gezgin photos on Flickr

Another photo of the Bodie Island Lighthouse near Nags Head, Outer Banks, NC, USA. I suppose you could say I’m a sucker for lighthouses—I always feel a sense of anticipation on my way to see one, no matter how many times I’ve visited before.

Situated mostly in isolated coastal areas, these towering giants are built to stand alone, enduring adversity while unwaveringly guiding seafaring souls to safety. I wonder if their solitude and remoteness resonate with me.

Though Bodie isn’t truly remote and sees frequent visitors, the surrounding marshes and lighthouse can become eerily silent during late autumn and winter—except, of course, on windy days. :-)

"Colinas Nevadas" by B³ Photography

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Somewhere between Uşak and Afyonkarahisar provinces, we were traveling along the İzmir–Ankara E96 Highway, heading into a winter storm brewing in the east. Beyond those snow-covered hills ahead, it was already snowing. The original shot was in color, but it was almost devoid of color—practically monochrome by nature. I converted it to this faux infrared tone, which I found much more compelling.

"A La Luna" by B³ Photography

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Ahmet Şemsi Paşa Mosque, Aydin, Aydin Province, Turkey.

"Gelata" by B³ Photography

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A sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) swimming nonchalantly in a tank at North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, Manteo, Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA.

"Let's Not Go Home" by B³ Photography

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Who goes home during sunset in Izmir? Sahilevleri, Narlıdere, Izmir, Turkey.

"Athena" by B³ Photography

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The Statue of Athena at the (modern) Academy of Athens, Greece.

"Surrender" by B³ Photography

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A Mediterranean sunset near Kemer, Antalya Province, Turkey.

"Ciniculum" by B³ Photography

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Park Güell, Barcelona, Catalonia.

"Fırıldak" by B³ Photography

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A child's dream on an Izmir evening... Sahilevleri, Narlıdere, Izmir, Turkey.

"On The Road" by B³ Photography

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Somewhere between Manisa and Uşak Provinces, we were traveling along the İzmir–Ankara E96 Highway, heading into a winter storm brewing in the east. Behind us, the sun was setting in her glorious way, illuminating the poplar trees on the left. They glowed a brilliant gold—almost white. I like this faux infrared version.

"The Blues" by B³ Photography

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A small inlet/marina near Hatteras Lighthouse, Buxton, OBX, NC.

"I Saw It! I Saw It!" by B³ Photography

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Bodie Lighthouse is patiently guarding the graveyard of the Atlantic [Bodie Island near Nags Head]

"Fener" by B³ Photography

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Street lanterns in Kusadasi, Aydin Province, Turkey.

Symbol of London. #tower #bridge #towerbridge #london #uk #architecture #iphoneonly #iphonesia #iphone #iphonegraphy #iphonephotography #sky #blue #travel #gezgin #seyahat #londra #like4like #likeforlike #photooftheday #instadaily #instapic #procamapp #pr by nrqemi

"67 Miles" by B³ Photography

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At the top of Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, a part of the Florida Keys archipelago, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA. It couldn't get any better: a small lighthouse, a subtropical island, sandy beaches, a diving paradise, and a storm in the distance. There's always a storm in the distance. :-)

"Caria" by B³ Photography

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When we arrived at the ruins of Aphrodisias, it was 6:30 PM. The site had already closed, but we managed to find our way in by charming the officials, who were wonderfully accommodating. The clouds that had cast a somber mood over our group since morning were finally beginning to break, yielding to the sun, which had already started painting the Tetrapylon—the monumental gate of this Carian city—in deep red, just as it had for nearly 2,000 years. Awestruck, I began preparing to shoot.

Built in the second century, the Tetrapylon is perhaps the most intriguing and visually striking part of the city. According to information at the site, its name signifies a structure built on 'four groups of four columns.'

In my humble opinion, Aphrodisias is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Turkey and the only one that never made me feel like I was merely visiting carefully arranged blocks of stone and columns. Instead, it felt as though I was stepping into the city in its own time. Perhaps it was the late hour, with no one there but us, that granted me this rare and precious sense of solitude. The pastoral landscape in late spring was idyllic. The sun, spilling red across the western sky and onto the city, played its own eternal game. Maybe everything needed to evoke such feelings was simply there, waiting for whoever wandered in—and this time, it happened to be us. Who knows?

I only hoped to document those serene moments with the same perfection in which they presented themselves. Of course, technical challenges got in the way. First, I wasn’t allowed to use my tripod (understandably so). I had to lay in the mud, crouch, prop my camera on my not-so-sturdy backpack—whatever I could think of to stabilize the shot and find a good angle. Second, time was fleeting; the sun didn’t care—it was already preparing for its grand exit. The site officials urged us to wrap up, so I had to make quick decisions: a relatively large aperture for this type of shot, a higher ISO for a handheld capture—yet, despite these compromises, I think the image turned out quite decent. I hope you like it.

You may also want to check out another shot of this marvel: [ www.flickr.com/photos/borabali/5197713096 ]

"Ansel" by B³ Photography

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"The Tetons and the Snake River"

I made this photo at the same spot where Ansel Adams created his homonymous masterpiece. Of course, being an amateur—and having the worst luck on any photo expedition—didn’t help. My two DSLRs decided to bail on me, so I had to rely on my phone’s camera, which was mediocre at best.

Smoke from forest fires in eastern Washington State had traveled all the way to the Tetons, carried by easterly winds and the Jet Stream. As a result, nothing was clear—as you can see, there are virtually no details on the mountain range. The smog was pervasive everywhere I went.

Still, I believe even such conditions would yield marvels in the hands (and eyes) of a master like Ansel Adams. While I’m not particularly proud of this photo from a technical standpoint, I still wanted to process and share it—because somehow, it still conveys the emotions I felt standing at that spot; because despite the smog and haze, the view was breathtaking, and I had to take a photo; and because, even with all the technical setbacks, I was having one of the most unforgettable trips of my life.

I made some curve and contrast adjustments later to bring out the clouds a bit. Due to the dense smoggy haze, the colors appeared noticeably muted and dull. In another photo taken from the exact same spot, I converted the image to monochrome with sepia tones. For this one, I wanted to preserve the colors—almost as they were—to better illustrate what I was seeing. I hope you like it.

"Time and Pressure" by B³ Photography

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Rock formations near Linville Falls, North Carolina, USA.

"Indefatigable" by B³ Photography

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Turkish Navy's museum ship TCG F256 "Ege" and museum submarine TCG F343 "Piri Reis" in Izmir, Turkey.

"Pastorale" by B³ Photography

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA.

"Apterus" by B³ Photography

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A firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) is on an evening stroll near Datça, Muğla Province, Turkey.

"Maiden Night" by B³ Photography

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Kız Kulesi (Maiden Tower) and the Old Istanbul in the background.

"Silky" by B³ Photography

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Horseshoe Falls near Estes Park in Rocky Mountain National Park.

"Consilium" by B³ Photography

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A group of red seabreams (Pagrus major) collectively contemplating their escape plan.

"İstanbul'u Dinliyorum" by B³ Photography

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Kız Kulesi (Maiden Tower) and the Galata Tower in the background, Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey.

"Hatteras" by B³ Photography

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Hatteras Lighthouse, Hatteras Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA.

"67 Miles" by B³ Photography

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At the top of Fort Jefferson on Garden Key, a part of the Florida Keys archipelago, Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA. It couldn't get any better: a small lighthouse, a subtropical island, sandy beaches, a diving paradise, and a storm in the distance. There's always a storm in the distance. :-)

"Holy Wisdom" by B³ Photography

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Aya Sofya (Hagia Sophia) Museum, Istanbul, Turkey.

"Caliginosus" by B³ Photography

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Hatteras Beach, Hatteras Island, Buxton, Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA.

"Jesús" by B³ Photography

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Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor de Jesús, Tibidabo, Barcelona.

by Cerenlyce

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"Sublimitas Divina" by B³ Photography