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

Cruising

Valletta Harbor, Malta

"A ship has a soul." John Rhodes Sturdy

Lately all I've been seeing on the news (even though it's slowly dying now) is that unfortunate ending of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. 

That very same cruise ship was in Malta several times, exactly at the very same place where this cruise ship in the photo is. This is Malta's only harbor for big cruise ships such as the one in the photo. But it's not your everyday harbor. This harbor is stretched over a long distance and the stretch is full of restaurants, shops, bars and even a few nightclubs. 

Even though I like to admire the engineering behind cruise ships I am not the least bit interested in ever going on one.

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.

The Door

Valletta, Malta

"Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be." Albert Einstein

Today I am posting another photograph of my Valletta by Night tour. This photo was shot just opposite the location of my previous photo. 

Today the building is where the Parliament meets but it has a lot of history. It was built by the Knights of St.John and it was their residence. It's simply enormous inside and full of grandeur. The Knights sure did have good taste regarding architecture and location. 

It was recently restored too and it looks nicer than ever. Add the night ambient to it and you have some eye candy. It always baffles me that a building that was built around 1560 is still standing there and has a purpose. I always try to imagine the lush life that those Knights lived back then.

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.

The Way of Light

Valletta, Malta

"Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?" Maurice Freehill

I have always thought that the night is more colorful than the day and I tend to enjoy sightseeing more after the sun sets. Sometimes you can see things that you can't see during the daytime.

This photo was shot in Valletta at the newly refurbished square that's by the Parliament. A few years ago it used to be sitting there in pitch black but now it's really breathtaking to just walk over there at night.

It was one of those moments where I wished I was carrying my professional camera but since I only had my iPhone with me I had to do the best I can with it. The photo is raw, no editing, no light metering...just a simple point and shoot. It was shot using the Hipstamatic app and converted to black and white using the iPhone.

Christmas is Gone

Republic Street, Valletta

"A Merry Christmas to everybody! A happy new year to all the world!" Charles Dickens

So the season came and gone and so did the decorations. I can't believe take months getting prepared to decorate and then it all goes away in a blink. 

Republic Street is one of my favorite streets in Malta. During the day it's a nightmare with all the people walking but at night especially after midnight it's almost totally empty and it's nice and somewhat romantic to take a stroll, especially during Christmas.

When I was walking, I had no intention to take any photos but I couldn't refuse not snapping one of the street.

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.

Nostaliga

Valletta, Malta

"Distance not only gives nostalgia, but perspective, and maybe objectivity." Robert Morgan

Another photograph in the Valletta series. I am ashamed to say that I don't know anything about those two moments in the photograph. All I know is that the garden that they are set in is wonderful. 

The garden can be found just before you enter the capital city. The area used to be a bus terminus (the main one) but with some latest changes, the bus terminus moved and it was a very good choice.

This photograph was shot using my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app. Some minor editing was done using PS CS4.

Strait Street

Strait Street, Valletta

What you see in this photograph is a part of what could be the most notorious street in Malta. It is also one of my favorite streets and I wish I could go back in time to see it in its glory as I am almost sure that there is no possibility that it will be revived. So what's so special about Strait Street?

After WWII, when Malta was a British Colony, Strait Street was packed with bars and dancing clubs. It was also packed with all kind of sin. Prostitution was big here and it was something that the sailors loved. I never tire of hearing my grandma reliving her old days (mind you, she was not a prostitute) of dancing the night away and going back home drunk. 

Most of the banners for bars and clubs are still there today. You can see one in this photograph called Tico Tico. I am glad the banners and signs survived all this time and I hope that they won't be removed. Who said people didn't know how to have fun back then huh? I think fun was more pure than nowadays and I will give anything I have to at least go back in time even if it's just for a day.

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.

Republic Street

Republic Street, Malta

"A man in the house is worth two in the street." Mae West

Five is my favorite number and when I took this photograph I realized that right in front of me there were five people walking in line right in front of me. It's a coincidence, but it's a nice one.

This is the main street in Malta's capital city, Valletta and it's called Republic Street. It's a really old city that was built by the Knights of St.John and it still features a lot of things that go way back then. The new streets were done a few years ago and I like the element of it. It mixes well with the old historical buildings.

As far as Valletta goes, I usually prefer to get off main streets and go to less frequented ones. There are more subjects to photograph and the back streets are usually very narrow but pack a lot of heart.

I shot this photograph using my iPhone and the Hipstamatic app. Some editing was done using PS CS4.

Elements

Valletta, Malta

"Blue, green, grey, white, or black; smooth, ruffled, or mountainous; that ocean is not silent." H.P. Lovecraft

A few days ago I posted a photograph entitled Past and Present which was shot at the Valletta Waterfront. The photograph today is also shot at the Valletta Waterfront but this time it's from the other side. 

The white tents are all tents for outdoor eating at various different restaurants. You could say you are basically eating on top of the ocean. I believe this is as close as you can get to eating by the ocean.

A few steps down, you can find the main harbor, where cruise ships come in. There was one when I took this photograph but since I was not carrying my DSLR I couldn't really bring it in the photography too (not much control) so I had to settled to two different pictures...one of this and one of the ship. 

The ocean you see here is part of the Mediterranean Ocean and the architecture has been there for several hundred years. I like the idea of mixing old with new and this project turned out to be excellent. It's one of my favorite places to visit while in Malta.

This photograph was shot using my iPhone. No app was used, just the iPhone's normal camera.

Past and Present

Valletta Waterfront, Malta

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" Helen Keller

A few years ago this place was out of bounds for pedestrians. It was neglected and a dangerous place. None of us bothered to go and we had no reason to either.

Today it's one of the most beautiful places in Malta. The buildings you see used to be stores during the Knights of St.John period. They are restored to high quality and turned into restaurants and bars. What once used to be the most deserted area in Malta is now the most frequented place for lunches and dinners. 

Looking on the other side, the view is impeccable (will post a picture soon) and you can see the ocean and the Three Cities. Sometimes, since Valletta has the main harbor, you will spot a gigantic cruise ship coming in and you would be thinking 'wow this ship is as big as this street.' That is true, this street is small but it packs a lot of heart and character. If you are a foodist, this is the place to be at to try different things.

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

Porte des Bombes

Porte des Bombes, Floriana, Malta

"A distant enemy is always preferable to one at the gate." Emile M.Cioran

This gate, which is situated right in the center of a main street is one of the main landmarks in Malta. Porte des Bombes (which literally means door to bombs) is nowadays an ornamental gate, but in the past it formed part of the outer defensive walls of Valletta. 

It was constructed in Baroque style between 1697 and 1720 during the reign of Fra Ramon Perellos who was the 64th Grandmaster of the Knights of Malta. During the 19th century, the British government dramatically altered the original design of the gate by adding a second archway to accommodate increasingly heavy traffic in the Grand Harbor area. A marble plaque was affixed to the newer arch, with the following inscription: "Ad majorem popoli accomodatum".

I originally wanted to stand right in the center but it's too dangerous as there is only a very narrow central strip that you can stand on. So I had to settle for a side picture which actually brought out the texture of the gate even more.

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

Simplicity

Valletta, Malta

"The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave." Thomas Jefferson

Today I am uploading a picture with nothing much to say about. I am keeping things simple for today. 

Basically what we are seeing here is a partial view of the capital city of Malta, Valletta. I took the picture from Senglea at the Gardjola Garden. Senglea is right opposite of Valletta and the views are impeccable. 

It had just stopped raining and the clouds were clearing up but I got the picture right on time before they all disappeared into nothingness. 

That opening between the edge of the city and the picture frame is where the cruise liners come in. We only have one main harbor in Malta and it's in Valletta.

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