You must detach your life from an awareness of the multiple and reduce it to a geometrical point before God. You have but one life, and it is not just anything; this life is everything for you, and it owes its greatness to its divine origin and goal. The human condition is something great because its foundation is God; the modern error is to believe we are small, that we are biological accidents, that we are entitled to be lukewarm—that we are free to be small, apathetic, mediocre. In reality we are condemned to greatness, if I may express it this way, and we find this greatness in spiritual smallness before the divine Greatness. It is God who is great, but we must open ourselves up to this Greatness, knowing that there is only He, that we are bound to Him, that we cannot escape Him; knowing this we must resign ourselves to our human and personal condition—to the fact that the sacred is everywhere—and we must repose in trust.

F. Schuon

Recently, Upper Hutt (Wellington NZ) was fortunate enough to host a display entitled "50 Greatest Photographs Of National Geographic"; Visitors were allowed to photograph the display.

A portrait captured by Steve McCurry, I photographed this beautiful portrait of a young Afghan woman with beautiful haunting Green eyes because it seemed to me that she was asking a silent question of the Photographer and of Us: "Can I trust you?"

She didn't know how that Photographer was going to use her Image, and nor did she know who would see it...! She may not have even seen a camera before - or even a Westerner for that matter! Yet here she is, staring out at a world she knows nothing about from a country that has been wracked by bloodshed and war for so many long exhausting, terrifying years...

Her portrait was hung just inside the Upper Hutt Gallery. Reflected in my photo of her are people going about their normal Sunday afternoon activity, enjoying their Flat Whites or Lattes at a nearby Cafe - drinks and a venue that she's probably never heard of...!

I remember when this photo was first published on the cover of a National Geographic. I wondered then, and I still wonder: what has happened to this young woman with the haunting Green eyes...??? Has her Trust paid off...?

A work entitled "Remembering Seletar, The Sound of Nature, Memories" 2012, by the Singaporean sculptor Lim Leong Seng, outside the Greenwich V shopping mall at the southeast corner of Yio Chu Kang Road and Seletar Road, Singapore. The vintage pilot in his flying leathers references Seletar Airport (XSP), which lies some 3 km to the north. Built in 1928 for the British Royal Air Force, today it is a civil general aviation airport. Rubber plantations once graced the area, providing ample opportunity for children to chase butterflies. The work evokes memories of those times.

Mural entitled "Fertile Ground" by Meg Saligman aka @megsaligmanstudio, seen at 602 North 13th Street in Omaha, Nebraska.

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

Whatever.

Mural entitled "Resurrection" by Tony Krol aka @tonykrol for Mural Mania, seen at 902 South Michigan in South Bend Indiana.

The car in the center panel is a 1950's Studebaker Champion. Studebaker manufactured cars and trucks in South Bend. At first, Studebaker opted for electric (battery-powered) over gasoline propulsion. While manufacturing its own Studebaker Electric vehicles from 1902 to 1911. The Company manufactured gasoline powered cars in South Bend from 1911 until the plant was closed in 1963.

Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Panel of a mural entitled "Three Elements" by Key Detail aka @keydetail and Julia Yubaba, seen at 123 Mechanic Street in Lexington, Kentucky.

From two drone photos by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

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Mural entitled “Girl with a D Earring" by @sydneygjames, @maxsansing, @bakpakdurden @birdcap and @ijania seen at 2937 East Grand Boulevard in the New Center area of Detroit, Michigan.

This mural was inspired by "Girl with a Pearl Earring," an oil painting by Dutch Golden Age painter Johannes Vermeer, dated c. 1665.

Drone photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

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Mural entitled "Mother" by Sef aka @sef.01, seen at 414 North Carpenter Street in the West Town area of Chicago, Illinois.

The artist states: "Today my wall talks about the most selfless love in the world, the love of a mother. That is why I chose this wall, because just as the bridge protects against rain or any inclement weather, so is the love of a mother for her children, an infinite love whose desire is always to protect and love their children above all things. Happy Mother's Day to all those women who every day lavish the most sincere and beautiful love that exists. I dedicate this mural to them."

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

dress entitled...

"She Was Evasive And Her Elbows Were Rough"

(LOL, I just love her dress names! So, Annie is trying to look

"evasive" - elbows smooth as plastic tho ;)

A view of the south wall of the rotunda of the provincial legislative building in Regina, Saskatchewan, with its marble floors, walls and columns. The marble for the walls came from Italy, and the green marble for the columns from Cyprus. The mural, entitled "Before the White Man Came", was painted by John D. Leman in 1933.

The double doors lead to the legislative assembly room, where the laws of the province are made.

The building was designed by architects Edward and William Sutherland Maxwell of Montreal in the Beaux-Arts style and built between 1908 and 1912.

See the elegant staircase that leads to this area: "Ambiance"; www.flickr.com/photos/joan-marie/8244935073/

Shooting info: RAW; handheld, auto focus, 15.9MP

Processing: saturation & light adjusted in Aperture 3

Mural entitled "Laughing Giants" by Woes Martin aka @woes, seen at 594 24th Street SW in the Grand Central area of St Petersburg, Florida.

From two drone photos by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Detail from a beautiful painting entitled ‘Christ Blessing, Surrounded by a Donor and His Family’, attributed to Ludgar tom Ring the Younger, c.1575-80. In the centre piece is Christ depicted alongside an unknown Westphalian family. To the left and right of this are two portraits, one of a man, the other of a woman (this portrait). This painting may have been commissioned on the marriage of a member of the family included, with the groom and bride being depicted to the side of the piece.

The centre piece: www.flickr.com/photos/20631910@N03/3665174937/

The portrait of the man: www.flickr.com/photos/20631910@N03/3665176573/in/photostr...

The painting is included in the European Paintings collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. Photography is permitted.

This is the sister image to "Keep Pounding (B&W)" located in the same album entitled Positive Thought and Imagery. As you elevate towards your dream, at times, you'll need to step out boldly, other times you'll catch a moment to rest and survey the landscape or environment before moving again. Along the way you will have others who are going a different direction and the best thing is to quietly let them ride their escalator as they choose, hopefully to the right destination for them. All the same, stay positive, keep your head up, keep pounding and lay down bricks to support your dream as you rise into it, eventually to find it has become reality. On the left is a gentleman stepping further up the escalator to lay down one more brick, as he goes to work in the US Capitol. He passes my son Ian who is visiting over the holidays from Duke University where he is laying down bricks to support his dream. A lone woman descends into the metro toward her destination, figuratively with a brick in her unseen left hand. Where will you lay your brick down today? Cheers to all for inspiration and the journey into your dream. Washington DC, 20 December 2017.

Mural entitled "The King and the Young Prince" by Jackie Danger aka @jackie_danger, seen at 5th Street and NW Flagler Avenue in the Fat Village Arts District of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Mural entitled "La Reina de Thaitown" by ELMAC aka @mack_arte, seen at 1685 North Wilton Place in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Mural entitled "Band of Brotherhood" by Michael Vasquez aka @michaelvasquez_, seen at the Wynwood Walls Outdoor Museum at 2516 NW 2nd Avenue in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

I have entitled this photograph, “Barry’s Bike” after local San Diego photographer, Barry Alman, who popularized this composition of the bike sculpture cruising on the Coronado Bridge. Barry is a fixture on KUSI News and can be seen most days making photographs of the sunset along San Diego’s many beaches.

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Mural entitled "Que será del Caribe en el futur" by Rafael Enrique Vega aka @rap[iquepr and Ekosaurio aka @ekosaurio, seen at 128 NW 25th Street in thw Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

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Mural entitled "Dangerous Visions by @shok-1 located at 2048 1st Avenue South in St Petersburg, Florida.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

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Mural entitled "Voltron" by Kenji Chai aka @mr_kenjichai and Michael Roy aka @birdcap for Paint Memphis, seen at 1719 Evelyn Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

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Mural entitled "Tidal View" by ER. aka @everydayresearch for Mural Mania 2024, seen at 701 South Main Street in South Bend, Indiana.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

I have self-published my second book entitled 88. It features an afterword by the British photographer Paul Russell, and the launch in Portugal took place on October 26, 2025.

This new book, 88 (88 images), is the second volume in a duology that began with my 2020 publication of 99 (99 images). The newly published book (88) measures 330 mm x 225 mm (hardcover), with 184 pages.

This photographic collection in “88” features images captured primarily in my home region in Portugal, which includes Caldas da Rainha, Foz do Arelho, and Óbidos. This body of work is considered unique because these locations have been largely unexplored by other street photographers.

My shadow appears as the guiding thread throughout the sequence of photographs, thus connecting my presence from behind the camera to my presence in front of it while participating in the composition. Adopting the philosophy of street photography, I embarked on a journey to find the extraordinary within the ordinary routines of daily life. This was a personal pursuit of serendipitous moments, brought to life by the grace of light. While the photos feature color and the interplay of light and shadow, you’ll find frames embedded with wit, humor, and subtle enigmas containing deeper elements of hidden stories, puzzles, and mystery.

Interested individuals can contact me via message. vasco.trancoso@gmail.com

Thank you.

the Grand Prize was awarded to 田 园园 (Tian Yuan Yuan) from China for this image entitled ‘Break Time’. Congratulations Tian 😊!

‘I was glad I could participate in the #NikonPhotoContest. When I got the notification that I had won, I was surprised but at the same time really honoured. My feelings of gratitude really go out to the #Nikon company, and also to the contests’ management committee as well as the judging committee. I will be sure to keep on doing photography from now on.’

Commenting on this image, Lead Judge, Neville Brody, shares, ‘The main winner this year, is an epic and powerful image, one addressing the global theme of #climatechange and the necessary shift from industrial to less pollutant practises. This image captures that concern in an intense and emotive way, made more poignantly dramatic by being in black and white. The workers in an iron factory are silhouetted through the smoke in the rays of light that break through from the outside of this otherwise unlit space, one that extends into the unknown in the billowing plumes of smoke and darkness at the edge of frame. Through the open door we see a tree and leaves, reminding us of the fragile nature beyond, one which needs our urgent protection. This iconic image can apply anywhere in our world right now: we can imagine this happening as we speak, in Europe or America, Asia or Africa.

Like a scene in a religious painting, the image is beautiful in its use of chiaroscuro, the utilisation of light and dark to tell a story, and has strong echoes with the work of painters like Goya, Caravaggio or Veronese. The framing and structure, while heavily cinematic, is classically Renaissance, with the diagonal lines of light drawing the eye into the centre of frame where the drama is shrouded by the reverse diagonals of smoke. Silhouettes of workers resting by the door merge into the darkness, and the centre of the image is occupied by a single raised tool hovering over a crouched worker while others look on. A solitary electric fan sits by the entrance, evidently incapable of extracting the toxic fumes. Beautiful, dramatic and powerful, I would love to have a large print of this image on my wall!': a thought echoed by the entire jury.

#celebratingphotography #humanity #workers #ironfactory #storyteller #nikonphotographers #Nikon100

See more www.nikon-photocontest.com

Mural entitled "Li'l Gal" by Isamar Medina aka @kawaii.sugar for Mural Mania, seen in the Racine Avenue viaduct north of 16th Street in the Pilsen area of Chicago, Illinois.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

Currently in Mechelen (Flanders – BE) we have the exhibition entitled AL GAL from the cartoonist Gerard Alsteens, who became famous for his many contributions to the weekly issues of Knack magazine. The first impression for any visitor to this exhibition is that Alsteen’s artistic reach is much broader than just these cartoons for the magazine. He paints various types of objects (oysters, wine bottles, wooden panels, mussels, book covers, or just wire) with the faces, or situations, of figures we often know from (inter)national politics, thereby delivering a critique which is deserved and justified and carried by his political engagement and critical insight in what happens around us on the world stage. The leading metaphor and object of his expressive power is the human face in its various expressions to reveal, or hide, what is actually going on. I especially like his mussel pot, which is at the same time also a face. This object of art is made along the Belgian tradition of the “Grande Casserole de Moules” of 1966 from the Belgian artist Marcel Broodthaers. But the expressive power of Alsteen’s casserole is completely convincing and I recognised Broodthaers in this portrait made of mussels. As a second highlight photo I have chosen a panicking face painted on an oyster, reminiscent of the famous work “The Cry” (1893) from Edvard Munch. In my view, Alsteens stands in the tradition of painters like Munch, but also James Ensor of which I recently made a small photo contribution on my photostream.

When I left this outstanding exhibition I paradoxically felt relieved, because it appeared that the many critical works of art actually had worked, for me, as an outlet for my own indignation about the various world affairs that had served as an inspiration for this artist. Besides admiration, I felt a healing effect: art is so much better than bitterness, or rage. Anybody in the vicinity of Mechelen is advised to visit this exhibition, in the Midtown Cultural Centre (CCM) until 22 August 2021.

This remarkable sculpture, entitled 'Iron-Bowl' (the famous Alabama Vs. Auburn annual matchup) stands on the campus of the United States Sports Academy in nearby Daphne, Alabama...it is one of several sports sculptures on campus by Alabama artist Bruce Larsen who transforms discarded scrap into powerful, compelling works of art...he has received world-wide recognition for his work and is also a prominent special effects artist for major motion pictures...

This year's Alabama versus Auburn Iron Bowl game takes place this afternoon at 2:30...all I can say is...ROLL TIDE!!!

This is one of the lumen prints from my first ever art exhibit entitled Blooms held last May 18, 2022. It features lumen prints of endemic and other Philippine flora. The exhibit runs until August 5, 2022 at the UPLB Sining Makiling Gallery. This is a jade vine lumen print. This woody vine is endemic to the tropical forests of the Philippines.

globalnation.inquirer.net/204307/blooms-us-based-nurse-ho...

From Wikipedia:

Strongylodon macrobotrys was discovered in 1841 on the jungled slopes of Mount Makiling, on the Philippines’ Luzon Island, by members of the United States Exploring Expedition led by U.S. Navy Lt. Charles Wilkes. One can only imagine how startling that apparition must have been, but we are left only with the description of the Harvard-based botanist Asa Gray, who had locked horns with Wilkes previously and elected not to join the voyage. As part of the task of describing the thousands of plants collected by the multi-ship expedition, which ranged from Honolulu to Antarctica and involved several violent skirmishes with the natives (Wilkes was court-martialed at the end of the expedition, but acquitted), Gray named the vine in 1854. Its species epithet macrobotrys means “long grape cluster”, from the Greek makros "long" and botrys "bunch of grapes",[6] referring to the fruit; the genus name derives from strongylos "round", and odous "tooth",[7] referring to the rounded teeth of the calyx. A member of the bean family, Jade vine is bat-pollinated in the wild, thus it must be hand-pollinated in greenhouses to bear its fruit, which can grow to be melon-sized. This has been done over the years at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew Gardens in England, where seed conservation is an ongoing focus, especially in the face of loss of rainforest habitat.

Follow me in Instagram: www.instagram.com/juliasumangil/

Mural entitled "Secret Garden" by Thomas Turner aka @thomasturner_tt for the Outer Space Project 2022, seen at 1989 College Avenue NE in Atlanta, Georgia.

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

Mural entitled "Last Supper in Delusionville" by Ron English aka @ronenglish with a self-portrait of the artist at the left, seen at 2265 NW 2nd Avenue in the Overtown area of Miami, Florida.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Mural entitled "Sweet Baby" by Cara To aka @caratoes seen on the wall of the Peabody Hotel at 149 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.

The artist states: "This wall is dedicated to the origins of blues music. Transforming pain into something beautiful. You can see the cotton plants transform into the notes in the sky."

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

My Sorority began a year-long centennial celebration. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. kicked off its centennial year by being the first Black Greek Lettered Organization to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade (Rose Bowl Parade) in Pasadena, CA on New Year’s Day with a float entitled "Transforming Communities through Sisterhood and Service." Over 50 of our Chapter members traveled to Pasadena to attend this event.

The Canadian Cowgirls are a renowned precision equestrian drill team from Chatham-Kent, Ontario, known for their dazzling performances and dedication to promoting equestrian sports.

Attention Gallery presents our December Exhibit for 2020 entitled "Winterscapes and Snowy Stills"

For this exhibit we invited 60 SL artists to share a landscape photo with us. Some are already seasoned landscape photographers and a few had never taken a landscape photo. It was requested that the photo be a winterscape or a still life in a winter setting. 44 artists accepted the challenge and the results are wonderful.

This exhibits opens on Saturday, December 5 at Noon SLT (12 PM). DJ Irish will be providing her special brand of musical magic and we know you will enjoy yourself.

Please join us in celebrating the last month of 2020.

Here is the list of the artists:

Nams Piers

Malinda Aeon (Lin Talbot)

Helka Alchemi

Karole Batista

Michiel Bechir

Bellisima Benelli

Sandi Benelli

Ben John (BenJohn9)

Morgaine Warblood

Kit Boyd

David Daniels (DavidDaniel999)

Lizabeth Demonia

Hayley Dixon

Doc Mercury

Doddy Meiler

Hazel Foxtrot

Cari Franizzi

Melodie Heartsong

Josephine Hotshot

Jenny Inglewood (JennyLover)

Charly Keeley-Keating

Alsatian Kidd

Tobi Larroane

Sparklebottom Lasertits

Elaine Lectar

Rachel Magic

Loegan Magic

Dusty Pedroia

Justice Pedroia

Tresore Prada Hawkins

Heidi Rewell

Ed Rhode

Metukah Rhode (metukah.lenroy)

Persephone Smythe (leriadraven resident)

Sam Steele

Pavel Stransky

Morgan Talbot

Nino Ventura

Lotje Winkler

Liz Winterstorm-V

Jon Wyck

Val xox

Vrir

ZanyaSL

We look forward to seeing you there. LM below.

maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/HaStArA/57/239/3503

It was almost time for the weekend again. Ahead of me lay the novel experience of my first ever flu jab. Everyone in Britain aged over 50 is entitled to a flu jab this winter, and it seemed rude to refuse my turn when it came along. A local clinic was being held in the village hall where we queued up patiently outside, waiting for our two minute window to arrive. I felt like the new boy at the office, a mere stripling compared to most of my fellow patients as we loitered and smiled politely at one another, announcing ourselves to one another not by name, but by the time of our appointment. I was Mr 9:38. So while Mrs 9:40, who'd arrived before me gracefully stood aside to allow me to pass, I in turn made way for Mrs 9:35 and Mrs 9:36. At 9:37 I timidly entered the hall and announced my presence, where I was directed to one of the four "jabbing stations." By 9:39 I was on my way back to the car. My left shoulder is throbbing very gently, but apart from that I'm fine, and presumably less likely to succumb to a dose of the flu this winter. Thanks for asking.

Later in the day I met my children for a long overdue lunch at the legendary Smokey Joe's. For the uninitiated, Smokey's is just off the A30, within 15 minutes' walk of home for me. Thought of by many as a truck stop, it is more often than not full of locals from Redruth and the surrounding area. The portions are generous to say the least.

Order the Hungryman's all day breakfast and unless you have the most enormous appetite in the universe, you won't need to eat again for the rest of the day. In fact you might still be trying to finish it at closing time. You probably won't feel the need to order dessert afterwards.

All of this excitement meant that getting outside with the camera on Saturday was looking unlikely. I'd resigned myself to this fact despite the sunshine, which was bringing conditions as pleasant as you're likely to see here in the middle of December. At this time of year, even on a good day the light is facing rapidly by 4pm. So it was fortunate that I'd already inspected the weekend weather forecast and decided Sunday was the day for me. Yes, I'd chosen driving rain, black clouds and high winds over benign sunshine and fluffy clouds.

Dave announced he had decided he's a fair weather photographer and wasn't coming. Lee was waiting for his wife to come home so that he could use the car. He said he might join me if he was able to a bit later. In truth I suspected I'd be alone. All morning today I looked doubtfully through the window at a world of terminally grey skies and drizzle, yet I remained confident that a gap in the clouds might come later - and when you want to watch the weather properly, there's no better place to go to than Wheal Coates.

The big waves that I'd hoped the incoming tide might deliver didn't happen on the grand scale I'd hoped for, so I had to resort to a hastily devised backup plan. I have something very specific in mind for this location, but I haven't quite had the right conditions yet. Of course what makes me happy about that is it means my business isn't done here yet. As I arrived though, the light had started to filter through those brooding clouds, throwing shafts of yellow onto the sea. This one was taken right at the beginning of the two hours I spent here today - a reminder that in winter you don't just wait for sunset because you can shoot throughout the day and the best light often comes early. The rest of the visit was spent battling the drifting rain and trying to keep the tripod steady in the wind. These challenges are always fun, and each time I encounter them I feel I've come away with a tiny bit more experience in dealing with them. I also now know exactly what's needed for the conditions I'm waiting for here. Hopefully they'll arrive soon enough. Hopefully I'll be ready to grab the moment when it comes.

Mural entitled "Save the Youth" by M*Code aka @martiancodeart, seen at 1926 Dunlap Street in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

Mural entitled "Swept Away" by Amy Rheinhardt seen at 803 Broad Ripple Avenue in the Broad Ripple Village area of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

This sculpture is entitled Summer by John O'Connor, now i'm no art critic or great expert, but if this is his idea of Summer then I dont want to be holidaying anywhere near this guy. I actually really liked it as a piece of work but SUMMER !!!!!! nah, more like a tribute to The Scream by Edvard Munch.

Have a great weekend one and all.

Mark x

A few years ago I published a shot which I entitled Finally - the Gherkin - it had taken me ages to get a shot that I really liked. The building is wonderful its shape so curvaceous - but its this very shape that made it so difficult to shoot. The shot was straight up to the top with the clouds whizzing over head. I was really pleased to get the shot. But over time I've looked at it and grown to think that the shot really didn't do the building justice - it didn't show off the beauty. So since then I've hunted all over the city for that view - and I'd pretty much given up it just didn't exist. That was until recently (well earlier this year) when a view opened up as the ever changing cityscape devoured another nondescript 60s building to be replaced - well by another probably nondescript office block. I've no idea how long this view will last below and the right the construction is well under way (one of the reasons for the long exposure) - but for now its there - I feel this shows off why I like the building so much.

I'd also like to say a big hello to all those photographers (and their friends and partners) I met on Monday at the opening night of Landscape Photographer of the Year - it was great meeting and chatting to you all. I have to say this years show is fabulous - some really fantastic photography on show - and well worth a visit - its free to enter and pretty much open all of the time - there's also loads of other fantastic exhibitions in london at the moment too - have a look here Must see Exhibitions

Technical Details

Nikon D700

Nikon 28mm - 200mm @ 80mm

f8.0

62 seconds

ND110

ISO 200

_________________________________________________________________________________

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Despite my recent photo entitled "Last one until 2021", I have to bring you one more post featuring the partial lunar eclipse on Wednesday, July 17.

This collage is made up of nine single photos that were shot over 90 minutes, starting during the penumbral phase of the eclipse. The partial eclipse proper–the "umbral" phase–commenced at 6:01 am where I was viewing and shooting from at Sandringham, Sydney, Australia. You can see the earth's shadow consuming more of the Moon's disk as between the first and last images. The Moon's colour changes throughout the photo, due to the effects of atmospheric refraction near the horizon.

I used my Canon EOS 6D Mk II camera and a Sigma 50-500 mm lens to capture the source photos for this collage. The shutter speed and aperture were varied depending on the Moon's brightness against the background sky, which changed as sunrise came closer.

Mural entitled "Deluge Of Abundance" by Steven Teller aka @steventellerarts for BBX Capital Fund for the Arts, seen on the wall of Hoffman’s Chocolates store, 601 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Drone photo by James aka @urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

Mural entitled "An Enduring Spell" by Elmac aka @mac_arte, seen at 9249 Scholars Drive South in La Jolla, California.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee.

The artwork, entitled Nativity – This is God: God is Tenderness, is the work of artist and sculptor Father Rory Geoghegan SJ, a Jesuit priest who lives and works at St Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre in Tremeirchion.

The sculpture is a prayerful reflection on the theme of the Incarnation – the human nature of God – and shows Jesus, Mary and Joseph in an intimate and loving family pose.

Fr Rory, who is in his 80s, decided on the title for the work just as he was finishing the sculpture.

By chance, he came across a description of the people of Buenos Aires, Argentina, recalling how at Christmas, their archbishop used to take baby Jesus from the crib to show to the congregation, saying: “This is God. God is tenderness.” That Archbishop is now Pope Francis.

The Nativity sculpture gradually came to life over a period of several months in Fr Rory’s workshop. The basic shape was constructed over pieces of chicken wire and foam blocks covered in many layers of plaster, which were then cut back, shaped and smoothed. The ‘shot silk’ finish is achieved by meticulously applied paint of assorted colours, again built up in layers.

Mural entitled “Ab Astris” (Latin for “From the stars”) by Nic Fonté aka @wtg.studios, curated by Chicago Truborn Gallery, seen under the viaduct on Lessing Street at Chicago Avenue in the West Town area of Chicago, Illinois.

Photo by James aka Urbanmuralhunter on that other photo site.

Edit by Teee

Soprano Viorica CORTEZ' critical biography is accompanied by Quotations, Iconography and a substantial bibliography which are presented in a new Anthology entitled;

"Blouse Roumaine - the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women"

Presented and Selected by Constantin ROMAN

Anthology E-BOOK (11BM)

DISTRIBUTION: Online with credit card

COST: $ 54.99, £34.99 (ca Euros 35.50)

LINK: www.blouseroumaine.com/orderthebook_p1.html

CONTENTS:

2,250,000 words,

over 1,000 pages,

ca 160 illustrations in text

160 critical biographies,

58 social categories/professions,

600 quotations (mostly translated into English for the first time),

circa 3,000 bibliographical references (including URLs and credits)

6 Indexes (alphabetical, by profession, timeline, quotation Index, place

index and name index)

AUTHOR: Constantin Roman is a Scholar with a Doctorate from Cambridge and a Member of the Society of Authors (London). He is an International Adviser, Guest Speaker, Professor Honoris Causa and Commander of the Order of Merit.

INDEX BY PROSFESSION: 58 CATEGORIES by Call, Profession or Social Status

Academics (22), Actresses (9), Anti-Communist Fighters (14), Architects/Interior Designers (2), Art Critics (9), Artist Book Binders (1), Ballerinas (6), Charity Workers/Benefactors (20), Communist Public Figures (2), Courtesans (3), Designers (2), Diplomats (4), Essayists (11), Ethnographers (6), Exiles & First-generation Romanians born abroad (87), Explorers (1), Feminists (12), Folk Singers (1), Gymnasts, Dressage Riders (2), Historians (5), Honorary Romanian Women (15), Illustrators (3), Journalists (13), Lawyers (4), Librarians (3), Linguists (2), Literary Critics (1), Media (15), Medical Doctors/Nurses (5), Memoir Writers (16), Missionaries and Nuns (4), Mountainéers (2), Museographers (1), Musical Instruments Makers (1), Novelists (24), Opera Singers (16), Painters (14), Peasant Farmers (6), Philosophers and Philosophy Graduates (4), Pianists (6), Pilots (4), Playwrights (5), Poets (29), Political Prisoners (30), Politicians (5), Revolutionaries (2), Royals and Aristocrats (34), Scientists (8), Sculptors (4), Slave (1), Socialites/Hostesses (20), Spouses/Relations of Public Figures (51), Spies (2), Tapestry Weavers (4), Translators (25), Unknown Illustrious (6), Violinists (4), Workers (3)

NOTE:

Most of the above 160 Romanian women, in the best tradition of versatility, are true polymaths and therefore nearly each one of them falls in more than just one category, often three or more. This explains why adding the numbers of the 57 individual categories bears no relation to the actual total of the above 160 women included in Blouse Roumaine.

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LIST OF 160 CRITICAL BIOGRAPHIES (each supported by Quotations and Bibliography)

AA *Gabriela Adamesteanu *Florenta Albu *Nina Arbore *Elena Arnàutoiu *Ioana Raluca Voicu-Arnàutoiu, *Laurentia Arnàutoiu *Mariea Plop - Arnàutoiu *Ana Aslan *Lady Elizabeth Asquith Bibescu

BB *Lauren Bacall *Lady Florence Baker *Zoe Bàlàceanu *Ecaterina Bàlàcioiu-Lovinescu *Victorine de Bellio *Pss. Marta Bibescu *Adriana Bittel *Maria Prodan Bjørnson *Ana Blandiana *Yvonne Blondel *Lola Bobescu *Smaranda Bràescu *Elena Bràtianu *Élise Bràtianu *Ioana Bràtianu *Elena Bràtianu- Racottà *Letitzia Bucur

CC *Anne-Marie Callimachi *Georgeta Cancicov *Madeleine Cancicov *Pss. Alexandra Cantacuzino *Pss.Maria Cantacuzino (Madame Puvis de Chavannes) *Pss. Maruca Cantacuzino-Enesco* Pss. Catherine Caradja *Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu *Marta Caraion-Blanc, *Nina Cassian, *Otilia Cazimir *Elena Ceausescu *Maria Cebotari *Ioana Celibidache *Hélène Chrissoveloni (Mme Paul Morand)*Alice Cocea *Irina Codreanu *Lizica Codreanu *Alina Cojocaru *Nadia Comàneci *Denisa Comànescu *Lena Constante *Silvia Constantinescu *Doina Cornea *Hortense Cornu *Viorica Cortez*Otilia Cosmutzà *Sandra Cotovu *Ileana Cotrubas *Carmen-Daniela Cràsnaru *Mioara Cremene *Florica Cristoforeanu *Pss. Elena Cuza

DD *Hariclea Darclée *Cella Delavrancea *Alina Diaconú *Varinca Diaconú *Anca Diamandy *Marie Ana Dràgescu *Rodica Dràghincescu *Bucura Dumbravà *Natalia Dumitrescu

EE *Micaela Eleutheriade *Queen Elisabeth of Romania (‘Carmen Sylva’) *Alexandra Enescu *Mica Ertegün

FF *Lizi Florescu, *Maria Forescu *Nicoleta Franck *Aurora Fúlgida

GG *Angela Gheorghiu *Pss Grigore Ghica *Pss. Georges Ghika (Liane de Pougy) *Veturia Goga *Maria Golescu *Nadia Gray *Olga Greceanu *Pss. Helen of Greece *Nicole Valéry-Grossu *Carmen Groza

HH *Virginia Andreescu Haret *Clara Haskil *Lucia Hossu-Longin

II *Pss. Ileana of Romania *Ana Ipàtescu *Marie-France Ionesco *Dora d’Istria *Rodica Iulian

JJ *Doina Jela *Lucretia Jurj

KK *Mite Kremnitz

LL *Marie-Jeanne Lecca *Madeleine Lipatti *Monica Lovinescu *Elena Lupescu

MM *Maria Mailat *Ileana Màlàncioiu *Ionela Manolesco *Lilly Marcou *Silvia Marcovici *Queen Marie of Romania *Ioana A. Marin *Ioana Meitani *Gabriela Melinescu *Veronica Micle *Nelly Miricioiu *Herta Müller *Alina Mungiu-Pippidi *Agnes Kelly Murgoci

NN *Mabel Nandris *Anita Nandris-Cudla *Lucia Negoità *Mariana Nicolesco *Countess Anna de Noailles *Ana Novac

OO *Helen O’Brien *Oana Orlea

PP *Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu *Milita Pàtrascu *Ana Pauker *Marta Petreu *Cornelia Pillat *Magdalena Popa *Elvira Popescu

RR *Ruxandra Racovitzà *Elisabeta Rizea *Eugenia Roman *Stella Roman *Queen Ana de România, *Pss. Margarita de România *Maria Rosetti *Elisabeth Roudinesco

SS *Annie Samuelli *Sylvia Sidney *Henriette-Yvonne Stahl *Countess Leopold Starszensky *Elena Stefoi *Pss. Marina Stirbey *Sanda Stolojan *Cecilia Cutzescu-Storck

TT *Maria Tànase *Aretia Tàtàrescu *Monica Theodorescu *Elena Theodorini

UU *Viorica Ursuleac

VV *Elena Vàcàrescu *Leontina Vàduva *Ana Velescu *Marioara Ventura *Anca Visdei *Wanda Sachelarie Vladimirescu *Alice Steriade Voinescu

WW *Sabina Wurmbrand

ZZ *Virginia Zeani

From my set entitled “The Flight Crew”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/sets/72157607477197733/

In my collection entitled “Uncle Bill Watson”

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/collections/7215760783...

In my photostream

www.flickr.com/photos/21861018@N00/

Hi, All:

I’m back for a day or two. While I was down, I started work on pulling my Uncle Bill’s story together. I have so much stuff. I’ve scanned almost thirty of his letters home. I’ve also scanned letters from my grandmother to Bill, miscellaneous documents, a moving account of Bill’s memorial service, a letter from the chaplain who buried him in Chester and letters to my grandparents from the parents of Bill’s flight crew. The boys died when the Wellington bomber in which they were training ditched into the Irish sea during a training mission.

In January, I will be going to Archives Canada in Ottawa to pull the files on the whole flight crew, as well as the second world war records pertaining to Bill’s friend, Cam Devine, my father, Herb Barber, and Karen’s father, George Pepper. I will also pull the first world war files for my uncles, John and Art Barber, and my great uncle, Wilbert MacDonald. It’ll take a few days of research to go through all the files. I pulled the records for Bill and his crew once before…in early 2003. At that time I photocopied quite a few records, but there are more I should have obtained.

This set of pictures were taken at #1Y Depot in Halifax, just before each of the boys shipped overseas at various times early in 1944. They still hadn’t met each other at this point, and would not meet until they crewed up in May, 1944. These images are photocopies of originals which are in Ottawa. I will try to have the originals duplicated in high quality when I go to the archives.

You’ll see the boys’ formal photos in the flight crew link given above. What a difference.

Over the next month or so, I will post the letters and documents. I think you will find them an interesting account of life in the early 1940s. Bill did a lot of things in a matter of eight or nine months.

I hope you are transported by his story as I was.

Bob was born in Seattle Washington to John Andrew Johnson and Annie Ione Brown, and was raised in Kapuskasing, Ontario. He went to high school for one year, and then studied drafting at technical school. He joined the Boy Scouts. Bob worked as a clerk at the Dominion Store in 1941-42, and as a showcard painter at Farbs Clothing store from 1942-43. His hobbies included bowling, basketball, swimming and sketching.

Bob enlisted at North Bay, Ontario, then undertook pre-aircrew education at St. John’s Technical School in Brandon, Manitoba, where he studied English, math, aircraft recognition and signals. After graduation, he entered the service at 32 Manning Depot, Brandon, Manitoba. His second posting was at #3 Wireless School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From Winnipeg he was posted to #17 Service Flying Training School at Souris, Manitoba. His next stop was #1 Air Gunner Ground Training School in Quebec City, after which he attended #3 Bomber and Gunner Training School at MacDonald, Manitoba. His final Canadian posting was at #3 Air Gunner Training School at Three Rivers (Trois Rivieres), Quebec.

Upon landing in Britain, he was stationed at #3 Personnel Receiving Centre in Bournemouth, Dorset where he awaited further posting. He arrived at #83 Operations Training Unit, Peplow, Shropshire, on May 23, 1944. On a night training mission, on July 22/23, Bob was killed when the Wellington bomber in which he practicing gunner duties ditched in the Irish Sea

The recruitment interviewing officer marked Bob as a ‘slight lad, but [who] seems sincere in his desire for aircrew”. He was also noted as a “malleable type of chap who is quite willing to accept guidance and instruction. He would have preferred a chance to fly as pilot but accepts selection as air gunner gracefully and impresses one as good material for training in that trade. Keen, alert well-motivated, Likes guns and has no fear of fighting”.

Autumn is perhaps the most beautiful season, yet it is a time marked by death. This image from my back garden is my attempt to create a picture of a paradox.

Should you be interested, I've created a Flickr Album of creative photographs of common household objects or sights that I've entitled "At Home Creatives." I invite you to visit and I hope you enjoy.

“Makli was entitled as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1981”

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