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I'm reaching back to a Tokyo image I took in April. This was one of my last night in Tokyo and I didn't have my tripod. The weather forecast was for rain most of the day and evening, so I decided I wouldn't haul my tripod around with me all day. Of course, by late afternoon the rain had stopped, and it wasn't worth the time to travel back to my hotel to grab my tripod. For the early part of the evening I had to improvise with my coat and camera bag. It worked out pretty well.
This was taken in a few blocks away from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan. I thought the refelctions looked interesting. The slight breeze caused the water to move slightly, to cause the blur. I thought iflipping the image upside down gave this a more interesting feel
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My friend Michael Naimark is exploring new ideas for virtual reality experiences, in collaboration with Google and other researchers. To discuss this work, we got together with two other colleagues, Steve Gano and Jim McKee -- with whom we worked at the Apple Multimedia Lab in the eighties, pushing the envelope on related questions.
We started with a tour of the historic Sentinel Building in North Beach, home of American Zoetrope -- where Francis Coppola worked on many cinematic masterpieces like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. We checked out the underground screening room and sound mixing room where some of that work took place, then headed upstairs to Michael and Jim’s studios, for a wonderful conversation about the new VR frontier.
Michael and his colleagues are researching how people are represented in virtual reality. Their first experiment at Google’s “Big Chairs” Park led to some helpful guidelines on how to film people for VR, by using different camera angles and distances.
They’re also investigating ‘hyper-images’ that resemble a group of people, but that are shot at different times and composited together to create both ‘credible’ and ‘incredible’ pictures. To enable more experiments like these, Michael is developing ‘IMU VR’, a new type of camera that could make it easier for communities to tell their stories in VR. More on this later.
It was great to reconnect with my colleagues and brainstorm these ideas together. It felt like the good old days, and the creative juices were flowing all over again ...
Learn more about Michael Naimark’s work:
View more photos about Virtual Reality:
OM
Auṃ or Oṃ, Sanskrit: ॐ) is a sacred sound and a spiritual icon in Indian religions.[1][2] It is also a mantra in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.[3][4]
Om is part of the iconography found in ancient and medieval era manuscripts, temples, monasteries and spiritual retreats in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.[5][6] The symbol has a spiritual meaning in all Indian dharmas, but the meaning and connotations of Om vary between the diverse schools within and across the various traditions.
In Hinduism, Om is one of the most important spiritual symbols (pratima).[7][8] It refers to Atman (soul, self within) andBrahman (ultimate reality, entirety of the universe, truth, divine, supreme spirit, cosmic principles, knowledge).[9][10][11] The syllable is often found at the beginning and the end of chapters in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and other Hindu texts. It is a sacred spiritual incantation made before and during the recitation of spiritual texts, during puja and private prayers, in ceremonies of rites of passages (sanskara) such as weddings, and sometimes during meditative and spiritual activities such as Yoga.
Vedic literature
The syllable "Om" is described with various meanings in the Vedas and different early Upanishads.[19] The meanings include "the sacred sound, the Yes!, the Vedas, the Udgitha (song of the universe), the infinite, the all encompassing, the whole world, the truth, the ultimate reality, the finest essence, the cause of the Universe, the essence of life, theBrahman, the Atman, the vehicle of deepest knowledge, and Self-knowledge".
Vedas
The chapters in Vedas, and numerous hymns, chants and benedictions therein use the syllable Om. The Gayatri mantra from the Rig Veda, for example, begins with Om. The mantra is extracted from the 10th verse of Hymn 62 in Book III of the Rig Veda.These recitations continue to be in use, and major incantations and ceremonial functions begin and end with Om.
ॐ भूर्भुवस्व: |
तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् |
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि |
धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् ||
Om. Earth, atmosphere, heaven.
Let us think on that desirable splendour
of Savitr, the Inspirer. May he stimulate
us to insightful thoughts.
Om is a common symbol found in the ancient texts of Hinduism, such as in the first line of Rig veda (top), as well as a icon in temples and spiritual retreats.
The Chandogya Upanishad is one of the oldest Upanishads of Hinduism. It opens with the recommendation that "let a man meditate on Om".[26] It calls the syllable Om as udgitha (उद्गीथ, song, chant), and asserts that the significance of the syllable is thus: the essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the essence of water are the plants, the essence of plants is man, the essence of man is speech, the essence of speech is the Rig Veda, the essence of the Rig Veda is the Sama Veda, and the essence of Sama Veda is the udgitha (song, Om).[27]
Rik (ऋच्, Ṛc) is speech, states the text, and Sāman (सामन्) is breath; they are pairs, and because they have love and desire for each other, speech and breath find themselves together and mate to produce song.[26][27] The highest song is Om, asserts section 1.1 of Chandogya Upanishad. It is the symbol of awe, of reverence, of threefold knowledge because Adhvaryu invokes it, the Hotr recites it, and Udgatr sings it.[27][28]
The second volume of the first chapter continues its discussion of syllable Om, explaining its use as a struggle between Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons).[29] Max Muller states that this struggle between gods and demons is considered allegorical by ancient Indian scholars, as good and evil inclinations within man, respectively.[30] The legend in section 1.2 of Chandogya Upanishad states that gods took the Udgitha (song of Om) unto themselves, thinking, "with this [song] we shall overcome the demons".[31] The syllable Om is thus implied as that which inspires the good inclinations within each person.[30][31]
Chandogya Upanishad's exposition of syllable Om in its opening chapter combines etymological speculations, symbolism, metric structure and philosophical themes.[28][32] In the second chapter of the Chandogya Upanishad, the meaning and significance of Om evolves into a philosophical discourse, such as in section 2.10 where Om is linked to the Highest Self,[33] and section 2.23 where the text asserts Om is the essence of three forms of knowledge, Om is Brahman and "Om is all this [observed world]".[34]
Katha Upanishad
The Katha Upanishad is the legendary story of a little boy, Nachiketa – the son of sage Vajasravasa, who meetsYama – the Indian deity of death. Their conversation evolves to a discussion of the nature of man, knowledge,Atman (Soul, Self) and moksha (liberation).[35] In section 1.2, Katha Upanishad characterizes Knowledge/Wisdom as the pursuit of good, and Ignorance/Delusion as the pursuit of pleasant,[36] that the essence of Veda is make man liberated and free, look past what has happened and what has not happened, free from the past and the future, beyond good and evil, and one word for this essence is the word Om.[37]
The word which all the Vedas proclaim,
That which is expressed in every Tapas (penance, austerity, meditation),
That for which they live the life of a Brahmacharin,
Understand that word in its essence: Om! that is the word.
Yes, this syllable is Brahman,
This syllable is the highest.
He who knows that syllable,
Whatever he desires, is his.
— Katha Upanishad,
Maitri Upanishad
The Maitrayaniya Upanishad in sixth Prapathakas (lesson) discusses the meaning and significance of Om. The text asserts that Om represents Brahman-Atman. The three roots of the syllable, states the Maitri Upanishad, are A + U + M.[39] The sound is the body of Soul, and it repeatedly manifests in three: as gender-endowed body - feminine, masculine, neuter; as light-endowed body - Agni, Vayu and Aditya; as deity-endowed body - Brahma, Rudra[40] and Vishnu; as mouth-endowed body - Garhapatya, Dakshinagni and Ahavaniya;[41] as knowledge-endowed body - Rig, Saman and Yajur;[42] as world-endowed body - Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ; as time-endowed body - Past, Present and Future; as heat-endowed body - Breath, Fire and Sun; as growth-endowed body - Food, Water and Moon; as thought-endowed body - intellect, mind and pysche.[39][43] Brahman exists in two forms - the material form, and the immaterial formless.[44] The material form is changing, unreal. The immaterial formless isn't changing, real. The immortal formless is truth, the truth is the Brahman, the Brahman is the light, the light is the Sun which is the syllable Om as the Self.[45][46]
The world is Om, its light is Sun, and the Sun is also the light of the syllable Om, asserts the Upanishad. Meditating on Om, is acknowledging and meditating on the Brahman-Atman (Soul, Self).[39]
Mundaka Upanishad[edit source]
The Mundaka Upanishad in the second Mundakam (part), suggests the means to knowing the Self and the Brahman to be meditation, self-reflection and introspection, that can be aided by the symbol Om.[47][48]
That which is flaming, which is subtler than the subtle,
on which the worlds are set, and their inhabitants –
That is the indestructible Brahman.[49]
It is life, it is speech, it is mind. That is the real. It is immortal.
It is a mark to be penetrated. Penetrate It, my friend.
Taking as a bow the great weapon of the Upanishad,
one should put upon it an arrow sharpened by meditation,
Stretching it with a thought directed to the essence of That,
Penetrate[50] that Imperishable as the mark, my friend.
Om is the bow, the arrow is the Soul, Brahman the mark,
By the undistracted man is It to be penetrated,
One should come to be in It,
as the arrow becomes one with the mark.
— Mundaka Upanishad, 2.2.2 - 2.2.4[51][52]
Adi Shankara, in his review of the Mundaka Upanishad, states Om as a symbolism for Atman (soul, self).[53]
Mandukya Upanishad
The Mandukya Upanishad opens by declaring, "Om!, this syllable is this whole world".[54] Thereafter it presents various explanations and theories on what it means and signifies.[55] This discussion is built on a structure of "four fourths" or "fourfold", derived from A + U + M + "silence" (or without an element).[54][55]
Aum as all states of time
In verse 1, the Upanishad states that time is threefold: the past, the present and the future, that these three are "Aum". The four fourth of time is that which transcends time, that too is "Aum" expressed.[55]
Aum as all states of Atman
In verse 2, states the Upanishad, everything is Brahman, but Brahman is Atman (the Soul, Self), and that the Atman is fourfold.[54] Johnston summarizes these four states of Self, respectively, as seeking the physical, seeking inner thought, seeking the causes and spiritual consciousness, and the fourth state is realizing oneness with the Self, the Eternal.[56]
Aum as all states of consciousness
In verses 3 to 6, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates four states of consciousness: wakeful, dream, deep sleep and the state of ekatma (being one with Self, the oneness of Self).[55] These four are A + U + M + "without an element" respectively.[55]
Aum as all of knowledge
In verses 9 to 12, the Mandukya Upanishad enumerates fourfold etymological roots of the syllable "Aum". It states that the first element of "Aum" is A, which is from Apti (obtaining, reaching) or from Adimatva (being first).[54] The second element is U, which is from Utkarsa (exaltation) or from Ubhayatva(intermediateness).[55] The third element is M, from Miti (erecting, constructing) or from Mi Minati, or apīti (annihilation).[54] The fourth is without an element, without development, beyond the expanse of universe. In this way, states the Upanishad, the syllable Om is indeed the Atman (the self).[54][55]
Shvetashvatara Upanishad
The Shvetashvatara Upanishad, in verses 1.14 to 1.16, suggests meditating with the help of syllable Om, where one's perishable body is like one fuel-stick and the syllable Om is the second fuel-stick, which with discipline and diligent rubbing of the sticks unleashes the concealed fire of thought and awareness within. Such knowledge, asserts the Upanishad, is the goal of Upanishads.[57][58] The text asserts that Om is a tool of meditation empowering one to know the God within oneself, to realize one's Atman (Soul, Self).[59]
Epics[edit source]
The Bhagavad Gita, in the Epic Mahabharata, mentions the meaning and significance of Om in several verses. For example, Fowler notes that verse 9.17 of the Bhagavad Gita synthesizes the competing dualistic and monist streams of thought in Hinduism, by using "Om which is the symbol for the indescribable, impersonal Brahman".[60]
I am the Father of this world, Mother, Ordainer, Grandfather, the Thing to be known, the Purifier, the syllable Om, Rik, Saman and also Yajus.
— Krishna to Arjuna, Bhagavad Gita 9.17, [60]
The significance of the sacred syllable in the Hindu traditions, is similarly highlighted in various of its verses, such as verse 17.24 where the importance of Omduring prayers, charity and meditative practices is explained as follows,[61]
Therefore, uttering Om, the acts of yajna (fire ritual), dāna (charity) and tapas (austerity) as enjoined in the scriptures, are always begun by those who study the Brahman.
— Bhagavad Gita
Yoga Sutra
The aphoristic verse 1.27 of Pantanjali's Yogasutra links Om to Yoga practice, as follows,
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ॥२७॥
His word is Om.
— Yogasutra 1.27,
Johnston states this verse highlights the importance of Om in the meditative practice of Yoga, where it symbolizes three worlds in the Soul; the three times – past, present and future eternity, the three divine powers – creation, preservation and transformation in one Being; and three essences in one Spirit – immortality, omniscience and joy. It is, asserts Johnston, a symbol for the perfected Spiritual Man (his emphasis).
When life is too painful and reality is too cruel to bear,
please someone,don't let me sink myself deep into the dark water again.... not again....
“Everyday in every way I create my own reality.
So what is that I choose to create today?”
Gabriella Goddard
Walking along high trails, I stumble upon the remains of a dead tree, in the distance the morning lights up the peak while it spreads its wings. A new beginning juxtaposed with the remains of something which had once stood tall, and in my imagination these realities collide.
Again a focal length blend was required to portray the objective reality even though it was my subjective reality that conceived it.
View is of the 32nd highest peak in the world, the 7710m Kumbhakarna aka Jannu aka Phoktanglungma, as viewed from Phoktey Dara on the Singalila trek in Sikkim, India.
Reality is a still bigger illusion than the world of dreams.
Salvador Dali
Photographed on a beach in kenya. Just a little bit beach, shadows of palm trees and some water in the background ;-))))). WHY JUST? Let us enter the world of that picture and jump into the water!
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Die Wirklichkeit ist eine noch größere Illusion als die Welt des Traums.
Salvador Dali
Fotografiert an einem Strand in Kenia. Nur ein bisschen Strand, einige Palmenschatten und etwas Meer im Hintergrund ;-)))) WARUM NUR? Herein ins Bild und ab ins Wasser!
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It would be nice if you contact me first.
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Thank you.
“Reality Teevee” - Mixed media and found objects on wood. The box itself is about 6½” square (about 16cm) , but with the feet and the antenna, it’s about 13” high and 4” deep. (that’s 33cm x 10cm).
moloneyart.com/Blog/Entries/2012/6/20_%22reality_teevee%2...
Today i took the opportunity to use a Sony NEX-7 [Crop-Sensor] with a Sony-Zeiss Full-Frame 35mm 1.4f lens.
I have recently read that using a full-frame lens with a crop sensor may not produce better results than using a lens designed from a crop-sensor camera and in fact the images will be less sharp.
When starting out, many photographers choose to go with a crop body and invest in full frame lenses. This is usually recommended as a good approach as you can keep your lenses and swap out your body for something newer down the road, eventually leading to that high quality full frame sensor that you always wanted. However some experts, especially Tony Northrup, claim that starting out with the full frame lens and crop bodies does not provide you with the sharp images.
In my case I had a top end full frame camera [Canon 1DSIII] with a set of very expensive glass and I was not at all happy as the combination was way too heavy and totally unsuitable for street photography. About five years ago I decided that I needed a better solution and after using a Sony NEX-5 for about a year I decided to purchase a NEX-7 and switch from DSLR to Mirrorless [at the time that was a big gamble]. In theory it would be possible to use my Canon lenses with the NEX-7 but in reality it was not a workable solution. The NEX-7 featured a crop-sensor so I purchased a set of suitable Sony lenses and they were not expensive.
My reason for getting the NEX-7 and associated lenses was greatly reduced weight coupled with the fact that my equipment did not attract unwelcome attention.
The NEX-7 performed way beyond my expectations and I was really pleased and then towards the end of last year because the camera was giving problems at random I threw all logic out the window and took an ever bigger gamble by purchasing a Sony A7RMkII full frame mirrorless camera which is larger and heavier than the NEX-7.
To be honest, there is no comparison between the two cameras, the A7R is very much superior and while it is heavier it is actually easier to use. Also the Canon lenses actually work with the A7R but using the necessary adaptor was a pain and added weight. However the Canon lenses showed what the A7RMkII could do so I decided that maybe I should consider getting some native Sony FE prime lenses and then I discovered that they all were expensive and heavy [ unless I got manual focus lens such as the Loxia ]. Anyway I ended up with a set of primes [and no cash] but I now have serious weight issue especially when I travel.
I was planning to use the NEX-7 as a backup or when I travel but the crop-lenses are not very good so it would make no sense to leave my full-frame lenses behind so a possible solution would to bring along one of the FE primes [35mm 1.4f] but then I came across discussions online claiming that FE lenses underperform when used with a crop-sensor. Of course there is another issue in that the NEX-7 is at the end of its life and needs to be replaced by something like the A6300 but as I already said I have no spare cash.
My friend Michael Naimark is exploring new ideas for virtual reality experiences, in collaboration with Google and other researchers. To discuss this work, we got together with two other colleagues, Steve Gano and Jim McKee -- with whom we worked at the Apple Multimedia Lab in the eighties, pushing the envelope on related questions.
We started with a tour of the historic Sentinel Building in North Beach, home of American Zoetrope -- where Francis Coppola worked on many cinematic masterpieces like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. We checked out the underground screening room and sound mixing room where some of that work took place, then headed upstairs to Michael and Jim’s studios, for a wonderful conversation about the new VR frontier.
Michael and his colleagues are researching how people are represented in virtual reality. Their first experiment at Google’s “Big Chairs” Park led to some helpful guidelines on how to film people for VR, by using different camera angles and distances.
They’re also investigating ‘hyper-images’ that resemble a group of people, but that are shot at different times and composited together to create both ‘credible’ and ‘incredible’ pictures. To enable more experiments like these, Michael is developing ‘IMU VR’, a new type of camera that could make it easier for communities to tell their stories in VR. More on this later.
It was great to reconnect with my colleagues and brainstorm these ideas together. It felt like the good old days, and the creative juices were flowing all over again ...
Learn more about Michael Naimark’s work:
View more photos about Virtual Reality:
I could not resist this. And god spoke... American Indians say the owl is the messenger, probably because of the piercing eyes. However I'd say that the family name foretold an omen. Was Grace saddled with a burden (pur - mort) she could only carry for 24 years?
I have but half my genealogy project finished and made my way over to Longmont's Mountain View Cemetery to find some family plots. After some securing help and an initialed map, I headed back to the truck to wrap up my current assignment when I spotted this marker.
At first, I saw mountains as mountains and rivers as rivers. Then, I saw mountains were not mountains and rivers were not rivers. Finally, I see mountains again as mountains, and rivers again as rivers. (Zen masters)
The one on the left is my sister, and the one on the right is my cousin. I was shooting a video when I saw her reflection, and I knew I had to take a picture of it. I can say I like the results.
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Kolkata - Urban Realities *
Kolkata - March 2016.
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Wolfgang Sterneck:
In the Cracks of the World *
Photo-Reports : www.flickr.com/sterneck/sets
Articles (german / english) : www.sterneck.net
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The fog never leaves, it's always there, waiting to come back. The fog dampens your spirit and sucks you dry of energy until you can't function. But without the fog, what am I?
You can contact me for photoshoots at jessicahingram@gmail.com or via my Facebook Page & Website