Eye on the World Catalog

Chinese Gate at Disney EPCOT Centre

Visitors to Disney's EPCOT Centre in Orlando remark how they seem to be transported to other lands as they walk around the World Showcase. There are faithful representations of different architecture from 12 different nations around a central lake, with the customary entertainment showcasing each culture. At the China exhibit there is a welcoming gate and a small-scale replica of the Temple of Heaven from Beijing..

Overall 660 x 660

Whistler Creekside, British Columbia

A white Christmas in Whistler, Canada is a memorable experience, even if for four days the visibility was down to fifty metres because of an unrelenting blizzard. There was one way to overcome this and allow me to capture the candy-like blanket of snow that covered everything. By adjusting the exposure to 30 seconds it was possible to capture this panorama. The constantly falling snow was never in the frame long enough, or in one spot, to register on the film. Whilst the overall effect has a slight haze across the image because of this long exposure this virtually removed the falling snow from view and left an image that picks up even distant objects with clarity. During snowfall there is an unusual quality to the light and this proved true at night as well. The light from the village adds an eerie quality. Christmas dinner that night was special too. Overall 930 x 545

Hallstadt, Austria

The World Heritage listed town of Hallstadt, perched on a narrow ledge alongside Halstättersee in Austria, has so little land that the graves in churchyard are regularly reused, with the bones from centuries of former burials being carefully tended in a crypt alongside the church. This scene has become an Instagram favourite that brings hordes of tourists, but this photo was taken at an earlier time when you could enjoy a quiet stroll or cruise across the lake at your leisure.

Overall 670 x 795

Pyegemalion, Forum des Halles, Paris

Located in the centre of Paris, the Forum des Halles is a park at ground level, a large underground mall directly below that, and below that, one of the world’s largest underground subway stations. In the open-sky plaza area sits the statue titled Pyegemalion, by Julio Silva. I liked the surreal impression created by Silva’s statues and their surroundings, which combine to generate this strange, almost futuristic, image. It exemplifies for me the overt artistic expression of the French people. I actually took two photos of this statue –15 years apart– returning again to see if it still possessed that special quality amplified in my memory. This is the second of those two pictures and it did not disappoint.

Overall 850 x 700

Atomic Dome , Hiroshima

The Atomic Dome stands as a poignant reminder of the nuclear explosion that devastated Hiroshima in 1945. It was one of the few buildings to survive largely intact at the epicentre of the explosion. Today the building and adjacent Peace Park are the focal point for thoughts of peace. Taking a picture at night can bring pleasant surprises and I was captivated by the brilliant green of the floodlights and inner glow from the incandescent lighting inside the building. I looked for contrasts and wanted to accentuate the dark shrouding of the building, so I took this photo from back in the shadows of the park.

Overall 585 x 470

Escalier Mollien, Louvre , Paris

The Louvre houses some of the greatest works of art in the world. But for lovers of classical architecture the building itself is the showpiece. Each gallery has a different style, and every one is a masterpiece of design and decoration, all finished with the best of materials and workmanship. I was particularly struck by the ostentatious Mollien staircase at the end of the Denon Wing because of its wide curves, the expansive sense of space it creates and the soft light diffusing through the pillars. A steady handheld exposure was needed, and a super-wide lens was used to capture the full field of view.

Overall 660 x 660