Weekly Photo Challenge : Hands

Soooo, this weeks challenge topic is already out..quite different from last week, when everybody was feeling rather “blue” considering the topic was released quite late.

For this week I considered posting some images of the hands on some amazing clocks from switzerland, but decided to post about something that dos not exactly meet the hands criteria, but I suppose could be considered very similar

I was driving home one evening, and on approching the Grand Parade, a large Public Square in the City Centre, I noticed something quite large floating aboove the square. naturally I was curious and went to have a closer look.

It turned out to be a promotional bright orange hot air baloon in the shape of a dog called Oscar, for Pedigree dog food “the worldwooftour”, that was tied to the ground with cables, every now and then it came down loaded on a few more people and went back up only to be held back by the cables once more. It was absolutely enormous in size, 30m long and 30m high, and while standing undre it, the perspective made it look like it dwarfed the neighbouring city buildings. The dogs paws too, were absolutely huge, so i’ve decided, that although not eaxctly hands, these huge paws will be my submission for this weeks challenge.

So todays images are from the shots I took there, some to emphasise the huge paws and others to demonstrate the scale of the dog…………….the journey continues……………

Weekly Photo Challenge : Unfocused

Last night was the “supermoon” – the biggest and brightest full moon of the year – with the moon passing closer to earth than usual, something like 24 140km closer than usual…..and like many other lunar-tics I was out there to check it out. I’m not sure if you actually notice the difference, when its up in the sky, perhaps you do when it emerges from the horizon.

I was out on Lions Head, a hill alongside Table Mountain, overlooking the City, trying to get a few shots. It was a bit cloudy on the horizon so the supermoon only revealed itself once it was above that. Quite amazing with the City as a backdrop. I stubmbled upon the remains of a tree, burnt in a recent fire and used it to add some foreground to my shots. Amongst the various attempts at shooting from this position I ended up with a few that were “unfocused” or I guess it would be more appropraite to say “unfocused” in some areas. I think the “unfocusness” adds another dimension to the image, though I’m aware that is a very subjective thing . Nevertheless, the last image in the series is one of the others that does not eaxctly fit the “unfocused” label, though is one that will give you an idea of the burnt tree I am talking about…………..

……….the journey continues…………………

Weekly Photo Challenge : Together

My post for this weeks photo challenge is rather late. I’ve been away on a short trip considering we’ve just had a super long weekend:-). As it turned out, Friday last week and today were Public holidays, so it made perfect sense to take yesterday off and make it a super long weekend . Friday was Freedom Day, our democracy’s 18th birthday….the perfect occasion for the “Together” challenge, so despite the delay, I was determined to post some images anyway.
Undoubtedly, with such a broad topic, there are numeorous interpretations of this weeks challenge. I’ve chosen to go with some images I took on Fish Hoek Beach not too long ago. Fish Hoek is a little village about half an hours drive from the City Centre, with a wonderful beach. I was out taking some shots in the early morning, when I noticed some activity on the shore near where I was walking. Curiosity got hold of me, and I decided to walk closer and have a look. There were a whole lot of people in the water around what appeared to be a fishing boat. The boat had these timber beams tied to the boat and sticking out on both sides. As the boat got closer to shore a bunch of men from the group of people moved to both sides of the boat, each taking up a postion at one of the beams sticking out of the side of the boat. As this happened it became apparrent that the beams were for them to hold on to , to enable pulling, perhaps even lifting the boat out of the water and onto the shore. So as the boat got closer to the waters edge, “together” they pushed and lifted the boat to the shore. It wasnt long before the boat was clear of the water and secure on the shore, proving the theory ‘many hands make light work”
Fortunately, I had my camera and was able to get some shots of the action. A selction of those images are ny submission for this weeks “together” challenge.

…………………….the journey continues………………………………

Weekly Photo Challenge : Sun

Some time ago I wrote a post called “burning rubber” about a “drifting car competition. The post was focused more on the ”drifting” and included some images of the competing cars. So, while I was out there taking the shots of these cars strutting their stuff, I noticed the sun amongst some serious clouds, it was quite interesting how the light from the sun was dfiifused by the dramatic cloud formation. It was while I was looking in the direction of the sun, that I noted this cameraman perced on top of a mobile crane, elevated high above the “drifting” arean, taking shots of the action. The perfect vantage point, with the sun from behind, lighting up the action below him. Considering I was on the other side, looking at the sun, the bright light of the sun amongst the clouds was the perect backdrop for creating a silhouette of the photographer and his assistant.

Rather unusual circumstances, having this crane and the photographer elevated and creating a silhouette. I took the opportunity to get a few shots and some of those are my submission for this weeks challenge…………………the journey continues……………

Weekly Photo Challenge : Two Subjects

I suppose this weeks Photo Challenge will result in numerous different interpretations of ‘two subjects”. I thought about my own interpretation and decided that I preferred the version where the two subjects were interpreted as “two subjects” each of which could have been an image on their own. Somehow, in my opinion though, the ones I have chosen, are each enhanced by the other, which kindof means that they belong together anyway.
Muizenberg Beach is about a half hours drive from the Centre of Cape Town. Its orientation allows it to create a perfect foreground for sunrise, througout the year, however, depending on the season, the alignment of sunrise is different. As we are heading towards winter, sunrise is becoming later, so the half hour drive to catch sunrise nowadays doesnt require loss of too much sleep . The amazing thing though is how popular the place is at sunrise, there are surfers taking in the golden waves, early risers taking their dogs for a walk, energetic others starting off with a brisk walk or run, some passionate souls just taking in the tranquility, and even a few taking the plunge for a morning swim. Of course there are the “ealy birds” trying to catch the elusive morning seafood catch , not to mention the photographer or two looking for some shooting opportunities.
I too, was out there recently, camera in hand, to try and capture the moment…………..amazing orange sunlight, filtering through the clouds, reflecting onto the gentle waves slowly rolling onto the shore…… providing the perfect first subject…………..place a few people into that image and the second subject completes my interpretation of this weeks “two subjects” challenge…………….the journey continues……………

Weekly Photo Challenge : Journey

My very first blog was entitled “Journeys”, so this weeks challenge topic is very much one that resonates with this blog. Considering that post was focused more on the generic idea of journeys, I figured that the challenge topic “Journey” necessitated a more singular or direct focus. So this weeks post is going to be about an aspect of the Journey.

I may have mentioned earlier in the blog, that I am an eternal travller, hmmmm……..perhaps I should rephrase that I would like to be an eternal traveller, however economic realisties have not created a suitable opportunity for that to happen YET .  So of course Airports and aircraft always bring about a sense of anticipation for me, about the next journey, or maybe the one I am on, and the process of getting to whereever you’re heading is somehow an essential ingredient to the process. I get the impression that many people could quite easily give the travelling from a to b a miss, and actually rather only see the journey commencing once the destination is reached.

Not for me it isnt, I prefer to include that in the “journey”. You know, making sure I choose a seat I’d like, ensure its on the good view side, research what sort of aircraft it is and so on . So the last time I travelled, I hoped I would get an opportunity to fly in the airbus A380. As it turns out, our airport does not have a runway long enough for it to land on, so I’m left to admire the aircraft from a distance, at another aiport while on a journey somewhere .

Ironically, on this trip, I had the opportunity to see this huge aircraft while on a journey, seated on another aircraft. Looking through the little window of an aircraft you get quite a different perspective of the goings on at an airport, or from the air for that matter,  interesting little details of the outside can be framed inside the window, depending on your position relative to the window.

Having the camera with me during these “journeys” enabled me to create these selected “framed” images indicating different aspects of the “journey”

…………..the journey continues”………………….

Weekly Photo Challenge : Arranged

I’ve already posted a few times with images from my trip to Southern Italy, and this weeks challenge is going to be another. I guess I must be having withdrawal symptoms from the holiday already, so posting images is probably my subconscious way of getting a “fix’ . It was during the festive season that I was travelling, so you can imagine that there were numerous examples of “arranged” all over the place, with celebratory decorations on streets, in and on buildings, at stations, at airports, in shopping malls, and in individual shops, not to mention peoples homes. I posted on the “regret” challenge about a rainstorm in Naples, well, this post is “kindof” a continuation of that day. Shortly after the rainstorm, I stumbled upon the Galeria Umberto, dating back to the late 1800′s reputed to be the grandest interior in Southern Italy with an extremely impressive domed rooflight towering over what must be at least 50m above the ground. Two arcades crossing one another with a huge circular domed rooflight at the intersection.
Ok! I guess that sets the scene , so this grand building was wonderful respite from the rain, and the venue for this weeks challenge.
Suspended from the Central circular domed rooflight was an “arrangement” of reflective mirror type balls, some silver and others in a turquoise sort of colour. The cool thing about them was that the entire galeria was reflected in each of them, notwithstanding where you stood and looked at them from. Fortunately, I had my camera with, and a selection of these are my submission for the “arranged” challenge ………………………….the journey continues……………