Captured moments, frozen memories, digital expressions of my interpretation of the world we live in. This is a compilation of my attempts, at looking into things, that people usually only look at...
So glad that everything turned out as we planned it to be. Finally I get to see HW for the first time after nearly seven months in Spain. I was really excited to show her around the city and was already thinking of places to visit long before she arrived here.
She really liked Spain. This is her first visit to Europe and her first encounter with such architectures in real life. The colourful and well decorated buildings were really something she liked a lot. This is not something that you find often in hyper modern cities with glass and metal buildings.
Normally the street would be filled with pedestrians. Just the fact that it was a Sunday resulted in such an empty street. Shops are not opened on Sundays and only half day on Saturday, human rights for everyone I assume. She looks nice with her shades, don't you think? ;)
It wasn't so easy to use an SLR for self-portrait. You have to really strain your fingers to press the button. However it turned out fine after a few tries. We really liked this one, very candid and natural...
This is one party to celebrate an important milestone event on the project that I was involved in. This First Firing Party was thrown after nearly 3 weeks from the actual event. It turned out to be an enjoyable event. Also, this presented a great chance for me to try out a new technique for taking indoor photos with built-in flash.
One tip for those taking photos during parties, remember to enjoy the party! Not unless you are being paid for the job...
This type of Fiesta is very typical in this region, where drinks were served together with finger food and snacks. Everyone is expected to socialize, no chairs, just tables where the dishes were laid. It gives more chance for people to move around and not be confined to their positions. However I still prefer one where we actually sat down and enjoy a scrumptious complete meal.
Do not know the name of this dish, its deep-fried shrimps on sticks. One of my favourite dish for the fiesta.
Do you know that you should chill white wine but enjoy red wine at room temperature? I'm sure you are not as ignorant as I WAS...
Live entertainment was arranged and it started nearly halfway through. A nice singer with a great voice and enthusiasm and her band entertained us and set the mood for the rest to start 'bailar' (to dance).
Female colleagues and friend, they are lovely just as how they look! Their presence adds a feminine touch to the party.
The rowdy commissioning guys! A game for those who are interested! There are a total of 7 nationalities present in this photo, to make it easier, I will list them out. Try to guess which of them belong to which nationalities!
Its nice to sometimes be in the frame. I passed my camera to one colleague for this shot. Hard to imagine all of us dressed up nicely. Usually we would be with the helmet, safety boots and oily greasy work uniform that we are used to seeing each other in.
More of the guys from the teams.
4 Swiss, 1 Italian, 1 French, 1 Irish, 2 Spanish
I particularly like this shot. It was only when I downloaded the photo from my camera that I noticed that my composition mistake showed something interesting. With the motive of only capturing a photo of my colleagues dancing, I unintentionally caught a 'Paparazzi' in action.
Paparazzi - beware of those that lurks in the dark corners.
This was my first attempt capturing company events. The feeling is different as compared to when you are out on your own. Not much time for getting the right settings. They might not be as interested as you are with the shot. If you took too long for a shot, that might be your last for the event with them. I think it is better to try to get a sharp and clear shot, and to get the composition right. White balance and exposure can be minorly tweaked. I can't even remember checking the settings of my shutter speed and aperture as I left them at a general setting. Might be the wine that set me off on my shutter frenzy.
It turned out to be a nice party after all. Really had fun with the gang and the photo taking.
p/s: Still trying to figure out the nationality quiz? Answer's here
Nativity scenery called Belén (which also means Bethlehem) which is a Catholic tradition in Spanish speaking countries. These displays were situated in front of the famous Cathedral of San Salvador of Oviedo.
Let me make a guess and for those who knows, please point out if I am wrong. This scene shows the Angel of the Lord appearing in front of some shepherds with their sheep. The Angel told them about the birth of baby Jesus and after that they went searching for Him.
The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar came on their camels after seeing the special bright star in the night, symbolizing the birth of Jesus.
Virgin Mary with baby Jesus, the liveliness of the display is really something worth complimenting. Unlike the other displays shown previously, this one is made in life size. The other figures were around the size of an adult palm.
It was intriguing seeing a statue on the top of the hill, glowing white during the day and beige during sunset. I then took one late afternoon to go up the hill and check it out. Later did I know that this is La Sagrado Corazón, the Scared Heart. This was taken from the final stretch of the road leading to the statue. It took about 5 kilometers to reach the top from the city, with its winding roads and little safety barriers on the side.
The final stretch of trails of rock leading to the statue at the summit. The trees were still painted with Autumn's palette.
I was not the only one at the top of the imposing statue. The first stone was laid in the year 1963. It was finally completed in 1981. La cruz de los angeles, the cross of the angels were moved from the top of the pillar behind the statue to the base, for a reason I do not know.
The sunset casted a warm colour to the statue. At the top, there were families with their kids and pets, some chose to walk to the top of the mountain, and its not an easy feat though, not at all. I took the car to the last stretch of the summit and walked the rest.
The view was spectacular. You can see some people pointing to others, that's the cathedral, that's my residential area, and that's the direction of Madrid. Can't help it and took a series of shots from the top of Monte Naranco. This is the panaromic view of the city of Oviedo. This shows only part of the city.
It always pay to wake up early on Sunday. I went for a walk in the town and stumbled on a group of local performers getting ready to play traditional Asturian music. Asturia is the Principality, 'state' where Oviedo is the capital. Bag pipes and drums are highly popular with folk music.
Using my limited Spanish, I managed to find out that this was a weekly performance by the locals. I thought it was a celebration of some kind. The music was pleasant and light.
It drew quite some crowd to the plaza. You can also see young kids, around 4yrs old trying to dance with their music. More than 10 cameras can be easily account for from one glance.
The same time, there was as well another group of performers. They are traditional Asturian dancers with colourful clothings. It was a morning full of energy, drawing more crowds by the minute.
They played the music and danced for nearly half an hour and then the band went circling around the city streets, playing their instruments along. That was when I parted with the dancers and band.
Since there is an abundance of statues in Europe generally, I guess it would be interesting to dedicate one post for them.
For a start, these are statues around the Universidad Oviedo. The autumn backdrop gives a nice contrast to their dull grey and shinny black.
I particularly like this one, with golden leaves covering the whole backdrop.
A change in backdrop drastically changes the mood of the picture. Here's another for comparison, which one do you like better?
This is near one of the entrance to San Francisco park in Oviedo. Nice, tender, loving, caring, love - all things good.
The following are taken in Gijon, about 40km from Oviedo. Augustus Caesar in front of Igelsias San Lorenzo (St. Lorenzo Church), the first Roman emperor. The bright red garment contrast greatly with the dull winter grey.
Head bust of Alvagonzalex Claudio Sanchez, Naval Commander of "the Villa of Madrid"
King Pelagius, founder of the kingdom of Asturias, hero in the war against the Moors. When you visit Gijon, you'll find out that the King did not really stand in front of this particular Spanish flag ;) This is the next best thing to get a nice pose, without actually turning the statue 180degress.
This park is right in the middle of the city, with plenty of fountains, statues and various birds. I took a quick stroll pass the park, the rain was starting to get heavier by the minute. Though it is already winter, there are still many trees which gives the impression of autumn.
It was really nice, when the wind blows, it seemed to be raining golden leaves. Though it was drizzling, I found out that people here don't really bother about it, most would not even carry an umbrella. As for me, the chill of rain falling on my neck is not something I can bear. Umbrella is still a necessity for me.
There are some swans, ducks, pigeons and surprisingly, peacocks! But the swan was the only one not shy to allow me to get closer. The other birds took shelter due to the wet weather.
I went to the park again the next day. This time the weather and the crowd were much better. Caught a glimpse of the peacock and also various other people enjoying their Sunday afternoon. Some brought their dogs, others were playing with their kids in the playground.
The group of people in the park are mostly seniors and parents, with really young kids. I guess teenagers have other more important places to be at this time, rejuvenating from previous escapades I guess. I was fortunate to get a glimpse of how autumn would look like in Oviedo, with golden leaves covering every inch of the greens. I will have to wait for the full strength of the winter cold to see what kind of effect it will have on this landscape.
When I first lay my eyes on the buildings in Oviedo, two words came to my mind - Sim City! The buildings in the game are exactly like the ones on the street just ten minutes away from the hotel. The calming soft yellow walls contrasting with the darker shade of brown of the roof paints a very nice picture.
Sometimes when I take photos, I think that I am merely sharing with others what I am seeing. A nice photo is testament to the people who visualized and created it, not the person who shot it. We are merely messengers.
These buildings are mostly apartments with shops at the ground floor. The special feature is that each buildings have their own lifts, own height, own design. I find this setting very unique and pleasing in its own way. It might be because I was too used to the uniformity from where I came from.
She really liked Spain. This is her first visit to Europe and her first encounter with such architectures in real life. The colourful and well decorated buildings were really something she liked a lot. This is not something that you find often in hyper modern cities with glass and metal buildings.
Normally the street would be filled with pedestrians. Just the fact that it was a Sunday resulted in such an empty street. Shops are not opened on Sundays and only half day on Saturday, human rights for everyone I assume. She looks nice with her shades, don't you think? ;)
It wasn't so easy to use an SLR for self-portrait. You have to really strain your fingers to press the button. However it turned out fine after a few tries. We really liked this one, very candid and natural...
