Tag: History

Columbus

Christopher Columbus Monument in Genova, Italy
Columbus | Genoa | 2023

Here’s another street photograph using reflections to capture the viewer’s attention. Two passersby become three under the watchful eyes of Christopher Columbus, the discoverer of America. The legendary seafarer was born in Genoa around 1451.

His monument, built in 1862, is located in the Piazza Acquaverde in Genoa, directly next to the main train station, Stazione Principe. The statue of Colombo stands on top of a large marble pedestal, his left hand rests on an anchor while his right is on the shoulder of a figure of America typified by a kneeling Indian maiden holding a cross in the right hand. At each of the four corners of the base stands a smaller square pedestal, on each of which is a seated statue, representing Piety, Science, Constancy and Prudence.

In recent years, the Columbus Memorial has been the subject of controversy, as some people have criticized Columbus for his treatment of the indigenous peoples he encountered in the Americas. There have been discussions to remove the monument, but it remains a prominent landmark in the city of Genoa.

The image was taken with my iPhone 14 Pro and post-processed in Lightroom Classic.

If you are looking for tips and inspirations around street photography you can find in my free Learning center.

Have a great Thursday

Marcus

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7

La Lanterna – revisited

Lanterna - Genova's historic lighthouse
La Lanterna | Genoa | 2004

With the two-week holiday break behind us, The Significant Other and I returned to the jobs that pay the bills today. But we’re still fueled by the memories we made visiting with friends in the Austrian and Swiss alps and, in between, spending the first days at our new “second home” in Genoa. As decoration for our living room we decided to put up a large photo of Genoa’s historic lighthouse – La Lanterna – printed on a 47×32 inch (120×80 cm) canvas.

One of my favorite images of La Lanterna is one I took back in 2004 during a winter sunset with my first digital camera, a Minolta Dimage A1. Revisiting the image in Lightroom Classic, I realized that the quality of a 18 year old digital photograph might not be up to todays standards, and could be unsuitable for a large scale print. Thankfully, Lightroom Classic offers the possibility to upscale any image to double its original size, so I could increase resolution to a modern 5210×3840. Changing the calibration process (in the development module) from the original V1 to the current V5, I was also able to use the modern day capabilities of Lightroom to clean up the noise in the original photograph and enhance clarity and the colors. Exporting the old image to its 2023 clone, I got a clean 10,4 MB file with 300dpi, perfect for a large print.

La Lanterna, as we still see it today, was built in its current shape in 1543, replacing a previous structure on the same rock. It is the world’s third oldest lighthouse and, for more than 350 years, was also the tallest lighthouse in the world.

Have a great start into the week!

Marcus

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5

Greece explored – Mycenae

Lions Gate | Mycenae | 2021

I probably never mentioned that I have lived in Greece as a boy for three years. That said, I have grown up with the ancient sagas telling the stories and adventures of the heroes of Greek mythology. One of the greatest was Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae and victor of the Trojan war. “Greece explored – Mycenae” takes you on a trip through his legendary castle on Argolian hills of the Peloponnese.

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Greece explored – Epidaurus

Ancient Theatre | Epidaurus | 2021

One of the first sightseeing trips in Greece had The Significant Other and I heading to Epidaurus, one of the prime Hellenic tourist destinations. Primarily known for its ancient theatre, Epidaurus is the most important ancient place of worship for the god of healing Asklepios. For more of its history and a few images click below…

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Nuremberg Explored (9) – Rochusfriedhof

A rose for the dead

This weekend marks the start of Advent season, the four weekends prior to Christmas. Which, under normal circumstances, turns Nuremberg into Christmas City. Not so this year. For the first time since World War II the traditional Christkindlesmarkt has been cancelled, as have been all other Christmas events in the city that has been paralyzed by Covid-19 and the renewed lockdown in place until (for now) just before the holidays.

So instead bringing you the festive lights from the start of the holiday season on the Streets of Nuremberg, I visited a more somber place for some creative shooting with my little Ricoh GR III, the Rochusfriedhof. Take a tour around one of Nuremberg’s historic cemeteries in the 9th edition of my series Nuremberg Explored.

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Distanced Observations

Nazi Ralleygrounds

With the daily infection rate on the rise again here in Germany, Covid is still dominating our lives, and somehow also my blogging. A couple of days ago, The Significant Other and I visited the Documentation Center of Nuremberg’s historic Nazi Party Rally Grounds. Our first trip to a museum since the start of Covid was the opportunity for some photographic, distanced obervations…

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Not to be forgotten

The Covid-19 lockdown is dominating our lives these days, as well as the news. Also, all public events have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. Corona is also overshadowing the remembrance of the end of World War II this spring. 75 years ago to this day, on April 20th, 1945, the US Army liberated Nuremberg from the terrors of the Nazi regime. A day not to be forgotten.

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39

Jordan explored – Al Balad Market

Amman - Al Balad Market
1/80 sec | f/4 | ISO 1600

Last November, The Significant Other and I visited Jordan. It was a great trip into a fascinating country. I already wrote about our visit to the ancient Nabatean capital Petra and the tour of Kerak Castle, a stronghold from the time of the crusaders. Today I take you along to explore Al Balad market in the old town of Jordan’s capital Amman.

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38

Tallinn Explored – Patarei Prison

Patarei Prison - food flap in prison door
Food flap in massive cell door

With Covid-19 confining many of us to our own four walls, either under stay-at-home orders or even under quarantine, it is natural that some feel kind of imprisoned. During last Summer’s visit to the Estonian capital of Tallinn, The Significant Other and I had the chance to visit a truly gruesome place, the Patarei prison, built in the mid 19th century as a sea fortress on Tallinn Bay. Join me for a tour of a real prison and dive into the history of a place that many occupants did not survive.

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