Mary in the Corner

Marsa, Malta

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." Galileo Galilei

This is one of those pictures that you will only understand if you are coming from a Catholic freak country. 

For all those who are not (I envy you), I will try my best to explain what you see here.

This picture was shot in Malta at a location called Marsa. Marsa is certainly not the most sought after place in Malta and definitely not the place to be at at any time. Besides a power plant that's right in the center of houses (which is creating black dust all over the country), Marsa is also infested with illegal immigrants coming from all parts of Africa. Not exactly a safe neighborhood but in the morning it is safe enough to go down there and shoot a couple of interesting pictures.

In the corner, in this picture, we see a statue of Holy Mary. These sights are very common in Malta...so common that us locals tend to not see them. It's hilarious though when sometimes you are riding with a religious freak and he/she makes the sign of the cross in front of every religious statue they see. Experience it once and you will never be the same again.

What baffles me here is the state of the houses. You'd expect them to fall any minute and frankly I am surprised they haven't yet. Seriously how can you still be a believer if you spend your life living in a run down block with a Holy Mary statue in the corner? These people either have divine faith or they simply don't know any better. 

To see all the details in the picture (for example an A/C in the balcony next to Holy Mary) please full view the picture.

This black and white photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Lady Liberty

Statue of Liberty, New York City

"I've always had a strong feeling for the Statue of Liberty, because it became the statue of my personal liberty." David Antin

Today I am posting another picture I took from our Water Taxi ride last summer. This time we got closer to the majestic Lady Liberty and the weather was perfect to create the contrast we see in the picture. There were a couple of birds flying around her which added more drama. 

This picture was shot only a few seconds before a huge storm hit us. It was like the Statue of Liberty was holding back the storm until we got some pictures of her and I am glad and grateful towards her.

Look at the statue, it makes me wonder if New York City would still be New York City without this landmark. To me it seems that the Statue of Liberty is New York City even though it resembles liberty and freedom in all states.

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Guardian Angel

Midtown Manhattan, New York City

"Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel's just got his wings." Francis Goodrich

This is the second picture of Angels around New York City. The first one is the one at the Bethesda Terrace. I can't really recall where I saw the Angel in this picture but I am sure it was somewhere in Midtown Manhattan.

This particular Angel I found to be more mesmerizing than the one at the Bethesda Terrace. I don't exactly know why but maybe it's all the details in the statue itself. The light hitting the wings from a certain direction make them seem alive and real. The texture from the stone behind the statue and the texture in the statue itself create a great contrast which make the Angel look more vivid.

Note to visitors and New Yorkers alike...when you are walking always make sure you look up.  If I hadn't looked up when I shot this picture I would have missed this Angel and would have never known that it existed. In New York City you need eyes like a hawk in order to never miss anything!

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV

Carry Me Home

5th Avenue, New York City

"Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." Michelangelo

I have no doubt that every New Yorker has seen this statue and I have no doubt that no matter how many times we walk by it, we always give it a look, whether it is a long stare or just a glimpse. Every time you walk by it, you will use a lot of tourists capturing memorable pictures of this famous statue with the name 'Atlas'.

In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan who supported the heavens Usually one could see him carrying a planet but in this particular statue he is carrying circles that represent the planet. It's location is a beautiful one. It is situated right opposite the world famous St.Patrick's Cathedral.

I always felt that there is something mystical with this Atlas statue in New York City. Every time I look at it I sense of a feel of relief. I don't know exactly why it happens but maybe it's because it reminds me that sometimes I am not the only one that is carrying more weight on my shoulders than I need to.

This photograph was captured on my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done in PS CS4. Settings for Hipstamatic were BlacKeys B&W/Lucifer IV