Visually-impaired photographers in the UK
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If you look closely, the last bit of sun is peeking above the horizon, through the marine layer in the distance.
The shallow waters over the rocky shoals create interesting wave patterns and textures here. The last stragglers of surfers are hanging on until last light, though one can be seen on the far left, paddling off from the crowd.
The ocean's waves, not exactly pounding, drown out (unintended pun) all other sounds here, and the breezes pick up as the cooler air, no longer heated by direct sunlight begins to move in. There is a certain balance in a Pacific sunset that can only be shown visually or experienced firsthand, words are inadequate.
Garden Liles 2..
There is something so visually pleasing about a lily, it is the mixture of complimentary colours that draw you in. the contrast of yellow and red. I am sure this is as intoxicating to humans as it is to bees and other pollen gatherers.
I am sure there is a solid science behind the reasoning for the many varied colours of lilies; but suffice to say they make my garden look amazing while they are in bloom and i thank God for eyes to see them with.
Please do not copy my image or use it on websites, blogs or other media without my express permission.
© NICK MUNROE (MUNROE PHOTOGRAPHY)
You can contact me
by email @
karenick23@yahoo.ca
munroephotographic@gmail.com
munroedesignsphotography@gmail.com
or on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/MunroePhotography/
On Instagram
Garden Lily..
There is something so visually pleasing about a lily, it is the mixture of complimentary colours that draw you in. the contrast of yellow and red. I am sure this is as intoxicating to humans as it is to bees and other pollen gatherers.
I am sure there is a solid science behind the reasoning for the many varied colours of lilies; but suffice to say they make my garden look amazing while they are in bloom and i thank God for eyes to see them with.
Please do not copy my image or use it on websites, blogs or other media without my express permission.
© NICK MUNROE (MUNROE PHOTOGRAPHY)
You can contact me
by email @
karenick23@yahoo.ca
munroephotographic@gmail.com
munroedesignsphotography@gmail.com
or on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/MunroePhotography/
On Instagram
lines and stripes
as far as the eye can see
tunnel vision with shadows
is how it appears to be
the sun was shining
casting her special spell
choices to be made . . .
to run away and hide
outside or inside :-)
think carefully lächelndes gesicht mit lachenden augen
before you decide
From my dear English friend Bev www.flickr.com/photos/beverleyplaya/
Open star cluster NGC 6939 (bottom center) is visually located close to the star Eta Cephei inside our galaxy, but in reality it lies more than 4,000 light-years away from us (this value is a bit uncertain). Its apparent magnitude is 7.8, meaning it can only be seen with binoculars or with a telescope.
By pure coincidence, less than one degree away lies the face-on galaxy NGC 6946 (center of image), an entirely separate galactic system outside our own Milky Way, at an estimated distance of about 25 million light-years (according to recent measurements). Because many supernova explosions were recorded at the last 100 years in this galaxy, it got the nickname of "Fireworks galaxy".
Both objects were discovered by William Herschel in 1798.
Thanks to everyone and clear skies!
Details:
Telescope: Orion EON 80ED
Camera: Canon EOS 20Da
Mount: Vixen Sphinx
Filter: Astronomik CLS
Guiding: Skywatcher 80/400 refractor - SkyWatcher SynGuider
Light frames: 12 x 5 mins (total: 60 mins), ISO 3200, Custom WB, calibrated with darks
Date: 25 October 2019
Processing: DSS 4.2.3, Adobe Photoshop 2020 with Astronomy Tools Actions set (spikes added to the brightest stars)
Metal railings that visually create a sense of flow…
Observing the dense railings from the outside seems to be safe and sturdy. Standing in the building, so many iron railings, the vision should be very different. You know…XD
Many buildings in Taiwan,
Must rely on metal railings,
Let the residents feel safe.
金屬的欄桿，在視覺上產生流動感…
從外面觀察密集的欄杆，似乎是安全堅固。站在建築物裡面，這麼多鐵欄杆，視覺應該很不一樣。你知道的…XD
台灣許多建築物，
必須依賴金屬欄杆，
讓住戶得到安全感。
This is my personal favorite of anything I've done so far... not only because I like the way it turned out, but because it captured my mood perfectly when I went out walking by myself on that cold, crisp winter day in Maine. Also, for some reason, there's one thing about this picture that captures a lot about me. If there was one picture that could do that visually, it would be this one. it's the colors, the mood, the spirit.... but that's just the surface... you'll have to look deep to find it... that's why I like this.
A visually striking landscape capturing the scale and texture of a desert environment.
The inclusion of the tiny human figures on the ridgeline provides a critical sense of immense scale, making the dunes feel vast and imposing.
The diagonal slope of the main dune creates a natural leading line that directs the viewer's eye from the bottom right up toward the rocky crest where the figures are standing.
The warm, low-angled light beautifully highlights the ripples and footprints in the sand, giving the foreground a tactile, three-dimensional quality.
There is a nice contrast between the soft, organic curves of the sand dunes and the jagged, dark textures of the rocky outcropping. The long shadows cast by the rocks add depth to the mid-ground.
The complementary color scheme warm oranges/yellows against the cool blue sky is classically pleasing and creates a "clean" feel.
The numerous footprints in the foreground tell a story of human presence. Sand dunes are not static "hills" but living forms reshaped by the wind. Metaphorically, they represent the constant flux of life and the need for adaptability; to survive, one must yield to the "winds of change" rather than resisting them.
Lophornis chalybeus - Male - at Sítio Espinheiro Negro.
Tiny and visually striking hummingbird. Its mostly dark green upper parts are bisected by a pale rump band. Note the gray belly and rufous tail. Males are dazzling with a ruff of green feathers with pale tips on neck. Females are plainer with a dark face and pale throat. Usually found in humid forest, including second growth. Near threatened species.
A beauty to enlighten the week! Happy Wednesday! HMBT!
Thanks a lot for your visits, comments, faves, invites, etc. Very much appreciated!
© All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. All rights reserved. Please contact me at thelma.gatuzzo@gmail.com if you intend to buy or use any of my images.
A visually striking vibrant market display of artificially dyed, dried Rose of Jericho plants (Anastatica hierochuntica), also known widely in Arabic as Kaf Maryam (Hand of Mary).
By eliminating any surrounding environmental context such as the storefront, floor, or sky, the image turns a real-world object into a semi-abstract pattern of texture and color.
The composition is split roughly in half by a subtle, horizontal shelf structure. The top half features a neatly stacked, uniform wall of vertical lines, while the bottom half introduces a slightly more chaotic, organic, and loose arrangement. This creates a compelling internal contrast within the frame.
The primary strength of the image lies in its rich, saturated color palette. The juxtaposition of complementary color clusters - like the bright oranges placed tightly against deep blues and purples - makes the image incredibly punchy and dynamic.
The shadows nestled deep within the curly crevices of the dried plants prevent the image from looking flat. The natural variation between the bright highlights on the outer edges and the deep pockets of shade creates a strong three-dimensional form for each individual plant ball.
Every individual plant ball mimics a miniature brain or a tightly coiled coral reef. The deep shadows hiding within the brittle, fibrous crevices provide a striking contrast to the highlighted outer edges, giving the entire flat frame a powerful, three-dimensional depth.
The photograph excels at tactile translation. The crisp sharpness across the frame highlights the brittle, rough, and fibrous details of the dried branches. As a viewer, you can almost feel the dry texture of the plant simply by looking at the image.
The true artistry of the image lies in its beautiful contradictions. It captures a clash between the natural and the artificial: the ancient, weathered, and dead desert wood is completely resurrected by an explosion of synthetic, electric dye.
Vibrant clusters of fiery orange dance directly against deep oceanic blues, while soft magentas melt into earthy yellows. The viewer can almost feel the dry, crisp, and brittle crunch of the branches just by looking at them. It is a stunning visual metaphor for the desert itself seemingly dead and dry, yet bursting with hidden, explosive vitality.
In arid desert conditions, the plant sheds its leaves and curls tightly into a dry, brown, protective ball. Once placed in a shallow bowl of water, its capillaries saturate, causing the branches to dramatically unroll and "bloom" open within hours.
Naturally, the dried balls are a plain gray-brown color. Local market vendors colorfully paint or dye them in shades of blue, pink, green, orange, and purple specifically to catch the eye of tourists looking for vibrant decor items.
A celebration of vibrant maximalism and organic geometry, transforming a simple market stall into a complex, living tapestry.
It feels less like a documentary photo of souvenirs and more like a rich, abstract canvas painted with nature's own textures.
Garden Lilies..
There is something so visually pleasing about a lily, it is the mixture of complimentary colours that draw you in. the contrast of yellow and red. I am sure this is as intoxicating to humans as it is to bees and other pollen gatherers.
I am sure there is a solid science behind the reasoning for the many varied colours of lilies; but suffice to say they make my garden look amazing while they are in bloom and i thank God for eyes to see them with.
Please do not copy my image or use it on websites, blogs or other media without my express permission.
© NICK MUNROE (MUNROE PHOTOGRAPHY)
You can contact me
by email @
karenick23@yahoo.ca
munroephotographic@gmail.com
munroedesignsphotography@gmail.com
or on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/MunroePhotography/
On Instagram
Purnululu National Park is a national park in the north east of Western Australia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Bungle Bungle Range, lying fully within the park, has elevations as high as 578 metres (1,896 ft) above sea level. It is famous for the sandstone domes, unusual and visually striking with their striping in alternating orange and grey bands. The banding of the domes is due to differences in clay content and porosity of the sandstone layers: the orange bands consist of oxidised iron compounds in layers that dry out too quickly for cyanobacteria to multiply; the grey bands are composed of cyanobacteria growing on the surface of layers of sandstone where moisture accumulates.
A visually striking, technically accomplished architectural study that successfully conveys a sense of grandeur and spiritual weight.
The extreme low-angle upward tilt creates a forced perspective that accentuates the height, volume, and overwhelming scale of the interior space.
The framing captures the symmetrical interplay of intersecting ribbed arches. The balance is slightly skewed to the left, which introduces a dynamic, immersive quality rather than a rigid, static archival view.
The concentric stone arches act as powerful leading lines. They draw the viewer’s eye naturally inward and upward toward the circular central dome.
The image relies heavily on high contrast to create drama. Strong highlights pour in from high, obscured windows, cutting sharply against deep, shadowy recesses.
The raking light raisesthe texture of the stone blocks and individual bricks. It transforms the flat architectural planes into tactile surfaces.
The color temperature creates a compelling tension. The cool, ambient daylight on the stone arches contrasts beautifully with the warm, fiery-orange brick dome and the glowing, low-hanging brass pendants.
The short focal length introduces a noticeable wide-angle barrel distortion, causing the vertical stone pillars to lean outward. While this warps the true physical geometry, it amplifies the psychological feeling of being enclosed within a massive cavern.
The transition from the square or rectangular earthly realm (the heavy, rectangular pillars below) to the circular celestial realm (the brick dome above). By placing the viewer directly beneath this transition, the photograph positions them as a small observer looking up into a cosmic order.
The repeating, stepped concentric arches create a powerful visual rhythm. It mimics the cadence of a chant or a prayer. The structural arches layer over one another like waves, giving the heavy stone an almost fluid, kinetic energy. The pattern of the brickwork in the dome contrasts with the linear stone blocks below, creating a texture that feels organic, like a woven basket or a celestial vortex.
A visually pleasing coastal landscape taken at the Hidden Bay in Ras Mohammed National Park, on a rainy day.
The image employs a horizontal, layered structure of water, land, and mountains which creates a stable and balanced feel. The distribution of the small trees along the shoreline provides a rhythmic element that leads the eye across the frame.
The vast, clear sky and open water act as negative space, isolating the thin strip of land and emphasizing a sense of solitude and vastness.
The photograph successfully utilizes three distinct layers: the turquoise water (foreground), the sandy shore with vegetation (midground), and the hazy mountain range (background). This layering adds a three-dimensional quality to the 2D image.
The horizon line between the land and the mountains is placed near the upper third of the frame, which is often more dynamic and aesthetically pleasing than a centered horizon.
The use of analogous colors like shades of blue, cyan, and sandy tan creates a harmonious and soothing impression. The turquoise water provides a subtle pop of color against the more neutral tones of the desert.
The overall low contrast and muted saturation contribute to a "dreamy" pastel look. The atmospheric haze over the mountains further softens the image and enhances the feeling of distance and scale.
The primary subject is the natural beauty of the desert meeting the sea. The image conveys a sense of peaceful isolation and natural tranquility. The minimal human presence (no boats or people are visible) emphasizes the untouched nature of the landscape. The small mangrove trees add a touch of life and resilience to the otherwise barren shoreline.
This beast of a fence has wood, barbed wire, heaven metal and other components, too. Visually, it was a kick!
Talking about the Pentacon 3.5/30 vintage lens. It may be half a century old, but optically it is a true 'generalist'. You can use it for any situation as long as the light is good. I prefer this lens to be wide open, as here. But that is a personal choice.
Both visually and audibly, the action of a swan rising from the water and stretching out those 2m wings is a sight to behold.
The most visually striking building in the 200 block of E. Front St. is this Victorian Romanesque-style structure designed by Bloomington architect George Miller and completed in 1886. For seventy years the building was the home of the Higgins, Jung and Kleinau Monument Co.
Designed by Bloomington architect George H. Miller in Victorian Romanesque-style, the building was constructed for Civil War veteran Hamer J. Higgins. The name "H. J. Higgins & Co. Marble Works" is clearly visible above the center bay of second-story windows. The building's appearance attests to the stone curlers skill and medium with dealing detailing Bedford Limestone, Indiana Marble, and St. Cloud Granite. Miller orchestrated these materials taking full advantage of the craftsmen's talent.
After monument and headstone production came to an end in 1956, the next long-term tenant was Nybakke Vacuum who had offices in the building from 1960 until 1992. That same year, the building was restored by Mike Temple to include apartments on the second floor. Presently Pars Rug Warehouse occupies on the first floor, with apartments on the upper floors.
The Higgins, Jung and Kleinau Monument Co. Building is contributing architectural property in the Bloomington Central Business District listed in 1985 in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The district includes roughly twelve square blocks of the city and encompasses 140 buildings, 118 of which are contributing buildings to the district's historic character.
Bloomington is the seat of McLean County. It is adjacent to Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington is 135 miles (217 km) southwest of Chicago, and 162 miles (261 km) northeast of St. Louis. The estimated population of Bloomington in 2019 was 77,330, with a metro population of 191,067.
The 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster (predominantly the Model 852 Supercharged) is one of the most iconic and visually striking American cars of the Art Deco era. Designed by Gordon Buehrig, it featured a supercharged 150-horsepower straight-eight engine and an aerodynamic "boattail" rear end, and was famously certified to exceed 100 mph.
Performance & SpecsEngine: 280 CID Lycoming L-Head Inline 8-CylinderHorsepower: 150 bhp at 4,400 RPM
Transmission: 3-speed manual with a Columbia two-speed rear axle (acting effectively as a 6-speed)
Top Speed: 100+ mph (each car originally came with a dash plaque signed by race car driver Ab Jenkins verifying this speed)
Notable Features: Sleek, teardrop fenders, and prominent, chrome-plated side exhaust pipes.
Value & Collectibility
Original, ACD Club-certified 1936 Auburn Speedsters are exceedingly rare (with roughly 150 ever built) and command multi-million-dollar price tags at auction. Pristine examples have sold in the range of $1,210,000 to upwards of $2,000,000 depending on their provenance and restoration quality.
Warbling Vireos can be distinguished visually from Red-eyed Vireos by the lack of a dark border between the crown and supercilium, which is a prominent mark of the Red-eyed Vireo.
They also lack the dark lores between the eye and the base of the bill. This feature gives their face a pale and washed out look. They are more gray on the cape and wing coverts than the bright olive of the Red-eyed Vireo. Warbling Vireos have a dark iris compared to the red iris of the Red-eyed Vireo. The red iris of the Red-eyed Vireo doesn't always show in a photo though.
A bright Warbling Vireo can look similar to a drab Philadelphia Vireo due to a pale yellow wash along the breast, throat, and flanks. The bill of a Philadelphia Vireo is obviously shorter in comparison. The Philadelphia Vireo has a dark lore area compared to the pale lore of the Warbling Vireo.
The songs of the Vireo species are very distinct, but they are not singing much at this time of year.
St. Albert, Alberta.
Sunsets are visually pleasing with their blend of warm and vibrant colors that emerge as the sun dips below the horizon.
A source of inspiration and spiritual insight for people around the world. These daily events offer more than just visual beauty; they provide a gateway to deeper understanding and connection.
Passionate photographers, artists, poets, and philosophers have long been inspired by the hues of a sunset, capturing its essence in their works.
Shot from a riverside of the Nile with a Canon EOS700D
Visually she has strong traits of the Italian, her mix of Carniolan would be a darker honey bee. Some of her sisters show the Carniolan traits. She has a different personality, the Italian Queen is graceful and confident. This hybrid queen is a runner, maybe she will be more confident as time goes by. R.O. premium stock bred. This is the time I'm supposed to leave her alone and let her make brood. They must have let her out of her queen cage quickly. With 60% colony loss worldwide this year, this is a God send.
Garden Lily 2..
There is something so visually pleasing about a lily, it is the mixture of complimentary colours that draw you in. the contrast of yellow and red. I am sure this is as intoxicating to humans as it is to bees and other pollen gatherers.
I am sure there is a solid science behind the reasoning for the many varied colours of lilies; but suffice to say they make my garden look amazing while they are in bloom and i thank God for eyes to see them with.
Please do not copy my image or use it on websites, blogs or other media without my express permission.
© NICK MUNROE (MUNROE PHOTOGRAPHY)
You can contact me
by email @
karenick23@yahoo.ca
munroephotographic@gmail.com
munroedesignsphotography@gmail.com
or on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/MunroePhotography/
On Instagram
Mount Cheam visually dominates much of the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, BC., Canada. It is the highest mountain in the valley and is part of the Cascade Range of mountains. Here, despite its distance from the resort community of Harrison Hotsprings, seen in the foreground, it appears to look down upon the 1600-member community. In reality Cheam is not “looking down “on the community at all, in fact it’s a fair distance away. This distortion between the town and the mountain is due to the affect of foreshortening from the telephoto lens. The telephoto lens with its narrow field of view makes the distance between these two objects appear much closer than they actually are. Compounding the foreshortening distortion is the use of a series of these images blended to create the panorama. It was a clear day with a great view and the haze in the valley added depth and layering.
visually speaks of the thunders we experience up here in our highlands: a vast inland plateau averaged at 1,200m above sea level. the mountainous relief seen here is what they term a gold slag dump, 'waste piles left over from the smelting and refining process of gold ore' - my friend now living in England, Gregory, says he misses our loud storms here, that he never finds them there.
Britannia needs no bulwarks,
No towers along the steep;
Her march is o'er the mountain waves,
Her home is on the deep.
With thunders from her native oak
She quells the floods below--
As they roar on the shore,
When the stormy winds do blow;
T. Campbell
Visually it matches with Japanese Beetle, but clicked in Bangalore, India. Indian Beetles look little different. So I am not sure about the exact name.
Visually (in terms of shape, size, and color) one of my favorite vegetables. Those pictured are of the honeynut variety.
Since it's supposed to be very hot today, I'll at least cool things off visually.
And so I'll take you again to the Erawan Waterfall in Thailand.
A bit of effort is still necessary to get to this wonderfully beautiful place. After all, as you may remember, this is Stage Three.
But after about 30 minutes of sweating we arrived here. In a place that, at least for me, seems truly paradisiacal.
We can sit in the shade of the forest and listen to the sound of the waterfall, accompanied by the songs of many exotic birds, or take off our shoes and wade through the shallow water and let small silver-gray fish care for our feet. But be careful, the rocks are quite slippery in some places. And I don't want anyone to hurt themselves.
Or, if that's not enough to cool you down, just dive into the lagoon right in front of the waterfall. Because here, at almost 2 meters, the water is deep enough to completely submerge.
Yes, that's really bearable, isn't it?
Da es heute sehr heiß werden soll, sorge ich wenigstens optisch für etwas Abkühlung.
Und so nehme ich Euch noch einmal mit zum Erawan Wasserfall nach Thailand.
Ein bisschen Anstrengung ist noch nötig, um bis zu diesem traumhaft schönen Ort zu kommen. Schließlich ist das, vielleicht erinnert Ihr Euch noch, die Stufe Drei.
Doch nach etwa 30 Minuten Schwitzen sind wir dann hier angekommen. An einem, zumindest für mich, wahrlich paradiesisch wirkenden Ort.
Wir können im Schatten des Waldes sitzen und dem Rauschen des Wasserfalls lauschen, welches vom Gesang vieler exotischer Vögel untermalt ist, oder die Schuhe ausziehen und durch das flache Wasser waten und uns von kleinen silbergrauen Fischen die Füße pflegen lassen. Doch vorsicht, die Felsen sind an einigen Stellen ziemlich rutschig. Und ich will ja nicht, dass sich jemand weh tut.
Oder, wenn das als Abkühlung alles noch nicht reicht, dann taucht doch einfach in die Lagune direkt vor dem Wasserfall ein. Denn hier ist mit nahezu 2 Metern das Wasser tief genug um komplett unter zu tauchen.
Ja, so lässt es sich echt aushalten oder ?
more of this on my website at: www.shoot-to-catch.de
When you visually understand that the moon and the sun won't meet today. They just crossed their lights on the Mont Giusalet (3312m) for a short moment.
Col du Mont Cenis (73) - France
Gear: Canon EOS7D / Canon EF-S 60mm F/2,8 Macro
Settings: F/8 - Focal Length: 60mm - ISO100 - 27x1/160s
Original = 6904x4315 px
Stack of 27 different photos
Also on my website, Flickr, Facebook, Instagram (Check also 500px and Youpic)
Taken at the Gilbert Riparian Preserve. A little noisy visually. Very noisy in the auditory sense.
Seriously, if you like any birds, go here now.
The visually spectacular red-crested cardinal is hard to miss. Also known as the Brazilian cardinal, this South American species was introduced to Hawaii in the 1930s and has become naturalized and abundant. This one is enjoying the tropical sunrise. Despite the resemblance and common name, the red-crested cardinal is a tanager and not taxonomically classified as a cardinal. This beauty is commonly observed in monomorphic pairs in urban areas of Oahu, Kauai, and Maui.
I could visually see the pinkish nitrogen fringe moving west to east. From Spaceweather.com "Pink is hard to make because it requires particles from the sun to penetrate unusually deep into Earth's atmosphere. Most auroras are green, a color that comes from electrons hitting oxygen atoms 100 km to 300 km above Earth's surface. Pink requires those electrons to burrow even deeper, below 100 km, where they can find molecular nitrogen. N2 produces the pink. This "nitrogen fringe" appears only during strong storms with extra-penetrating particles from space."
If you're a London bloke like me you get to find beauty in buildings.
New York is probably my favourite city visually for the extreme drama of the skyscrapers - One of my favourite views is looking back at Manhattan across the River from Brooklyn.
This is one of my favourite London views - kind of the English version but with a difference - Here at the Blackwall Basin you can get a killer reflection if you time the conditions right - the East River like the Thames is not so smooth.
This took a bit of planning but everything went the way it was supposed to - even the birds cooperated this time!
Thanks to Everyone who took the trouble to view, comment or fave.
Traffic beacon markers leading visually towards the image of a motorcyclist on a hot summer morning with very high air temperature.
Photograph taken in Alcalá street, next to the El Retiro Park, Madrid, Spain.
TRÁFICO VERANIEGO EN MADRID, 2023
Marcadores de baliza de tráfico que conducen visualmente hacia la imagen de un motociclista en una calurosa mañana de verano, con una temperatura del aire muy alta.
Fotografía tomada en la calle Alcalá, junto al Parque del Retiro, Madrid, España
Standing guard at Syntagma Square, in front of the Hellenic Parliament, the Evzones are among the most visually arresting figures in modern Greece — and among the most misread. What many visitors register as elaborate pageantry is, in fact, one of the most symbolically layered institutions in the country: a living monument in which every stitch, every gesture, and every deliberate step carries meaning accumulated over two centuries of national history.
The word Evzone (Εύζωνας) derives from the ancient Greek eúzōnos — meaning "well-girt" or "lightly equipped" — a term used in classical Greek literature to describe agile, light-armed warriors. The modern unit traces its institutional roots to December 12, 1868, when a royal decree formally established four battalions to guard the Greco-Ottoman frontier. But their deeper origins lie with the klephts and armatoloi — the mountain guerrillas who fought against Ottoman rule during the Greek War of Independence beginning in 1821. These irregular fighters, agile, fiercely independent, and recognizable by their distinctive dress, became the founding myth of Greek military identity. Their uniform was eventually formalized, adopted as official national dress after independence, and survives today in the last remaining Evzone unit of the Hellenic Army. Before assuming their exclusively ceremonial role after the Second World War, Evzone units served as active combat formations through the Balkan Wars, the First World War, and the Asia Minor campaign — conflicts whose weight is part of what gives the guard its particular gravity.
Selection is rigorous and voluntary. All Evzones are volunteers drawn from the Infantry, Artillery, and Armoured Corps of the regular army, identified during basic training and required to complete at least six months of active military service before beginning Evzone training. The minimum height is 1.87 meters — candidates are also expected to be able to raise their legs to shoulder height, fully extended, during the march. Training lasts approximately one month and concentrates on physical conditioning, mental endurance, ceremonial precision, and the ability to stand completely motionless. The attrition rate is widely reported to be significant.
Their primary post is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier — a cenotaph honoring all unidentified Greek soldiers fallen in every conflict of the modern era. Two Evzones stand guard around the clock, every hour of every day of the year. Every Sunday at 11am, an entire platoon marches from the barracks behind Parliament down Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, accompanied by a military band, for the Grand Changing of the Guard — the most elaborate version of the ceremony, drawing large crowds. They also raise and lower the Greek flag at the Acropolis every Sunday, accompany the President on official visits abroad, and represent Greece in state ceremonies worldwide.
The uniform is a work of sustained craft. Each piece is entirely handmade by a small tailoring workshop within the Presidential Guard compound, and the full ensemble can take more than eighty days to assemble. The foustanella — the white pleated kilt that defines the silhouette — is made from thirty meters of white fabric and carries four hundred pleats, each one officially associated with a year of Ottoman rule over Greece (1453–1821). Historians note that the garment itself predates Greek independence and was common across the Balkans; the numerical symbolism appears to have been assigned after independence, most famously associated with revolutionary leader Theodoros Kolokotronis, who wore a kilt with nearly four hundred pleats. The attribution may be part retrospective, part national construction — but it is now inseparable from the uniform's meaning. The white of the foustanella and the undershirt is understood to represent the purity of the independence struggle. The krossia, the braided fringes across the chest, are blue and white — the colors of the Greek flag.
The pharion, the red cap with its long black tassel, concentrates two layers of mourning: the red stands for the blood of the fallen, the black tassel for the grief of those left behind. The fermeli, the embroidered vest, is the most labor-intensive piece in the ensemble — hand-stitched in gold and white thread with patterns drawn from Orthodox iconography and folk tradition, and estimated to take over a month to complete. Beneath the foustanella: a white cotton undershirt, two layers of white woolen stockings on each leg, and black silk garters at the knee.
The tsarouchia — the heavy red leather shoes with their conspicuous black pompom — are perhaps the element that most surprises first-time observers. Each pair weighs approximately three kilograms and has between sixty and one hundred twenty nails hammered into the sole, a feature originally designed to provide traction on rocky mountain terrain and which produces the sharp, resonant sound heard with every step. The pompom on the pointed toe has been explained variously as insulation, decoration, and — in popular tradition — a hiding place for a small blade in close combat. The blade theory has no firm historical documentation, but it persists as part of the folklore surrounding the unit.
Every element of the ceremonial movement is deliberate. The guards stand motionless for an entire hour — an exercise in physical discipline that most people could not sustain for ten minutes under any conditions — and then perform their relief in pronounced slow motion. The pace is practical: it allows circulation to resume gradually after prolonged stillness. The sharp, heavy stamp of the tsarouchia against the stone pavement, audible across the square, carries a tradition that is widely shared among Greeks and members of the Guard themselves: it is a signal to the dead — to all the unnamed soldiers commemorated below — that Greece endures. Some guides and popular accounts describe the full choreography as tracing the Greek word Όχι ("No") — the same word spoken by Prime Minister Metaxas to Mussolini's ultimatum in 1940 — through the positions of arms, legs, and rifle. This reading is patriotically resonant and deeply embedded in Greek popular culture, though it represents an interpretation of the movements rather than their documented choreographic origin.
What emerged from the memory and traditions of mountain guerrillas fighting for the survival of a people has become, over two centuries, one of the most recognizable ceremonial institutions in the world: soldiers who carry the weight of an entire national memory, one deliberate step at a time.
Syntagma, Athens, Greece
Talking about the Pentacon 3.5/30 vintage lens. It may be half a century old, but optically it is a true 'generalist'. You can use it for any situation as long as the light is good. I prefer this lens to be wide open, as here. But that is a personal choice.
In my face...
Two visually identical species have been introduced into the north-west Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Although identification information is given below, this was derived for specimens from the native range. Lionfishes in the invaded range may differ significantly from native range specimens. At this time, positive identification can only be achieved through genetic analysis.
Pterois volitans Red Lionfish
The Red Lionfish has greatly elongated dorsal-fin spines. The membranes of all fins are often spotted. The body is white or cream coloured red to reddish-brown vertical stripes. The vertical stripes alternate from wide to very thin (with the thin stripes being more numerous) and sometimes merge along the flank to form a V-shape.
Pterois miles Devil Firefish
A closely-related species, the Devil Firefish (Pterois miles), is similar to the Red Lionfish. The Devil Firefish is found primarily in Indian Ocean and Red Sea (as opposed to the Red Lionfish, which is predominantly a Pacific species); however, its range extends to Sumatra where the two species co-occur. Although it appears very similar to the Red Lionfish, the Devil Firefish has fewer dorsal- and anal-fin rays. The Devil Firefish generally has 10 dorsal-fin rays and 6 anal-fin rays; the Red Lionfish usually has 11 dorsal-fin rays and 7 anal-fin rays. (USGS.gov)
Nuweiba, Gulf of Aqaba, Egypt
An Potpurri (french) is a pot with dried plant material, increasing the room smell. This is the same, visually.
To make it perfect, listen to
The Promise is a visually stunning sim, depicting a demon-conquered dark fantasy world...think Hieronymus Bosch meets Hellboy. It's located at: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cool%20Bay/169/140/22
Visually appealing for a photographer, but a regrettable loss of another small crumbling piece of history.
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When you’re exploring a city as visually rich as Barcelona, it’s easy to get caught up taking the same classic architecture shots. For this frame, I wanted to try something completely different and play around with perspective using the mirror in a make-up compact left on a wall right near the bustling Ronda de Sant Antoni.
I took this shot right on the border between El Raval and L'Eixample, an area known for its beautiful, classic 19th-century residential buildings with those iconic wrought-iron balconies. Instead of shooting the facade straight on, I used the small mirror to invert and isolate the architecture, trapping a slice of the city inside a small, self-contained frame.
What I love about this shot is the dreamlike, painterly quality. The extreme shallow depth of field completely blurs out the foreground and background into a soft, textured grey, making the warm, sepia-toned reflection inside the sphere pop. The glow at the base of the mirror adds a touch of warmth, contrasting beautifully with the cooler, muted tones surrounding it. It almost feels like looking at an old vintage postcard of Barcelona suspended in mid-air.