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Respect
Respect Respect is an important aspect of Japanese culture. The emperor, ancient traditions, monuments, art, craftsmanship, they all deserve our deepest respect. As does the Japanese garden; this artistic creation of a highly idealized natural environment …. let’s call it paradise. A paradise that has never existed in real nature – the opposite of the…
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Harmony
Harmony If we describe the interior space of a traditional Japanese house using the word ‘harmonious’, then we may regard the display in the tokonoma as the height of harmony. The tokonoma is the alcove-like space found in a traditional house, reserved for the exhibition of a work of art, or a work of nature,…
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A stick in shallow water
A stick in shallow water Such a simple photo, yet so profound! Ever since I saw this branch in the water and took a photograph of it, the image has been etched into my memory. What we see here is clear: 1) a stick in the sun, protruding from the water, 2) the broken continuation…
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Teashop happiness
Teashop happiness A mother and daughter in their little teashop in the mountains around Pokhara. The scene exudes modest simplicity and natural relaxation. The girl’s amused expression brings a smile to our faces too. We are part of a moment of infectious joy. Life can be so beautiful! Photo of the week: Pokhara, Nepal, 1996
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Composition in ochre and black
Composition in ochre and black The colour scheme and the arrangement of the shapes within the frame of the photograph evoke a sense of harmony. The hen must have just pecked some grain from the black pot, which is now tilting towards her. The pot, which is balanced, reinforces the overall feeling of harmony. Harmony…
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Yosemite
Yosemite It had been snowing till early spring that year in the Californian Sierra Nevada. Even by July the snow had not yet disappeared from the higher altitudes and I remember us driving, and pitching our tent, between heaps of snow in full summer. This was probably the reason why, when we came to Yosemite,…
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The face of beauty
The face of beauty or the beauty of a face A train in Kyoto. It’s the end of the day; work is over and people are heading home. Everyone is lost in thought, listening to music or quietly exchanging messages with friends or family. And amidst all these commuters, the strikingly beautiful face of a…
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Funfair Ganesha
Funfair Ganesha Popular Hindu pilgrimage sites, with their newly built temples and statues of deities, all too often bear witness to poor taste. In Haridwar, for example, where this photograph was taken, there is a long row of new temples that seem to be competing for first prize for tacky and kitsch design. Why is…
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Sea nymphets
Sea nymphets Two young girls gaze out across the vast sea and the sky. The gentle sound of the water lapping against the boat has made them drowsy. They drift off into a dream in the light sea breeze, whilst bobbing gently on the waves. As we look at them from behind, we can observe…
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After sunrise
After sunrise I could point out that the photograph was taken early in the morning. The fact that the beach, on the west coast of India, is largely in shadow suggests this. The sun has not yet fully risen above the trees behind me. I could also point out that the man and his cow…
καιρός remembered
… the right moment, position chosen, shoot …
καιρός remembered 