View allAll Photos Tagged IStandWithUkraine
Happy New Year Ukraine. I hope 2023 will be a better year for you.
(I’ve planned to post other pics today, but I ran out of time and now I got to meet a friend.)
Beautiful artwork by Amanda Newman for #Art4UkraineAus in Essendon.
Amanda says about the work (from her Instagram page);
This piece is about hope and resilience. A video circulated at the beginning of the war showing a Ukrainian woman offering a Russian soldier sunflower seeds to put in his pockets so that they would bloom when he died. This image has stuck with me.
The bravery of the woman. Beauty sprouting from something awful. A sunflower (Ukraine’s national flower) symbolising the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the hope that they would not only survive, but prosper, in the wake of evil. A nightingale (Ukraine’s national bird) singing with sweet victory and hope for the future. A young girl in traditional Ukrainian clothing, sowing the seeds of her identity so that her culture is not lost.
This mural is part of a larger campaign #art4ukraineAus to raise money and awareness for the ongoing atrocities in Ukraine. There will be a fundraiser at Off The Kerb gallery soon - follow their page for updates.
My heart goes out to all those in Ukraine and beyond who have suffered and been displaced. #istandwithukraine
Another image in my sunflower series in support of Ukraine, this is from a “chocolate” cultivar with completely brown petals. The pollen still glows brightly like most sunflowers, but interestingly there is no visible “bullseye” pattern in the ultraviolet spectrum that pollinators can see. I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise with human-influenced cultivars; we didn’t selectively breed these sunflowers for the insects, we created them for their beauty in the visible spectrum.
Unlike a straight-on view, the sharp difference between the petals and the pollen in the center deserved to be framed in a different way. At this angle, the petals interact more with the center, almost like they are staying warm around a fiery heat of a campfire. I can imagine many soldiers on the front lines in Ukraine doing just that in the weeks and months ahead as winter approaches.
There has been a lot of news since my last post, including the announcement today that Putin has begin a “partial” mobilization of its citizens – in other words, forced conscription. But before we get to that, I was worried that when investigations began in newly-liberated territory in Ukraine, the world would discover atrocities like those discovered in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha. Sadly, this is true. I hate to write about the details, but I feel the world needs to know some of these stories.
I’ll try not to be too graphic, but at least one mass grave of 450 individuals has been discovered in Izyum. The bodies are being exhumed, inspected for war crimes and cause of death, and hopefully identified. Some had nooses around their necks. One man was found with his hands tied behind his back, obvious signs of torture (crushed testicles, among other things), and many others with overt signs of distress or torture before their murder. There are also occurrences of sexual assault of children. You can imagine that these are not isolated incidents, and the monsters that committed these crimes are likely still at large, in the reconstituted front lines.
The retreat from places like Izyum were so chaotic that the Russian forces dropped whatever they were doing and fled. They left a lot behind, including a number of tanks, armoured personnel vehicles and support equipment effectively amount to a complete battalion. In full working order. This includes some of their latest equipment such as a T-90M tank which only entered into service in 2019. Russia inadvertently is becoming one of the biggest weapons suppliers to Ukraine, when other nations (Germany is a great example) have been setting up roadblocks for the delivery of modern tanks. In sure that more “gifts” from Russia will be discovered and put to use in the >6000 square kilometers that the Ukrainian forces have liberated since the beginning of the month.
The Ukrainian forces are better equipped, better trained, and far more motivated than Russia. And still, they persist. The next goal for Russia appears to be sham referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (provinces) to claim that those areas are now a part of Russia. This would allow Putin to falsely claim that the Ukrainian forces have invaded “Russian soil” which could trigger a more wide-spread mobilization effort. However, there is no infrastructure to support this. Things are a lot different than during the Soviet era.
(side note: Soviets / Russians are no stranger to forcing referendums at gun-point. Bulgaria is a great example. Hitler assassinated the King of Bulgaria, Boris III, via slow-acting poison after he refused to transport Jews to Poland and refused to declare war on closer enemies. His son, then six years old, assumed the thrown as Simeon II. Three years later in 1946, the Soviets [who had occupied Bulgaria back in September 1944] held a referendum to abolish the monarchy. The population voted roughly 96% in favour of it. Soviet troops were withdrawn in 1947. Interesting related fact: the city of Varna [which we live just outside of] was renamed to “Stalin” from December 20, 1949 to October 20, 1956.)
See, mass mobilization efforts require a support network: equipment, food, training personnel, higher-ranking officers to oversee the new recruits, barracks, communication, etc. During the height of the Soviet era, there were entire battalions with almost no soldiers. They maintained a skeleton crew to support the influx of conscripts in the event of general mobilization, and such preparedness efforts were extremely costly. The kleptocratic ethos of modern-day Russia has not allowed for any of that.
And winter is coming. Countries aligned with Ukraine have been supplying winter equipment to the Ukrainian forces. I still remember at the beginning of this conflict when the Ukrainian forces discovered a dead Russian soldier with an RPG launcher in his hands. He was chained to a post so that he would not desert his position, and died from exposure. And that was from an era when Russia still had the illusion of intelligence. This poses a problem regarding Russia’s disregard for civilian lives. What would stop the Russians from occupying the homes of Ukrainians during the upcoming months? No need to stockpile anything, just shoot the inhabitants and live in their homes.
New Russian conscripts are going to receive TWO WEEKS of basic training before being sent to the front lines. Train columns of T62-M tanks have been spotted heading towards the Donbas region. Russia is throwing everything they have at this senseless conflict, bit doing so in the ineptest way possible. Barges and pontoon bridges continuously get destroyed by the Ukrainian forces, so much so that Russia is using helicopters to resupply troops. Nazi Germany tried this as a last resort in the Battle of Stalingrad. It did not go well.
And all the while, the world supports Ukraine. I do as well. To that end, this is another image I dedicate to the Public Domain. There’s not much that I can do as a photographer to help the war effort, but I can create artwork. I can write about these events to raise awareness, and I can send aid. If you’d like to “buy me a coffee” to support more Public Domain images, or you just enjoy my creative efforts, here’s the link: www.buymeacoffee.com/donkomphoto . Any bit is helpful, it will be put to good use.
I don’t want to talk any more about the tears & anxiety that I go through. What’s the point & nowadays, more than ever, I’m not alone. I want to say as an immigrant, as someone who was given an opportunity almost 27 years ago, I owe it to others.
To all the soldiers: fight for Ukraine. To all the doctors: heal Ukraine's people.
#ukraine #ukrainestrong #istandwithukraine #standwithukraine #message #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #post #artwork #digitalart #digitalartmessage #ukrainemessage #staysafe #staystrong #strongertogether #fight #artmessage #artukraine #saveukraine
This image might seem strange, and indeed it is. To see it properly, dig out your pair of red/cyan anaglyph glasses! It’s a stereoscopic 3D image – and if you bought a copy of my book Macro Photography, you likely have a pair of the required glasses. :)
Alternatively, you can see the image by other means:
SBS (for VR headsets and stereoscopes): donkom.ca/stereo/mantis-sunflower-sbs.jpg
Cross-view for crossing your eyes (my preferred method): donkom.ca/stereo/mantis-sunflower-crossview.jpg
MPO file if you’re still somehow still using a 3DTV: donkom.ca/stereo/mantis-sunflower-3DTV.mpo
I have always loved 3D imagery, and I encourage more photographers to experiment with it. Mantis oothecas (egg casings) I found in the winter have provided us with countless mantis nymphs, and these little guys are a wonderful subject to photograph in 3D. The image is staged with two sunflower petals and a water droplet where they intersect, with a sunflower refracting in the droplet and a mantis staring into the “crystal ball”.
I share this fun image as a small celebration, of sorts. Ukraine (and Moldova!) has been granted “candidate” status by the European Commission. This is a critical first step in joining the European Union, and creates a roadmap for the reforms and changes required to join. Judicial reform, anti-corruption and money laundering reforms, etc. all need to be implemented. Some reforms have already been passed recently, including the Istanbul Convention which aims to prevent violence against women. It signifies a path forward for Ukraine.
Is the symbolism a bit of a stretch to say that a mantis peering “through the looking glass” to the bright sunflower on the other side matches this moment? Probably. Still, it’s a moment I wanted to revel in. The war rages on, and the sadness and despair only grows deeper – but moments of hope are critical, and while this isn’t a victory on the battlefield, it’s still a wonderful step forward.
The image was shot with a long-discontinued deWijs stereo macro lens, essentially two sets of optics in the same barrel, with one half of the camera sensor collecting the image for each eye. StereoPhoto Maker is free software that allows for the combining of the images in various ways and properly setting the “stereo window”, ensuring that there is proper overlap of the image data for each eye. You don’t need a special lens to shoot 3D, however! You can easily mount your camera on a focusing rail sideways, so that the camera moves left and right rather than forward/backward. This technique is more applicable to static subjects and maybe not a living insect, and I’ll aim to shoot an image using this technique soon as well to illustrate the difference. As human beings we see the world with depth, it’s something we can embrace more as visual artists.
Our fight for Ukraine continues. I’m inquiring about potential discounts on solar generators to ship to the front lines, as well as much-needed medical supplies. It’s painful to know that all-out war has been continuing for four months. Crimea was annexed eight years, four months and four days ago. This will not be over until Ukraine is whole again.
As with other images in the Support for Ukraine series, I dedicate this image to the Public Domain.
(and for those wondering why the image is very green: That’s a feature, not a bug. The sunflower in the background doesn't need depth information which would create dazzling distractions. It was forced to be green. It’s still better than a monochrome anaglyph in this case, because a vibrant flower needs to have SOME colour!)
This is my message to Ukraine: stay strong and fight for your country against the Russian invasion. You are not alone because there are many who will stand with you during these troubling times.
#ukraine #ukrainestrong #istandwithukraine #standwithukraine #message #graphicdesign #graphicdesigner #post #artwork #digitalart #digitalartmessage #ukrainemessage #staysafe #staystrong #strongertogether #fight #artmessage #artukraine
The sky will cover itself with specks of star dust,
And branches will resiliently bend down,
I'll hear you a thousand miles away,
We're an echo, an echo,
We're the long echo of one another.
We're an echo, an echo,
We're a long echo of one another.
And wherever you've been,
It's not hard for me to touch you with my heart,
Love invited us again,
We are tenderness, we are tenderness,
We are each other's tenderness.
We are tenderness, we are tenderness,
We are each other's tenderness.
And even in the territory of the coming down darkness,
Beyond edge of the deadly circle,
I know that we won't part,
We are memory, we are memory,
We are each other's starry memory.
We are memory, we are memory,
We are each other's starry memory.
We're an echo, an echo,
We're the long echo of one another.
We're an echo, an echo,
We're a long echo of one another.
I'm delighted that the Comebackalive.in.ua web site payment system is working. Last month (June 2022) I wasn't able to make my monthly donation, so I re-directed my effort to the humanitarian side. This month, I'm directing my entire donation (USD $336) to support the Ukrainian army. This is my 12th donation to help Ukraine since just before the war began in February 2022.
If anyone is interested in supporting the Ukrainian army, please consider donating to Comebackalive.in.ua (also known as "Savelife.in.ua":
www.comebackalive.in.ua/donate
xxxxx
I promised my Ukrainian friend Anatoly www.flickr.com/photos/uav2014 that I’d financially support the people of Ukraine, and to the people helping the people of Ukraine, until the Russian invaders are defeated.
I’ve been in love with this place from day one. Today it’s snowing, and the weather (for my taste) is beautiful, but my eyes are watery, and I keep telling myself, “your mascara is not waterproof.” My hands are shaky. This place is an example that this world is not only a home to ugly creations that work to destroy this planet but also full of people who help, support & inspire.
According to my mom some parts of my body are in desperate need of a diet. With Ukrainian food being mostly potatoes & dumplings and my love to Italy I can’t be all skin and bones. That’s just disrespectful to both cultures ☺️
Every day when I drive to work, I pass or am passed by a couple of Ukrainian cars. So, I have decided to show my support for Ukraine in a way that can be seen by other drivers, as well. I have made myself two of these stickers. I placed one on my front windshield and one on my rear windshield. And today, right after I put up these two signs, I passed a Ukrainian van on the highway. When I checked my rear-view mirror, I saw the driver smiling at me (it was in the middle of the afternoon traffic jam and we drove slowly and closely together, so I could see him smiling behind the wheel). I am so happy that I made someone's day a bit nicer :-)
I encourage everyone to put up a small sign or a sticker on their car or other vehicle to show support for Ukraine and for all the brave men and women fighting not just for their freedom, but for the freedom of the entire world!
Слава всім українським героям!
Вічна пам'ять кожному, хто віддав життя за нашу державу!
Слава Україні! 💙💛
Keep the comments clean! No banners, awards or invitations, please!
these colours spoke to me today. Six months and still the fight to oust the invaders goes on, but not without sacrifice. #istandwithukraine
Drive the occupiers out, drive these slaves out: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's address to the residents of Ukrainian cities.
I stand with the People of Ukraine and I wish them a safe holiday and a better new year.
This is at the Apple Park Visitor Center in Cupertino, CA. I have no idea why Flickr calls this location "Rancho Rinconada." The realistic model of the Apple campus is in the background.
This trip is very special for me, and it’s not just because I love Europe and it’s even more beautiful during the holiday season. I met up with my best friend from Ukraine and her family after 27 years. They had to leave Kyiv for my hometown, then after the sirens there became worse & worse eventually to Germany. I was really at first… what if we changed so much that after nearly 3 decades I see completely a new different person in front of me… what can we talk about… but it turned out after the first 5 minutes it was as if we just said goodbye yesterday. Then I met her little ones (3 & 1.4). I saw her dad… The pain people go through because of this war is unbelievable, and my heart really goes out to them. This is not something we should be experiencing in the 21st century. And I’m convinced the heart has a memory of its own. I believe having feelings for someone is like riding a bike. Even 30 years later after awkward 5 minutes the heart will be like “oh, I remember you”.
Throughout a lasting night of
darkness Ne'er shall I rest my own eyes, Always searching for the guiding
star, The bright empress of the dark
night skies.
I shall not allow my heart to fall
sleep, Though gloom and misery envelop
me,
Despite my certain feelings
That death is beating at my breast. Death will settle heavily on that
breast, The snow covered by a cruel haze, But fierce shall beat my little heart, And maybe, with its ferocity,
overcome death. Yes, I will laugh despite my tears, I'll sing out songs amidst my
misfortunes; I'll have hope despite all odds, I will live! Away, you sorrowful
thoughts! Lesya Ukrainka
That bridge is the first thing I remember when I started traveling again after the pandemic last March. I remember staring at the beautiful blue sky and yellow bridge and feeling happy.
There are things that we can do from afar to help Ukrainians whose lives have been completely turned upside down because of Russia's aggressions. Thanks to Don Komarechka, I've been able to donate to his efforts in helping refugees in Varna. Please find a reputable charity that you trust to donate to that can help Ukrainians during these unbelievably hard times. Their world has been turned upside-down. Destroyed.
No. 508: Helpless
🌻
Last week I saw a video on Reddit about a Russian warhead hitting a Ukrainian town. Families and kids were at the park, enjoying their day, quickly running for their safety. Trauma was instantly created. The only word I could think of to myself is that I was helpless...helpless in this war. I take photos, I raised some money, but there are innocent children, innocent people who are dying because of what? Greed? Power? History? All because of where they were born?
🌻
I wanted to, in a direct way, show that the country of Ukraine is still under duress. The #istandwithukraine was very popular for a week, but now it just seems to be forgotten about? Is it because we all feel helpless? That we have our own battles to face, let alone tackle one between two countries? Or was it another attempt for people to feel relevant on social media, and decorate yellow and blue for a few days?
🌻
Sorry for the rant. I've had this idea, and I needed to finally create something. I truly am thankful to the people who bought prints of my last sunflower photo, and I'm proud to have donated $250 to #unicef . I want to continue producing imagery, but I don't know how far that'll go. If you're still reading, and want to buy a print, I still have 85 copies left. This one seems too morbid for me to sell for the cause.
This digital art piece is inspired by the bravery of the people of Ukraine: a field of sunflowers, some of which are bent, but not broken.
Signs with political, social, public health, and support have become common in my area this year. In the past there were occasional political signs during elections, but nothing like we are seeing now. There is a collection of those I have spotted in my album: Signs of the Times
www.thekarmicgrind.com/ #istandwithukraine 🇺🇦💙💛♥️ Delicious & humanitarian!!! Love that place !! . . . I’m so thankful for everything people do. I’m so grateful for all the support and social media, and I hope that all that will save the place where I was born & grew up. So thankful to this place for helping. Now this week’s Long Island commute for training at 6:30 am doesn’t look so bad.