are unbribable and very brave to attack intruders.

To come here is easy, but a little bit tricky. On the right side of the cathedral you can find a small, dark door brining you to the cloister. Only a small sigh on the wall will lead you that way.

Here you can also find the gift shop, several old tombs and in one of the corners you can find another small chapel.

Take care!

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Monochrome Madness 23

My contribution to Leanne Coles Monochrome Madness for this week is taken from my upcoming series on Iceland again, although I first picked another photo for this week. (click on the photo to see it enlarged).

Here you can see the glacier lake Jökulsárlón. In the background you can see the glacier Breiðamerkursandi. Every now and then huge ice blocks breaks apart from the glacier and fall into the lake. Slowly the ice blocks are pulled to the river Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi to flow into the atlantic ocean. That’s the shortest river on Iceland, while the lake is the deepest with 248 m and a size of 18 km². The river is only is 500 m long. Thus, the low tide is able to pull water out of the lake and this drift take the ice blocks along.

Soon, you can see here much more on Iceland. Not only in bw, but also in color.

So, stay tuned. Take care!

dps Weekly Photography Challenge – Golden

The guys over at dps asked for their weekly photo challenge for anything golden and gave several interesting examples containing objects colored from gold to yellow. Of course, the golden hour wasn’t left out in their examples. The golden hour also was the first idea I got, when I read the topic without having seen any of the examples.

The golden hour is the time shortly after sunrise and right before sunset. The more you came to the poles, the longer the golden hour lasts, or the more you come to the equator, the shorter the golden hour is. Here, in my area, the golden hour usually lasts 20 – 30 minutes. During the golden hour the sun stands low over the horizon and that’s the reason for these beautiful colors.

Often you don’t have any wind during this time of the day, because the sun is the engine for the wind. This is true especially in the mornings. So, getting up early pays back.

This is my first share for any of the photo challenges at dps, although I read their posts for a very long time every now and then for getting ideas and to enjoy the photos.

Take care!

Weekly Photo Challenge: zigzag

The photo challenge at The Daily Post is called “zigzag” this week. So, I picked this photo for the challenge.

It’s a road int the highlands of Iceland taken this summer.

Enjoy your summer .

Take care!