The Nikon FA is the most sophisticated member of the FM/FE series of medium compact Nikon semi-pro 35mm cameras. It was released slightly after the FE2 came to the market. It is similar to the FE/FM series in that it is built on the same chassis and is of approximately the same size and weight. However, while the FE2 was an incremental improvement over the FE with a traditional Nikon design, the FA was a test bed for two major new technologies: (1) multi-segment exposure metering (called Automatic Multi-Pattern ("AMP") in the FA, but Matrix Metering on later bodies); and (2) multiple exposure modes including Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Speed Priority, and Program (High and Low), known as "PASM"). The FA was developed to take advantage of the new AiS series of manual focus Nikkor lenses that supported linear aperture control and more communication with the camera body. The FA is the only Nikon camera body ever made that can support both multi-segment exposure metering and all four PASM exposure modes with manual focus Ai or better Nikkor lenses. While the Nikon F4 and F6, as well as some Nikon digital SLRs, can support multi-pattern metering with Ai or better lenses, they don't support full PASM but only Manual and Aperture Priority modes. As such, the FA offers more functionality with Ai or better lenses than any camera ever made by Nikon. The FA was in production from 1983 to 1987, after which Nikon replaced both the FE2 and FA with the N8008 (F801) and the advent of auto focus and built-in automatic film winders. Thus, the FA is important even today as both a historical landmark for Nikon, and also as an excellent choice for users of manual focus lenses when shooting film.

 

The FA was available in silver chrome and black. Although the chassis of the FA is metal like the rest of the FM/FE series, the top and bottom covers are made out of composite material. I have the silver version. On superficial inspection, the top and bottom covers almost appear to be metal and look very nice. However, if you look very closely and tap the covers, you can tell that they are not metal. Although it is somewhat disconcerting to hold a non-metallic body for the first time after having used all-metal bodies for so long in prior generations, as a practical matter, you can hardly tell the difference. Anyway, today virtually all cameras are covered in some type of composite material, so from a modern standpoint, the FA's cover material seems completely normal. My FA has been to the shop a few times for regular maintenance, but it has thankfully never experienced any breakdowns. I have heard that early samples of the FA had problems with electrical interference affecting exposure accuracy. However, Nikon quickly fixed this problem on subsequent production and also repaired defective early models under warranty. Naturally, the sophisticated functionality of the FA requires more electronic circuitry than its predecessors in the FM/FE series. Since new replacement electronic components are no longer available, should a critical part break down, your repair tech may need to cannibalize another FA sample, or else the FA might become a paperweight.

 

Just like the cameras of the related FE/FM series, the FA uses either a 3V lithium battery, two 1.55V silver oxide batteries, or two 1.5V alkalines. Quite standard for Nikon bodies of the that era. I usually prefer to just go with a single 3V lithium to enjoy the long shelf life, but of course the other two types work fine too. Even though the small batteries control both the light meter and electronic shutter (but obviously not film advance or any autofocus), they still seem to last forever. On the FA, like the FE2, the only way to check the batteries is to pull out the wind lever to turn on the camera and look through the viewfinder to see if the LCD display is activated.

 

The FA is built with a copper-aluminum-silicon (copper-silumin) alloy body, the same as the the other members of the FM/FA series, even though the top and bottom covers are composite material. I find the size and weight of the FA to be excellent, especially with wide-angle through medium telephoto Nikkor manual focus prime lenses. The body size is not too big or too small. Its size is large enough to hold securely, but still smaller than full size professional bodies like the F2AS or F3HP. It is not as small as the (mechanical) Contax S2, Pentax MX, or even the Olympus OM-3, which are considered small compact bodies and sometimes feel a bit too small to get a good grip. The FA is available with a small removable grip that screws onto the front right of the body. The grip is just the right size to catch your third and fourth fingers and makes it easy to grab the camera securely. The FA weighs in at only 625g, without lens, slightly more than the FE2's 550g, but still less than the F3HP's 715g and certainly less than later all-automatic film and digital SLRs. When holding the camera, it is easy to imagine that Nikon chose to use composite material for the top and bottom covers to keep the weight down to as close to the FE2 as possible. Of course the weight of the batteries is insignificant, compared with the multiple AA batteries or other larger batteries in future electronic bodies. You can still hang the FA with a small lens around your neck or shoulder for extended periods, but the increase in weight over the FE2 is noticeable. The FA fits great into a dedicated case, or a spongy snug-fit case, or a small camera bag with a few lenses. Like the other members of the related FM/FE series, the FA is an excellent size for travel use.

 

The FA, with its slightly increased heft, does not feel as insubstantial as the FM/FE when held without a lens attached. However, even when a lens is attached in the wide-angle to medium telephoto size range, especially those AiS Nikkor manual focus primes, the lens/camera combination still has excellent balance, with a very reasonable size and weight. Even with the composite top and bottom covers, the FA has a highly luxurious and precision feel and sound when held in your hands and used, although the sound is definitely not as pleasing as that of the FM2n or even the FE/FE2. In addition to the sound of the electronic shutter and mirror movement, there is also a mechanical sound that I guess may be attributable to the mechanism required to communicate between the camera and lenses for the PASM exposure modes. I most often use AiS primes from 20/2.8 to 200/4 and the system is wonderful to operate with all of those lenses. However, once you start getting into bigger and heavier lenses such as, for example, the 80-200/2.8, the camera feels a bit too light and out of balance. Also, on fatter lenses, you may need to use a rubber tripod filler ring to keep the lens rings from touching the tripod head.

 

Operation of the FA is really smooth. The shutter speed ring is large and has an easy to turn knurled grip, although it is not quite as tall as that on the FM2n. However, the shutter speed dial, shutter release button and exposure mode switch sit on top of a slightly raised platform that makes it a bit easier to reach those controls. The shutter speed dial on the FA, like the FE2, offers noticeably more resistance than the dial on the FE due to the more robust click stops on the FA. But still, it is easy to grab the shutter speed dial with your thumb and forefinger when the film advance lever is pulled out to turn on the camera. There is no "Auto" position on the FA's shutter speed dial. Since the FA supports all four PASM exposure modes, there is a separate switch attached to the spindle of the shutter speed dial to pick your mode. For safety purposes, a release button is still needed to turn the shutter speed dial onto M250 and B. However, on the FA, the release button is on the back of the camera just below the dial instead of in the middle of the dial itself like the FE/FE2. Actually, this position is not as convenient as the release button on the FE/FE2 because you need to use two hands to adjust the FA, whereas you can use the release button with only one hand on the FE/FE2. Like all Nikons, the film advance lever motion is amazingly smooth, although the lever is single-stroke only, unlike the levers on the F, F2 and F3. But the stroke is not very big, so a quick easy stroke quickly winds to the next frame. ASA/ISO setting is set by a ring that surrounds the rewind lever. You lift and turn the ring to set the ISO. The exposure compensation setting is located on the same ring as the ASA/ISO setting, and has a range from -2 to +2 EV in one-third stop increments, just like the FE2. Shutter speed and ISO markings are clear and easy to read. The ISO range of the FA (and also the FE/FE2) is 12 - 4000, wide enough to handle virtually all situations, though slightly narrower than the FM2n, which reaches up to 6400. The small multiple-exposure lever is still located under the film advance lever, out of the way but easy to turn when you need it. The shutter release button is located at just the right location near the front of the body. It takes a standard mechanical cable release. The shutter release button on the FA (and FE2/FM2n) is a more modern, wider design compared with the relatively narrower release on the FE. The shutter release button on the older FE seems to have a slightly shorter travel than the FE2 and FM2n, and therefore feels slightly more instantaneous. The shutter release on the FA is kind of the opposite, and you need to push it part way down to activate the exposure meter, then further down to release the shutter. (The throw of the shutter release is even further when using the mechanical shutter speed M250). I ultimately purchased a soft shutter release button to screw into the cable release socket on the shutter release button and improve the perceived responsiveness of the shutter release action. The film counter is just in front of release crank and is easy to read.

 

One of the biggest advantages of the Nikon film SLR lens mount (the "F mount") is that it is the only SLR camera mount that has stayed virtually the same from the time of the first Nikon F and Nikkormat FS/FT through to the most current small and full frame Nikon digital SLRs. Except for the requirement that relatively newer Nikon film SLRs require Ai or Ai-converted lenses, all manual focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on autofocus bodies, and most full-frame auto-focus Nikon F mount lenses can be used on all old manual focus bodies. I don't know of any other manufacturer that can make such a claim. Thus, it is convenient to use the FA together with a modern Nikon autofocus film or digital SLR because you can often use the same lenses on both bodies (except for the newest G-type lenses). By the way, you can find lots of used manual focus Nikkor lenses. But if you want to buy your manual focus lenses new, Nikon still manufactures some of their most popular Ai-S manual focus lenses, or you can select the new Carl Zeiss manual focus prime lenses in Nikon F mount.

 

The FE and FM were the last bodies in that line to directly accept unmodified pre-Ai lenses because they included a retractable meter coupling lever. Of course, with pre-Ai lenses, you still need to use stop-down exposure metering. There are many excellent pre-Ai lenses on the market, and to use any such lenses that have not been converted to Ai, the FE and FM cameras would be a better choice than the FA, FE2 or FM2n. Alternatively, you can probably still get an independent camera technician to convert any pre-Ai lens to Ai using scavenged parts, although Nikon itself presumably long ago stopped providing such service.

 

Loading Nikkor lenses onto the FA, or any FM/FE series body, is quick and positive. Just line up the black dot on the lens with the dot on the camera body and twist the lens counter-clockwise. Of course, their is no need to line up the claw on Ai Nikkor aperture rings with an exposure meter pin on the body; this old system became obsolete after the Nikkormat FT2/EL-W generation. To remove a lens, just press the lens release button on the left front of the body and twist clockwise.

 

Of course the most unique benefit of the Nikon FA lens mount is the camera's ability to do multi-segment metering (and center-weighted metering) as well as all four PASM exposure modes with manual focus Ai lenses and better. The FA performs even better with AiS and better lenses. AiS lenses, which were released in 1981, have even better performance with the FA. According to the FA user manual, AiS lenses, when used in Program mode, provide either normal or high-speed program depending on the focal length of the lens in use. Furthermore, in Program and Shutter Priority mode, AiS lenses give uniform exposure control in any lighting situation due to their linear aperture control. One very important step to remember is that you must set the aperture on your lens to the smallest available aperture when you are in Shutter Speed Priority or Program exposure mode. If you don't do this, the camera won't have access to the full aperture range of the lens. However, even if you forget to stop down the lens, the exposure meter will attempt to compensate by adjusting the shutter speed if a proper exposure can be achieved within the available range of apertures and shutter speeds.

 

To load or unload film, twist the back opening lever counter-clockwise and put the rewind crank upwards to open the camera back. Film loading is traditional style and almost foolproof. Like many Nikon and other cameras of this generation, you need to stick the film leader into a slot on the take-up spool and insure that the sprocket in the spool engages a film perforation. In my experience, this system is slower but more reliable than that on newer Nikon bodies where you simply lay the film leader flat next to an index line. Similar to the FE2, the FA prevents you from accidentally loading the film with the exposure mode set to one of the automatic modes and ending up with very long shutter activations if you try to wind to the first frame with the lens cap on. I can't count how many times I ran into this problem on my old FE. The FA defaults to M250 until the first official frame is reached. The slight downside is that you are unable to squeeze a few extra exposures off the beginning of the role (unless you use 1/250 sec. and Sunny 16 or an external exposure meter!).

 

The focusing screens of the FM/FE Series were improved and brightened with the release of the FM2/FE2/FA. The original screens on the FE are about 1 stop dimmer than the later second generation. (Note: first and generation screens are interchangeable with exposure compensation). A slight disadvantage of the FM/FE series viewfinders is that, unlike the 100% frame coverage of a pro-level Nikon F series camera, the FA's frame coverage is only 93%. This is not unusual in a prosumer level camera, but you need to be aware that objects that are outside the field of view in the viewfinder will be captured on your film. The viewfinder contains all of the information that you need for convenient camera setting. In fact, the FA was only the second Nikon after the F3 to use an LCD readout in the viewfinder. Thus, the FA has a completely different viewfinder display compared with earlier Nikons (except the F3). The display configuration changes slightly depending on what exposure mode you are using. In Manual mode, you see the aperture setting in the ADR window, just like on other cameras in the FM/FE series. However, the selected shutter speed appears in the LCD. Also appearing in the LCD are the selected shutter speed and various combinations of the - and + symbols depending on the exposure setting. The exposure is set properly when both -+ are visible at the same time, just like on the F3. Also in Manual mode, an "M" appears just below the -+ indicators. In aperture priority mode, you see the aperture setting in the same ADR, and the automatically selected shutter speed in the LCD. The LCD displays HI or LO if the light conditions are outside the available range. In Shutter priority mode, the ADR is covered up and you see the selected shutter speed as a mechanical numerical display in the top right of the viewfinder. The LCD indicates "F" followed by the selected aperture in whole stop increments (even though the exact aperture is selected steplessly). Finally, in Program mode, the LCD displays the automatically selected shutter speed; there is no indication of the selected aperture. Note that the FA has lost the red LED that used to light up on the right side of the FE2's viewfinder when exposure compensation is set to other than "0". You will need to remind yourself to turn off exposure compensation when it is no longer needed.

 

The FA, like the FE, FE2, FM2 and FM2n exposure meters, uses a pair of silicon photodiodes (SPDs) for exposure measurement. This is the latest generation of exposure meter technology, after Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) technology in the Nikkormat FT (1965) through the FT3 (1977) and gallium-arsenide-phosphide photodiodes in the FM (1977). Silicon photodiodes provide quick response and stability, and apparently lower manufacturing cost for Nikon, compared with the prior generation. Exposure measurement range of the FA is different from the other FM/FE series cameras. In AMP metering, the EV range is 1-16, while in center-weighted metering, the EV range is a wider 1-20 at ASA/ISO 100 and with a 50mm f/1.4 lens (compared to EV 1-18 on other FM/FE series cameras). The FA is still not not as sensitive as the EV -2 to EV +17 range on the F2 Photomic AS, or the EV 0 to EV 21 range of the later Nikon F4. By the way, unlike the FE and FE2, the FA incorporates an eyepiece shutter, which can be used to keep extraneous light from affecting the SPDs when remotely using the FA in the automatic exposure modes.

 

The center of the viewfinder display, with the standard K-Type focusing screen, contains a small central horizontal split image, surrounded by a microprism donut, which is further surrounded by a large matte donut and a 12mm diameter circle. But utilizing both the split-image and microprism collar, you can manually focus on almost any subject very quickly. Turn the camera at a slight angle when focusing if necessary to find a straight line. I can't resist pointing out that with well-maintained manual focus Nikkor primes, such as AiS lenses, focusing ring operation is buttery smooth, with just the right amount of viscous resistance. With the no-slip knurled focusing rings on the AiS lenses, focusing is quick and accurate. The FA provides three different interchangeable focusing screen types for various applications. There screens are the same ones that are designed for the FE2. I never needed to use any except the standard K2-Type screen. The B2 type screen removes the split image and microprism focusing aids, while the E2 type is the same as the B2, except with horizontal and vertical etched lines. As indicated previously, FM/FE series focusing screens were improved (from the "K" series to the "K2" series) to provide a brighter viewfinder image starting with the FM2/FE2/FA generation.

 

As mentioned already, the FA is the first SLR in the world to offer a multi-segment exposure metering system. The pattern includes a segment in each of the four quadrants, as well as a central segment, for a total of five segments. The FA uses specially developed software to analyze the scene and pick the best exposure setting for the situation. The AMP system works better than mindless use of the traditional center-weighted exposure system, but is still not perfect. After all, the FA incorporated the very first version of multi-segment exposure metering software. In addition, the FA does not incorporate a mercury switch to determine whether the camera is held horizontally or vertically. Thus, for example, the FA could fail to compensate properly for a bright sky in a vertically framed photograph. An additional shortcoming of the FA's design is that it does not include an exposure lock lever. Nikon would argue that exposure lock is not needed since the newly developed AMP system is so accurate. One must be impressed with Nikon's faith in their new multi-pattern system, but it was certainly premature to remove exposure compensation in this early version of a multi-pattern system. Still, we should not be so hard on Nikon as we look back on the deficiencies of their very first "Matrix" exposure system in 1983. Although Nikon's multi-segment exposure meters and their software have steadily improved with successive generations of film and digital SLRs, the system did not reach its pinnacle until the introduction of the F5, F6 and later digital SLRs with their color matrix meters.

 

The FA can be switched from AMP exposure metering to traditional center-weighted metering by operating the Metering Control Button on the bottom right of the lens mount. Push the button in and turn clockwise to set center-weighted metering. Turn the button counterclockwise and allow it to pop out to select AMP metering. The Metering Control Button is not as convenient to operate as modern exposure metering selector switches, especially if you have wide fingers. But it works fine. As with center-weighted metering in other FM/FE series cameras, the outer circle in the viewfinder encloses the central area which carries a 60% exposure meter weight, with the area outside the circle comprising the remaining 40%. The most important thing to know about a center-weighted exposure measurement system is how it weights various areas of the viewfinder image so that you can determine how to use it in each situation. The 60/40 system works fine for most situations. It is vast improvement over the classic full-frame averaging system, which was used on a Pentax Spotmatic models, the earliest Nikkormat FT, and other cameras. For these averaging systems, if you wanted a proper exposure, you could not include a bright light or big sky in any area of the frame. Still, with the 60/40 system, you need to determine where to point the camera when manually setting the exposure. Find an areas that is representative of the subject, but which is not overly influenced by a bright light, a bright sky, a dark background, etc. Also make sure to select an area that approximates 18% gray, such as a dense area of green trees in a landscape image. If you cannot find an area that is equivalent to 18% gray that fills the 12mm circle, for example, inside the Haleakala volcano crater on Maui, HI, or a bright snowscape, then you need to compensate the exposure by appropriately changing the aperture or shutter speed in Manual mode, or by changing the exposure compensation dial in Auto mode. Note again that multi-segment metering was conceived to automatically adjust for these difficult exposure situations, although you can not rely on it 100% in this first generation AMP system.

 

Note that the contemporaneous Nikon F3HP had a different exposure metering pattern. The F3HP, with its 80/20 heavy center-weight, makes it easier to find an area that is 18% gray, without surrounding high-contrast areas influencing the exposure reading too much. The F3HP's strong center-weight was probably the better way to go to obtain accurate exposures in the days before multi-segment metering became sufficiently advanced. However, the F3HP's 80/20 weight could be difficult for amateurs to use properly if they just point and shoot. Modern Nikon bodies generally use a default 75/25 weight in their center-weight metering modes.

 

Note, by the way, that the FA did not offer spot exposure metering, but only AMP and center-weighted. The successor body to the FA, the N8008 (F801), which came out in 1988, had essentially the same exposure metering system as the FA. Finally, in 1991, the N8008s (F801s), which was an update to the N8008, added a spot metering mode, in addition to multi-segment and center-weighted metering.

 

The FA incorporates a vertical-travel, metal focal plane shutter with honeycomb titanium or, later, aluminum curtains. Shutter speed range on the FA is not as wide as that of the FE2. The FA can only operate from 1 sec. to 1/4000 sec., while the FE2 operates over an expanded 8 sec. through 1/4000 sec. Of course, like the FE and FE2, the FA's electronic shutter can select any intermediate shutter speed in Aperture Priority or Program exposure mode. In Manual and Shutter Priority mode, you can only select the standard shutter speeds that are indicated on the shutter speed dial. The FA has one mechanical shutter speed, 1/250 sec., which is a separate selection on the shutter speed dial. Given the FA's great reliability and long battery life, I have never had a need to use the 1/250 sec. mechanical shutter speed.

 

There are just a few more features that I want to mention. On the right front side of the body are located a depth-of-field preview lever and a self timer lever. Like many other cameras, you can check actual depth of field at the set aperture by pressing the depth-of-field lever. The image darkens if the lens is not set for maximum aperture, but you can get a good idea of the expected DOF with your lens/aperture combination. Actually, this lever is not really required with manual focus Nikkor lenses, because such lenses include an easy to read DOF index on the lens barrel. Many AF Nikkor lenses also have DOF index marks. The FA bodies have a mechanical self-timer with a delay of up to approximately 10 seconds. While these cameras do not have a mirror lock-up switch per se, you can simulate MLU by using the self-timer lever. When the shutter release button is pressed after the self-timer is set, the mirror swings up at the start of the timer count.

 

Finally, a hot-shoe contact is installed on top of the prism housing for flash photography. The FA supports automatic TTL flash control with a four-contact hot shoe and has the same flash capabilities as the FE2. The FA's maximum flash synch speed is 1/250 sec. This maximum synch speed is still current today. On the FA, like the FE and FE2, one of the flash contacts communicates the flash charging status to the camera and lights a red diode "ready light" in the viewfinder when the flash is ready to shoot. Of course, the FA works with any Nikon flash unit. I use my SB-24 and SB-26 and they work great.

 

In addition to the vast selection of Nikkor and third-party lenses that are available for the Nikon F mount, the FA also accepts various other useful Nikon accessories. One of the most useful is the MD-15 motor drive (and also the MD-12 and earlier MD-11). The MD-15 has the advantage that its battery can also power the camera itself, while the MD-12 and MD-11 cannot. These motor drive units allow rapid fire or remote shooting up to 3.2 frames per second. In my youth, I used to keep the MD-12 attached to my FE and carried it around much of the time. However, the MD-12 (like the MD-15) is quite heavy, especially when loaded with the eight required AA batteries. These days, it would obviously be better to use a more modern camera is you want portable and higher-speed motor drive. Other useful optional accessories (which work with all FM, FE and FA bodies) are the MF-16 data back, the DB-2 Anti-Cold Battery Pack, the DR-3 and DG-2 viewfinder eyepieces, and various eyepiece correction lenses.

  

Copyright © 2016 Timothy A. Rogers. All rights reserved.

 

(DSC_6047fin2)

(Gnorimopsar chopi)

Chapada dos Guimarães

Brasil

 

Vi isto no wikiaves (www.wikiaves.com.br/grauna) e não posso deixar de citar aqui, porque me revolta a crueldade humana, que é capaz de tudo para obter supostos prazeres insignificantes, fúteis, caprichosos e mesquinhos.

Nota: Assum preto é outro dos nomes dado a esta ave.

 

"Dentre as várias inspirações ao cancioneiro popular, esta se destaca por sua letra e pujança na voz de Luiz Gonzaga:

 

Tudo em volta é só beleza

Sol de abril e a mata em flor

Mas assum preto, cego dos oio

Não vendo a luz, ai, canta de dor

Mas assum preto, cego dos oio

Não vendo a luz, ai, canta de dor

 

Essa música relata um ato cruel entre passarinheiros, principalmente do nordeste, que furavam (em algumas regiões ainda o fazem) os olhos do assum preto pensando que assim ele cantaria mais na gaiola. Esse procedimento bizarro também é feito com o sabiá."

==================***==================

All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.

So, you may find:

- All the photos for this trip Brasil // Pantanal (2015) (263)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Turdidae (Turdídeos) (122)

- All the photos for this species Gnorimopsar chopi (1)

- All the photos taken this day 2015/09/20 (11)

==================***==================

   

I love the turbine hall in the Tate Modern, so vast and with great light.

Every now and then we need a reminder of our place in the world, and big wild places like the Quiraing on Skye certainly put you in your place.

I was standing on the Table when I spotted this lone walker on one of the sharp ridges below. I couldn't help but wonder if he too was contemplating his mortality and place in the universe.

In my garden.

 

Sarcococca - Sweet Box.

 

I tolerate this fairly insignificant shrub during the summer months because its reward of delicate fragrant white flowers comes around at the lowest point in winter. My patio smells amazing at the moment.

Hard to believe that these two German classics are separated by 19 years. The elder of the two, the IIIa, was manufactured in 1939, The IIIg is from 1958.

 

Yes, there was a war in between. Even taking that into account, it's surprising how small the changes are. There are many of changes, all of them rather insignificant.

 

Both cameras have a fastest exposure time of 1/1000 seconds. Both have a separate dial for long exposure times, long meaning everything above 1/20 s (IIIa) or i/30 s (IIIg) and up to 1 s.

 

Both require the first 10 cm of the film leader to be trimmed with a scissor. And both require unmounting the bottom to load the film, which has to be fumbled onto a metal spool. That used to bother me, at first. I doesn't any more, I'm used to it now. No point in grumbling about such things. If you don't like it, a Leica isn't the right camera for you. No problem with that - there are plenty of other cameras.

 

No thread-mount Leica really is a rangefinder camera. The finder is physically separate from the range measurement. You peer into the little viewport that's more to the left, which gives a magnified image of the scene, focus, and then switch other other viewport to do the image compo. With the IIIa, the two viewports are about 3 cm apart. With the IIIg they're right next to one another (this can be rather tricky if you use them alternatingly).

 

Yes, that is ante-diluvian. It was obsolete in 1939 and it certainly was obsolete in 1958. No question about it. I mostly don't even use the range-measurement. I guess the distance and use hyperfocal DOF for focusing.

 

Zeiss-Ikon offered a real viewfinder in 1936 on Contax II that Leica introduced only with the M3 in 1954. In terms of ergonomics, the Contax ran rings around the Leicas. Apart from the rangefinder with a much longer baseline, the Contax offered a back-opening body, and a bayonet for fast lens exchange.

 

But hey, the reason why people use Leicas is the reason why I use Leicas. Because they are so well engineered that they just go on working, every single bit of them, decade after decade after decade.

 

Both of these two ladies make a wonderful, round ker-lick sound on shutter release. The sound of a well-made mechanical device. And both feel good in your hand, really good. The almost 80 year old IIIa even more than her younger sibling. Two good reasons for me to go on taking pictures with them.

 

The IIIg has a larger viewfinder and shows a parallax-corrected frame for a 50 mm or 90 mm focal length. The IIIa doesn't offer that feature, and its finder is rather arbitrary anyway. It's calculated for a 50 mm lens, but I use her with a 35 mm Summaron, so what I want to be in the frame mostly is in the frame, erratic finder notwithstanding.

 

The IIIg has a self-timer. It works fine, but I never use it. The IIIg also offers an M-sync for a bulb flash unit. I never looked into how to sync the flash because I only do available light.

"The Unexceptional" series

 

Shot a roll of Arista EDU Ultra 100 @ 400 ISO by mistake so I souped in Rodinal 1:100 for 2 hours, probably needed an extra 1/2 hour but wouldn't recommend pushing this film in general.

 

Hasselblad + Carl Zeiss Planar T* 80mm f2.8 + Arista EDU Ultra 100 @ 400 + Rodinal 1:100 2 hour push

“When we look up, it widens our horizons. we see what a little speck we are in the universe, so insignificant, and we all take ourselves so seriously, but in the sky, there are no boundaries. No differences of caste or religion or race.”

― Julia Gregson, East of the Sun

“I’ll always be there for you… for now and forever.”

 

It was a promise of naïve hearts in the land of rainbows. The promise was insignificant in its content but magnanimous in tenderness. Every word was truly meant by both soul-mates. Rainbows sweared as witnesses. The spring gale sang for the occasion with occasional chorus of the misty rain. Forever did not seem like enough time as hearts skipped random beats and time flew faster than fast.

 

Then… it all came to a screeching halt. The wind song became a squall and rainbows faded into despondent dark clouds. As summer rolled in, parting became inevitable. There were no choices; She had to leave. He did not know how to let her go but he eventually did. Water flows, so do people. She spread her wings and flew away to a land he had never seen nor heard of; So did his innocence. Nothing mattered anymore… except, his own words uttered on a crazy moonlit evening in the land of rainbows.

 

“I’ll always be there for you… for now and forever.”

 

Now, when surviving a moment was excruciating for him, forever seemed like a cruel joke. Her glory and beauty remained caged in his pain and as days passed by, the pain felt increasingly rewarding. Conceding to her absence was a crude way of acknowledging her presence within his entire being. Standing at the edge of his hollow world, he leaned against the wind one day and whispered for her…

 

“I’ll always be here... for you… for now and forever.”

  

Member of the Flickr Bird Brigade

Activists for birds and wildlife

   

  

Even before Leipzig was first mentioned in a document in 1015, a Slavic settlement existed here. The city was founded in 1165 when Margrave Otto the Rich of Meissen granted city and market rights to the city at the intersection of the Via Regia and the Via Imperii.

 

Leipzig was in the Margraviate of Meissen, which became part of the Electorate of Saxony in 1439. Leipzig then belonged to the Duchy of Saxony, whose capital was chosen to be Dresden, which had been insignificant compared to Leipzig or Meissen. Leipzig was often the place where the state parliament met, but Leipzig was never a residence city or a bishop's seat and has always been shaped by the urban bourgeoisie.

 

The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409 as "Alma Mater Lipsiensis" and was thus one of the three oldest universities in Germany. After being elevated to the status of "Reichsmessestadt" (imperial trade fair city) in 1497 and an extension of the staple right by the future Emperor Maximilian I, Leipzig became a trade fair city of European standing. It developed into the most important German trading center for the exchange of goods between Eastern and Western Europe. Alongside London, the Leipziger Brühl became the international trade center for the fur industry, and the important role played by the Leipzig Jewish community was closely linked to it.

 

In 1539, the Reformation was finally introduced in Leipzig by Luther and Justus Jonas. Over decades, the development of Leipzig was characterized above all by the constantly improving living conditions. As a trading and trade fair city of increasing importance, Leipzig benefited from the wealthy Leipzig merchant class.

 

The Thirty Years' War was a severe cut in the prosperous development of the city. Between 1631 and 1642 the city was besieged five times, from 1642 to 1650 it was occupied by the Swedes.

 

The "Völkerschlacht" (Battle of Leipzig) near Leipzig took place in 1813. In this battle, the allied armies of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden defeated Napoleon's troops and their allies which ultimately led to Napoleon's banishment to the island of Elba.

 

During WWII there were frequent air raids on the city, which led to considerable destruction of the city center.

 

In 1989, the Monday demonstrations that started at the Nikolaikirche helped herald the end of the GDR. With the occupation of the district administration for state security by demonstrators on December 4, 1989, state surveillance measures ended in Leipzig.

 

Neues Rathaus

  

At the end of the 19th century, the Altes Rathaus (old town hall) became too small for the growing importance of Leipzig, which had become a big city. In 1895 the city acquired the Pleissenburg (Pleissenburg Castle) from the Kingdom of Saxony.

 

The foundation stone for the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) was laid in 1899. After six years of construction, the New Town Hall was opened in 1905 - in the presence of the Saxon King Friedrich August III. The building complex, designed in the style of historicism, offers an area of over 10,000 m². The tower stands on the base of the old Pleissenburg tower.

 

The destruction caused by the air raids on Leipzig in WWII was eliminated by 1949.

  

Society calls me and others that are like me many different names. There's the usual insults like freak, weird, monster, or really anything that their insignificant minds can think of. While they calls us those names, there's one that has become the clear definition of what I am.. That is of course mutant. We are just like anyone else.. We look the same as they do, act like them, and yet we are called mutants. The only thing that makes us different, is that us "mutants" have extraordinary abilities that they just can't accept as being normal. We are normal, and we have persevered. Unfortunately, that has not stopped us from being hunted. The government deems mutants dangerous and have set up the Mutant Response Division to take us out of the equation. Some of us have been killed, and others have been captured. The ones that haven't have taken up refuge on the island of Genosha, where they are under the protection of my father. My father is Erik Magnus Lehnsherr, although he uses the name Magneto more than anything. To this day he has protected me from the cruelties of the world, and has taught me everything I know. My abilities have developed over the years, being able to manipulate any kind of metal. It's lucky for me that my father has the same gift as me, as he has been able to teach me different tricks I can do. As of lately, he hasn't been able to do much of that, or anything else really.

 

A few months ago, we learned that he has cancer. He doesn't have much time left, and the time that he has, he has to spend in bed all day everyday with an oxygen mask on. It hurts knowing that, and there's nothing I can do. Thousands of gifted people on this island, and yet none can cure my dad. As for humans, there's nothing that they could do either. Even if they could help, my father wouldn't accept the help. He would rather die a slow and painful death rather than have humans help him. I still remember one conversation I had with him a couple days ago. He called me into his room, and he told me he had something important to ask of me.

 

"What is it father?"

 

Erik: "I need you to lead them, Lorna.. I need you to lead our people"

 

Lorna: "Me? What could I ever do? Surely you are mistaken." I say as tears start to flow down my cheek.

 

Erik: "This is no mistake Lorna. I only have a little time left, and I know that you can do this. Lead the people of Genosha, and protect them from the terrors of the world as I have done. I believe in you dear Lorna. Genosha needs a Magneto to lead them, and I believe it should be you. You will lead our people, and hopefully there will come a day where we are at our rightful place in the world... I need you to promise me this. Please Lorna."

 

Lorna: "I promise dad, I promise. I will protect my people, even it's the last thing I do."

 

Erik: "Thank you Lorna. I know you will do great things."

 

Current Day

8:15 pm

 

I open the door to my room, and I walk out onto the balcony overlooking the city. Looking out I see the beautiful scenery outside. It feels like a fairy tale living here, where all the worries just seem to go away. If only that was true. There's pain and suffering no matter where you are.. Off in the distance, I see an explosion go off. One of my acolytes knocks on the door.

 

Lorna: "Come in!"

 

He opens the door and he salutes to me before saying

 

Acolyte: "There's been an explosion nearby the docks!"

 

Lorna: "Yes I'm aware.. I'll go down to deal with it myself."

 

Acolyte: "Yes Lord Dane. Do you need me to send a squadron with you?"

 

Lorna: "No, thats not necessary.. I said that I'll handle it, and I will!"

 

Acolyte: "Ok. I'll leave you alone now."

 

He runs out of my room, and down the hallway. I head towards the war room. I open a secret compartment, and there it is, in all its glory. I see the helmet, armour, and the cape. I put it on, and float out. These bombers better pray I don't find them, because when I do, there will be lots of pain.. Mainly for them..

 

End of App.

Thank you all for reading! I had a lot of fun writing this, and hopefully I get the role! :)

In the third world mostly........

 

life is cheap, very very very cheap................

 

Life in many African nations

is insignificant

to many leaders

whose armies carry machine guns

&

include 9 year olds who do their killing.

 

Millions of people have been shot like animals.

 

Hitler and his GERMAN SS treated human beings worse than animals.

Shooting babies in the back of the head and thrown in ovens.

  

as did STALIN and POL POT and many many other leaders.

 

Millions of people in South Asia, Africa, Haiti and many other poor nations live in abysmal poverty.

 

5.4 Million people have been killed in the Democratic Republic of CONGO in the last 2 decades. Raped maimed hung burned stripped of their senses and their lives for absolutely no reason at all except the power hungry madness of a few men.

 

Blowing up Muslim men praying in a mosque to prove NO POINT AT ALL except to go to

HEAVEN?

 

There are animals that live better than many people i have seen living in the depth of poverty, pain misery and hopelessness.

 

VULTURES do not discriminate when they see blood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   

Photography’s new conscience

linktr.ee/GlennLosack

linktr.ee/GlennLosack

  

glosack.wixsite.com/tbws

On our way to the ice front of a glacier running down from the Minyak Konka Massif.

lights from the small town and automobiles below seem so insignificant in comparison to the light-show that Mother Nature is capable of.

I wish you all love, in everything, and thanks for the kindness and inspiration!

Tiny insignificant flowers can look like exotic orchids when seen close up.

Often seen growing on walls and concrete.

Southport

Shooting the hand, holding the camera with the other~

Ok. it's a light camera!

Another view of the westbound phosphate train headed by E1117 following a not insignificant chase from Soulem to Bidane which would have resulted in failure had the train not come to a pause in the station area.

Our chase is halted by a ravine which does at least provide some interest on this otherwise fairly flat piece of railway.

 

My trip report from Morocco is online here.

Website | Blog

 

Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2008.

 

Resistance matters, always.

 

However small it is, it is never insignificant.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  

"Khajuraho"

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Location Madhya Pradesh, India Edit this at Wikidata

Coordinates 24°51′08″N 79°55′20″E

Criteria Cultural: (i), (iii) Edit this on Wikidata[1]

Reference 240

Inscription 1986 (10th Session)

Khajuraho Group of Monuments is located in India

Khajuraho Group of Monuments

Location of Khajuraho Group of Monuments

[edit on Wikidata]

 

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres (109 mi) southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.[2][3] The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.[4]

 

Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty.[5] Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by the 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers Of these, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers.[3] Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art.[6]

 

The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains in the region.[7]

 

Contents

 

1 Location

2 History

3 Description

3.1 Architecture of the temples

4 Construction

5 Chronology

6 Arts and sculpture

7 Tourism and cultural events

8 See also

9 References

10 Further reading

11 External links

 

Location

 

The Khajuraho monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur district, about 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi. The temples are near a small town also known as Khajuraho,[8] with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).

 

Khajuraho is served by Civil Aerodrome Khajuraho (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai.[9] The site is also linked by the Indian Railways service, with the railway station located approximately six kilometres from the entrance to the monuments .

 

The monuments are about 10 kilometres off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometres from the city of Chhatarpur, which is connected to the state capital Bhopal by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.

 

The 10th century Bhand Deva Temple in Rajasthan was built in the style of the Khajuraho monuments and is often referred to as 'Little Khajuraho'.

History

 

The Khajuraho group of monuments was built during the rule of the Chandela dynasty. The building activity started almost immediately after the rise of their power, throughout their kingdom to be later known as Bundelkhand.[10] Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman's legacy is best exhibited by The Lakshmana Temple. Vishvanatha temple best highlights King Dhanga's reign.[11]:22 The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Vidyadhara.[12] The temple inscriptions suggest many of the currently surviving temples were complete between 970 and 1030 CE, with further temples completed during the following decades.[7]

 

The Khajuraho temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba,[13] the capital of the Chandela dynasty, in the Kalinjar region. In ancient and medieval literature, their kingdom has been referred to as Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.[14]

 

Khajuraho was mentioned by Abu Rihan-al-Biruni, the Persian historian who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in his raid of Kalinjar in 1022 CE; he mentions Khajuraho as the capital of Jajahuti.[15] The raid was unsuccessful, and a peace accord was reached when the Hindu king agreed to pay a ransom to Mahmud of Ghazni to end the attack and leave.[14]

 

Khajuraho temples were in active use through the end of 12th century. This changed in the 13th century; after the army of Delhi Sultanate, under the command of the Muslim Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, attacked and seized the Chandela kingdom. About a century later, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller in his memoirs about his stay in India from 1335 to 1342 CE, mentioned visiting Khajuraho temples, calling them "Kajarra"[16][17] as follows:

Until the 12th century, Khajuraho was under Hindu kings and featured 85 temples. Central India was seized by Delhi Sultanate in 13th century. Under Muslim rule, some temples were destroyed and the rest left in neglect. Ruins of some old temples (Ghantai temple above) are still visible.

 

...near (Khajuraho) temples, which contain idols that have been mutilated by the Moslems, live a number of yogis whose matted locks have grown as long as their bodies. And on account of extreme asceticism they are all yellow in colour. Many Moslems attend these men in order to take lessons (yoga) from them.

— Ibn Battuta, about 1335 CE, Riḥlat Ibn Baṭūṭah, Translated by Arthur Cotterell[18]

 

Central Indian region, where Khajuraho temples are, remained in the control of many different Muslim dynasties from 13th century through the 18th century. In this period, some temples were desecrated, followed by a long period when they were left in neglect.[7][10] In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho.[19] The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims.[20][21] Over the centuries, vegetation and forests overgrew, took over the temples.

 

In the 1830s, local Hindus guided a British surveyor, T.S. Burt, to the temples and they were thus rediscovered by the global audience.[22] Alexander Cunningham later reported, few years after the rediscovery, that the temples were secretly in use by yogis and thousands of Hindus would arrive for pilgrimage during Shivaratri celebrated annually in February or March based on a lunar calendar. In 1852, Maisey prepared earliest drawings of the Khajuraho temples.[23]

 

Nomenclature

 

The name Khajuraho, or Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from ancient Sanskrit (kharjura, खर्जूर means date palm,[24] and vāhaka, वाहक means "one who carries" or bearer[25]). Local legends state that the temples had two golden date-palm trees as their gate (missing when they were rediscovered). Desai states that Kharjuravāhaka also means scorpion bearer, which is another symbolic name for deity Shiva (who wears snakes and scorpion garlands in his fierce form).[26]

 

Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use.[23] He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.[27]

 

Khajuraho is one of the four holy sites linked to deity Shiva (the other three are Kedarnath, Kashi and Gaya). Its origin and design is a subject of scholarly studies. Shobita Punja[28] has proposed that the temple’s origin reflect the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Shiva got married; with Raghuvamsha verse 5.53, Matangeshvara honoring ‘’Matanga’’, or god of love.

Description

Sections and orientation of Khajuraho temples.

 

The temple site is within Vindhya mountain range in central India. An ancient local legend held that Hindu deity Shiva and other gods enjoyed visiting the dramatic hill formation in Kalinjar area.[27] The center of this region is Khajuraho, set midst local hills and rivers. The temple complex reflects the ancient Hindu tradition of building temples where gods love to play.[27][29]

 

The temples are clustered near water, another typical feature of Hindu temples. The current water bodies include Sib Sagar, Khajur Sagar (also called Ninora Tal) and Khudar Nadi (river).[30] The local legends state that the temple complex had 64 water bodies, of which 56 have been physically identified by archeologists so far.[27][31]

 

All temples, except[27] one (Chaturbhuja) face sunrise - another symbolic feature that is predominant in Hindu temples. The relative layout of temples integrate masculine and feminine deities and symbols highlight the interdependence.[28] The art work symbolically highlight the four goals of life considered necessary and proper in Hinduism - dharma, kama, artha and moksha.

 

Of the surviving temples, 6 are dedicated to Shiva and his consorts, 8 to Vishnu and his affinities, 1 to Ganesha, 1 to Sun god, 3 to Jain Tirthankars.[27] For some ruins, there is insufficient evidence to assign the temple to specific deities with confidence.

 

An overall examination of site suggests that the Hindu symbolic mandala design principle of square and circles is present each temple plan and design.[32] Further, the territory is laid out in three triangles that converge to form a pentagon. Scholars suggest that this reflects the Hindu symbolism for three realms or trilokinatha, and five cosmic substances or panchbhuteshvara.[27] The temple site highlights Shiva, the one who destroys and recycles life, thereby controlling the cosmic dance of time, evolution and dissolution.[28]

 

The temples have a rich display of intricately carved statues. While they are famous for their erotic sculpture, sexual themes cover less than 10% of the temple sculpture.[33] Further, most erotic scene panels are neither prominent nor emphasized at the expense of the rest, rather they are in proportional balance with the non-sexual images.[34] The viewer has to look closely to find them, or be directed by a guide.[35] The arts cover numerous aspects of human life and values considered important in Hindu pantheon. Further, the images are arranged in a configuration to express central ideas of Hinduism. All three ideas from Āgamas are richly expressed in Khajuraho temples - Avyakta, Vyaktavyakta and Vyakta.[36]

 

The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. It has been identified with the Vaidyanath temple mentioned in the Grahpati Kokalla inscription.[37]

 

Of all temples, the Matangeshvara temple remains an active site of worship.[28] It is another square grid temple, with a large 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high and 1.1 metres (3.6 ft) diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres (25 ft) diameter platform.[27]

 

The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev, has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet.[10][27]

 

Jain temples

 

Main article: Jain temples of Khajuraho

 

The Jain temples are located on east-southeast region of Khajuraho monuments.[38] Chausath jogini temple features 64 jogini, while Ghantai temple features bells sculptured on its pillars.

Architecture of the temples

The layout plan of Kandariya Mahadeva Temple. It uses the 64 pada grid design. Smaller Khajuraho temples use the 9, 16, 36 or 49 grid mandala plan.[39]

 

Khajuraho temples, like almost all Hindu temple designs, follow a grid geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala.[40] This design plan has three important components - Mandala means circle, Purusha is universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition, while Vastu means the dwelling structure.[41]

 

The design lays out a Hindu temple in a symmetrical, concentrically layered, self-repeating structure around the core of the temple called garbhagriya, where the abstract principle Purusha and the primary deity of the temple dwell. The shikhara, or spire, of the temple rises above the garbhagriya. This symmetry and structure in design is derived from central beliefs, myths, cardinality and mathematical principles.[42]

 

The circle of mandala circumscribe the square. The square is considered divine for its perfection and as a symbolic product of knowledge and human thought, while circle is considered earthly, human and observed in everyday life (moon, sun, horizon, water drop, rainbow). Each supports the other.[29] The square is divided into perfect 64 sub-squares called padas.[40]

 

Most Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 (64) padas grid Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with pitha mandala the square grid incorporated in the design of the spires.[39] The primary deity or lingas are located in the grid’s Brahma padas.

Khajuraho temples use the 8x8 (64) Vastupurusamandala Manduka grid layout plan (left) found in Hindu temples. Above the temple’s brahma padas is a Shikhara (Vimana or Spire) that rises symmetrically above the central core, typically in a circles and turning-squares concentric layering design (right) that flows from one to the other as it rises towards the sky.[29][43]

 

The architecture is symbolic and reflects the central Hindu beliefs through its form, structure and arrangement of its parts.[44] The mandapas as well as the arts are arranged in the Khajuraho temples in a symmetric repeating patterns, even though each image or sculpture is distinctive in its own way. The relative placement of the images are not random but together they express ideas, just like connected words form sentences and paragraphs to compose ideas.[45] This fractal pattern that is common in Hindu temples.[46] Various statues and panels have inscriptions. Many of the inscriptions on the temple walls are poems with double meanings, something that the complex structure of Sanskrit allows in creative compositions.[26]

 

All Khajuraho temples, except one, face sunrise, and the entrance for the devotee is this east side.

An illustration of Khajuraho temple Spires (Shikhara, Vimana) built using concentric circle and rotating-squares principle. Four spires (left) are shown above, while the inside view of one Shikara ceiling (right) shows the symmetric layout.

 

Above the vastu-purusha-mandala of each temple is a superstructure with a dome called Shikhara (or Vimana, Spire).[41] Variations in spire design come from variation in degrees turned for the squares. The temple Shikhara, in some literature, is linked to mount Kailash or Meru, the mythical abode of the gods.[29]

 

In each temple, the central space typically is surrounded by an ambulatory for the pilgrim to walk around and ritually circumambulate the Purusa and the main deity.[29] The pillars, walls and ceilings around the space, as well as outside have highly ornate carvings or images of the four just and necessary pursuits of life - kama, artha, dharma and moksa. This clockwise walk around is called pradakshina.[41]

 

Larger Khajuraho temples also have pillared halls called mandapa. One near the entrance, on the east side, serves as the waiting room for pilgrims and devotees. The mandapas are also arranged by principles of symmetry, grids and mathematical precision. This use of same underlying architectural principle is common in Hindu temples found all over India.[47] Each Khajuraho temple is distinctly carved yet also repeating the central common principles in almost all Hindu temples, one which Susan Lewandowski refers to as "an organism of repeating cells".[48]

Construction

 

The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

 

The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite foundation that is almost concealed from view.[49] The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.[50] Some repair work in the 19th Century was done with brick and mortar; however these have aged faster than original materials and darkened with time, thereby seeming out of place.

 

The Khajuraho and Kalinjar region is home to superior quality of sandstone, which can be precision carved. The surviving sculpture reflect fine details such as strands of hair, manicured nails and intricate jewelry.

 

While recording the television show Lost Worlds (History Channel) at Khajuraho, Alex Evans recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve in an attempt to develop a rough idea how much work must have been involved.[51] Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone.[52] They concluded that these temples would have required hundreds of highly trained sculptors.

Chronology

 

The Khajuraho group of temples belong to Vaishnavism school of Hinduism, Saivism school of Hinduism and Jainism - nearly a third each. Archaeological studies suggest all three types of temples were under construction at about the same time in late 10th century, and in use simultaneously. Will Durant states that this aspect of Khajuraho temples illustrates the tolerance and respect for different religious viewpoints in the Hindu and Jain traditions.[53] In each group of Khajuraho temples, there were major temples surrounded by smaller temples - a grid style that is observed to varying degrees in Hindu temples in Angkor Wat, Parambaran and South India.

 

The largest surviving Saiva temple is Khandarya Mahadeva, while the largest surviving Vaishnava group includes Chaturbhuja and Ramachandra.

 

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple plan is 109 ft in length by 60 ft, and rises 116 ft above ground and 88 ft above its own floor. The central padas are surrounded by three rows of sculptured figures, with over 870 statues, most being half life size (2.5 to 3 feet). The spire is a self repeating fractal structure.

 

Temples, religious affiliations and consecration years

 

Sequence Modern Temple name Religion Deity Completed by

(CE)[27][54] Image

1 Chausath Yogini Hinduism Devi, 64 Yoginis 885 Khajuraho,Chausath-Yogini-Tempel2.jpg

2 Brahma Hinduism Vishnu 925

3 Lalgun Mahadev Hinduism Shiva 900 India-5696 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

4 Matangeshwar Hinduism Shiva 1000 India-5772 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

5 Varaha Hinduism Vishnu 950 India-5595 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

6 Lakshmana Hinduism Vaikuntha Vishnu 939 India-5679 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

7 Parshvanatha Jainism Parshvanatha 954 Le temple de Parshvanath (Khajuraho) (8638423582).jpg

8 Vishvanatha Hinduism Shiva 999 India-5749 - Visvanatha Temple - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

9 Devi Jagadambi Hinduism Devi, Parvati 1023 Khajuraho Devi Jagadambi Temple 2010.jpg

10 Chitragupta Hinduism Sun, Chitragupta 1023 India-5707 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg

11 Kandariya Mahadeva (Largest temple) Hinduism Shiva 1029 Temple at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India.jpg

12 Vamana Hinduism Vamana 1062 Khajuraho Vaman Temple 2010.jpg

13 Adinath Jain Temple Jainism Adinatha 1027 Adinath Jain Temple Khajuraho 12.jpg

14 Javeri Hinduism Vishnu 1090 Javari Temple, Khajuraho.jpg

15 Chaturbhuja Hinduism Vishnu 1110 Khajuraho Chaturbhuja Temple.jpg

16 Duladeo (Duladeva) Hinduism Shiva 1125 Khajuraho Dulhadeo 2010.jpg

17 Ghantai Jainism Adinatha 960 A ruin, pillars at Khajuraho, India.jpg

18 Vishnu-Garuda Hinduism Vishnu 1000

19 Ganesha Hinduism Shiva 1000

20 Hanuman Hinduism Hanuman 922[55] Hanuman Inscription at Khajuraho.jpg

21 Mahishasuramardini Hinduism Mahishasuramardini 995 Khajuraho India, Lakshman Temple, Sculpture 10.JPG

22 Shantinatha temple Jainism Shantinatha 1027 Jain group of temples - Khajuraho 09.jpg

Arts and sculpture

Khajuraho temples are famous for their erotic arts. These constitute about 10% of total art displayed at the monuments.

Erotic sculptures

 

The Khajuraho temples feature a variety of art work, of which 10% is sexual or erotic art outside and inside the temples. Some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Some scholars suggest these to be tantric sexual practices.[56] Other scholars state that the erotic arts are part of Hindu tradition of treating kama as an essential and proper part of human life, and its symbolic or explicit display is common in Hindu temples.[6][57] James McConnachie, in his history of the Kamasutra, describes the sexual-themed Khajuraho sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art":

 

"Twisting, broad-hipped and high breasted nymphs display their generously contoured and bejewelled bodies on exquisitely worked exterior wall panels. These fleshy apsaras run riot across the surface of the stone, putting on make-up, washing their hair, playing games, dancing, and endlessly knotting and unknotting their girdles....Beside the heavenly nymphs are serried ranks of griffins, guardian deities and, most notoriously, extravagantly interlocked maithunas, or lovemaking couples."

 

Over 90% of the art work at the temple is about daily life and symbolic values in ancient Indian culture.

 

The temples have several thousand statues and art works, with Kandarya Mahadeva Temple alone decorated with over 870. Some 10% of these iconographic carvings contain sexual themes and various sexual poses. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities;[58] however the kama arts represent diverse sexual expressions of different human beings.[59] The vast majority of arts depict various aspects the everyday life, mythical stories as well as symbolic display of various secular and spiritual values important in Hindu tradition.[3][6] For example, depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians making music, potters, farmers, and other folks in their daily life during the medieval era.[60] These scenes are in the outer padas as is typical in Hindu temples.

 

There is iconographic symbolism embedded in the arts displayed in Khajuraho temples.[6] Core Hindu values are expressed in multitude of ways. Even the Kama scenes, when seen in combination of sculptures that precede and follow, depict the spiritual themes such as moksha. In the words of Stella Kramrisch,

 

This state which is “like a man and woman in close embrace” is a symbol of moksa, final release or reunion of two principles, the essence (Purusha) and the nature (Prakriti).

— Stella Kramrisch, 1976[29]

 

The Khajuraho temples represent one expression of many forms of arts that flourished in Rajput kingdoms of India from 8th through 10th century CE. For example, contemporary with Khajuraho were the publications of poems and drama such as Prabodhacandrodaya, Karpuramanjari, Viddhasalabhanjika and Kavyamimansa.[61] Some of the themes expressed in these literary works are carved as sculpture in Khajuraho temples.[26][62] Some sculptures at the Khajuraho monuments dedicated to Vishnu include the Vyalas, which are hybrid imaginary animals with lions body, and are found in other Indian temples.[63] Some of these hybrid mythical art work include Vrik Vyala (hybrid of wolf and lion) and Gaja Vyala (hybrid of elephant and lion). These Vyalas may represent syncretic, creative combination of powers innate in the two.[64]

Tourism and cultural events

Temples layout map – Khajuraho Group of Monuments.

 

The temples in Khajuraho are broadly divided into three parts : the Eastern group, the Southern Group and the Western group of temples of which the Western group alone has the facility of an Audio guided tour wherein the tourists are guided through the seven eight temples. There is also an audio guided tour developed by the Archaeological Survey of India which includes a narration of the temple history and architecture.[65]

 

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is held every year in February.[66] It features various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of the Chitragupta or Vishwanath Temples.

 

The Khajuraho temple complex offers a light and sound show every evening. The first show is in English language and the second one in Hindi. It is held in the open lawns in the temple complex, and has received mixed reviews.

 

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development has set up kiosks at the Khajuraho railway station, with tourist officers to provide information for Khajuraho visitors.

See also

 

List of megalithic sites

Jain temples of Khajuraho

Ajanta Caves

Badami Chalukya architecture

Western Chalukya architecture

Hindu temple

Madan Kamdev

Hemvati

Kama Sutra

Kamashastra

 

References

 

whc.unesco.org/en/list/240.

"World Heritage Day: Five must-visit sites in India".

Khajuraho Group of Monuments UNESCO World Heritage Site

Philip Wilkinson (2008), India: People, Place, Culture and History, ISBN 978-1405329040, pp 352-353

Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 179.

Devangana Desai (2005), Khajuraho, Oxford University Press, Sixth Print, ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5

James Fergusson, Norther or Indo-Aryan Style - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London

"Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

Khajuraho airport AAI, Govt of India

G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-24

Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. ISBN 9789380607344.

Devangana Desai 2005, p. 10.

also called Erakana

Mitra (1977), The early rulers of Khajuraho, ISBN 978-8120819979

J. Banerjea (1960), Khajuraho, Journal of the Asiatic Society, Vol. 2-3, pp 43-47

phonetically translated from Arabic sometimes as "Kajwara"

Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)

Arthur Cotterell (2011), Asia: A Concise History, Wiley, ISBN 978-0470825044, pp 184-185

Michael D. Willis, An Introduction to the Historical Geography of Gopakṣetra, Daśārṇa, and Jejākadeśa, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 51, No. 2 (1988), pp. 271-278; See also K.R. Qanungo (1965), Sher Shah and his times, Orient Longmans, OCLC 175212, pp 423-427

Trudy King et al., Asia and Oceania: International Dictionary of Historic Places, ISBN 978-1884964046, Routledge, pp 468-470

Alain Daniélou (2011), A Brief History of India, ISBN 978-1594770296, pp 221-227

Louise Nicholson (2007), India, National Geographic Society, ISBN 978-1426201448, see Chapter on Khajuraho

Krishna Deva (1990), Temples of Khajuraho, 2 Volumes, Archaelogical Survey of India, New Delhi

kharjUra Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany

vAhaka Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany

Devangana Desai (1996), Chapter 7 - Puns and Enigmatic Language in Sculpture in The Religious Imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, Columbia University Archives

Rana Singh (2007), Landscape of sacred territory of Khajuraho, in City Society and Planning (Editors: Thakur, Pomeroy, et al), Volume 2, ISBN 978-8180694585, Chapter 18

Shobita Punja (1992), Divine Ecstasy - The Story of Khajuraho, Viking, New Delhi, ISBN 978-0670840274

Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0222-3

Ibn Battuta in his 1335 CE memoirs on Delhi Sultanate mentioned the temples to be near a mile long lake, modern water bodies are much smaller and separate lagoons; Director General of Archaeology in India (1959), Archaeological Survey of India, Ancient India, Issues 15-19, pp 45-46 (Archived: University of Michigan)

The number 64 is considered sacred in Hindu temple design and very common design basis; it is symbolic as it is both a square of 8 and a cube of 4.

Brahma temple is 19 feet square; Kandariya Mahadev has a four fused square grid; Matangeshvara temple is a 64 grid square; etc. See G.S. Ghurye, Rajput Architecture, ISBN 978-8171544462, Reprint Year: 2005, pp 19-25; and V.A. Smith (1879), "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. 48, Part 1, pp 291-297

D Desai (1996), The religious imagery of Khajuraho, Project for Indian Cultural Studies, ISBN 978-8190018418

Desai states that Khajuraho and Orissa Hindu temples are distinctive in giving erotic kama images the same weight as others and by assigning important architectural position; in contrast, surviving sculpture from temples of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Mysore show that there kama and sexual images were assigned to insignificant parts of the temple; Meister suggests that this aspect of eroticism in temple design and equal weight reflects evolution of design ideas among Hindu artisans, with temples built in later medieval centuries placing equal weight and balance to kama; see Meister, Michael (1979). "Juncture and Conjunction: Punning and Temple Architecture". Artibus Asiae. 41 (2–3): 226–234. JSTOR 3249517. doi:10.2307/3249517.

Edmund Leach, The Harvey Lecture Series. The Gatekeepers of Heaven: Anthropological Aspects of Grandiose Architecture, Journal of Anthropological Research, Vol. 39, No. 3 (Autumn, 1983), pp 243-264

Bettina Bäumer, A review, Artibus Asiae, Vol. 59, No. 1/2 (1999), pp. 138-140

Cunningham, Alexander (1880). Report of Tours in Bundelkhand and Malwa in 1874-75 and 1876-77. 8 Hastings Street, Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing. p. 22. Retrieved 8 May 2017.

James Fergusson, Jaina Architecture - Khajuraho History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Updated by James Burgess and R. Phene Spiers (1910), Volume II, John Murray, London

Meister, Michael W. (April–June 1979). "Maṇḍala and Practice in Nāgara Architecture in North India". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 99 (2): 204–219. JSTOR 602657. doi:10.2307/602657.

Meister, Michael (1983). "Geometry and Measure in Indian Temple Plans: Rectangular Temples". Artibus Asiae. 44 (4): 266–296. JSTOR 3249613. doi:10.2307/3249613.

Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, pp 68-69

Stella Kramrisch (1976), The Hindu Temple Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3

Meister, Michael W. (March 2006). "Mountain Temples and Temple-Mountains: Masrur". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 65 (1): 26–49. JSTOR 25068237. doi:10.2307/25068237.

Meister, Michael W. (Autumn 1986). "On the Development of a Morphology for a Symbolic Architecture: India". RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics. Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology (12): 33–50. JSTOR 20166752.

Devangana Desai, Khajuraho, Oxford University Press Paperback (Sixth impression 2005) ISBN 978-0-19-565643-5

Rian et al (2007), Fractal geometry as the synthesis of Hindu cosmology in Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Khajuraho, Building and Environment, Vol 42, Issue 12, pp 4093-4107, doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2007.01.028

Trivedi, K. (1989). Hindu temples: models of a fractal universe. The Visual Computer, 5(4), 243-258

Susan Lewandowski, The Hindu Temple in South India, in Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Anthony D. King (Editor), ISBN 978-0710202345, Routledge, Chapter 4

V.A. Smith, "Observations on some Chandel Antiquities", Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Volume 48, pp 290-291

"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra" History channel

"Lost Worlds of the Kama Sutra," History Channel

Lehner, Mark (1997) The Complete Pyramids, London: Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-05084-8. pp. 202–225

Will Durant (1976), Our Oriental Heritage - The Story of Civilization, ISBN 978-0671548001, Simon & Schuster

From inscription or estimated from other evidence

Cunningham in Archaeological Survey Reports noted that one of two Hanuman statues bears an inscription of 868 CE

Rabe (2000), Secret Yantras and Erotic Display for Hindu Temples, Tantra in Practice (Editor: David White), ISBN 978-8120817784, Chapter 25, pp 434-446

See:

 

Heather Elgood (2000), Hinduism and the Religious Arts, ISBN 978-0304707393, Bloomsbury;

Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Volume 1, ISBN 81-208-0223-3, pp 92-96;

Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549, pp 101-119

 

"Khajuraho". Liveindia.com. Retrieved on 2014-07-14.

Alain Danielou (2001), The Hindu Temple: Deification of Eroticism, ISBN 978-0892818549

George Michell, The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226532301, pp 117-123 and pp 56-58

L. H. Gray, Journal of American Society, Vol. 27

H.M. Woodward (1989), The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, pp. 27-48

Smith, David (1 January 2013). "Monstrous Animals on Hindu Temples, with Special Reference to Khajuraho": 27–43. doi:10.1558/rosa.v7i1-3.27. Retrieved 9 February 2015.

The Lakṣmaṇa Temple, Khajuraho, and Its Meanings, Hiram W. Woodward, Jr., Ars Orientalis, Vol. 19, (1989), pp. 27-48

Tourists to Khajuraho will now have an audio compass The Times of India (25 August 2011)

Khajuraho Festival of Dances

One of my personal favs. Not because of the technical terms such as contrast, composition, color, etc., but the concept achieved: human is small.

 

On the top of this mountain, the weather was fortunately fine this day with high visibility. Usually it's covered with random clouds and fogs. It was so clear that the distant sea was clearly visible. I was always overwhelmed by the grandness of Mother Nature, and always sense the concept of human insignificancy. The boats on the sea were so small, thus I decided to put one of them as the main subject to fulfill the concept.

 

I felt extremely lucky to make this shot since all the elements I required were ready:

* One small boat in the middle of the sunlight-reflected sea to make it stand out from the environment. The boat MUST be small enough to show the grandness of the landscape.

* Sun should be hidden in the clouds for two reasons: prevent from obvious flares and enlarge the highlight area. This Canon 70-200mm F4L lens generates LOTS of unpleasant flares when facing a strong point light source, so avoiding the direct sunlight will preserve image quality. In the mean time a larger lit area cloud show the BIG of the scene and act as the opposite role against the silhouetted boat.

 

Well it may seem like ordinary sunset landscape shot with gorgeous colors, but I really hope you can notice that tiny boat. It's its insignificancy that makes this shot :-)

 

200807060511

I love taking photos... to capture fleeting memories. Moments that may appear insignificant at that time, but will leave an indelible mark in our children’s future.

i would appreciate it if you clicked this.

 

St Kilda-ish, a beach somewhere around there.

Common woolybush

 

A large shrub growing to 4m tall with small insignificant flowers.

 

Occasionally it produces a nectary on the end of its leaves. The nectaries attract insects to feed on the nectar and spread seed.

 

Many Adenanthos species flower on and off throughout the year, with peak flowering during spring. Flowers are bird or insect pollinated with honeyeaters and bees feeding on nectar. Extra-floral nectaries on the tips of leaves attract ants and it is thought that fruits have elaiosome bodies that are ant-attracting.

library.dbca.wa.gov.au/static/FullTextFiles/PAM01991.pdf

A face-off between a Lygus bug and a tiny red spider mite. The moment feels insignificant in size, but epic in tension—proof that drama exists even at the smallest scale.

View On Black

 

Old photo from my archives from reef fish tagging trip.

 

PS: I still hate sunset silhouettes :P

Whatever you do may be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

-- Mahatma Gandhi

 

Every living being, every individual, however insignificant, has a role to play. And each of these roles is important in its own sense. Life, in all its forms, deserves to be respected. Today is Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. On this occasion, let us resolve to respect fellow beings and fellow human beings, to shun violence, and to spread the message of love.

"The scientists’ religious feeling takes the form of a rapturous amazement at the harmony of natural law, which reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection."

— Albert Einstein

 

more from mirror beach... ツ ツ ツ

 

* Pentax K20D and Pentax 18-55mm Lens

 

My work is for sale via Getty Images and at Redbubble and 500px

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Fellow photographer and Monaghan Photographic Society member Enda soaks up the edge of Europe. I have been back to Port in west Donegal for the second time in a month. Enda joined me to experiment with some long exposure ideas after a long drive on sheep populated roads to get to this abandoned place. This stunning, raw place. A place that reminds you very quickly how small and insignificant we are in the face of Mother Nature.

 

When I saw Enda on the pier I had to take the shot before that bank of rain rolled in. It is far from perfect but I like the scale, the human touch among the wilderness.

The 79 second exposure at Netley Abbey is just a brief insignificant moment of its history

Nikon D7100

Nik Software

sony RX 10 MARK 4 + Raynox DCR 5320 Pro + 3

“The commonplace is only the self-constructed wall that separates us from the marvelous.”

 

- Tom Brown, Jr

 

One of the many reasons I love macro and close up photography, is that you can find subjects virtually anywhere. What looks insignificant from a standing viewpoint, can look beautiful and interesting when viewed closely. Open your eyes and SEE.

 

I appreciate all comments, faves, and follows.

 

Matthew

 

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©Matthew Schwartz, All Rights Reserved.

This image is protected by Copyright, and is not available for use on websites, blogs, videos, or any other media without the explicit written permission of the photographer.

 

- MRS_20130803_111_LM_web_v5_700h

“The key element of social control is the strategy of distraction that is to divert public attention from important issues and changes decided by political and economic elites, through the technique of flood or flooding with continuous distractions and insignificant information.”

― Noam Chomsky

Out of office for a few hours today, so not so many uploads (though plenty in one!). Was thrilled to find a good number of these lovely little ladybirds! One is with a 14-spot Ladybird for scale. Also found a larva, which *could* be that species, but can't be sure. It certainly was tiny!!

Wellington - Shropshire

Gardens at Cantigny

May 30, 2011

as soon as I'm left alone

the devil wanders into my soul

and I pretend to myself

and I pretend to myself

 

I go out to the old milestone

insanely expecting you to come there knowing

that I wait for you there

that I wait for you there

 

come

come

come here at once

come

come

on a night with no moon

 

because

 

all of my being is now in pining

all of my being is now in pining

 

what formly cheered me now seems insignificant

insignificant

 

"the devil"

pj harvey

  

for 365 days, ♥ flickr group roulette ♥, and words on skin.

31/52

 

Over the weekend I’d been driving home and suddenly had to pull off because I felt so overwhelmed, after remembering just how small and insignificant I and everybody else is. And at the same time I felt so incredibly thankful to be something, regardless of how small and insignificant. I feel so fucking grateful to be here, in this body, in this life, on this rock hurtling around in circles through nothingness for who knows why. And I feel so grateful for this rock, for our beautiful home that’s withstood so much of our shit but I know is so tired. And I feel so sorry for it for having to put up with us, for even just the tiny blip on its lifeline that we are.

 

Anyhow yesterday I decided to cut out super early and go for a long solo hike to get away from all the human noise, and all the noise I make especially that just leaves me feeling toxic rather than heard or understood. And I packed some mirrors to give the earth some eyes (naturally), because I think we need to think of the world as less of a rock and more of a living thing, that suffocates when you throw a plastic bag over its face & feels warm when you embrace it & etc etc. I think it'd be good to feel that the Earth around us as staring back at us, and aim to make it feel proud of our actions towards it rather than ashamed, you know.

 

Just treat the Earth like you would treat your mom dudes. Or how you should treat your mom, at least. Like you wouldn't throw trash at your mom, or blow exhaust fumes in her face, or build strip malls on her. I guess you wouldn't walk on your mom but you get what I'm sayn. Just be respectful & have some damn manners & all that. Love yall, happy Wednesday.

<3

 

prints

As a collective, man built the Lighthouse which is a significant part of this shot. However, man, himself is rather insignificant in respect to mother nature. Don't beleive me, Check out the man standing at sea level at the base of the cliff. Lighthouse is located on the Oregon Coast near Charleston.

Sometimes, being small and insignificant is just beautiful.

 

You can follow me on facebook

or Instagram or Flickr or 1x or Viewbug

Drop by, throw a hi, and have a cup of tea.

With the most adorable little face!! I do love these!

Bings Heath - Shropshire

Pont y Pandy - Slate Mill or Ynysypandy and Nant y Pandy, near Porthmadog . The most impressive and best location visited on the trip to North Wales was this glorious building. The light from the sun going down gave great colous and a perfectly clear night made for a spectacular display of stars as well as the Milky way. I felt quite insignificant when I looked in to the sky that night.

ift.tt/2iAazdE

In this view there are no buildings, roads, footpaths or any sign of people apart from our insignificant tents to the bottom left. Standing in this place and knowing that it has looked this for thousands of years is a fantastic experience, particularly with an absolute firecracker of a sunset!

The workshop participants almost enjoyed this as much as me!