Night Photography

A few weeks ago I actually had a bit of time to go out and try out my new camera at night.  I´ve been wanting to take a picture of the Torre Agbar for 5 years at night, and finally I had the chance.  During the day it looks like another modern tower, however at night it transforms into something different.

If any of you try your had at night time photography, don´t forget your tripod.  This is one key element.  it might look ok on a 2.5 payback screen, but when you see blown up, it looks alot different.

I can say my experience was rewarding, yet I have much to learn. I think the next time I have a go at it, I might try to get a bit more light and warmth in the background.  Not bad for a first try....

Reflection

I´ve started to become a fan of reflection.   Sometimes you will achieve angles you never thought were possible, or see things from a whole new angle.  Now, when taking pictures, I´m trying to keep my eye open for reflective objects, giving my pictures a while new appearance.

The picture you see here was taken in a mirror in the fountain in front of the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco 

Modern Buildings- Torre Agbar

Barcelona is filled with lots of modern buildings constantly poping up everywhere. Torre Agbar has been around for a while, however it is still one of the nicer modern buildings.

St. Jordi- Catalunya´s Romantic Tridition

On April 23rd of every year, in the region of Catalunya Spain, the streets of every town and city are filled with the smell of roses, from hundreds of street vendors for the age tradition of St. Jordi.

This ritual was born from the tale of St. Jordi (St. George). The legend takes place in the town of Mont Blanc, where apparently a ferocious dragon had lived hundreds of years ago. To keep the town safe, every month the townspeople had to draw the name of a virgin girl to sacrifice.

A huge problem erupted in the town when the princess name was drawn. The king protested and demanded a redraw, because after all she was the princess, and consequently, should be exempted. The town’s people disagreed, and thus so, the princess was set for the dragon’s next meal...

A knight by the name of St. Jordi, was travelling nearby at the time, and got word of this. Jordi, being a noble night, was determined to rescue the princess from a horrible fate. When Jordi found and sleighed the dragon, it’s said that the blood that soaked the ground formed a beautiful red rosebush. After rescuing the princess, apparently Jordi then picked a rose from this bush and gave it to the princess. And thus was bron the tradition of St. Jordi.

Between Acts

I recently entered my first photography contest which had a dance theme. When the contest was announced we had two months to come up with something, which normally isn’t much of a problem for me, but since I started working again some of my creativity has dried up, so I had to think a bit harder…

Two days before the due date, I woke up feeling inspired once I saw the warm morning light. Light can be a great inspiration, and it’s also an essential shaping tool in photography.

Because I didn’t have any models at my disposal, I reverted back to an idea I was thinking about before- my dancing shoes. I know I’ve done the shoe thing before, but considering I didn’t have any other ideas, I saw this as my only chance.

When I was working on this picture I wanted the shoes to look as thought they were taken off after being used passionately. To me, this photo looks as though dance shoes that are waiting in anticipation to ‘live’ again, therefore I entitled the photo “between acts”.


I know this might not be my best work, but If I didn’t submit anything at all, then I know I would regret it… So here’s hoping….

Artistic Borders

Sometimes if you’re not in a rush when looking for a picture, you can find some pretty artistic shots. Some of my favourite shots are with found or artistic borders. These are obtained when shooting through a closer range object and focusing on one in the distance. These may take a little longer to acquire because you have to be careful on how you focus, but the end results are very worthwhile.

For the two shots your seeing here, I had to physically be on the ground, focusing on the roof of La Pedrera (a house built by Goudi) across the street. The out of focus scroll work (or the border) is from a wrought-iron street lamp, designed by Pere Falqués i Urpí.

Animals

Animals and wildlife are fantastic subjects- when they stand still. When it comes to nature, these subjects often make rather unpredictable movements, and don’t always co-operate with our wishes and or expectations. Sometimes, if luck is on our side for a few seconds, we’re able to catch worthwhile shot or two.

Hidden Gems

One of the things I love about Barcelona is its hidden gems. Finca Guell- a house constructed by Goudi in the late 1800’s, is an example of one of them. The magnificent iron gate that guards the entrance of the property is an fabulous work of art. The house is located in North Barcelona, and if you want to see them, you need to be on the lookout as you drive. The gate is ever so slightly inset on a corner and is very easy to pass by without noticing; however its worth a look if you spot it.