View allAll Photos Tagged offthebeatenpath
Tourists watching sunset at Mykonos town (Chora), on the island of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades island group, in Greece.
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[Yazd, Iran] One of the many adobe roofed and arched residential alley of Yazd, an ancient silk road Iranian desert city, characterized by the preservation of beautiful traditional architecture and Iranian culture.
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©2016 Germán Vogel - All rights reserved - No usage allowed in any form without the written consent of the photographer.
Abandoned concrete military structures stand covered in graffiti along the San Francisco coastline near the Golden Gate Bridge, reclaimed by coastal vegetation during the blue hour. These ruins are part of Battery Godfrey, one of many coastal defense installations built around San Francisco Bay to protect against potential naval attacks during the early 20th century.
The main structure features characteristic World War II-era concrete construction—thick walls designed to withstand bombardment, arched openings that once housed massive artillery guns, and multi-level platforms connected by exterior staircases. The reinforced concrete, now weathered by decades of salt air and Pacific storms, provides an ideal canvas for street artists and graffiti writers who've transformed these military relics into an evolving outdoor gallery.
Colorful graffiti covers every visible surface—tags, throw-ups, and pieces in blues, whites, reds, and other vibrant colors layered over previous work. The abandoned nature of these fortifications makes them magnets for urban explorers, photographers, and graffiti artists who appreciate both the historical significance and the creative freedom these spaces provide. Nature actively reclaims the structures, with native coastal shrubs and grasses growing across concrete surfaces and through cracks.
The dirt trail winding through overgrown vegetation leads visitors from parking areas or coastal trails to these hidden ruins. The twilight sky creates moody atmosphere—that deep blue hour light that photographers seek when shooting abandoned places. The coastal scrub typical of San Francisco's western edge—ice plant, coyote brush, and hardy grasses—thrives in this harsh environment shaped by wind, salt spray, and fog.
Battery Godfrey was part of the extensive harbor defense system protecting San Francisco Bay from the late 1800s through World War II. When long-range missiles made coastal artillery obsolete, these batteries were decommissioned and largely abandoned, becoming part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. They now serve as historical monuments, reminders of the military infrastructure that once dominated this coastline, and unintentional art spaces where urban creativity meets military history.
Tybo, named for a word derived from the Shoshone, meaning “white man’s district, was was once a thriving mining town. In 1866 when a local Indian led white settlers to the site where he had discovered gold ore. The main lode discovered in 1871. The mine ultimately produced silver, lead and zinc. A smelter was built in 1872, but it would take several years before the town was officially established in 1874.
By 1877 the town had swelled to a population of about 1000. At one time, the town included five stores, a number of saloons, two blacksmith shops, a post office, a newspaper, a schoolhouse, a jail, whiskey shops, a literary society, and an International Order of Odd Fellows.
By 1879 the Tybo Consolidate Mining Company had started to fail when the quality of the ore dropped drastically . By 1880 town was practically dead and in 1884 a fire destroyed many of the remaining buildings.
The last production to come from Tybo between 1942 and 1945 when some old tailings were hauled out for treatment. A handful of people still live there and while much of the property is accessible to the public, portions of the area are privately owned.
A winding country road in the peaceful village of Zhabeshi, nested in Caucasus mountains, as seen during the trek from Mestia to Ushguli, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
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Morning light over Isola San Giulio (St. Julius Island), in Lake Orta, near the lakeshore village of Orta San Giulio, in Novara province, Piedmont region, northwestern Italy.
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Dawn light over the Monastery of Holy Trinity (Agia Triada in Greek), a 14th century Eastern Orthodox monastery perched on top of a rocky precipice over 400 metres (1,300 ft) high, in the Pineios Valley within the Thessalian plains, near the town of Kalambaka, in Thessaly, northwestern Greece.
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Unmelted snow in Caucasus mountains during summer time, as seen during the trek from Mestia to Zhabeshi, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
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Morning light over the picturesque harbour town of Symi, on the island of Symi, part of the Rhodes regional unit, in South Aegean, Greece.
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March 18, 2017. ©Copyright 2017 Karlton Huber Photography - all rights reserved.
The story behind this photograph is kind of cool.
So there I was standing on the sidewalk near the corner of Broadway and 3rd in downtown Santa Ana, CA - USA. It was my lunch hour and I was out enjoying the sunshine, getting some exercise and working on my street photography.
I had just finished photographing what I thought was an interesting lamppost shadow on the side of a building when this guy (who was out enjoying the sunshine, getting some exercise and walking this dog) asked me if I have ever photographed inside the Santora Arts Building. I told him that I had. He then asked if I had ever seen the old "Neutral Grounds" sign. I told him that I had not. Smiling, he said "it's in the alley behind the Santora Arts Building. Would you like me to show it to you?"
How could I refuse his generous offer. I replied with an enthusiastic "That would be awesome!"
While we were talking, his dog (a brown and black bull dog) found a comfortable spot on the sidewalk and laid down on its belly in the shade. Now that we were ready to go, it took a long three minutes to get his now very lazy and "content right where it was at" bull dog to get up off of his belly and start moving. It was actually quite humorous to watch another human being getting so manipulated by their dog.
Anyway, I followed the guy and his dog into his nearby office where he settled in his dog then led me out the back door into an alley an proudly led me to the location of this weathered old sign painted on the backside of an ageing brick building.
I worked out a few compositions, took a few shots then introduced myself and in exchange learned that this generous guys name was Nicholas.
Thanks Nicholas, I really appreciated your time and generosity.
Thanks for stopping by and for your comments. You can also find me at:
Aerial view of Isola San Giulio (St. Julius Island), in Lake Orta, near the lakeshore village of Orta San Giulio, in Novara province, Piedmont region, northwestern Italy.
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High angle view of the terraced lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia.
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The funny thing is I usually like out of the way, family owned restaurants.
I chose this one as i spoke to a very good friend of mine today, someone I used to be thick as thieves with ( Paul Weller reference ) until life, distance, and the rest got in the way. We grew up together, graduated college together and spoke to each other each week, then once a month, then... every 10 years...
Marc, glad we got back in touch today.
Independence, Missouri
I took this photo some time ago for the arrow and the minimalist nature. Today I decided to find it on the Internet and there is a decent website. So I go to global Earth and the business is buried in trees on an acreage off the road.
Dawn light over one of the ancient stone defensive towers in Zhabeshi, a pretty highland village nested in Caucasus mountains, as seen during the trek from Mestia to Ushguli, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
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Tulips with Flora Methodist Church, long abandoned, in the ghost town of Flora, Oregon, USA [No property release; editorial licensing only]
Night view of the Sassi area of Matera (Sassi di Matera), a complex of cave dwellings carved into the mountainside, included in UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in Matera province, Basilicata region, southern Italy.
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One of my favorite houses in this
historic city ~ Saint Augustine, Florida
(click more comments to see 6-shot series)
tucked away in a park on the very edge of dedham near the west roxbury line and across from the VA hospital, this is the second to last dedham bunny i photographed and by far my favorite of the whole series. the artist took such care in painting the different animals and birds.
dedham is sometimes known as the mother of towns, i have learned in my researching, because it was originally a very large tract and many of our modern day eastern massachusetts towns were carved out of its borders. i think of totem as being the mother rabbit and indeed painted between her paws is a clutch of baby bunnies.
just checked and the info on the dedham shines website says she is the mother rabbit :):)
"Totem"
The Mother's Rabbit
By Martha Taylor
Location: DCR Riverside Park, Riverside Drive and Bridge Street
Sponsor: Dedicated in Honor and Memory of Mothers
scavchal4 protecting wildlife
ANSH "off the beaten path"
112 pictures in 2012 #49 "statue or sculpture"
will release the individual detail pics from private to public sometime this weekend, so they won't distract ~grin~
*** looks neat on black. type L or left click your mouse to experience that.
the Dedham Public Art Project, which organized this project to support the arts & artists and raise funds, has a website to show the 15 rabbits as they are installed and a facebook page
www.dedhamshines.org/rabbits--artists.html
www.facebook.com/pages/Dedham-Public-Art-Project/22645255...
I took this image back in November of 2011 and at that time I had posted several frames from that series of images, but not this one. But now, going back to those images for a second look, I was again struck by the in-your-face red paint job that enveloped the barn’s entire wall surface. This was not the more typical duller red-brown colour you find on barns. It was really, really red. The barn itself was on a back road in rural Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario. I just thought that it deserved to be posted online , so here it is. And, of course, 'Red Rule' applied. - JW
Date Taken: 2015-11-11
Tech Details:
Taken using a tripod-mounted Nikon D7100 fitted with a Nikor 18-105mm VR lense set to 48mm, ISO100, Auto WB, Aperture priority mode, f/9.0, 1/20 sec. PP in free Open Source RAWTherapee from Nikon RAW/NEF source file: resize to 9000x6000, adjust exposure to darken slightly overall, adjust colour balance to slightly warm the image, very slightly increase overall contrast and Chromaticity in L-A-B mode, increase vibrance slightly, boost black level slightly, apply noise reduction, save. PP in free Open Source GIMP: modify tone curve to brighten upper 2/3 of the tone curve very slightly while holding the remaining lower portion to the default level, sharpen, save, scale to 6000x4000 (my preferred size for prepping an image for posting), add fine black and white frame, add bar and text on left, scale to 1800 wide for posting.
An old truck in Caucasus mountains, as seen on the trekking route from Mestia to Zhabeshi, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
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Summer scenery in the peaceful village of Zhabeshi, nested in Caucasus mountains, as seen during the trek from Mestia to Ushguli, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
The beautifully painted interior of Santuario di Sant'Antonio a Fulgenzio (Sanctuary of Saint Anthony in Fulgenzio), a Franciscan church built in the early 1900s and dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, in the city of Lecce, Lecce province, Apulia region, southern Italy. The interior of the church is Apulian neo-Gothic style, very different from the Broque style of the main attractions in Lecce.
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High angle view of Rabac, a resort town with numerous villas and apartment buildings on Kvarner bay, in Istria County, Croatia.
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Aerial view of Kuneer hill, a scenic area in Wonosari Tea Plantation, located on the slopes of Mount Arjuna, in Malang regency, East Java, Indonesia.
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Stunning view of Positano, a cliffside village overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, on Amalfi Coast, in Salerno province, Campania region, southern Italy.
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Sometimes it is worth going out of your way to get home. Especially if you are on back roads that take you through places like this!
Explore #472 - April 28,2008 - Thank you!
Summer scenery on the Seceda mountain (2519m), in the Odle (needles) group, part of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated within the Puez-Odle Nature Park, South Tyrol, northern Italy.
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The port of Mykonos town (Chora), on the island of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades island group, in Greece.
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Social Distancing along the back roads of Baker County Oregon
A beautiful Spring day exploring the back roads of Baker County Oregon . Some great wildlife and lots of wide open scenery and wildflowers along the way .
Located at the intersection of three Oregon Scenic Byways Baker County is surrounded by spectacular scenery and wide open spaces. For more information about Baker County's back roads and scenic byways visit the Baker County Tourism website at www.travlebakercounty.com
Summer scenery in the countryside town of Dereli, situated in the valley of the Aksu Deresi, in Giresun Province, Black Sea Region of northeastern Turkey.
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Coastal terrain near Katholiko Bay, Crete. The foreground reveals stratified rock formations and reddish sediment layers, possibly remnants of ancient quarrying or natural erosion. In the distance, steep hills covered in sparse Mediterranean vegetation slope toward the deep blue sea. The scene blends geological complexity with the raw beauty of Crete’s northern coastline.
Relief côtier près de la baie de Katholiko, en Crète. Au premier plan, des formations rocheuses stratifiées et des couches de sédiments rougeâtres, vestiges d’anciennes carrières ou d’érosion naturelle. À l’arrière-plan, des collines abruptes couvertes de végétation méditerranéenne clairsemée plongent vers la mer bleu profond. La scène mêle complexité géologique et beauté brute de la côte nord crétoise.
This captivating image offers a peek into the heart of San Francisco's Financial District (FiDi), a bustling hub of commerce and history. The sleek, modernist tower, adorned with a series of balconies that cast intriguing shadows, is a testament to the city's innovative spirit. Its clean lines and geometric patterns stand in stark contrast to the more ornate Victorian architecture that characterizes other parts of San Francisco.
As you delve deeper into the image, you'll notice the vibrant street life below, with pedestrians strolling along the sidewalks and cable cars clanging their way up the steep hills. The juxtaposition of the modern skyscraper with the historic tramways perfectly encapsulates San Francisco's unique blend of old and new.
This photo serves as a reminder that even in the midst of a bustling metropolis, there are still opportunities to find quiet moments of reflection and appreciate the architectural details that make this city so special. So, the next time you find yourself wandering through the FiDi, take a moment to look up and admire the stunning skyline that surrounds you.
Dawn light over the Holy Church of Agios Nikolaos of Kadena, a small Orthodox Church built around 1700 in honor of Saint Nicholas, the protector of sailors and fishermen, situated by the old port in Mykonos town (Chora), on the island of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades island group, in Greece.
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Summer scenery in the peaceful village of Zhabeshi, nested in Caucasus mountains, as seen during the trek from Mestia to Ushguli, in Svaneti region, northwestern Georgia.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.
This photograph captures a nostalgic slice of urban Japan, showcasing the textured layers of a vintage shopfront and apartment balcony that speak volumes about the city’s evolving architectural story. The faded signage in traditional kanji, hand-painted on weathered surfaces, hints at a once-busy local business—perhaps a hardware store or tool shop, as suggested by the old-school lettering and visible tools.
Above the storefront, a sun-worn balcony draped in drying laundry and shaded by a bright yellow awning reveals a lived-in domestic space, common in mid-20th century Japanese mixed-use buildings. This juxtaposition of commercial and residential life is a hallmark of Showa-era architecture, when maximizing space and utility in Japan's dense urban environments was essential.
The structure’s oxidized copper panels and rusted metal framework tell a quiet tale of time’s passage—materials once pristine now softened by age and weather. These patinated textures, combined with the quirky asymmetry of laundry lines and potted plants, offer a rare, intimate look into everyday life in Japan, far from tourist trails.
Below, a bright green modern awning has been added, contrasting sharply with the vintage facade above—a visual metaphor for Japan itself: constantly balancing modern updates with deep respect for its past. This layered scene is not just an architectural curiosity, but a love letter to working-class neighborhoods, where community, resilience, and daily ritual are preserved in every detail.
Whether you're an architecture enthusiast, urban explorer, or cultural photographer, this corner storefront is a rich subject of visual storytelling, capturing the essence of Japan’s endearing messiness, quiet dignity, and everyday beauty.
Jagged rock at Haciveli beach (Hacıveli Plajı), situated by the Black Sea Coast, in Abana, Kastamonu Province, Black Sea Region of northeastern Turkey.
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Social Distancing along the back roads of Baker County Oregon
A beautiful Spring day exploring the back roads of Baker County Oregon . Some great wildlife and lots of wide open scenery.
Located at the intersection of three Oregon Scenic Byways Baker County is surrounded by spectacular scenery and wide open spaces. For more information about Baker County's back roads and scenic byways visit the Baker County Tourism website at www.travlebakercounty.com
Western Tanager
Social Distancing along the back roads of Baker County Oregon
A beautiful Spring day exploring the back roads of Baker County Oregon . Some great wildlife and lots of wide open scenery.
Located at the intersection of three Oregon Scenic Byways Baker County is surrounded by spectacular scenery and wide open spaces. For more information about Baker County's back roads and scenic byways visit the Baker County Tourism website at www.travlebakercounty.com
Aerial view of Vrsar, a small seaside town situated on top of a hill, in Istria County, Croatia.
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Summer view of the beautiful coast of the Black Sea, from Batumi Botanical Garden, 9km north of the city of Batumi, the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and the second largest city of Georgia.
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Casa del Mar, one of the three guest houses at Hearst Castle, exudes Mediterranean charm with its Spanish Revival architecture, offering a luxurious glimpse into the grandeur of California’s most iconic estate. Built in the 1920s under the guidance of architect Julia Morgan, the structure seamlessly blends classical and Mediterranean design elements, providing a lavish retreat for William Randolph Hearst’s esteemed guests.
As you approach, the intricate wrought-iron gate draws your attention, framing the entrance beneath the warm terracotta-tiled roof. The detailed craftsmanship is apparent in the stone carvings that adorn the exterior, featuring decorative columns and a pair of mythological figures guarding the doorway. Above, the finely crafted frieze with a detailed bas-relief sculpture encapsulates Morgan’s unique blend of European influence and local craftsmanship.
The villa’s name, meaning “House of the Sea,” is fitting—its proximity to the Pacific Ocean makes this guesthouse one of the most coveted on the estate. From within, guests enjoyed panoramic views of the coastline, basking in the splendor of Hearst’s private paradise. Inside, Casa del Mar was furnished with rare antiques, tapestries, and fine art, all handpicked by Hearst himself. The villa’s intimate setting, combined with its luxurious touches, offered an escape from the main house's grandeur, giving visitors a sense of exclusivity and comfort.
The beautifully painted interior of Santuario di Sant'Antonio a Fulgenzio (Sanctuary of Saint Anthony in Fulgenzio), a Franciscan church built in the early 1900s and dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, in the city of Lecce, Lecce province, Apulia region, southern Italy. The interior of the church is Apulian neo-Gothic style, very different from the Broque style of the main attractions in Lecce.
© All rights reserved. You may not use this photo in website, blog or any other media without my explicit permission.