Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Ailsa has a rich selection of dance photos from around the world! Most of mine are out of focus, so on the premise that my city is travel for most of you, here are some from England. Street dance!
Join in over at http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/05/03/travel-theme-dance/
This weeks challenge is ‘From Above’.
Sara Rosso says ‘Change your perspective on something. Share a photo of a subject which you shot from directly above. This plate of cheese from the Langhe region in Italy was interesting when I tried to take a picture of it, but when I took it from above, it became even more clear how the honey laid in a neat pile in the center of this circle of cheese and how each wedge had its own identity. For those interested, you started going clockwise with the cheese at 12, and they were all delicious.
Find a subject and instead of taking a picture from in front of, at an angle, to the side, or from behind, take it directly from above!
In a new post specifically created for this challenge, share a picture which means FROM ABOVE to you!’
I have chosen some views from above from several countries, hope you like them and maybe join in?
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/weekly-photo-challenge-from-above/
Marianne has bright colourful door furniture to show you, whereas mine are a bit brown! She can be found at http://eastofmalaga.net/2013/05/01/cbbh-photo-challenge-knobs-and-knockers/ and you can also join the challenge there.
Add some photos, introduce two blogs you like and you’re done!
The first blog I’m bringing you this month is Melanie’s http://sugarandspiceandallthingslife.com/ where she writes about ‘recipes and life in general’. She posts easy recipes for no nonsense wholesome food (cake cake cake!) and she is another Devon girl. She also posts photos of England, mainly the beautiful south, check her out.
Next is Lily, http://lilymugford.com/ She likes to write, takes part in several challenges and if you like orange you’ll like her blog. Lily is a survivor with a great attitude to life, choosing to rise above circumstances. She is a relative newbie to the blogosphere.
I hope you visit, enjoy and that these two blgs are new to you!
This week’s photo challenge is guest hosted by Aaron Joel Santos. Who says,
‘Culture. Culture is a bit of a loaded word. In a photograph, it can embody everything and nothing. So where do we draw the line? Shopping culture, hippy culture, Asian culture, Thai culture, ancient culture, and on and on. These phrases have different meanings. For me, as a working travel photographer, being able to show culture, in all of its various guises, is crucial to the success of an image.
There are obvious elements that go into making a great photograph: perspective, color, contrast, subject matter, and lighting, to name a few. But for this challenge, go for that little something extra — that piece of the image that makes a viewer want to see more — to delve deeper into the culture you’re photographing. I’ve always said that I want my photographs to make people curious. So that is your assignment here: inspire curiosity with your photography.’
The richness of the culture in Marrakech is something I love, so here are three photos for you. The first shows that culture isn’t always comfortable, in fact in the tannery, that has been part of their culture for so long, it’s distinctly unpleasant when the smell hits you.
Next, there are many stalls in the souk selling the wonderful local figs, dates and olives, delicious.
Lastly, this is Jemaa el-Fnaa, in the heart of the medina, and a world heritage site. It’s a real spectacle in the evening when it is packed with music, dance, snake charmers, story tellers, tooth pullers, you name it. The smoke is from the numerous food opportunities that are set up each night.
Join in at http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/04/26/photo-challenge-culture/
Travel on the chaotic streets of Jaipur in Rajasthan and you can’t fail to notice an abundance of contrasts. Wealth and poverty, youth and age, ancient and modern. Here is some of the traffic chaos, shiny gas guzzling monsters, alongside tuk-tuks and hand carts, all relentlessly squeezing themselves in and out of one of the old city gates.
Next, not the best photo I’m afraid, the Palace of the Winds, what a romantic name. Also known as the Hawa Mahal, this five storey masterpiece was built in 1799 by Maharajah Sawai Pratap Singh. It’s lattice windows were made so the the royal ladies had a window on the world without being seen as they were in purdah. Imagine the luxurious opulence inside compared to the lives of the ordinary people on the outside.
This post is for Ailsa’a Travel Theme, join in here, http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/04/19/travel-theme-contrast/
As you know I was captivated by Buckland Abbey. It isn’t the most grand of National Trust houses but for me it is an interesting one, packed with history and little surprises. Here are a few of the things I enjoyed.
I know, it’s just a chair leg, but imagine all the ankles that have brushed against it.
Time flies indeed.
I loved the little incense boat.
A 17th century sea chest.
Elegant porcelain.
A model of the Golden Hind.
This chess set has Lord Burghley as King, Queen Elizabeth as Queen and Sir Francis Drake as the Knight. Each of the Pawns is a miniature Golden Hind.
Hand crafted gentleman’s attire
A lovely gown made by the Costume Group
Sir Francis and his good wife
The collar detail
And lastly, the lady from my poem last week. She was very knowledgeable and when I admired her hat, she told me that Elizabeth 1st ruled that all ladies should wear woollen hats. This apparently was to help promote the growth of the woollen trade.
Marianne at http://eastofmalaga.net/ has chosen Multi-colored this month. Her own vibrant photos take on to Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and New Zealand, check them out. Mine are all taken in Marrakech, one of my favourite places, with colour around every corner.
This challenge is a blog hop, to showcase two different blogs that you enjoy each time.
My first is Marina’s art blog http://marinakanavaki.com/ , her tagline is ‘Art Towards a Happy Day’, so very warm and generous. I love the way she uses her art not only as beautiful paintings but transferred to everyday items, at prices that make it accessible to all. Her work ‘As above so below’ is my favourite – so far.
Next, a relatively unknown blog http://2far2shout.wordpress.com/ , Tony has a light touch and describes himself as a slow traveler. He spent part of this winter in Australia and I loved his post about Kiama, God’s waiting room as he says! This time last year he was in India, returning to the places of his childhood. I have a copy of Hero on a Honda, his travel book about that trip.
I hope you visit and enjoy these two blogs!
. . . in Plymouth today with my kids! We saw anemones and jellyfish.
And fantastic fishies
As always click to see a slide show.
Lucid Gypsy 