streetphotography

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photography101: weekend 4

“Learn what is to be taken seriously and laugh at the rest.”

― Hermann Hesse

wpphoto101_collage

This collage seemed a good idea when I decided to do it – note theme was to “get out and explore…”

It was light at some point today, now it is dark and the day has slipped by, no exploring has been done.

Although some, and you know who you are, have kept me up to date with life in the world outside including tales of savage deer, flowers served for dinner and unsatisfying pizza for lunch.

Lessons from #photo101?

1. It’s good to talk, even better to listen
2. It’s ok to cry a bit
3. I have discovered a new found fondness for alien fiction – sorry Justine
4. I know more about what people in the Netherlands do
5. I would like to follow a path through a Czech field, even though Mara tells me it only leads to another field
6. I want an atomic powered plane
7. I have become addicted to #photo101 and to talking about it with some of you at all hours
8. I think I learned some things about photography, like don’t set out to make a collage of 100 photos in photoshop lightly
9. I have always liked railways, now even more
10. …and a few other things

And most of all, the very best, has been meeting so many of you and making some new friendships that I hope will endure.

So…thank you to the WordPress crew, and to all of you!

This is not the end, just a new chapter.

NaBloPoMo 29 of 30 –
photography101: weekend 4

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converge

“…always walking together, hand in hand, in a strangely beautiful world…”

– Khalil Gibran

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Converging people achieve remarkable things.

Walls fall.

People connect.

Lives change.

These last few weeks I have been lucky enough to converge with some wonderful people here during WordPress Photo 101.

I’ve learned a lot, laughed a lot. Yes, even cried a little.

So, for this week’s WordPress Weekly Challenge, I’d like to introduce some new friends.

See Eastern Europe through the eyes of a self confessed negativist existentialist (who actually is anything but negative) with a thing about cats and railways and who almost convinced us that converge was a swear word Mara Eastern’s Personal Blog – a life in pictures and words

Take a look at the Netherlands, and Brazil, with my almost neighbour lucile de godoy – bridging lacunas

Explore Justine’s eclectic world, into which I insisted on introducing aliens, at Eclectic odds n sods – Parenting, Pet Tales, Humour & Photography

And meet Mitch with whom I discussed Thunderbirds, atomic powered jets and drew comparisons with Ansel Adams at Exploratorius – Photo Hack & Curious Wanderer

And yes, selecting which few to show here was a very very tough choice, there were so many sharing their photos, their words, their time.

I raise a glass and a smile to everyone with whom I have converged these last weeks and say a big thank you for the words, smiles and friendship we have shared.

And a huge thank you to the team at WordPress who made it all happen.

I hope we will all converge again soon.

To live, laugh, cry and love a little.

(Berlin Wall, Mini-Europe, Brussel)

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photography101: triumph

“They will not control us,
We will be victorious”

– Muse, Uprising

triumph inside

triumph inside

Razorwire.

They lock me in.

They are the men with bulldozers and hammers.

They are my memories.

Of words said. Words unsaid. Words never acted on. Doors left unopened.

I can recognise, accept.

I can survive.

If I choose.

(Hooghuis, Doel)

NaBloPoMo 28 of 30 – photography101:20

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photography101: (another) edge

Something about Christmas preparations sets my nerves on edge.

Trees ripped from the forest.

Forced jollity.

Pretence.

Poverty amid abundance.

So, with apologies for the downbeat tone.

An edgy angle on Christmas preparations in Grote Markt, Brussel.

photography101:18

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a little diversion

One of the challenges faced by anyone in arriving in a new country is getting to grips with the local customs, the language.

In Belgium, that challenge magnified as there are two languages to learn, Français and Nederlands.

Nederlands is then spiced up a bit with various regional differences and some carefully inserted words designed to make sure it stands out from the language spoken by the inhabitants of that country to the North.

Despite my weekly lessons, I am essentially clueless.

However, I have benefited from a very clever public awareness scheme seemingly designed to help those new to the country get to grips with the most important words.

A scheme operated by governments at every level across the region.

Those words?

– omleiden

– omlegging

– onderbroken

But the really clever part is that the bright orange awareness raising posters signs, that are used to reinforce these crucial words, also guide the visitor to new and undiscovered places, some never to be visited again.

It really is a very clever initiative.

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A little diversion from the rigour of #photo101

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photography101: treasure

transitory treasure

transitory treasure

Treasure is transitory, illusory.

One person’s treasure is another person’s junk.

What was once treasured now gathers dust on the shelf, in the attic, basement, on the table at the flea market.

The real treasure is what we hold inside us.

The feelings we have, for people, places, times.

The memories and hopes that can never turn to dust.

Treasure.

(Canal side flea market, Brugge)

NaBloPoMo 24 of 30 – photography101:16

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centraal

“People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone”

– People are strange, The Doors

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(Centraal Station, Brussel)

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photography101: weekend three three

Sometimes things just happen.

This is a very rough and ready clip.

These people appeared in the street and came straight at me.

So I lifted my camera and just fired away as they walked around me.

I just had to share!

photography101:weekendthree

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photography101: weekend three two

“And a sentimentalist, my dear Darlington, is a man who sees an absurd value in everything, and doesn’t know the market place of any single thing.”

– Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere’s Fan

Not really sure about these.

Woke at four am with an idea.

Why not take a shot of a coin with the EU Parliament building in the background?

Not that hard to try, as the EU Parliament is right outside the window.

The scariest part of this (apart from the fact that I am dreaming of posts for #photo101)?

What if that euro coin fell off and landed on some poor soul’s head from the ninth floor?

If that had happened, I wouldn’t be writing this.

Penny euro for your thoughts?

NaBloPoMo 23 of 30 – photography101:weekendthree

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photography101: weekend three

“There’s a red house over yonder,
That’s where my baby stays…”

– Jimi Hendrix

steps
wafels
faces
history
platform
flowers
room for two

My homework for the weekend #photo101.

Monochromium Atomium.

With a dash of red.

(Atomium Brussel)

NaBloPoMo 22 of 30 – photography101:weekendthree