Man-made or Mother nature?

Working on the theme from my last post, I'd like to offer a challenge to everyone viewing. Which of the following two pictures is mad-made and which is the creation of Mother nature?

Respond here or on Facebook and we'll see if everyone is in-sync with their inner Earth-goddess!

I'll give the answer, and what each picture is of, in a couple of days.

Good luck!

Picture #1:

Picture #2:

 

Sand and rust

The beaches of Fraser Island, off the east coast of Australia, reflect the maritime history of the nation. 

This wreck, whose now rusted supports jut out of the sand like so many broken ribs, was a stark reminder of that history.

Tranquility, Cairo style

Cairo hums constantly with the energy of its inhabitants and runs at a fever pitch through both broad boulevards and narrow lane-ways. In our time there we had the opportunity to see the best that Cairo had to offer and, at times, to catch a glimpse into the private world of some of the people who called it home.  

Cairo, after all, is more than pyramids, revolution and crowded streets.


A young couple stealing a moment alone away from the watchful eyes of family and friends.

 In a square near El-Azhar mosque a young policeman and a young hustler share a fence.

Off in the woods

These fine automobiles were found in a patch of undeveloped land, on the side of a ridge, in the west end of Calgary. 

How they got there, I'll never know...but it must have been quite the drive.

A little tranquility

One glorious week every summer my family and I have the rare privilege of visiting Camp Merryweather. Nestled along the shoreline of Great Pond in Belgrade Lakes, Maine this old boys camp, a wonderful conglomeration of rustic cabins, kayaks and "dipping" spots, makes for an ideal family meeting place and get-away.

The shot below was taken one breezy evening a few years back after all of the day's sporting activities had come to an end.

Thai Recruits

On a sweltering 45C afternoon in Bangkok we visited the Grand Palace complex, once the official home of the King of Siam. The grounds and temple buildings are astonishingly beautiful. Yet juxtaposed onto this magnificence was the scene below. 

What captured my eye was the number of differing emotions on display. From the look of pride on the face of the groups leader, to that of concentration on a more seasoned cadet. Not least of all, the awkward stance of a young cadet with his machine gun tossed over his left shoulder.

Shetland - first glance

Shetland, the northernmost Scottish archipelago, is a place of stark beauty. The life associated with that beauty is often a struggle leaving small villages scattered throughout the islands, less inhabited year after year. 

This small fishing village, on the Shetland "mainland", is peaceful and quaint on a sunny yet breezy day. 

 

The people of Japan

Before the Tsunami, when I was still at the conceptual stages of this blog, I was planning on posting some pictures of Tokyo. These would have highlighted the controlled chaos of the fish markets, the impeccable order of the temple complexes and the relative uniformity of Tokyo's 30-million inhabitants.

But Japan is much more than Tokyo and always will be. The people of Japan, be they urban or rural, clearly define the spirit of Japan. Here are some photos that show the warmth, caring and love of the Japanese people.

Young Taiko drumming enthusiast at Ueno Park in Tokyo

Father and daughter at the Asakusa Temple complex

Students posing for a class photo at the Nagasaki  Atomic Bomb Memorial

The Purview

I agonized for a while over the content of Purview's first post: local, overseas, art, architecture, people, nature. All great subjects worthy of a post all their own. The few pictures I've chosen represent a small peak into the thousands of images I hope to be able to share. These will be my attempt to connect my experiences to at times larger themes, and at others times simply my sense of awe for the world we live in, and the people with whom we share our world with. 

Please share with me your thoughts, ideas and emotions. And above all else, enjoy my view of our world.

The Mellah of Marrakesh

We came looking for authentic Morocco as we stumbled through the dusty roadways past donkey carts and Coke machines. Past the begging children prodded on by their watchful mother and deeper into Marrakesh. As we turned into the Mellah the high red walls surrounded us and the noises of the busy streets faded away. Turn after turn were doors with no faces until we came across a woman buying cooking oil for her home. A price was reached, a deal was made, the container was filled and the transaction complete.

 

Essaouira - a postcard and its people

Taking a postcard picture has its own set of challenges. How to present the beauty and majesty of a place in one shot. You do your best in that hopes that it represents, in some way, the place you've visited. Pictures of people however is much the same. How to capture the essence of the people who inhabit the cities and villages that we visit. No one person in any place can clearly represent their city, their religion, their country or anything really but themselves. That being said, here are two postcard and two young men of Essaouira.

The Essaouira Ramparts and seawall by day...

 ...and the Citadel at sunset

A teenager and his younger brother taking a break from soccer in a seafront courtyard