Sunset

Deep Blue

Together

Nothing much to say here, but it turned out to be one of my favorite Hipstamatic photos.

Lument

At first I was hesitating to go up on the roof to get the laundry down (yes in the Mediterranean we hang our clothes up on the roof :) ) but boy am I glad I did? It was a perfect winter sunset and I was lucky to have my iPhone on me.

New Year, New Hopes

It feels so good to be able to post on this blog again and continue where I had left off! My life had taken such a weird turn that I simply had to put aside all the things I love doing to be able to be with the person I love the most. He has been diagnosed with cancer and his health deteriorated fast. Juggling between taking care of him and still having my full time day job it was difficult at the end of the day to do all the extra things. 

Now it seems that life is looking a big better. He is doing better, therefore I can once again focus on the things I love.

This photo was taken on our first drive together after almost 15 months of being stuck at home as he was not able to move. It was good, it was fantastic and it was even better that I could get my Hipstamatic back out again!

Happy New Year Everyone!!

London

I finally got around to sorting and editing my London photos that were taken in my latest trip.  This photo was one of those photos that you just take while you are walking. No thoughts, just point and snap and then you realize it actually looks good and has potential. Sometimes unplanned photos turn out to be better than the ones you spend hours upon hours thinking about!

This photo was taken from the Millennium Bridge while we were on our way to the Tate Modern. While it was freezing, the day was beautiful! Very blue skies and not a single cloud in sight. Very rare for London but we got lucky.

I am a person that simply love skylines (still believe no skyline can beat the NYC skyline) but when you are in a city like London (or Paris) it's actually good that they prohibit such tall buildings. I think if London had a skyline similar to NYC it would kill it's authenticity.

This photo was taken using a Canon 40D with my usual 60mm macro lens. It was edited and converted to black and white using Photoshop CS4.

Grand Chandelier

First of all I would like apologize for the delay in posting something new. I am afraid I don't have any particular excuse this time except that I was away for a few days. London was the destination.

I remember the first time I set foot in the city of London, I didn't quite like it and I could not see why people go crazy about it. Five visits later and I can't get enough of it. The same thing happened with New York City. The first visit I just wanted to get on a plane and come back to Malta. Now I can't get enough of both.

I honestly believe that this last visit was the best London visit so far. We stayed in the heart of Mayfair and while I did enjoy shopping, the best thing was roaming and discovering new streets by walk. We saw things that were off the beaten path and ate at restaurants that I am sure we wouldn't have found if we stayed at our usual touristic area.

Anyway enough praising (even though it's not even close to enough for me). This grand glass chandelier, which I have seen for the very first time in my life (thanks to my special partner) can be found at the entrance of the Victoria and Albert museum. I was so shocked (in a good way) when I saw it that I almost cried and I couldn't move. I have never seen anything like it in my whole life and it will stay imprinted in my mind for a very long time, if not forever.

There is something that makes color seem special in London. Maybe because of the weather? Maybe because it's dark almost all the time. So as soon as you see something as magnificent as this chandelier, your brain will instantly take a mental picture and will store it forever.

This photograph was taken using a Canon 40D with a 60mm macro lens. It was converted to black and white and edited using Photoshop CS4.

Voyeur

First off, I apologize for the delay in posting something new. Having a creative block mixed busy times is not the ideal combination. Some quiet times appear ahead with a trip to London that's in store.

Just when I thought that the rainy season was over and Spring came to greet us fully, I of course went out for a walk with my photo camera when suddenly it started raining. It was a short burst of rain. At first I was going to be disappointed but then I took advantage of the situation and got closer to my subjects. Macro photography was always close to my heart but I still have a lot to learn but in the meantime I am enjoying it.

The subject in this photograph is a wild flower...a purple flower but as usual I don't know the name of it. It is very abundant and you can see it everywhere you look, at least in Malta.

This photograph was shot using a Canon 40D with a 60mm Macro Lens. It was converted to black and white and edited in Photoshop CS4.

Paradise

Ok here is a photograph in color for all you color lovers! The colors are so beautiful in this photograph that I just couldn't resist converting it to black and white.

These majestic cliffs are found on the South-West part of Malta in a picturesque town called Zurrieq. This particular area here is called Wied iz-Zurrieq (wied meaning valley in Maltese.) It's a very popular attraction for tourists and Maltese alike. 

You can go anytime to admire the view at Wied iz-Zurrieq but I always like going in the early evening so this place offers spectacular sunsets for all you hopeless romantics out there. It is easily one of my top 3 favorite spots in Malta and there is a very good reason why.

You can buy this print by going to my Etsy shop : Paradise

This photograph was taken using a Samsung compact camera and edited in Photoshop CS4.

Towards The Light

This street has always caught my eyes at how beautiful it looks when the sun is hitting it from a certain spot. The contrast between light and shade is brilliant and from within a distance it's like you are walking towards a light tunnel. Sometimes it's so bright that you can really see what's at the end of it.

A few days ago I decided to take a walk around the area and while I was busy experimenting with my camera I almost forgot I was walking on one of my favorite streets in Malta. I walked back and took a few photographs.

The street starts in Floriana and goes all the way to Valletta. What you see in the photograph is the sidewalk. Beside it there is a somewhat narrow road and beside that there is a huge square. If you have ever watched Isle of MTV (Malta) you would know what square I am talking about! The party usually takes place at that spot.

This black and white photograph was shot using a Canon 40D with my usual 60mm Macro Lens, which also does a great job at shooting portraits and street scenes. The photograph was converted and edited using Photoshop CS4.

This print can be found at my shop on Etsy: Towards The Light and if you want to browse my other photographs please go here: LRAphotos

Spring - Black and White

Yeah today I couldn't decide whether to post in color or black and white so I am posting both! This is the black and white version of this Spring.

If you are interested in buying my print please visit this link: Spring - Black and White or you can visit my Etsy shop for a wider selection of photographs by going to this link: My Etsy Shop

Spring

After a bout of a few miserable months of rain and dark clouds, spring has finally sprang in action. It all happened so fast but I am glad it did. I honestly believe that this is the best time of the year even though it reminds us that we are looking forward for a scorching hot summer ahead of us.

I took this photograph today. I decided to wake up early and go roam around and look for wild flowers. I was not disappointed. Perfect weather and the gardens I went to were almost empty.

I took both my iPhone and my Canon 40D with me and ended up not using the iPhone at all. This photograph was shot with a 60mm Macro Lens and edited in Photoshop CS4.

You can view the black and white version by going here Spring - Black and White

If you are interested in buying my print please visit this link: Spring or you can visit my Etsy shop for a wider selection of photographs by going to this link: My Etsy Shop

Vintage Flowers

It's been quite a while since I posted on this blog. I was busy and I am finally enjoying some freedom at least (or at least I hope so).

The flowers in the photograph were found at one of the Deli's in New York City and I was using my iPhone. I wanted to get closer but since I didn't have a macro lens with me this is as close as I could get. I gave the photograph the vintage look using Photoshop and what you see is just a mixture of purple, red and pink.

You can buy this print in an 8x8 size by going to my Etsy shop: Vintage Flowers or if you want to see my other prints please go here: My Etsy Shop

The Flow

I took this photography recently and it was one of those rarest moments when I do actually like the photograph right on the preview screen of the camera.

The white leaf of the Peace Lily and the black leaf look like two pieces of fabric that are being waved around the center of the flower, hence the title of the photograph. This one I had in mind to keep in color but I thought that in black and white the effect I mentioned is more visible.

I also like the way the light is falling onto the subject. I used nothing but available light.

It's like I am finally finding my niche in photographing plants and flowers and I am happy with it especially when it comes to photographing a Peace Lily.

This photograph was taken using a Canon 40D with a 60mm f/2.8mm Macro Lens. It was converted to black and white and edited in Photoshop CS4.

You can buy this print from my Etsy shop by going here: The Flow or you visit my shop for a wider variety of prints by going here: LRAPhotos on Etsy

The End

This fine art black and white photograph was taken a couple years ago but I didn't see it's potential until yesterday when I was browsing through my photograph archives.

At first some would call it abstract and while I do agree, I can fully see what's in it and that's maybe because I took the photograph myself and know what I was looking at. Having said that, I was always a fan of abstract photography but I never felt good enough at photographing it. Some of you would say it's easy but I beg to differ. Yeah it's easy to take a photograph of a random close up and let people guess what it is, but that's not what abstract is all about.

Anyway this fine art photograph was shot using the black and white camera settings. I rarely use the setting but I decided to give it a try. I was not entirely happy as I like my black and white to be dramatic and very contrasty. So I had to edit the photograph in Photoshop to add more drama to it.

The photograph was shot using a Canon 40D with a 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens.

This print is for sale on Etsy here: The End 
Or you can visit my shop for a bigger selection here: LRAPhotos on Etsy

Spikes

I don't often post abstract black and white photographs on this black but here is one. What you see here is actually a flower, a macro photograph of a wild flower. As usual I don't know what the name of the flower is.

The photograph was originally shot in color but since the colors were a little bland I decided to convert it to black and white. Nothing new there as by now you all know that I prefer black and white over color.

For those who have been keeping up with this blog you know I opened a shop. For those that are new you can view/purchase this print here: Spikes or you can view my shop here: LRAPhotos on Etsy

This photograph was shot using Canon 40D with a 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. It was converted to black and white using Photoshop CS4.

Reminiscent

It being Sunday and me being sick I turned to photography! At first I didn't know what I was going to photograph but then I went to the terrace and saw this cute little pot with blooming flowers in it. It was the perfect candidate even though it was a little windy and as we all know when it comes to macro photography, the slightest puff can ruin your photo.

For this particular flower photo I had decided to upload it in color but when I viewed it on the computer I didn't like what I was seeing much, so there goes the black and white conversion.

I don't know what this type of flower is called, all I know is that it was small, cute and pretty!

This photograph was shot using a Canon 40D with a 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. Photograph was edited using Photoshop CS4.

Majestic

What better landmark can describe New York City if not the famous Empire State Building? I wonder if there any tourists who visited New York City and missed seeing this wonderful piece of architecture.

This black and white photograph of the Empire State Building has been sitting on my hard drive for some time now so I decided to bring it out and include it in my blog.

I still remember the very first time I saw the building, and being up there. I wish I could erase the experience from my mind and do it all over again. I have never felt so absolute and minor compared to this humongous building. It is a building so simple, yet so grand that there is no sore eye that can't look it and say 'Wow that's beautiful!'

New York City is one of those cities that you can't help fall in love over and over again with every corner you turn. There is always something to see. It's the city where dreams come true (and I am sure also the city where a lot of dreams are shattered, but lets not think about that.)

This black and white photograph was shot using a Canon 40D. It was edited and converted using Photoshop CS4.

San Remo From Central Park

From the very first time I've seen this building I was fascinated by it and I didn't even know who lives in it yet!

Almost everywhere you walk in Central Park you could see it. You could see it there standing like a giant amongst the trees. Whether it's a cloudless clear day or a stormy sky, the San Remo building looks in character. It screams New York City, the posh life in New York City.

I took this black and white photograph last Summer on my last day visiting the fantastic city. For some reason, the photos I take on the last week or day are the photos that I hold close to my heart. I know this one is not one of my best black and white photographs but still I felt like showing it, as the San Remo building is one of my favorite in all of New York City (have a I said that already?)

This photo was taken using a compact Samsung camera. Edited and converted to black and white using Photoshop CS4.

Eighth Avenue

Today I was once again browsing through my old photos (by old I mean maybe two years old) and I came across this one. At first it looked like a tourist's photograph but then I looked again and saw the potential of a great black and white conversion.

For those who don't know Eighth Avenue is in Manhattan, NYC. This part of Eighth Avenue is very close to Macy's, which is my second favorite area in Manhattan (first is Times Square).

This line is only intended to people who know what I am talking about. Notice the 421? I guess someone was a minute late. :)

Anyway this photograph was shot using a Canon 40D. As far as the lens goes, I can't really remember which one I was using because it's been too long. As for editing and black and white conversion I used Photoshop CS4.