Three days in Vienna

In September of 2017, we travelled to Vienna for a city break. Our daughter was about to go off to University and so we asked what she wanted to do before going, she said a city-break in Vienna.

I had been to Vienna before, but it was many years ago when I was a student. I still carry many fond memories of those two weeks spent with my cousin, who was a student in Vienna at the time. But when you’re a young student, your agenda and timetable are a bit different to when you reach your middle ages! So we had different things in mind.

Three days in Paris

Whenever I travel somewhere, I always take my camera with me and try to find the time to photograph. I then bring those images home and share my favourites with whoever is willing to look at them here on this blog. I don’t know if this is a common feeling, but I often have the same nagging thought – “did I capture the character of the place?” I always worry whether the images I present also convey the feeling of the place, the feeling that I had when I was there taking those photographs.

Back in March of this year, Mila and I had a special three days in Paris. The photographs in this blog (and in the video at the bottom of this post) go some way to record that wonderful time that we had. Not being a native Parisian, it’s hard for me to say whether even a small part of the essence of Paris did make it into these images.

One town, One mile, One camera – Den Haag, The Netherlands

Earlier this year I was at a meeting in The Hague, or Den Haag, in the Netherlands. I took my x100s with me thinking that I might have the chance for some street photography while I was there. It was a busy two-day meeting, and I only had one chance to try and take some images of the streets in Den Haag (I like saying it the Dutch way!), and that was at the end of the meeting as I walked between the NWO offices, and the train station.

This was my first time in Den Haag, so I had no idea what to expect. But that just added to the experience. I had no expectations and I would just try to see what I could see in the streets as I walked through the town towards the station.

The pictures in this post are what I could find. A mixture of architecture both old and new, classical and avant garde, and one or two characters.

One town, One mile, One camera – Lincoln

Driving through the county of Lincolnshire it is tempting to think of it as one of the flatest counties in the UK. There are flatter counties and those in the East Anglia region are the flattest of all, according to Wikipedia. But you are easily misled into thinking this when driving into Lincoln. And then you park (if you can find a spot!) and decide to walk to the Cathedral quarter. The gentle ache you feel in your thighs and calfs as you do so tell you a different story.

I took my trusty Fujifilm X100S on this walk, from the University campus, on the banks of the River Witham, up to the Cathedral.

To get to the Cathedral, you walk along an aptly named street – Steep Hill.

After taking images of the Jewish House I was later surprised to learn of the Jewish Heritage that is present in the city, especially in relation with the Cathedral. When reviewing my images, I was struck by the triptich that I put together. Nothing to do with Jewish heritage, but more to do with the symbolic ascent of young man through life who then returns back down from the summit, well…. changed, and with a new perspective on life.

We walked past The Pot Shop. As we were not in Amsterdam, all we found inside was a man making and selling pots.

You are thankful when you reach the top. We will return to Lincoln soon. I shall have to bring my wider lens.

One town, One mile, One camera – Bakewell

(click on images in grids for larger versions)

Is Bakewell a town or a village? Nestled in the heart of the Peak District it is certainly a very idyllic and picturesque place. We visited during the busy summer season because, well, Bakewell is a very idyllic and pictureque village nestled in the heart of the Peak District.

Whenever I go into towns with the intention of doing some street photography, I always look at the people around, the situations they find themselves in and the interactions between them. That’s what gets me into the right frame of mind for street photography, which is different to the landscape photography frame of mind I need to be in when we are hiking the hills and valleys.

Luckily, there were many characters on the streets of Bakewell that day.

One town, One mile, One camera – Chester

I’m taking some time off this summer, along with the rest of you, but unlike some I will not be going too far away. Last week, for instance, it was a day trip into Chester to look around the historic town, do some light shopping and take my camera out for some street photography.

Chester still has the old walls along which the Romans used to patrol, and you are still able to do the same or take a tour with a group. With Chester being quite close to us, we decided to have a quick look from the high vantage point, but to leave wall-walking to our next visit.

different

the things we’re told,
the things we see,
they’re as different,
as you and me.

© Mira Sophia Chrysostomou

Pune, India

3 April, 2016

I am very fortunate that in my job I have the opportunity to travel around the world. This past April I travelled to India for the first time. Most of the time was spent in meetings (and eating some of the most delicious curries!). But, our first day was a Sunday and that was a bit of a free day. A colleague of mine had arranged for a short 2-3 hour tour of the city of Pune, arranged by the hotel. I joined her on this trip and took my little Fujifilm X100s with me.

The pictures here are mostly taken from that little tour of the city, although I’ve taken the liberty to scatter some images taken with my iPhone through the week.

On our first stop, we visited the Pataleshwar Caves, a temple cut out of the rock sometime around the 8th century. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva.

This was a small oasis of tranquility in what is a large, bustling, busy and at times loud city. People in the grounds and in the temple were either praying or sitting silently in contemplation.