Tag: Finds

Daily Flickr Finds: Pablo Charlón’s Torre de Hércules

Torre de Hrcules – or it’s English name – Tower of Hercules, is a 55m Roman lighthouse which has stood at the La Corua harbour in north-western Spain since the first century AD. With the HDRskill and beautiful lighting that only a talented photographer can bring together, Pablo Charln has created this stunning image which brings drama and power to this magnificent relic.

There are myths that Hercules fought with the giant Geryon at this site for three days and three nights, and upon victory Hercules built this Tower on top of his bones.The tower remains the oldest Roman lighthouse in the world, and the only one to still be operational. It was also recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, joining the likes of famous ancient sites around the world.

Be sure to check out Pablo Charl’s Flickr stream to see his fantastic photography, as well as his portfolio website!

Daily Flickr Finds: Lou Rouge’s Misterioso Palenque

In the deep south of Mexico, there lies a mysterious and enchanting temple in ruins, a relic of a Mesoamerican past. Lou Rouge’s photograph beautifully captures the mystical aura of this tomb in a fantastic capture which portrays the mood perfectly. The mist and dark lighting creates the sense of the unknown, but maintains the feel of the alluring. It’s a photograph which makes the person looking at it feel that the place has hidden secrets which are waiting to be unravelled.

And it certainly has those!The Temple of Inscriptions, as it is known in English, is the only Maya pyramid of this era to be used as a tomb – for Kinich Janaab Pakal none the less. Otherwise known as Pacal the Great, the Mayan ruler of Palenque was notable for several architectural structures and inscriptions.

Named after three tablets contained within the tomb which are emblazoned with hieroglyphic inscriptions, they are essentially a biography of the life of the ruler. Detailing notable events in Pacal the Great’s life up to his death, this Temple is a stunning ancient relic. And perfectly portrayed by Lou Rouge’s photograph!

Daily Flickr Finds: gh0stdot’s Abu Simbel

Part of the Nubian Monuments, Abu Simbel is an ancient site home to two rock temples in the south of Egypt. A beautiful tribute build by Pharoah Ramesses II to his queen Nefertari, they had the alterior motive of commemorating the Battle of Kadesh, as well as the added bonus of intimidating the neighbours!Nothing like a massive temple or two to show the region who’s boss!

The beauty of this monumental structure is depicted perfectly in gh0stdot’s photograph. Choosing to portray the two ancient statues at an angle which captures them from below, and results in a picture including the sky, the effect is one which shows the great detail that went into these structures. The colour is very rich and glows the stone from which it is made, and the dramatic shading really punctuates this photograph to life.

Be sure to check out gh0stdot’s photostream for some truly stunning shots of ancient relics around the world.

Daily Flickr Finds: Calinore’s Kashgar

A young boy peers out of the doorway in the Chinese province of Kashgar, where days of rioting have left the area in a state of fear. The tensions between two ethnic groups have led to the recent violence, with the Uighars campaigning for independence from the Chinese government.

The Chinese Government recently announced plans to demolish a vast majority of this ancient city, in favour of more modern and earthquake proof buildings. This defies the wishes of the Uighari people, who would lose the culture in the old city. Additionally, they believe the Chinese Government has alterior motives for the move.

This image by Calinorecaptures perfectly the vulnerability and innocence of the whole situation. And certainly is a topic that spares a thought in a growing world, which still manages to become smaller by the day.

Daily Flickr Finds: jojofotografia’s Pont Du Gard

jojofotografia‘s capture of the Pont du Gard in the South of France boasts a great HDR shot full of vibrancy and colour, reflecting the beauty of this ancient Roman aqueduct. The strong lines of the structure against the natural features of the water and green banks represent a strong contrast, and the lighting shows the richness of the stone. High dynamic range (HDR) imaging shots are ideal for bringing the colour out in an image, and jojofotografia has really done a stunning job in this photograph.

The Pont du Gard was originally thought to have been built by Augustus’s son-in-law, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in about 19BC, but recent excavations dispute this, dating it to the middle of the first century AD. The whole structure is built with precisely cut stones, eliminating the need for mortar and on completion allowed the transport of water across the Gardon river valley.

It’s one of France’s most visited tourism spots, and it’s not surprising considering the immense beauty at this site. The crafting of the structure is nothing short of spectacular, and boasts the trademark Roman features implementing three levels, carrying a road on its first level and a water conduit at the top level.

There are many photographs taken of this beautiful landmark, but jojofotografia’s shot is certainly eye catching for it’s high level of detail and strong contrast between the colours, making this a fantastic photograph for depicting this beautiful location.

Daily Flickr Finds: JC Richardson’s Moai on Easter Island

In this magical shot, today’s Flickr Find photographer – JC Richardson – snapped the Moai on Easter Island with a backdrop of stars, creating an alluring image mixing the exotic ancient world with a romantic scenery. The end result is an image of immense beauty – the capture is simply astounding.

The Moai are located at Rapa Nui, and are monolithic carvings of human figures, dating back as early as 400AD or as late as 1700AD – many several generations have been making their own Moai!And it’s a popular misconception that they’re just giant heads – these hardy guys have bodies too!

Oh – and they’re not just black stone. The Moai are made from dark scoria (hardened volcanic ash) with red scoria for the capstones. They even have eyes made from white coral with red scoria or black obsidian used for the pupils!

As is often the case with the Ancient world, there is much mystery surrounding the Moai. For example, just how do you move around a 20-ton hunk of rock when a crane wouldn’t be invented for another millennium or so? Various theories have been devised and tested, which mainly involved getting a lot of people to pull on ropes wrapped around Moai and seeing how far they can get them.

Oh, and if you’re planning on visiting these fantastic relics, then a word to the wise. Don’t chip away your own souvenir like a Finnish chap did last year.. unless you want to get hit with a $17,000 fine and a ban from the islands, of course! Your chance to take off with one is long over.. 😉