A Johanneskirche Stuttgart ou igreja de São João é referida na literatura germânica como o edifício religiosa mais importante do século XIX em Estugarda. A igreja neogótica é a primeira igreja nova na cidade depois da Reforma, sendo que originalmente a sua torre tinha bastante mais altura.

O chamado Lago de Fogo, no centro de Estugarda, remonta ao século XVIII e foi construído originalmente como um reservatório de água para abastecer a cidade. Atualmente, o lago é muito conhecido pela sua variedade de peixes. Uma vez que a população de peixes no lago de fogo é tão grande e diversifica, de dois em dois anos, o peixe é totalmente pescado para ser distribuído nos diferentes lagos e parques em volta da cidade.

Uma das principais atrações do lago de fogo é a Igreja Protestante de São João, que foi construída em estilo neogótico, na segunda metade do século XIX. A igreja está localizada numa península do lago, e é atualmente, um dos destinos preferidos de muitos turistas. Durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, a igreja ficou bastante danificada, sendo totalmente reconstruída após o final da guerra, a torre em ruínas, ficaria inacabada. Assim, esta belíssima igreja do Lago de Fogo é agora utilizada como um memorial contra qualquer tipo de guerra, sendo muitas vezes referida como uma "a igreja sem ponta".

No século XIX, o lago de fogo foi enriquecido com uma outra linda atração, a grande fonte. Trata-se de uma das fontes mais poderosas do seu tempo, que atraiu inúmeros visitantes ao longo de muitos anos e, ainda hoje, fascina aqueles que a visitam. Este é um pequeno exemplo daquilo que podemos encontrar nesta bela cidade.

A historia do Cisne na fotografia, já é mais difícil de contar, visto não existirem referências da sua existência em lado nenhum, no entanto, eu atrever-me-ia a dizer que se trata da beleza lá do sítio, pois não se mostrou nada importunado com a minha aproximação, chegando mesmo a fazer pose e a desfilar para a fotografia, o que me leva a crer, que se trata de um manequim muito experiente e cheio de estilo que encontrou no lago de fogo a sua passerelle e o local ideal para se dar a conhecer.

The Antarctic Cormorant also referred to as the Antarctic Shag - - they were quite plentiful in some parts of the Antarctic - - in this particular sighting the one was the receiving party at Neko Harbour - - I was still on the zodiac when I took this shot, I really wanted the glacier background which would have been impossible once standing on the beach.

Antarctic Cormorant / Antarctic Shag - Neko Harbour

** This does not refer to anyone or anything in particular **

" I'm jealous of the rain

That falls upon your skin

It's closer than my hands have been

I'm jealous of the rain

I'm jealous of the wind

That ripples through your clothes

It's closer than your shadow

Oh, I'm jealous of the wind

'Cause I wished you the best of all this world could give

And I told you when you left me

There's nothing to forgive

But I always thought you'd come back

Tell me all you found was heartbreak and misery

It's hard for me to say

I'm jealous of the way

You're happy without me... "

- Labrinth -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=50VWOBi0VFs

Thank you so very much to my gorgeous friend Ms. B for posing for me. Hugs 💗

I would like to thank my sweet Amelie for the challenge ♥

The White Canvas Gallery presents an open challenge to enable you to stand united for peace. Let's disown the mindless violence around us and let's DO something about it as artists. Rules of this challenge are pretty simple.

RULES

1. Post one pic on your flickr stream with this theme in mind. All creative decisions are yours. You can post more if you like, no ones gonna shoot you *grins*.

2. Nominate at least 3 other of your friends to post a pic with this theme. Tag them on the pic if you like.

3. All pics done for this challenge can be posted to this group.

www.flickr.com/groups/istandforpeace

4. Please add the text below the line in your description of your picture so that anyone who wants to know the theme and refer to rules can come back here.

5. If anyone not tagged here wants to do this challenge, tag yourself here and do it :).

=================================================

The White Canvas Gallery presents an open challenge to enable you to stand united for peace. Lets disown the mindless violence around us and lets DO something about it as artists.

My nominees are: Doutzen, Nimoe and Kira

Páramo can refer to a variety of alpine tundra ecosystems. Some ecologists describe the páramo broadly as "all high, tropical, montane vegetation above the continuous timberline". A more narrow term classifies the páramo according to its regional placement in the northern Andes of South America and adjacent southern Central America. The páramo is the ecosystem of the regions above the continuous forest line, yet below the permanent snowline. It is a "Neotropical high mountain biome with a vegetation composed mainly of giant rosette plants, shrubs and grasses". According to scientists, páramos may be "evolutionary hot spots" and among the fastest evolving regions on Earth.

More commonly referred to as the Purple Swamphen or simply Swamphen and is easily recognisable by its size (similar to a chicken), large feet, red bill and bright plumage. The top part of the beak extends over the forehead of the bird and forms a front plate or shield; this is often a characteristic of many swamphens, coots and moorhens. In and around the island of Mallorca this relatively common bird is predominantly a purple/ blue colour whilst its nearby cousins on the African continent tend to have green coloured backs.

S'Albufera, Mallorca

Harris Brown-ALL rights reserved. This image may not be used for ANY purpose without written permission.

Harns Marsh, Leigh Acres, Florida. USA.

We were hoping to get flight shots of the Snail and Swallow-tailed Kites, but it became very cloudy and couldn't get high enough shutter speeds. We had to settled for birds on a stick.

Thanks to all who take the time to view, comment on and favor my images. It is very much appreciated.

Nikon D500 camera with Nikon 500mm f5.6 E PF lens.

1/2000 F6.3 ISO 640

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

ISAIAH 53:5 (NIV)

Referring to Christ of course, written 700 years before his birth.

Originally referred to as Grand Canyon, Fredrick Schwatka renamed it in July of 1883 Miles Canyon after General Nelson Miles. Schwatka wrote, “Through this narrow chute of corrugated rock the wild waters of the great river rush in a perfect mass of milk-like foam, with a reverberation that is audible for a considerable distance.” Although accounts differ as to the ferocity of the rapids, there is no question that they were very dangerous. During the Gold Rush, hundreds of boats loaded with precious supplies were lost (as well as several lives) before the Northwest Mounted Police arrived to regulate traffic.

Eventually a wooden rail system around the canyon eliminated the need to battle this hazard. The hydroelectric dam constructed to provide power to Whitehorse has tamed Miles Canyon, but drifting through its 15 metre high basaltic walls is still a thrill

I'm referring here of course to the rather rare occurrence of deep blue sky and water that seems to only happen in the fall. Photo is taken in one of the quarries of the Rockport area.

We are getting pummeled by a Noreaster right now so I'm just going to sit back and look at this image of tranquility :)

They're estimating about 4 inches of rain and the wind will pick up tonight.

Epipactis palustris - var ochroleuca (Orchidaceae) 188 23

Epipactis palustris name (palustris) refers to its usual choice of a wet marshy habitat. This preference is reflected in the orchids unsurprising common name of the Marsh Helleborine.

This is a species with a huge distribution across temperate Europe and Asia from Britain and Scandinavia in the west to Siberia in the East. It can grow in dense colonies, particularly in the damp, alkaline conditions it prefers such as dune slacks and base rich fens. Epipactis palustris is not however restricted to calcareous soils and although usually in smaller numbers, seems perfectly capable of thriving not just in neutral conditions but also in moderately acid ones.

Unlike many of the members of the Epipactis genus, Epipactis palustris does not seek out shade and indeed will not flourish if surrounding vegetation gets too rank or high. Although its roots require an uninterrupted supply of moisture, the visible parts of the plant seek full sun and this accounts for its total suitability to life in the wet slacks of large dune systems. It is not however a deep rooted orchid and in fact has only a shallow root system which is well suited to vegetative reproduction in wet ground. These shallow roots also maintain the plants nutrient supply by staying clear of the deeper and poorly oxygenated permanent water level.

This is not a particularly variable species but forms with reduced dark pigmentation are common. Here, the red pigmentation is absent altogether, this variant being known as var ochroleuca.

Source: John and Gerry's Orchids of Britain and Europe

This flower is often referred to as the pincushion flower and is part of the honeysuckle family. Scabiosa is available in a wide range of colors such as red, purple, lavender, pink, blue and white. They measure 2-1/2 - 3" wide. Best viewed large.

Many thanks for your visits, faves and comments!

The term Geranium refers, in general, to a group of herbs and small shrubs of the genera Geranium and Pelargonium. It gathers about 300 species, many native to temperate and tropical regions of altitude, of which several are cultivated as ornamentals or for the extraction of tannins and tinctures.

Geranium can be divided into groups, such as: upright geranium; pending geranium; English geranium; fragrant geranium; herbaceous geranium and succulent geranium.

The photos presented in this series are from Pelargonium peltatum (pending geranium), Geraniums with narrow stems and leaves similar in shape to ivy are called “Ivy-leaved Geraniums” or “Pelargonium peltatum”. It behaves like a vine and the flowers have narrower petals and fewer floral heads.

The flowers can be single or folded and can be colored crimson, scarlet, salmon, pink and white. The strong colors and double flowers are the preference of the majority of the public in southern Brazil.

M20 (often referred to as "Trifid nebula") is a collection of three different nebulae in the Sagittarius constellation, around 9000 light years from earth.

Not only is this a collection of three different nebulae; it’s also three completely different types:

- Dark nebula: this part consists of dark dust clouds that absorb/block any light from stars behind it. You can see this as the black lines in the center of the image.

- Emission nebula: this part consists of clouds of hydrogen that get ionized (think of it as getting energized and glowing) due to the presence of nearby stars. You can see it as the red'ish part of the image.

- Reflection nebula: this part consists of clouds of interstellar dust, which reflect the light of nearby stars. You can see this as the blue part of the image.

Setup:

Planewave CDK24

Moravian C3-61000 Pro

Planewave L-600

Image acquisition details:

14x900" HA

12x600" Red

12x600" Green

12x600" Blue

www.jochenmaes.com

I refer to myself as a lazy photographer (poking fun at me) and the truth is I usually am. But I had to work for this one!! We visited a very unique area of the Western slope of Colorado called Escalante Canyon. It reminded me of the very popular visitor attraction the Cliff Dwellings which were populated by ancient people a very long time ago. We climbed a pretty steep hill with loose red rock and many cactus's and no trail!! The guys were ahead of us not being very chivalrous, of coarse. I felt pretty proud of my sister in law and myself that we made it to the top. Up above us were the red cliffs and scattered around us were these gnarly old cedar trees. I noticed to the corner of my eye this impressive ancient looking cedar. You could tell it has had a hard time surviving in its tough surroundings. It's amazing how life has a will to survive!!

You remind me of Yoda's great philosophy: "No try, There is no try. Do or do not. " Bruce Sorrell

Please view in Large screen!!

Helgeland is the most southerly district in Northern Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic Circle. It is bordered in the north by the Saltfjellet mountains and Svartisen glacier, which form a natural border with the Salten district. In the south, Helgeland borders Trøndelag county.

The district covers an area of about 18,832 square kilometres (7,271 sq mi), with nearly 79,000 inhabitants. There are four towns in the district: from south to north these are Brønnøysund, Mosjøen, Sandnessjøen, and Mo i Rana.

Helgeland is characterized by pointed mountains and Strandflaten, a shallow lowland area, sometimes just above the sea surface, and sometimes just below the surface. People living on the coast have settled on this lowland (while inland towns, such as Mo and Mosjøen, are situated in valleys). A consequence of the Strandflaten is thousands of islands, and shallow waters going far into the sea. This has provided some shelter from stormy weather, which might occur in winter. Some islands are fairly large, often with unique mountains, such as Torghatten, De syv søstre (The Seven Sisters), Hestmannen, Rødøyløva (in Rødøy), Dønnamannen (picture), and Træna. There are several sea bird colonies, such as Lovund (picture) with thousands of puffins. The Solvær Islands (Solværøyene) in Lurøy consists of about 300 small and flat islands and has the highest densities of Eurasian eagle-owls in Europe.

The highest mountains, are located inland, where Oksskolten is the highest mountain in Northern Norway. There are many valleys inland, such as the Dunderland Valley, Vefsndalen, and Hattfjelldal. Røssvatnet is the second largest lake in Norway. There are three large national parks in Helgeland: Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park (partly), Børgefjell National Park (partly), and Lomsdal–Visten National Park (created in May 2009).

Nell Trent, also referred to as Little Nell, is a fictional character in the 1841 novel The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. The novel's main character, she is portrayed as infallibly good and virginal. An orphan, she leads her grandfather on their journey to save them from misery but gradually becomes weaker throughout the journey, and although she finds a home with the help of a schoolmaster, she sickens and dies before her friends in London find her. Her death has been described as "the apotheosis of Victorian sentimentality

Charlotte Pass (often erroneously referred to as Charlotte's Pass), elevation 1,837 metres, is a snow resort and village in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. The pass is in the Kosciuszko National Park where the Kosciuszko Road crosses Kangaroo Ridge. Charlotte Pass is the closest village to Mount Kosciuszko. Charlotte Pass Village (elev. 1,760 metres) is at the base of Kangaroo Ridge to the south east of the pass. It is one of Australia's oldest snow resorts. It is the coldest location in Australia, with a record low of −23.0 °C and winter temperatures that regularly drop below −10 °C. The pass and village are named after Charlotte Adams who, in 1881, was the first European woman to climb Mount Kosciuszko. Charlotte Pass provides access to some of Australia's highest alpine terrain and was formerly a stop-off point for public vehicular access to Mt Kosciuszko, though the public access road now terminates at the Pass. Being an alpine area, it is subject to extremes in temperature, and is a recognised environmentally sensitive zone. 27482

The term Geranium refers, in general, to a group of herbs and small shrubs of the genera Geranium and Pelargonium. It gathers about 300 species, many native to temperate and tropical regions of altitude, of which several are cultivated as ornamentals or for the extraction of tannins and tinctures.

Geranium can be divided into groups, such as: upright geranium; pending geranium; English geranium; fragrant geranium; herbaceous geranium and succulent geranium.

The photos presented in this series are from Pelargonium peltatum (pending geranium), Geraniums with narrow stems and leaves similar in shape to ivy are called “Ivy-leaved Geraniums” or “Pelargonium peltatum”. It behaves like a vine and the flowers have narrower petals and fewer floral heads.

The flowers can be single or folded and can be colored crimson, scarlet, salmon, pink and white. The strong colors and double flowers are the preference of the majority of the public in southern Brazil.

Refers to the pools of water which are frozen over.

Helgeland is the most southerly district in Northern Norway. Generally speaking, Helgeland refers to the part of Nordland county that is located south of the Arctic Circle. It is bordered in the north by the Saltfjellet mountains and Svartisen glacier, which form a natural border with the Salten district. In the south, Helgeland borders Trøndelag county.

The district covers an area of about 18,832 square kilometres (7,271 sq mi), with nearly 79,000 inhabitants. There are four towns in the district: from south to north these are Brønnøysund, Mosjøen, Sandnessjøen, and Mo i Rana.

Helgeland is characterized by pointed mountains and Strandflaten, a shallow lowland area, sometimes just above the sea surface, and sometimes just below the surface. People living on the coast have settled on this lowland (while inland towns, such as Mo and Mosjøen, are situated in valleys). A consequence of the Strandflaten is thousands of islands, and shallow waters going far into the sea. This has provided some shelter from stormy weather, which might occur in winter. Some islands are fairly large, often with unique mountains, such as Torghatten, De syv søstre (The Seven Sisters), Hestmannen, Rødøyløva (in Rødøy), Dønnamannen (picture), and Træna. There are several sea bird colonies, such as Lovund (picture) with thousands of puffins. The Solvær Islands (Solværøyene) in Lurøy consists of about 300 small and flat islands and has the highest densities of Eurasian eagle-owls in Europe.

The highest mountains, are located inland, where Oksskolten is the highest mountain in Northern Norway. There are many valleys inland, such as the Dunderland Valley, Vefsndalen, and Hattfjelldal. Røssvatnet is the second largest lake in Norway. There are three large national parks in Helgeland: Saltfjellet–Svartisen National Park (partly), Børgefjell National Park (partly), and Lomsdal–Visten National Park (created in May 2009).

The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 95-storey skyscraper in Southwark, London

oliver@br-creative | @facebook | @500px | @Getty & Flickr Market

Stanford Memorial Church (also referred to informally as MemChu) is located on the Main Quad at the center of the Stanford University campus in Stanford, California, United States. It was built during the American Renaissance[2] by Jane Stanford as a memorial to her husband Leland. Designed by architect Charles A. Coolidge, a protégé of Henry Hobson Richardson, the church has been called "the University's architectural crown jewel".[3]

Designs for the church were submitted to Jane Stanford and the university trustees in 1898, and it was dedicated in 1903. The building is Romanesque in form and Byzantine in its details, inspired by churches in the region of Venice, especially, Ravenna. Its stained glass windows and extensive mosaics are based on religious paintings the Stanfords admired in Europe. The church has five pipe organs, which allow musicians to produce many styles of organ music. Stanford Memorial Church has withstood two major earthquakes, in 1906 and 1989, and was extensively renovated after each.

North façade of the Stanford Memorial Church from the Main

Its devilish cultivar name (via Spanish) refers to the dark purplish leaves that this shrub bears in spring, with dark colors being loosely associated with the devil.

The common name "ninebark" comes from the plant's peeling bark. Several shades of brown are displayed as it peels. As an outer layer of bark peels, a new layer with a slightly different color is revealed. The "nine" refers to the number of such layers, although nine seems to be an arbitrary figure.

Written by David Beaulieu

Skógafoss 20200731

Skógafoss (Forest waterfall) is often referred to as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It has all the ingredients of great natural wonder. The amount of water is excessive, the form of the waterfall is almost perfect in its rectangular shape, the 60-meter drop makes it impressive, and the width of 25 meters puts it into a great perspective.

The cliffs around the waterfall are former sea cliffs when the shoreline was by Skógarfoss but has now moved five km south. On the eastern side of the waterfall, you'll find steps to the most popular hiking routes in Iceland, towards the Fimmvörðuháls pass. Once there, you are halfway to the beautiful Highland oasis of Þórsmörk. Hiking the Skógaheiði moors, you will be amazed at the sheer number of waterfalls and rapids adorning the Skógá River. Indeed, there are 22 of them, each more beautiful than the other. It is a feast of waterfalls.

Source: Hit Iceland

Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi (City), Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi predates the Vijayanagara Empire; it is mentioned in the Ramayana and the Puranas of Hinduism as Pampa Devi Tirtha Kshetra. Hampi continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, an active Adi Shankara-linked monastery and various monuments belonging to the old city.

Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th century. It was a fortified city. Chronicles left by Persian and European travellers, particularly the Portuguese, say that Hampi was a prosperous, wealthy and grand city near the Tungabhadra River, with numerous temples, farms and trading markets. By 1500 CE, Hampi-Vijayanagara was the world's second-largest city, after Beijing, and probably India's richest at that time, attracting traders from Persia and Portugal. The Vijayanagara Empire was defeated by a coalition of Muslim sultanates; its capital was conquered, pillaged and destroyed by sultanate armies in 1565, after which Hampi remained in ruins.

Located in Karnataka near the modern-era city of Hosapete, Hampi's ruins are spread over 4,100 hectares (16 sq mi) and it has been described by UNESCO as an "austere, grandiose site" of more than 1,600 surviving remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India that includes "forts, riverside features, royal and sacred complexes, temples, shrines, pillared halls, mandapas, memorial structures, water structures and others".

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampi

Wollongong informally referred to as The Gong, is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 68 kilometres (42 miles) south of central Sydney. Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018, making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle and the tenth-largest city in Australia by population. The Wollongong metropolitan area extends from Helensburgh in the north to Shell Cove in the south. It sits within the Wollongong Statistical District, which covers the local government areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama, extending from the town of Helensburgh in the north, to Gerroa in the south. Geologically, the city is located in the south-eastern part of the Sydney basin, which extends from Newcastle to Nowra. Wollongong is noted for its heavy industry, its port activity and the quality of its physical setting, occupying a narrow coastal plain between an almost continuous chain of surf beaches and the cliffline of the rainforest-covered Illawarra escarpment. It has two cathedrals, churches of many denominations and the Nan Tien Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere. Wollongong has a long history of coal mining and industry. The city attracts many tourists each year and is a regional centre for the South Coast fishing industry. The University of Wollongong has around 38,000 students and is internationally recognised.

Wollongong Harbour is a great spot to relax and take in amazing coastal views. There are also plenty of paths, pools and parks around the harbour if you prefer to be active. The small sandy beach at Wollongong Harbour is known as Brighton Beach. Although the waters may seem calm most of the time, this is an unpatrolled beach and is not a suitable location for swimming. It can also have water quality issues, particularly after rain. 50456

I'm not referring to my favorite childhood TV show about a crime-fighting rancher with a plane. While "Sky King" was a beloved icon for many in the 1950's, especially in the aviation community, that's not the King I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal on Earth. These incredible birds typically cruise at 25-34 mph, but when they execute their hunting dive, known as a "stoop," they can exceed 200 mph—even reaching speeds of 240 mph! To achieve this breathtaking velocity, they tuck their wings and streamline their bodies. They even have specialized cones in their nostrils to protect their lungs from the intense forces at such high speeds.

(Nikon Z8, Nikkor 600/6.3, 1/1000 @ f/8.0, ISO 720, edited to taste)

Sansia Old Street” generally refers to the southern section of Minquan St., and is about 200 meters long. The buildings have stood since the earliest period of the Republic of China. Various words on the building fronts represent surnames, names, and shop names, and their signage is very different to today’s. The buildings are equipped with magnificent verandahs, which are the most impressive parts of the buildings along this street. Their decorated archways are rich in culture and they play a valuable role in reminding people of the need to preserve historical relics. The outer walls of the buildings are　built with red brick, while the inner walls were made of clay. The outer parts of the buildings are decorated with a variety of patterns, and in particular the second-floor windowsills, making them all the more beautiful. There are many with traditional Chinese patterns, animal motifs, and even foreign patterns. Opposite Minquan St. is a smaller wall, known for its unique styling, featuring solid, hollow, and framed styles of decoration.

Sunlight Streaming Over Foggy Treetops. Aulanko, Hämeenlinna. Finland. 2014.

Are you looking for the best and the most intelligent photo editor? Try Luminar! Click my affiliate link here. You will get a US$10 discount with your referral discount code - LUMINAR-FRIEND. Important note: use it only with your referral link.

Estany de les Obagues de Ratera - Lagunas Llosas

This is a long exposure shot (8 seconds) processed under the scene-referred paradigm with Darktable from RAW. It was taken with:

- Haida Neutral filter of 10 steps (3.0 ND)

- 'Gobe' CPL Polarizer Filter.

You can read additional technical information in my profile (about section).

Referring to this daughter, Helios said,

“Again I make day balanced equally with dark on my homeward course when I bring in the leafshaking course of the autumn Season Phthinoporon, and drive with lesser light to the lower turning-point in the leafshedding month.”

bit.ly/1Lehltg

Also referred to as a Wharf, the Davis Bay Pier is among the many listed attractions to visit as tourist destinations along the Sunshine Coast. Caught just after the sun has set, the sky fills with vivid warm colors while a few enjoy the evening light show.

www.photographycoach.ca/

Referring to the “throughline” that makes it all make sense. Oegstgeest, The Netherlands

They say “Feet of clay” is an expression now commonly used to refer to a weakness or character flaw but in Aliano this is not an expression of the people that live here but of the land they live on. The feeling of an alien landscape is a common one for visitors here, the rolling landscape is made of clay which has shaped by the wind and water to make a set of badlands to be envied by most desserts.

THE Calanchi di Aliano are a cathedral of solitude, white walls, silence and emptiness are on offer as you walk , hike, bike or horseback ride through this lunar landscape. One of the best trails to discover this wonderfully weird world is the “Santarcangiolese”, the peasant witch you can imagine the moonlight casting the landscape into a magical land full of fantastic legends about brigands, fairies, werewolves and witches wandering through this terrain.

Aliano sits a high rise of sand surrounded by hills of clay making the resulting views from the village a wonder of pyramids, white clay gorges all interspersed with the verdant greens olive and citrus groves. All of this highly erodible land makes for poor foundations which a fairly recent earthquake in the 1980’s has proven in the town and they are still rebuilding a lot of the older buildings back to what they once were.

I took this on Oct 2nd, 2018 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 Lens at 34mm 1/30s f`16 ISO 100 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , and DXO

Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress

Bridge to Nowhere is a nickname used to refer to various unfinished structures around the M8 motorway in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. They were built in the 1960s as part of the Glasgow Inner Ring Road project but left incomplete for several years. The Anderston Footbridge, a pedestrian bridge south of St Patrick's church, was finally completed in 2013 as part of a walking and cycling route

The Country Club Plaza (often referred to as The Plaza) is an American upscale shopping district and residential neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri.

It was the first shopping center in the world designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile ~ 1922

The French phrase “lèche-vitrine” translates literally as “window-licking” and refers to window shopping. I love the expression, and attempt to engage in that activity as often as possible, no matter where I am!

La coulée verte près de Balard sur l'ancienne petite ceinture

The Memphis Pyramid, initially known as the Great American Pyramid, formerly referred to as the Pyramid Arena and locally referred to as The Pyramid, the Tomb of Doom[5] and the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid,[6] was originally built as a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis, in the U.S. state of Tennessee, at the banks of the Mississippi River. The facility was built in 1991 and was originally owned and operated jointly by the city of Memphis and Shelby County; Shelby County sold its share to Memphis in April 2009.[7] Its structure plays on the city's namesake in Egypt, known for its ancient pyramids. It is 321 feet (98 m) (about 32 stories) tall and has base sides of 591 feet (180 m); it is by some measures the tenth-tallest pyramid in the world.

The Memphis Pyramid has not been regularly used as a sports or entertainment venue since 2004. In 2015, the Pyramid re-opened as a Bass Pro Shops "megastore", which includes shopping, a hotel, restaurants, a bowling alley, and an archery range, with an outdoor observation deck adjacent to its apex.

So, has he completely lost it? No, not the driver, me. Well, who refers to oneself in the third person? That may be one indication of losing it. Actually, no to that as well. Now that I have proven to myself that I am capable of using HDR responsibly, I thought I may as well give into the temptation that devil software is throwing at me and apply this process in a manner that results in something completely different. I always wanted to do a minimalist color image without completely giving up on color because I am addicted to it. Quite like the effect “contrast optimizer” has on the bucket loader. That’s why I cropped top and bottom to feature the loader a bit more prominently. The reason the sides are uncropped is because I liked the effect on the fence to the right of the loader and on the faux brick wall to the left of the loader. And no, not to worry, you won’t see too many of these shots going forward. No sense in getting carried away. Less is usually more unless we are dealing with Marzipan which is powerful enough to make me .…

Losing My Religion – R.E.M.

Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Migration is marked by its annual seasonality.

As autumn progresses, millions of birds disperse to the reaches of the globe to find the food they need to survive.

The migratory birds living in Austria (swallow, stork,...)are gathering now and start their long journey via Italy to Africa.

Bon voyage!!

Rallus Longirostris

The rattling call of the Clapper Rail is one of the most common sounds in the marshes. Nesting pairs enhance their pair bond by blending their clatter until they sound like one bird. Biologists refer to this is as a “duet”.

Ocean City, NJ

Mo'orea is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It is one of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the Society Islands, 17 kilometres (11 mi) northwest of Tahiti. The name comes from the Tahitian word Mo'ore'a, meaning "yellow lizard", Early Western colonists and voyagers also referred to Mo'orea as York Island or Santo Domingo

De Zalmhaven, also referred to as Zalmhaven Toren, is a project that includes a 215m residential tower in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Other parts of the project are two buildings of 70m each. The project was approved by the city in February 2010.

The 215m high residential tower houses 295 apartments and a parking garage. The tower and a second office building are designed by Dam & Partner architects, with Claus en Kaan Architecten designing a residential unit it is one of the tallest residential towers in Europe and the tallest building in the Netherlands.

In September 2016, the Rotterdam city council approved the plan. After fifteen years of preparation, construction started on 25 October 2018. With Zalmhaven I, the Zalmhaven has a height of 215 meters. The building itself is 203 m and the mast takes up the last 12 m.

On December 15, 2020, the construction of Zalmhaven II and III reached the highest point. Zalmhaven I reached its highest point in September 2021 and the entire project is completed in 2022.

De Zalmhaven contains 452 apartments and penthouses, 33 townhouses, a parking garage, offices, commercial spaces and a restaurant. The townhouses have a private roof terrace and the apartments and penthouses all have one or more outdoor spaces. The basement accommodates a five-story parking garage with 456 spaces. An inner garden will be realized in the lobby. A roof garden will be realised on the parking garage that is only accessible to the residents of De Zalmhaven. The apartments and penthouses in De Zalmhaven II and III have their own entrance at Gedempte Zalmhaven, but residents also use the facilities in De Zalmhaven I.

The Mass Rapid Transit, abbreviated and referred to in local parlance as the MRT, is a heavy rail rapid transit system that constitutes the bulk of the railway network in Singapore, spanning—with the exception of the forested core and the island's rural northwest—the length and width of the city-state's main island. The first section of the MRT opened on 7 November 1987, and the network has since grown rapidly in accordance with Singapore's aim of developing a comprehensive rail network as the backbone of the country's public transportation system, with an average daily ridership of 3.384 million in 2019, approximately 83% of the bus network's 4.099 million in the same period. The MRT is the oldest, busiest, and most comprehensive rapid transit system (both by length and number of stations) in Southeast Asia. The MRT is also unique in that the vast majority of underground stations in the network double as purpose-built Singapore Civil Defence Force bunkers and air raid shelters, being built with hardened boundary walls, reinforced concrete floor and roof slabs, and concrete or steel doors for the purpose of withstanding conventional aerial bomb and chemical attacks. The system has the added distinctions of having the longest fully automated and driverless network in the world, as well as some of the longest and deepest subway tunnel sections in the world. 31753

Stanford Memorial Church (also referred to informally as MemChu) is located on the Main Quad at the center of the Stanford University campus in Stanford, California, United States. It was built during the American Renaissance[2] by Jane Stanford as a memorial to her husband Leland. Designed by architect Charles A. Coolidge, a protégé of Henry Hobson Richardson, the church has been called "the University's architectural crown jewel".[3]

Designs for the church were submitted to Jane Stanford and the university trustees in 1898, and it was dedicated in 1903. The building is Romanesque in form and Byzantine in its details, inspired by churches in the region of Venice, especially, Ravenna. Its stained glass windows and extensive mosaics are based on religious paintings the Stanfords admired in Europe. The church has five pipe organs, which allow musicians to produce many styles of organ music. Stanford Memorial Church has withstood two major earthquakes, in 1906 and 1989, and was extensively renovated after each.

North façade of the Stanford Memorial Church from the Main Quad

Yoho Park's jewel glowing on a stormy day. There was little sun the day I was here but when it does come out this lake really pops, richer in color than Lake Louise but greener than Moraine Lake. Amazing place.

"The first non-indigenous person to set sight on Emerald Lake was Canadian guide Tom Wilson, who stumbled upon it by accident in 1882. A string of his horses had gotten away, and it was while tracking them that he first entered the valley. The lake had an impression on even the most seasoned of explorers: "For a few moments I sat [on] my horse and enjoyed the rare, peaceful beauty of the scene." It was Wilson who gave the lake its name because of its remarkable colour, caused by fine particles of glacial sediment, also referred to as rock flour, suspended in the water. However, this was not the first time Wilson had dubbed a lake 'Emerald'. Earlier that same year he had discovered another lake which he had given the same moniker, and the name even appeared briefly on the official map. This first lake however, was shortly renamed Lake Louise." Wiki

Thanks for taking a look. Always appreciated!

Have a wonderful week!

Camera obscura (plural camera obscura or camerae obscurae from Latin, meaning "dark room": camera "(vaulted) chamber or room," and obscura "darkened, dark"), also referred to as pinhole image, is the natural optical phenomenon that occurs when an image of a scene at the other side of a screen (or for instance a wall) is projected through a small hole in that screen, as a reversed and inverted image (left to right and upside down) on a surface opposite to the opening. The surroundings of the projected image have to be relatively dark for the image to be clear, so many historical camera obscura experiments were performed in dark rooms.

The term "camera obscura" also refers to constructions or devices that make use of the principle within a box, tent or room. Camerae obscurae with a lens in the opening have been used since the second half of the 16th century and became popular as an aid for drawing and painting. The camera obscura box was developed further into the photographic camera in the first half of the 19th century when camera obscura boxes were used to expose light-sensitive materials to the projected image.

The camera obscura was used as a means to study eclipses, without the risk of damaging the eyes by looking into the sun directly. As a drawing aid, the camera obscura allowed tracing the projected image to produce a highly accurate representation, especially appreciated as an easy way to achieve a proper graphical perspective.

A camera obscura device without a lens but with a very small hole is sometimes referred to as a "pinhole camera", although this more often refers to simple (home-made) lens-less cameras in which photographic film or photographic paper is used.

The earliest known written record of the camera obscura is to be found in Chinese writings called Mozi and dated to the 4th century BCE, traditionally ascribed to and named for Mozi (circa 470 BCE-circa 391 BCE), a Han Chinese philosopher and the founder of Mohist School of Logic. In these writings it is explained how the inverted image in a "collecting-point" or "treasure house" is inverted by an intersecting point (a pinhole) that collected the (rays of) light.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE), or possibly a follower of his ideas, touched upon the subject in the work Problems - Book XV, asking:

"Why is it that when the sun passes through quadri-laterals, as for instance in wickerwork, it does not produce a figure rectangular in shape but circular?”

and further on:

“Why is it that an eclipse of the sun, if one looks at it through a sieve or through leaves, such as a plane-tree or other broadleaved tree, or if one joins the fingers of one hand over the fingers of the other, the rays are crescent-shaped where they reach the earth? Is it for the same reason as that when light shines through a rectangular peep-hole, it appears circular in the form of a cone?"

Many philosophers and scientists of the Western world would ponder this question before it became accepted that the circular and crescent-shapes described in this "problem" were actually pinhole image projections of the sun. Although a projected image will have the shape of the aperture when the light source, aperture and projection plane are close together, the projected image will have the shape of the light source when they are further apart.

The title refers to a dip in the dock or a dip in the water or both. It is funny that the dock only fell in right in the middle. It looks like a lot of the decking boards are missing. I think the entire dock would have to be repaired which is running about twenty thousand dollars right now. My guess is that this is a dangerous, deteriorated, decayed, defunct dock. I am sure I am missing some descriptive “D” words. Have at it please. The more the better.

A beautiful moment of sun rays breaking through clouds, often referred to as crepuscular rays or sunbeams, when the sun's angle allows for a more dramatic display of light and shadow.

The sun's light streams downwards, creating a striking visual effect against the backdrop of a cloudy sky. In the foreground, the silhouettes of palm trees and other foliage are visible, adding depth to the composition.

Crepuscular rays, are visibly breaking through a gap in the clouds, creating a striking visual effect as they illuminate parts of the sky and the landscape below.

Shot from Dahab during the “golden hour", before sunset.

The combination of the sun's rays, the cloud formations, and the natural elements represents a serene and dramatic atmospheric condition, typical of twilight hours. This time of day offers a magical mix of natural light in a warm and inviting atmosphere.