View allAll Photos Tagged visually
Castlerigg Stone Circle is one of the most visually impressive prehistoric monuments in Britain, and is the most visited stone circle in Cumbria. Every year thousands of people visit it to look, photograph, draw and wonder why and when and by whom it was built. The stone circle is on the level top of a low hill with views across to Skiddaw, Blencathra and Lonscale Fell.
I was hoping for a glorious morning, but i had lots of clouds around 5am in the morning and for a moment i thought that luck was not on my side. But seeing first light coming from the clouds i thought about doing long exposures, putting more drama in the fast moving clouds with this as result.
Enjoy...
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Technical Details;
Camera; Canon EOS 1Ds mkIII
Lens; Canon 24-70mm 2.8L USM
Exposure; 10 sec
Aperture; f22
Filter; Singh-Ray Vari-ND + Lee Hard Edge 0.6 Grad
ISO; 50 RAW
Tripod; Gitzo 3541L
Ballhead; RRS BH-55 with B2 AS II clamp
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Image is under Copyright by Henk Meijer.
Contact me by email if you want to buy or use my photographs.
Visually Impaired - Color Blind
Using LomoChrome film to raise awareness of the visually impaired. RZ67 - turquoise
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.317
Visually, I was pleased at how the lines of the most prominent iceberg followed the coastline from this point of view.
Transcript of a man on a hill talking to a hawk perched on a tree on the hill. Please be warned, words were exchanged visually only. You know… the stare says it all thingie?
Man: Will you please consider lifting your blessed buttock for me and fly around a bit like a jolly-good fellow? I have been waiting for half an hour now for a shot which million folks in flickr have taken zillion times already.
Hawk: Why bother? Wait for as long as you want. I am not moving my butt for your pleasure.
Man: How about a beer? I will buy you imported stuff that feels like silk!
Hawk: Duh! Do I look the bar-hopping kind to you?
Man: Ummm… OK then, how about some nice chicken thighs from Trader Joes’?
Hawk (the stare hardens): Don’t offend the hunter. I can find my own chicks.
Man (growing restless): WTF!! Will you move or not? What will it take to make you flap your stupid wings?
The hawk does not answer. Instead he looks in another direction. The man turns around and sees another hawk flying towards them.
Another hawk (to the hawk): One lazy arse you are! How long ago did you promise me warm dinner?
Hawk: (to the man) Got to go man! (to another hawk in a metamorphosed soft voice) Here I come my sweet Barbie doll! I have spotted this awesome mole for you right over that hill. Let me go get it!
The hawk takes off. The man gets his wish and fires his toy click-click-clicketty-click. The other hawk was too annoyed to talk to the man and left the scene before the man could do anything about her. End of story.
If you are giggling, grinning, gargling or doing anything else that starts with a g, then stop! This is all real conversation! Better believe it or you will be lost for words when your turn comes for staring at a lazy hawk. Get it?
Member of the Flickr Bird Brigade
Activists for birds and wildlife
While trying to find an eagle, I saw this scene I found visually interesting. Saw the eagle, but only for a second.
3 · 52
Theme: "Movement"
Movement is life, life is constantly changing, contantly moving.
Visually inspired by this image by Brooke Shaden.
This is the third image for the project Teleidoscope. In case you're interested, here's the link to the group on facebook ;)
facebook · website · 500px · deviantART · Instagram · Twitter
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Tema: "Movimiento"
El movimiento es la vida, la vida está en constante cambio, en constante movimiento.
Visualmente inspirada por esta imagen de Brooke Shaden.
Esta es la tercera imagen para el proyecto Teleidoscope. Por si os interesa el proyecto, aquí está el link al grupo en facebook ;)
facebook · página web · 500px · deviantART · Instagram · Twitter
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click to activate the icon of slideshow: the small triangle inscribed in the small rectangle, at the top right, in the photostream;
or…. Press the “L” button to zoom in the image;
clicca sulla piccola icona per attivare lo slideshow: sulla facciata principale del photostream, in alto a destra c'è un piccolo rettangolo (rappresenta il monitor) con dentro un piccolo triangolo nero;
oppure…. premi il tasto “L” per ingrandire l'immagine;
www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards/winners-...
www.fotografidigitali.it/gallery/2726/opere-italiane-segn...
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This photographic story was made on the occasion of the "Laurel and Sacred Oils festival" which took place this year 2022 on Easter Monday in the Sicilian town of Forza D'Agrò (in the province of Messina), after a long stop due to the Covid-19 pandemic; this is a traditional event that has taken place for centuries with changes that have come about over the years, in fact once the population of Forza D'Agrò went in procession to the Norman monastery of Saints Peter and Paul where the Holy Oils were kept: this church is located in the village of Casalvecchio Siculo (Forza D'Agrò and Casalvecchio Siculo are located on two mountains, the two villages are visible to each other, since in ancient times this represented a very fast means to be able to communicate visually between them, in case of raids by Saracen pirates), this church was built by the Normans, it was originally located on the opposite side of where it is now located, this is because a flood of the Agrò river had endangered this structure, which had also been sacked by the Arabs, it was decided to secure it, it was completely dismantled, and then rebuilt, on the opposite side and further up from the river bed); the feast then took place when Roger II, called the Norman, granted the abbot Cerasino the possibility of rebuilding this abbey (diploma of donation of 1117), but not only ... the monks of this abbey were, again by Roger II, equipped with some fixed income, and even the complete ownership of an entire village, the current Forza D'Agrò, was given to them, with absolute power of the monks over the things and people of the village. Then, the Sacred Oils were brought from this Abbey to the church of San Michele Arcangelo (today a ruin) which is located in a district of Forza D'Agrò, with the population who used to adorn themselves for this procession with colored silk ribbons, to which over time, laurel branches were added, also carried by devotees in procession. The festival is essentially based on three strongly symbolic elements, the laurel, the Holy Oil, and the "cuddure". "The laurel" represents the "victory of Christ over Death", in fact the festival takes place on the "Day of the Angel, during the Easter period", a day that recalls that the Resurrection of Christ took place; laurel is a strongly symbolic and fragrant plant, it is used in this context, for elaborate compositions that adorn "the banners", they can be small because they are made by children, up to very large and high (difficult to hold up when there is wind due to the strong "sail effect" they cause), are made with load-bearing structures made of cane or wood, which serve to hold the fabrics on which they are sewn one by one, laurel leaves, creating drawings of a religious nature, banners that participate in a competition for the best realization (each banner in fact carries a number, as a reference for the voting jury); "Holy Oil", an element used for anointing the sick and invoking their healing, represents "redemption from sin" and "spiritual healing", is carried in procession, also a symbol of the Holy Spirit who embraces the body and soul of man and that refers to Christ, "the Anointed"; finally "the cuddure" (they are small circular loaves, with naturally leavened intertwined and dough, on which a symbol is imprinted), and they symbolize "prosperity", but also "charity", and that is why the brothers of the SS. Trinity distribute them to the people present at the feast as a sign of gift. This year, however, due to the restrictions of Covid-19, the "cuddure" did not take place, the "blessing of the Holy Oils" was performed in the Mother Church, and not in the characteristic square in the center of the town , while the procession was made along a short route, and not along the traditional route which, after having crossed the center of the town, then circumscribes it along its entire periphery. As explained above, this festival is also called "'a festa d'u d'auru" (the laurel feast), or "' the feast of cudduredde" (the feast of small donut-shaped loaves); the "banners awarding" will close this characteristic feast, to the great joy of all those who participated.
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Questo racconto fotografico, è stato realizzato in occasione della “festa dell’Alloro e degli Oli Sacri” che si è svolta quest’anno 2022 il giorno del Lunedì dell’Angelo nel paese siciliano di Forza D’Agrò (in provincia di Messina), dopo un lungo stop a causa della pandemia da Covid-19; è questo un evento tradizionale che si svolge da secoli con delle modifiche che sono venute a crearsi negli anni, infatti un tempo la popolazione di Forza D’Agrò andava in processione fino al monastero normanno dei Santi Pietro e Paolo ove erano custoditi gli Oli Santi: tale chiesa si trova nel paese di Casalvecchio Siculo (Forza D’Agrò e Casalvecchio Siculo si trovano su due monti, i due paesi sono visibili l’un l’altro, poiché anticamente questo rappresentava un mezzo rapidissimo per poter comunicare visivamente tra loro, in caso di scorribande di pirati saraceni), tale chiesa fu costruita dai Normanni, essa originariamente si trovava sul versante opposto rispetto a dove è situata ora, questo perchè una piena del fiume d’Agrò aveva messo in pericolo tale struttura, ma essa era anche stata saccheggiata dagli Arabi, si decise così di metterla in sicurezza, fu smontata completamente, per poi essere riedificata, sul versante opposto e più distante in alto rispetto al letto del fiume); la festa quindi ebbe luogo quando Ruggero II, detto il Normanno, concesse all’abate Cerasino la possibilità di riedificare tale abazia (diploma di donazione del 1117), ma non solo…i monaci di tale abazia furono, sempre da Ruggero II, dotati di alcuni redditi fissi, ed addirittura venne data a loro la completa proprietà di un intero villaggio, l’attuale Forza D’Agrò, con assoluto potere dei monaci su cose e persone del villaggio. Quindi, gli Oli Sacri venivano portati da tale Abazia alla chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo (oggi un rudere) che si trova in una contrada di Forza D’Agrò, con la popolazione che anticamente usava adornarsi per tale processione con nastri di seta colorati, ai quali col tempo, sono andati ad aggiungersi i rami di alloro, portati anche questi dai devoti in processione. La festa si basa essenzialmente su tre elementi fortemente simbolici, l’alloro, l’Olio Santo, e le “cuddure”. “L’alloro” rappresenta la “vittoria del Cristo sulla Morte”, infatti la festa si svolge il “Giorno dell’Angelo” durante il periodo Pasquale, giorno che rievoca che è avvenuta la Resurrezione del Cristo; l’alloro è una pianta fortemente simbolica e profumata, essa viene utilizzata in questo contesto, per elaborate composizioni che adornano “gli stendardi”, i quali sono dei drappi-vessilli, possono essere di piccole dimensioni perché realizzati dai bambini, fino a molto grandi ed alti (difficili da reggere quando c’è vento per il forte “effetto vela” che essi causano), sono realizzati con delle strutture portanti fatte di canna o di legno, che servono a reggere le stoffe sulle quali vengono cucite una ad una, le foglie di alloro, realizzando dei disegni di carattere religioso, stendardi che partecipano ad una gara per la migliore realizzazione (ogni stendardo infatti porta un numero, come riferimento per la giuria votante); “l’Olio Santo” è un elemento usato per l’unzione dei malati ed invocarne la guarigione, rappresenta la “redenzione dal peccato” e la “guarigione spirituale”, viene portato in processione (insieme a delle foglie di alloro), anch’esso simbolo dello Spirito Santo che abbraccia corpo ed anima dell’uomo e che rimanda a Cristo, “l’Unto”; infine “le cuddure” (sono dei piccoli pani di forma circolare, con la pasta lievitata naturalmente ed intrecciata, su cui è impresso un simbolo), esse simboleggiano la “prosperità”, ma anche la “carità”, è per questo che i confrati della SS. Trinità li distribuiscono alle persone presenti alla festa in segno di dono. Quest’anno però, a causa delle restrizioni causate dal Covid-19, le “cuddure” non si sono fatte, la “benedizione degli Oli Santi” è stata eseguita nella Chiesa Madre, e non nella caratteristica piazza che si trova nel centro del paese, mentre la processione è stata fatta lungo un breve percorso, e non lungo il percorso tradizionale, molto più lungo, che dopo aver attraversato il centro del paese, poi lo circoscrive lungo tutta la sua periferia. Per quanto esposto prima, tale festa viene chiamata anche "a’ festa d'u d'auru" (la festa dell'alloro), oppure "a’ festa di cudduredde" (la festa dei piccoli pani a forma di ciambella); la "premiazione degli stendardi" chiude questa caratteristica festa, tra la grandissima gioia di tutti coloro che vi hanno partecipato.
34/52 Choose your favourite poem and try to represent a line of it visually.
I don't have a favorite poem, but I do love music and the lyrics to some of my favorite songs are close to my heart. One of my favourites is Crush, by the Dave Matthews Band. When I saw Glen, sitting at the edge of lake, taking in the beauty of our surroundings, I was filled with so much love for him. It was his idea to drive to the mountains after work and have dinner beside the lake in the mountains. It was a romantic evening, just the two of us. The lyrics are written from a man to a woman, but the sentiment is the same either way.
"Crush"
Crazy how it feels tonight
Crazy how you make it all alright love
You crush me with the things you do
I do for you anything too
Sitting smoking feeling high
In this moment it feels so right
Lovely lady
I am at your feet
God I want you so badly
I wonder this
Could tomorrow be
So wondrous as you there sleeping
Let's go drive 'till morning comes
Watch the sunrise to fill our souls up
Drink some wine 'till we get drunk
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just knowing that the world is round
Here I'm dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
Is this real or am I dreaming
Lovely lady
Let me drink you please
I won't spill a drop I promise you
Lying under this spell you cast on me
Each moment
The more I love you
Crush me
Come on
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just knowing that the world is round
Here I'm dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
Is it real or am I dreaming
Lovely lady
I will treat you sweetly
Adore you I mean you crush me
It's times like these
When my faith I feel
And I know how I love you
Come on
Lady
It's crazy I'm thinking
Just as long as you're around
And here I'll be dancing on the ground
Am I right side up or upside down
To each other we'll be facing
By love we'll beat back the pain we've found
You know
I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking deep inside
My friend
With each moment the more I love you
Crush me
Come on
So much you have given love
That I would give you back again and again
Meaning I'll hold you
And please let me always
NGC 7380 (also known as the Wizard Nebula) is an open cluster discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787.
This reasonably large nebula is located in Cepheus. It is extremely difficult to observe visually, usually requiring very dark skies and an O-III filter.
Located 7200 light years away, the Wizard nebula, surrounds developing open star cluster NGC 7380. Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional medieval sorcerer. The active star forming region spans 100 about light years, making it appear larger than the angular extent of the Moon. The Wizard Nebula can be located with a small telescope toward the constellation of the King of Aethiopia (Cepheus). Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being formed may outlive our Sun.
Captured with narrow band filters with a 102mm telescope. 4 minute subs and lots of time on 3 different nights.
This visually frenetic kitchen is another Armstrong linoleum ad. Published in 1948 in American Home magazine, it offers some of the design excesses that typify the Post WWII period. Still, even with too much rapid eye movement, there are lots of useful ideas for organizing 21st century kitchens.
entrance to a visually sumptuous staircase at the art gallery of ontario. i remember the day the gehry unveiled the prototypes to Toronto; I was in the audience for the media release. Frank explained how significant the building had been in his own life, and that his contribution to it was meant make the journey of investigating art represented in its new structure and gallery layouts.
The stair feature was both the first sign of this that would greet you as you enter the proscenium and "look up at this crazy stairway".
Years later, from this view in particular it makes give the sense of leaving one's existing horizons for new ideas or adventures.
Suffolk Sportscars is dedicated to production of the visually exact reproduction of the legendary Jaguar SS100. It is a true and pure Jaguar, fully recognised and accepted by all the Jaguar car clubs around the world.
The Jaguar SS100 was originally designed in 1935 by William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar Cars Limited. You will find a history of the Jaguar SS100 within this section.
The Jaguar SS100 is one of the most important cars ever produced in England. It marked the high point of English sports car design before the start of World War 2. When the leading motoring writers of Europe selected their choice of the 100 most important cars of the 20th century, they included the legendary Jaguar SS100. As only 314 were ever made this is certainly an achievement. Every serious book about sports cars includes articles and photographs of the Jaguar SS100. This landmark car acted as the mainspring for the development of the remarkable lineage of post war Jaguar sports cars.
We have now made well over 200 of our Suffolk SS100 Jaguar reproductions and are well on our way to achieving my ambition to make as many as William Lyons. We hope that this website will give you the confidence in our products and that you may take the opportunity to come and visit us at Woodbridge. I can tell you that even after 20 years of making the SS100, I still get a smile and goosebumps whenever I'm ready to go for a drive. The overall shape and stying of the car is evocative of the golden age of great pre-war sports cars.
Now we combine all the superb visuality of the car with modern brakes, steering, power and safety to meet the demand of today's driver.
I do lots of kinds of photography that never show up on Flickr. There is actually quite a narrow range of types of photography that are generally appreciated here. Specialty or specialized stuff is not well received, So be it.
From time to time -- not so often -- I like to just show different things. This is a Quaker Oats switch engine, given a bit of processing treatment. Some like this sort of thing, many don't. I do.
Rather understated visually, but I like these distant galaxy fields, especially considering this is taken through an 8" scope (ie, these are pretty far and faint fuzzies...).
Constellation: Perseus (Per) · Contains: IC 312 · NGC 1259 · NGC 1260 · NGC 1264 · NGC 1265 · NGC 1267 · NGC 1268 · NGC 1270 · NGC 1271 · NGC 1272 · NGC 1273 · NGC 1274 · NGC 1275 · NGC 1277 · NGC 1278 · NGC 1281 · NGC 1282 · NGC 1283 · NGC 1293 · NGC 1294 · Perseus A
Imaging telescopes or lenses: Meade Starfinder 8
Imaging cameras: ZWO ASI1600 cooled mono
Mounts: Losmandy GM-8
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Svbony 60mm guidescope
Guiding cameras: ZWO ASI120MM
Software: Nighttime Imaging ‘N’ Astronomy · Open Guiding PHD2 Guiding · Astro Pixel Processor · Adobe Photoshop CS4 Photoshop CS4
Accessory: GSO 2" Coma Corrector · Baader MPCC coma corrector · OnStep GoTo Controller · Rigel Systems Focuser
Dates:Aug. 27, 2021
Frames: 274x75" (5h 42' 30")
Integration: 5h 42' 30"
Avg. Moon age: 19.64 days
Avg. Moon phase: 75.48%
Basic astrometry details
Astrometry.net job: 4935903
Resolution: 2342x1742
Data source: Backyard
A visually striking collection of interstellar gas and dust is the focus of this week's Hubble Picture of the Week. Named RCW 7, the nebula is located just over 5300 light-years from Earth in the constellation Puppis.
Nebulae are areas of space that are rich in the raw material needed to form new stars. Under the influence of gravity, parts of these molecular clouds collapse until they coalesce into protostars, surrounded by spinning discs of leftover gas and dust. In the case of RCW 7, the protostars forming here are particularly massive, giving off strongly ionising radiation and fierce stellar winds that have transformed it into what is known as a H II region.
H II regions are filled with hydrogen ions — where H I refers to a normal hydrogen atom, H II is hydrogen that has lost its electron. The ultraviolet radiation from the massive protostars excites the hydrogen, causing it to emit light and giving this nebula its soft pinkish glow. Here Hubble is studying a particular massive protostellar binary named IRAS 07299-1651, still in its glowing cocoon of gas in the curling clouds towards the top of the nebula. To expose this star and its siblings, this image was captured using the Wide Field Camera 3 in near-infrared light. The massive protostars here are brightest in ultraviolet light, but they emit plenty of infrared light which can pass through much of the gas and dust around them and be seen by Hubble. Many of the other, larger-looking stars in this image are not part of the nebula, but sit between it and our Solar System.
The creation of an H II region marks the beginning of the end for a molecular cloud. Over only a few million years, the radiation and winds from the massive stars gradually disperse the gas — even more so as the most massive stars come to the end of their lives in supernova explosions. Only a fraction of the gas will be incorporated into new stars in this nebula, with the rest being spread throughout the galaxy to eventually form new molecular clouds.
[Image Description: Clouds of gas and dust with many stars. The clouds form a flat blue background towards the bottom, and become more thick and smoky towards the top. They are lit on one side by stars in the nebula. A thick arc of gas and dust reaches around from the top, where it is brightly lit by many stars in and around it, to the bottom where it is dark and obscuring. Other large stars lie between the clouds and the viewer.]
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. Tan (Chalmers University & University of Virginia), R. Fedriani (Institute for Astrophysics of Andalusia)
CC BY 4.0 INT
March Point. Padilla Bay/Fidalgo Bay.
"The Washington population of the Black Oystercatcher is estimated to be roughly 400 birds. This number is probably not significantly different from the historical population, as these birds require fairly specialized habitat, which is not evenly distributed. Oystercatchers are highly vulnerable to human disturbance, oil spills, and pollution of the intertidal zone. Numbers of Black Oystercatchers on the outer coast may be higher than in the past, in part due to decreased human disturbance resulting from lighthouse automation. Numbers in inland areas, however, have declined in response to increased human activity. The Northern Pacific Coast Regional Shorebird Management Plan has identified the Black Oystercatcher as a regional species of high concern."
"The Black Oystercatcher is restricted in its range, never straying far from shores, in particular favoring rocky shorelines. It has been suggested that this bird is seen mostly on coastal stretches which have some quieter embayments, such as jetty protected areas. It forages in the intertidal zone, feeding on marine invertebrates, particularly molluscs such as mussels, limpets and chitons. It will also take crabs, isopods and barnacles. It hunts through the intertidal area, searching for food visually, often so close to the water's edge it has to fly up to avoid crashing surf. It uses its strong bill to dislodge food and pry shells open."
Visually Oregon City seems either too dark or too bright, e.g. here the new lights on the bridge made the river seem very dark visually, but photographically it balanced out very nicely. Click here to view other images in this Study Series. From a fun night in Oregon City with the PDXNightowls. NB18369
As visually complicated as the ABANDONED CADILLAC photo might appear, it really was a fairly simple setup, right on my kitchen table.
[ here's the finished photo:]
www.flickr.com/photos/24796741@N05/7028272255/in/photostr...
I've had that bridge model for some time and wanted to use it in a different way.
After I placed it on the "road surface" the whole scene fell into place because the piers of the structure seemed to make a stronger statement than the iron works.
After that decision, It was a just a question of what era to represent.
When lighting the set, it was immediately clear that a dramatic over head source was the way to go. The pattern of the girders falling on the automobiles defined the story.
An interesting aspect of that lighting was it created an odd flattening of the background; there was no sense depth, even though the backdrop was over 3 feet away.
Not visually spectacular, but after three months travelling in South America, with its fair share of stray dogs, this place was quite a surprise.
It's a park in Central Lima that is a sanctuary for stray cats. Volunteers feed the cats and they can be adopted. They all seem pretty happy with the deal.
Nice solar prominence from Monday, Jan. 23, 2012 using a 0.5-angstrom Coronado 90mm hydrogen-alpha solar telescope at Comanche Springs Astronomy Campus in Texas.
Visually, it was even more impressive than in this CCD image. Seeing was about average.
Just for comparison, the prominence seen here is several times the size of Earth ...
“The artist is the confidant of nature, flowers carry on dialogues with him through the graceful bending of their stems and the harmoniously tinted nuances of their blossoms. Every flower has a cordial word which nature directs towards him.”
Every year, 15th October is celebrated around the world as White Cane Safety Day. The day celebrates all the achievements of blind and visually impaired people. It also raises awareness about blindness and vision loss among people.
Description of the photo:
The photo depicts a drawing of a foldable white cane with the words "White Cane Safety Day" written above the cane in Braille.
Keep the comments clean! No banners, awards or invitations, please!
Ah, the visually amazing El Camino.
Truly one of the "Love It or Hate It" body styles of the late 50's.
A veritable buffet of Show Car, Space Age and Surreal automotive design.
What's not to like?
This photo is an out take from the promotional images I did for West Coast Precision Diecasts.
The buildings, way in the background, are part of the MIT campus, here in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
While visually, you might find this jarring, to me this is actually what I saw today. Not the blown out sky I got from a tradional shot.
This AI-generated image is a perfect example of what architects call "starchitecture" - a building so visually dramatic it becomes a landmark before the first brick is even laid. While a Santiago Calatrava-inspired mall would undoubtedly be a "bionic" masterpiece of white steel and soaring ribs, the question of its sensibility is a complicated one. In the current 2026 retail climate, we aren’t seeing the "death of the mall" so much as a great bifurcation. The middle-market malls you grew up with are indeed shuttering at record rates, but high-end, "destination" malls are actually seeing a resurgence.
The financial viability of such a project hinges on the fact that retail has shifted from a commodity business to an experience economy. People no longer drive to a physical location just to buy a pair of jeans they could order via an AI concierge in three seconds; they go for the "theatrical" environment. A Calatrava-style structure - much like his Oculus in New York or the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia - functions more like a secular cathedral or a museum than a store. In 2026, premier "Class A" malls that lean into this immersive, high-art aesthetic are reporting visit gains, while "zombie malls" with generic designs are being converted into medical offices or apartments.
However, the "built anywhere" part of your premise is where the sensibility starts to crumble. A state-of-the-art, neofuturistic mall is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. The skeletal, organic forms Calatrava is known for require specialized engineering and high-grade materials that drive up the "rent-per-square-foot" to levels only ultra-luxury brands can afford. If you drop this masterpiece in a mid-sized suburb with average household incomes, it becomes a "white elephant" - a beautiful structure that can't generate enough revenue to cover its own air conditioning and debt service.
There is also the "anywhere" fallacy regarding cultural context. Part of the reason malls are struggling globally is that consumers are craving authenticity and local connection. A "spaceship" mall that looks the same in Dubai as it does in Dallas often fails to build a long-term community bond. The most successful new developments in 2026 are moving away from the "sealed box" model and toward biophilic, open-air designs that integrate with the local environment. A Calatrava design is stunning, but if it feels like an alien vessel landed in a parking lot, it risks becoming a tourist curiosity rather than a functional piece of the city's social fabric.
Ultimately, building a mall like this is only sensible if it isn't just a mall. To survive today’s financial headwinds, such a project must be a mixed-use hub - integrating luxury housing, high-end dining, and perhaps a transit link. If the goal is purely to sell clothes, it’s a financial ghost ship in the making. But if the goal is to create a cultural destination where "shopping" is just a side effect of "being there," it might just be one of the few types of physical retail that still makes sense.
On Sunday night my balcony observatory got half an hour of great seeing.
I observed visually, and it was probably the best Jupiter that I have ever seen. The eye could easily distinguish the disks of the satellites and almost all the details and swirls that are in the photo. It was really amazing. While I was installing the camera, focusing etc, turbulence was increasing rapidly so Blue channel was taken in best seeing, Green is average and Red was below average.
This was taken from my balcony in Brisbane.
OTA: TAL250K (Klevtsov's System, 250mm, F/8.5 or 6.0 with flattener/reducer)
Mount EQ6-R PRO, camera ASI290MM Mono, 2x Svbony Barlow Lens effectively as 2.5x. Noname 1.2" LRGB filters set and manual noname wheel.
Three videos was captured about 200 seconds (~10K frames) each, best frames margin was set about 35%.
Software Toolchain:
FireCapture -> AutoStakkert -> WinJupos -> Registax(Wavelets) -> PS
I enjoy modern… Visually & mentally… but how amazing does it feel to walk into the 90’s and feel… and even taste it… 🎄❤️ The most immense happiness is in the most minor things… There are many misunderstandings in life… way too many… we don’t listen… we don’t hear… what people say & what they mean… and what they say & what we hear is not always the same thing…
All I want for Christmas is for you
You're the gift that's made my dreams all come true
All I need for Christmas is here
Finding every sweet surprise wrapped up in your eyes
Waiting there for me underneath the tree
We'll then spend the day exchanging kisses
Smile and say What a Christmas this is
Long before the snowflakes appear
Without bells or mistletoe or the tinsel silver glow
You just look at me and Oh!
Christmas is here!
Someone asks me today if she should not speak to her fiance ever again because of something she heard… and I said, “yes, you should not speak to him if you want to quit him.” Ignoring someone is an excellent way to get them out of your life 200% of the time. But if you want to ignore because of something you “think”… assumption is a hypothesis not worth testing. If you would ignore it because of love… just make sure they speak your “language” before you lose them.
Interesting visually but darned prickly. I had to dodge a couple of these to safely get close enough for this photo.
A visually appealing shot down the cell block of an abandoned maximum security prison. The fate of this facility in unknown as it was recently put up for sale. In all likelihood majority of it will be demolished & the facade saved for due it its historical value/status. That said, everything about this photo makes me very happy. The only thing that would be better is if I was back again exploring/hanging out!
A visually pleasing and creative charcuterie platter, that I was lucky to share with friends while visiting the Liquidity Bistro in the Okanagan on the May long weekend.
©Maria Janicki. All rights reserved. Image may not be used or reproduced without permission. Contact me for further information.
NGC 7822 Question Mark Nebula is a striking and visually captivating emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus, located approximately 2,900 light-years away. The complex encompasses the emission region designated Sharpless 171 and the young cluster of stars named Berkeley 59.
This vibrant and colorful region forms part of the larger star-forming complex called the Cepheus Flare. In this grand area, the dynamic interplay of radiation emanating from young, hot stars illuminates the surrounding gas and dust. The youngest portions of this complex are only a few million years old - very young by stellar standards!
The complex also includes one of the hottest stars discovered within one kpc of the Sun, namely BD+66 1673, which is an eclipsing binary system consisting of an O5V that exhibits a surface temperature of nearly 45,000 K and a luminosity about 100,000 times that of the Sun! The star is one of the primary sources illuminating the nebula and shaping the complex's formations.
The nebula showcases intricate and fascinating structures, including dark dust lanes intertwined with glowing pockets of ionized hydrogen, making it an endlessly intriguing subject for astrophotography enthusiasts.
The nebula gets its name from the shape when seen in a very wide field of view. The region covered by this image is a close-up that focuses on the void in the larger mass of the nebula at the top of the image. More detailed framing info will shared later on.
Telescope: Redcat 51 GenIII FL-250 FR4.9
Imaging Cameras: Player One – Poseidon-C Pro
Mounts: Pegasus Astro NYX-101
Filters: Astronomik L-1 UV-IR 2”, Askar Colour Magic 2" Duo-Narrowband 6nm D Package
Accessories: Pegasus Astro FocusCube3
Guiding Telescope: 32mm UniGuide Scope
Guiding Cameras: Player One Sedna-M
Frames: UV/IR 179×300″ (gain: 120.00, offset 25) f/4.9 -10°C (Stars only)
Ha/OIII 383×300″ (gain: 120.00, offset 25) f/5.6 -10°C
OIII/Sii 401×300″ (gain: 120.00, offset 25) f/5.6 -10°C
Integration: 65Hr 20min
Darks: 16
Flats: 16
Flat Darks: 16
Dark-Sky Scale: 6.00
Software: N.I.N.A., PHD2, PixInsight, BXT, NXT