Next Page
Previous Page
139
Elgin Marbles, British Museum
The Elgin Marbles are a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures from the Parthenon and the Acropolis in Athens. Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, sought permission to preserve them and they were subsequently taken to England where, after much controversy and accusations that Elgin demonstrated rapacity, vandalism, and dishonesty, they were acquired by the British Museum. Greece has repeatedly demanded the return of the marbles and has been refused by Britain. The Acropolis Museum in Athens has a section displaying items from the Parthenon, but the frieze taken by Elgin is represented by plaster casts. This ongoing controversy distracts from the marvel and appreciation of these wonderful examples of ancient Greek art.
Size 570 x 470
Surprise Visitor, Guggenheim Museum, New York
It is testimony to Frank Lloyd Wright that his buildings still look as controversial and modern today as they did when built. The 1959 Guggenheim Museum was one of his last and most enduring designs. Its beehive exterior is mirrored inside so I took this photo looking to the glass ceiling to take in the curves of the continuously sloping exhibition space that spirals upwards. A young visitor leaned over the balcony to peer down to the foyer below – this was the right time to capture this human element to an otherwise architectural photo.
Size 570 x 470
138
137
Dancing jellies
How do jellyfish qualify as travel photography? Perhaps the better question is… how can you resist taking a photo when the subjects do a dance before you and pose so beautifully? And when the light coming from behind them amplifies the bright orange of their translucent bodies, it ticks all the boxes for a photographer.
Overall 640 x 500
142
Doorway, Notre Dame, Paris
It took a long time in the vast interior of Notre-Dame to look for that special defining quality or architectural feature that makes an appropriate visual statement. Not until leaving was I reminded of the statues, reliefs and gargoyles that adorn the building's entrance. I had found my subject! The portico at the main entrance includes an entire history in relief, including a few who lost their heads to the guillotine, as the figure in the centre of the picture demonstrates.
Overall 580 x 490
148
St Chapelle crypt, Paris
One of the most magnificent churches in Europe is the thirteenth century St Chapelle, tucked in behind Le Palais de Justice on the Ile de la Cité, just a few steps from Notre Dame. It is renown for the roof of the upper chapel, held up by the slenderest columns and 600 square metres of the oldest stained glass windows in Paris. Its lower chapel has an ethereal quality with a star-studded blue ceiling and a glow from the extensive gold leaf decoration that produces a warm contrast to the dark room. Visitors linger longer than expected, taking in the detail with quiet reverence. A 4-second exposure helped to bring it to life. This made it harder to keep the subjects from blurring across the frame, but the people were important to provide a frame of reference for the scene.
Overall 675 x 515