There is a temptation while travelling to take only those ‘souvenir’ photos, and it’s one I often fall into. It’s all too easy simply to point the camera at them and press the shutter while considering only the basics of composition. At the same time I do try to look for the more unusual photo opportunities, and I like to capture the details of everyday life in a city.
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What do you do if you love to visit far-flung locations but are fed up with long haul flights and nights spent trying to sleep on a plane? You could splurge on business class to make your night more comfortable. But no amount of splurging will help with jet-lag, and however comfortable the sleeping arrangements your night will still be disturbed by noise from turbulence and your fellow passengers.
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The National Museum of Qatar was designed by the architect Jean Nouvel. He took his inspiration from the naturally occurring crystal formations known as the desert rose. The sprawling structure's interlocking disks suggest a cluster of such formations.
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Our main reason for visiting Cologne last December was football, to watch Newcastle United play Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. And of course there were Christmas markets to enjoy. But we also wanted to see something of the city. The morning after the match was lovely and sunny, with a chilly wind but some warmth in the sun, so we set out on a walk by the river Rhine.
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After any trip I like to explore how the photos I took might look in black and white. I never shoot in that medium, even on those occasions when I already feel it would be the best option, because it’s easy to transform from colour to monochrome but impossible to do the reverse in any realistic manner.
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Cologne's cathedral has a long drawn-out history of construction, starting in 1248 and only finishing in 1880. At that point it was the highest building in the world at 157 metres tall! Today it is the world’s third largest Gothic-style cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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It has been said that the whole city of Florence is one art gallery. And it’s true that not only its palaces and museums are full of art, so are its streets. But And as with any busy city, its streets are full not only of art but also the small details that speak of everyday life.
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On our recent visit we stayed just around the corner from the Piazza di Santa Croce. It became the starting point for several of our walks and the focus of our evening drinking and dining. By day and night the huge basilica, the largest Franciscan church in the world, dominates its eastern side.
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A photograph freezes time, just as a stopped clock may appear to do. The camera captures a single moment and preserves it, while life goes on. The person walking down the street continues to walk. The bird above your head continues to fly. The sun moves across the sky and the hands of the clocks still turn. But in your photo, all motion is paused.
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In the first half of the 19th century a Parisian wanting a good night out might well have headed to the village of Bercy. Ideally positioned on the banks of the Seine, this village had become the centre of the Paris wine trade and a major European market for wines and spirits.
