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The Art of Photography

Photography can be thought as Poetry utilizing Light instead of ink.

The titles of my photographs are often poem lines, whenever their capturing was inspired by Poetry or belles–lettres.

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“…Some day we’ll pull your boat ashore The day you sail away no more…” The above lyrics of Nana Mouskouri's “My Friend (to) The Sea” song best describe the shot captured: a fishing boat is pulled ashore (and docked on a wooden jetty) the day a most beloved and dearest person sails away no more… The best performance of the above song is the one in Greek (the original language of this song): Yalo – Yalo (Γυαλό Γυαλό, link provided in comment). Yalo – Yalo is both a Love Song and a folkloric (or traditional) one: Eis ton afro, eis ton afro tēs thalassas… In French, the same song was a success as « Au bord de l'eau », always by the same dearest singer. Photograph dedicated to all persons in love who are forced to live separated, because of geographic distance imposed between them…

C/2020 F3 or “Comet NEOWISE” is viewed above Meteora, Greece at dawn, fifty minutes before sunrise. C/2020 F3 is a retrograde, long-period comet discovered in March 2020 by the NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer). The comet approached to Sun down to 0.3 AU on July 3, 2020. In this photograph, the comet was shot after the perihelion passage, on July 8, 2020 at 05:23 AM (local time in Meteora, Greece) at an altitude of 9° 39' above horizon, azimuth of 48° 39'. The comet's distance from Earth was 1 AU, whereas its distance from the Sun was 0.33 AU. The impressive and lofty rock formations captured are collectively called Meteora: The sandstone megaliths' height varies 1,000-2,067 ft (300-630 m). The rock masses were formed 60 million years ago, are geologically unique and listed in UNESCO world heritage sites. This is a high dynamic range photograph resulted from merging two consecutive shots with exposure times of 1 sec & 4 sec. The rest of camera settings were identical: ISO 1600 & f/5.6.

C/2020 F3 or “Comet NEOWISE” is viewed above Meteora, Greece at dawn, forty seven minutes before sunrise. C/2020 F3 is a retrograde, long-period comet discovered in March 2020 by the NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer). The comet approached to Sun down to 0.3 AU on July 3, 2020. In this photograph, the comet was shot after the perihelion passage, on July 8, 2020 at 05:20 AM (local time in Meteora, Greece) at an altitude of 9° 14' above horizon, azimuth of 48° 15'. The comet's distance from Earth was 1 AU, whereas its distance from the Sun was 0.33 AU.

The sun —setting behind bare trees— seems to ignite the autumnal, cloud-laden skies. The heavens convey the impression of being on fire, extinguishable by neither the nearby flowing Peneus river nor the stormy, rainy weather ahead. The glorious sunset occurs in the western part of the sky over Meteora, Greece. It is strongly reminiscent of the bible’s burning bush, as well as of the poem line: “The heavens were all on fire, the earth did tremble” —William Shakespeare (Henry Ⅳ)

Waterfalls beneath a very old arched bridge at Palaeokaryá, near Trikala, Greece. There is a dreamy, emotive element emerging from the scenery, despite the winter weather. The clear waters of Portaïkós river can inspire and cleanse… The scenery reminds us of a poem written by the romantic as well as metaphysical poet of the 17th century: “With what deep murmurs through time's silent stealth Doth thy transparent, cool, and wat'ry wealth Here flowing fall, And chide, and call, As if his liquid, loose retinue stay'd Ling'ring, and were of this steep place afraid;…” —Henry Vaughan (The Waterfall)

Mt. Olympus is barely discernible behind clouds to the left (South) of the glorious sunset. The mountain is 55 km (34 miles) away. It is framed by a fishing rod and by the tip of the cape “Akra Epanomēs,” formed by two converging shores in N. Greece. The sky appears to be all ablaze, radiating a warm glow in golden hues. Mt. Olympus rises to 2,917 m (9,570 ft) and is the highest mountain in Greece. It was thought as the 12 gods' everlasting residence, according to Homer. The sacred mountain has long inspired a legion of poets.

Waterfall beneath a very old arched bridge at Palaeokaryá, near Trikala, Greece. Rays of hard sunlight paint the space below the bridge's arch into a dreamy, golden-coloured atmosphere despite the winter weather. The clear waters of Portaïkós river can inspire as well as cleanse… The scenery reminds us of a poem written by the 17th century poet: “With what deep murmurs through time's silent stealth Doth thy transparent, cool, and wat'ry wealth Here flowing fall, And chide, and call, As if his liquid, loose retinue stay'd Ling'ring, and were of this steep place afraid; … … As this loud brook's incessant fall In streaming rings restagnates all, Which reach by course the bank, and then Are no more seen, just so pass men…” —Henry Vaughan (The Waterfall)

A flying pelican gets ready for landing on the water by extending his feet and reducing speed. It is in early January that the large bird seems to hit the brakes for a smooth touchdown on the lake Orestiada in Kastoria, northern Greece. Photograph To Be Continued… This is the largest of pelican species, called Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) with curly nape feathers, grey legs and greyish-white plumage.

Juvenile pelican flies low (or skims) over water in order to benefit from an aerodynamics phenomenon called ground effect. The large bird saves energy while flying thanks to the increased lift he gains from the air flowing between his wings and the water surface. It is the lake Orestiada in Kastoria, Greece, that the large bird flies over in early January. This is the largest of pelican species, called Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) with curly nape feathers, grey legs and greyish-white plumage. The color of the bird’s throat pouch is indicative of his young age.

A two-storey house is reflected in the water surface of a calm lake in springtime. Plastiras’s lake (aka Tavrōpos's Reservoir) is artificial, yet in harmony with nature. The snow-capped Agrafa mountains, too, are reflected in the lake near the city of Karditsa. Agrafa is the southernmost part of the Pindus range, in mainland Greece. The lake's surface acts as a mirror, reflecting the beauty of the entire serene scenery. Water, mirrors, houses and reflections are elements with symbolic meaning in psychoanalysis: Its progenitor concluded that sexual instincts could not be wholly tamed, and that mental processes were unconscious and could “only reach the ego and come under its control through incomplete and untrustworthy perceptions.” “The ego is not master in its own house.”

The waxing gibbous moon rises above “Roka” or “Adrachti” —the distinctively spindle-shaped, vertical rock— at Meteora, Greece, as viewed from Kastraki village. Meteora rock formations are geologically unique, lofty, and included in UNESCO World Heritage list. The daylight and the moon’s low altitude (5.3° above the horizon) both impede capturing lunar surface details in great extent. ❝Art thou pale for weariness Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth, WANDERING COMPANIONLESS Among the stars…❞ —PB Shelley (“To The Moon”)

This is the north-easternmost aspect of the enormous rock formation called Holy Spirit, in Greek: “Hágio Pneuma.” The rock formation is 985 feet (300 m) high and a chapel was built on its top in 950 AD or in 1333-1334 by local shepherds or hunters, who were the first to have climbed on it. The huge cave discerned at the lower part of the rock used to serve as the monks' prison. It was raining when this photograph was taken under cloud-laden skies. Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the appearance of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles (aka Pentecost or Whit Sunday) on the 7th Sunday after Easter (50 days after Resurrection) or on the 10th day after Ascension. This year, the celebration occurs on June 7, 2020. There will be a celebrating liturgy at this high chapel, where both the priest and the congregation will have to climb. Holy Spirit is one of the many impressive and lofty rock formations whose group is collectively called Meteora: The sandstone megaliths' height varies 1,000-1,800 ft (300-550 m). The rock masses were formed 60 million years ago, are geologically unique and listed in UNESCO world heritage sites.

The rusted remains of a ship that has wrecked and drifted ashore. The shipwreck was shot at sunset, near Epanomē, Greece, by applying very long exposure. The shot was inspired by the poem lines: “A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigged, Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Instinctively have quit it.” —William Shakespeare (The Tempest, Act I, sc. 2)

A person ascends the higher middle part of an arched bridge, where its cornerstone is wedged. This is the Kókkoris’s or Noutsos’s bridge, made of stones, in central Zagori, Greece. The protruding cobblestones’ pavement is visible. Steep, gigantic rock cliffs surround the bridge with the entrance to a cave seen in the background. This sort of extreme terrain along with the human presence —both as physically there and as indirect presence through the existence of a man-made structure— offers rich texture and shapes; the latter are best presented in black and white; a pictorially timeless, artistic look is also provided this way. So, colour information was deliberately discarded! The arched bridge was built in 1750 and is located near the Kipoi (Kēpoe, Κῆποι) village. It is 23.6 m (77 ft) long, 13 m (43 ft) high and spans the Vikakēs or Voïdomátēs river. Kēpoe is one of the 46 Zagóri villages or Zagorochória. They are all built in high altitude, on Pindus range of mountains, in northwestern Greece. Zagori is an area of great natural beauty, with striking geology and two National Parks. The ascending individual’s photograph is reminiscent of the following poem lines: “We have not wings, we cannot soar; But we have feet to scale and climb” —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (The Ladder of St. Augustine)

Bright sunlight diagonally pours in Meteora, Greece. It makes the giant rock formations and the tiled rooftops look as if they were sunbathing under clear skies. A juxtaposition of illumination and shadows, of natural rock formations and man-made houses… The presence of Winter comes pictorially complete with a wisp of smoke rising vertically upwards from a chimney at Kastraki village. The distinctively spindle-shaped, vertical rock is called Roka or Adrachti. Roka belongs to the Meteora rocky complex. The lofty rock formations called Meteora are geologically unique and included in UNESCO World Heritage list. The monochrome photograph was inspired by the poem lines: “The trumpet of a prophecy! O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” —Percy Bysshe Shelley (Ode To The West Wind)

Mt. Athos is viewed from a shore afar (19 mi - 31 km). It appears framed by the curve of a pine tree’s trunk, roots and branches. Evergreen trees bent or leaning in the wind represent an inherent natural beauty. The mountain rises to 6,670 ft (2,033 m), has got very steep cliffs and is snow-capped in winter. It is listed in World Heritage sites by UNESCO. It has been regarded as sacred throughout history: In ancient Greece it was Jove’s (Zeus’s) divine mountain; since 800 AD it has been known as “The Holy Mountain,” where over 2,000 monks live in 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries (abbeys).

The industrial landscape of Kozanē county in northern Greece is depicted. The tiny figures of residential houses and other buildings are dwarfed by the monumental structures of the power station cooling towers, symbolic of modern technology’s invasion into the natural habitat. A juxtaposition of pollution and trees in the foreground. The photograph was shot from a high viewpoint and a distance of 4.12 km (2.56 miles) away. Shot inspired by British photographer John Davies’s “The British Landscape” series.

Part of a housetop beneath the Wolf Moon penumbral Eclipse 2020. Rumour has it that this particular building might be haunted. It is located in the East End of Thessaloniki, Greece. When the shot was captured, the moon was at a 52.7° altitude above the horizon and 371,437 km away. The dog was constantly howling, baying at the moon during shooting! Shot inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s lines: “On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore- Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!' Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'” —Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven) For a balanced exposure of both the housetop and the full moon’s penumbral eclipse, the necessary shutter speed was too slow to capture discernible details of the fast-moving lunar surface (which was in the penumbra, anyway).

Two wine glasses along with a wine breather carafe are patiently waiting to be filled on a wooden jetty by the sea in front of snow-capped Mt. Olympus, in Greece. The pictorial presence of red wine is implied by the deep, saturated red colour. The photograph was shot on the very first day of December 2019 at the Axios river’s delta, near Kalochōri, Greece, by listening to the “Red Red Wine” masterpiece by UB40.

The sun sets behind a tree on Palaeókastro hill near Loutraki, Skopelos Isl., Greece. An ancient city’s citadel was erected there in Ⅴ–Ⅳ century BC. The city’s original name remains unknown, but its Roman name was Selin(o)us. The whole island was known as Pepárēthus. The poem lines may accompany the pictorial mood of the photograph: “The broken sunset declined and was gone and it seemed a delusion to ask for the gifts of the sky.” —George Seferis (Erotikos Logos, transl. by Edm. Keeley)

The “Gkikas's Mill bridge” near Kraniá (aka Kranéa or “La Kornu”), a village in high altitude near Trikala, Greece. The bridge is arched, made of stones, 20 metre (66 ft) long and 2.7 m (9 ft) wide. The bridge was constructed in 1887 and spans the Kraniótikos river or stream that is a tributary of Aspropótamos. Aspropótamos (Greek for “White River”) is the locally used toponym for the 2nd largest Greek river, aka “Achelōos.” Achelōos runs for 220 km (137 mi) prior to disgorging its waters into the Ionian Sea. The precipitous flow of the river causes its crystal-clear waters to splash and foam over the many stones scattered throughout the river bed; the White River toponym emanates from the white foam occurring all along the river. Achelōos was worshipped as a god in ancient Greece (son of Ocean and Tēthys or Ocean and Naïás according to myths and legends). At the 1,177-metre (3,862-ft) altitude a carpet of snow still covers the woods, complete with bears' and wolves' traces all over in early March; it is still cold (+5℃ or 41℉); Spring hasn't yet arrived there… The unspoiled scenery is strongly reminiscent of T.S. Eliot's poetry: “The river is within us…” —T.S. Eliot (The Dry Salvages / Four Quartets)

A tree and the clouds are reflected in the water surface of a calm lake in late April. Plastiras’s lake (aka Tavrōpos’s Reservoir, fed by Tavrōpos river) is artificial, yet in harmony with nature. The snow-capped Agrafa mountains, too, are reflected in the lake near the city of Karditsa, Greece, on this spring morning. Agrafa is the southernmost part of the Pindus range, in mainland Greece. The Ottomans never conquered this region (the area and its population were “agrafa” = unrecorded in the Sultan's tax register; as a result, the people were free throughout the four centuries of Ottoman Turkish occupation). The lake’s surface acts as a mirror, reflecting the beauty of the entire serene scenery. The mood is strongly reminiscent of the poem lines: “Sleep wrapped you in green leaves like a tree you breathed like a tree in the quiet light in the limpid spring I looked at your face eyelids closed, eyelashes brushing the water.” —George Seferis (Mythistorēma)

Troubled Seas swirl around dry land, backlit by the moon, near Afytos, on the Northeastern coast of Kassandra peninsula, Greece. Something about the ocean touches our soul by whispering the poet’s verses: “The river is within us, the sea is all about us; The sea is the land's edge also, the granite Into which it reaches, the beaches where it tosses Its hints of earlier and other creation: … The sea has many voices, Many gods and many voices.” —T.S. Eliot (The Dry Salvages / Four Quartets)

Three gulls forage for terrestrial prey by flying over dry land. Their webbed feet are still wet —dripping droplets of freshwater— after having just taken off from the nearby lake Orestiada in Kastoria, Greece. There are rooftops and chimneys discerned in the background; they belong to the mountainous village called Polykarpē with an altitude of 640 m above sea level.

The Milky Way crowns the church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The latter used to be the main church (aka the “katholikon”) of the Kleinovos abbey or monastery. The abbey is 2 km away from the small village Kleinovos (aka Kleinos) and to the North-East of the village, on the “Tringía” mountain (of the Pindos range), at an altitude of 3,806 ft (1,160 m). The silhouette of the mountain’s slope is visible on the left. The altitude of the Milky Way’s core (galactic centre) was 15° above the horizon and its azimuth 150.6°. The architectural type of the church is Athonite with a cross-in-square plan, lateral choirs and a double-domed narthex (in addition to the church’s main dome). Wall paintings cover the interior of the church throughout and they began being created in the 1780s. There is a trilingual inscription at the entrance of the church. The dimensions of the 26.5 ft (8.07m)-high church are 39.4 × 23 ft (12 × 7 m). This is a composite photograph, made from 14 consecutive light frames stacked by Starry Landscape Stacker 1.8.0. Algorithm: Min Value.

Realistic composite picture of the Flower Moon (lowered to a 3° altitude above horizon) as it sets over St. Nicholasâs chapel by the Nautical Club in Thessaloniki, Greece. The picture's leading or key element is Moonlight ( « Clair de lune » in French ). Direct moonlight as well as moonlight reflected in the chapel was captured by the camera, for both the moon and the chapel were shot seven minutes before sunrise. This was the last Super Moon of 2020. The chapel's most prominent architectural feature is the lofty, cross-shaped bell tower. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of members of Hellenic Navy staff and of seafarers in general. When shot, the Earth's satellite had an 8° 11' altitude above horizon, a 238° azimuth, a -12.49 visual magnitude, 99.3% illumination, 15 days' age and a 362,179 km distance from our planet. The shutter speed used for the moon was 1/800 sec, whereas for the chapel's exposure it was 1/80 sec. The rest of settings were identical for both shots: f/9 and ISO 320. The 35mm-efl was 480 mm.

The Flower Moon sets over St. Nicholas’s chapel by the Nautical Club in Thessaloniki, Greece. This is the last Super Moon of 2020. The chapel’s most prominent architectural feature is the lofty, cross-shaped bell tower; the bell even shines in the light cast by the rising sun. The setting moon is shot a quarter past sunrise (18 min precisely, at 06:33:36 AM local time). When shot, the Earth’s satellite has got a 4° 37’ altitude above horizon, a 241° 55’ azimuth, a -12.48 visual magnitude, 99.2% illumination, 15 days’ age and a 362,627.7 km distance from our planet. The picture displayed is a high dynamic range composite of two consecutive shots with f/11 and ISO 200. The exposure bracketing was due to different shutter speed used: 1/250 sec and 1/1000 sec.

The full moon rising at a 5° altitude above the horizon at Platamon, southeast of Mount Olympus, Greece, shot at 18:30 hrs local time on Feb.19, 2019 (at a distance of 356,861 km from earth, azimuth of 71.8° and in front of the Leo constellation). This fullmoon is called “snow moon” or “hunger moon.” It is also a “super” moon: the term indicates that the moon was at its closest point of orbit to earth (called the perigee): that made the moon look bigger and brighter than usual. The Platamōn Castle was built in 1204-1222 AD by Franconian knights of the 4th crusade (led by Rolando Pisscia or Pice of Lombardy). The place now occupied by the castle had constituted the ancient city called Herakleion (Ἡράκλειον) in pre-Christian times, probably built in c.360 BC. One remembers the interrogative verses written by one of the greatest romantic poets: ❝Art thou pale for weariness Of climbing heaven and gazing on the earth, Wandering companionless Among the stars that have a different birth,…?❞ —Percy Bysshe Shelley (“To The Moon”)

Krania is a historical village —dating from AD 1454— in a 1,142 m altitude, near Trikala, Greece. Kraniá is frosted and snow-crowned in winter. Can one think of any better place where to celebrate a White Christmas? Fresh Water: There is an abundant flow of it in and around Kraniá. There the ubiquitous presence of this element has contributed into the creation of folk tales or legends about Water Nymphs (“Kalótyches”). Kraniótikos river or stream winds across the firs' forest and then flows through the village itself. Kraniótikos is a tributary of Aspropótamos. Aspropótamos (Greek for “White River”) is a toponym for the 2nd largest Greek river, aka “Achelōos.” Achelōos runs for 220 km (137 mi) prior to disgorging its waters into the Ionian Sea. The precipitous flow of the river causes its crystal-clear waters to splash and foam over the many stones scattered throughout the river bed; the White River toponym emanates from the white foam occurring all along the river. Achelōos was worshipped as a god in ancient Greece (son of Ocean and Tēthys or Ocean and Naïás). Kraniótikos was in spate in early March, when the photograph was shot: the glade captured is called Gkikas's Mill and is located 1 km away from Kraniá. An arched bridge for pedestrians spans the Kraniótikos brook; it was built of stones in 1887.

Sculptures displayed at The British Museum in London. They had first been severed and dismembered from the Parthenon (on the Acropolis in Athens) and then they were plundered by Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, in early 19th century. Lord Elgin abused his position as British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire to supposedly acquire an alleged Turkish “firman” (permit signed by the occupying Ottoman oppressors’ Sultan) ostensibly allowing him to remove the sculptures. The original firman has never been presented. In any case, issuing such a firman was illicit and illegal (in violation of the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict [art. 5] and also violation of the Hague Convention [ art. 4 & 11]). Such preposterous, illegal and unethical uprooting of cultural heritage was criticised or censured by poets, scholars and cultured intellectuals such as Lord Byron. He expressed his undisguised contempt and wrath by including scathing lines in his poems: ❝Let Aberdeen and Elgin still pursue The shade of fame through regions of Virtù; Waste useless thousands on their Phidian freaks, Misshapen monuments and maimed antiques; And make their grand saloons a general mart For all the mutilated blocks of art:…❞ —Gordon Brown Lord Byron (“English Bards and Scotch Reviewers”).

❝Once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid, on a dolphin's back, Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, That the rude sea grew civil at her song.❞ —William Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night's Dream) The foreground is transpired by a mythical dimension, thanks to The Maiden and The Dolphin Fountain, a lovely sculpture at St. Katharine’s Walk. The stunning Contrast of architectural styles is apparent in the background between the Old (the Tower Bridge) and the New (the Shard skyscraper), nowhere else to be found in such a photogenic way in other capitals! Hope emerges in the form of human youth and affection, also present.

Mt. Athos is viewed under stormy, cloud-laden skies from a remote shore. In winter, the mountain is snow-capped. Sea waves pound the coastal rocks and salt spray makes the whole shore wet. Mt. Athos rises to 6,670 ft (2,033 m) and has got very steep cliffs. It is listed in World Heritage sites by UNESCO. It has been regarded as sacred throughout history: In ancient Greece it was Jove’s (Zeus’s) divine mountain; since 800 AD it has been known as “The Holy Mountain,” where over 2,000 monks live in 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries (abbeys).

The Plakida or Kalogeriko arched stone bridge, over the Voïdomátēs river, near Kēpoe (Κῆποι), Greece. This 3-arch bridge's construction was funded in 1814 by a local monk (in Greek kalógero) with the sum of 20,000 kuruş (or piastres, in Greek γρόσσια). It was repaired in 1865. The bridge is 65 m (213 ft) long. Kēpoe is one of the 46 Zagori villages or Zagorochória. They are all built in high altitude, on Pindus range of mountains, in northwestern Greece. Zagori is an area of great natural beauty, with striking geology and two National Parks (one including the Aōos river and the Vikos Gorge, the other around Valia Kalda, to the east of the imposing snow-capped Mt Tymphē). The reflection beneath the shot bridge reminds the poem lines: “And at the end of all How are we better off than Seaghan the fool, That never did a hand's turn? Aibric! Aibric! We have fallen in the dreams the Ever-living Breathe on the burnished mirror of the world And then smooth out with ivory hands and sigh, And find their laughter sweeter to the taste For that brief sighing.” —William Butler Yeats (The Shadowy Waters)

Extreme upward capture of the Kókkoris’s or Noutsos’s bridge in central Zagori, Greece. The arched bridge was built in 1750 and is located near the Kipoi (Kēpoe, Κῆποι) village. It is 23.6 m (77 ft) long, 13 m (43 ft) high and spans the Vikakēs or Voïdomátēs river. Kēpoe is one of the 46 Zagóri villages or Zagorochória. They are all built in high altitude, on Pindus range of mountains, in northwestern Greece. Zagori is an area of great natural beauty, with striking geology and two National Parks (one including the river Aōos and the Vikos Gorge, the other around Valia Kalda, to the east of the imposing snow-capped Mt Tymphē). The Upward capture of this photograph reminds of the following lines from the most poetic of all the works Albert Camus wrote for the stage: “…here, where the gaze is stopped everywhere, the Whole Earth Is Designed so that the Face Turns Upward and the gaze implores. Oh! I hate this world where we are reduced to God.” —Albert Camus (The Misunderstanding - Le Malentendu, act.2)

Mount Olympus is seen from afar (from 35 miles away) on the horizon above Aegean sea. It is the highest mountain in Greece, rising to 9,570 ft, still snow-capped in May, playing hide-and-seek in cloud-laden skies. The photograph was taken from Kalikrateia in Chalkidikē peninsula. Jove’s (Zeus’s) and other gods’ mythological residence has long inspired a legion of poets, including Homer: “Fly to Olympus, to the feet of Jove, And make thy pray'r to him, if on his heart Thou hast in truth, by word or deed, a claim” —Homer (Iliad, book I 394-395) Homer’s original text in ancient Greek: 🇬🇷 « ἐλθοῦσ᾿ Οὔλυμπόνδε Δία λίσαι, εἴ ποτε δή τι ἢ ἔπει ὤνησας κραδίην Διὸς ἠὲ καὶ ἔργῳ. » —Ὁμήρου Ἰλιὰς Α 394-395

$The heart and soul of Thessaloniki, Greece: Earth and Water, rocks and sea, land and harbour. The city is unfolded along the seashore. The vast expanse of water element in the photograph (Gulf of Salonica or Thermaïkos) represents the sea's primary importance in the city's history: Thessaloniki Port was coveted by friends and foes, even Czar's Russia and soviet satellite countries. The clay-coloured edifice called Thessaloniki Concert Hall dominates the seaside as a landmark: From the Concert Hall a promenade stretches as far north as the White Tower and even farther (the ‘old promenade’ carries on, all the way to the Port). More than a million people live in Thessaloniki metropolitan area and engage in all sorts of activities: artistic and cultural, trade, seafaring, literary and more. Thessalonikē was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, one of Alexander the Great's rival successors. In 148 BC Thessalonikē was made capital of the Roman province of Macedon, then conquered by the Ottomans in 1430. It was liberated in 1912 by Hellenic Army. This photograph was inspired by a poem: “Flowers of the rock facing the green sea with veins that reminded me of other loves glowing in the slow fine rain, …” —G. Seferis (pen name of Geōrgios Seferiádēs, Flowers of the Rock) (Original poem in Greek: Ἄνθη τῆς πέτρας μπροστὰ στὴν πράσινη θάλασσα μὲ φλέβες ποὺ μοῦ θύμιζαν ἄλλες ἀγάπες γυαλίζοντας στ᾿ ἀργὸ ψιχάλισμα, … —Γ. Σεφέρης - Σχέδια για ένα καλοκαίρι \ Άνθη της πέτρας)$

Thessaloniki, Greece, unfolded along the seaside. Both parts of Thessaloniki Concert Hall can be seen, as landmarks, on the right: the imposing clay-coloured edifice and, next to it, the newly erected white building with the green glass façade towards the sea shore. Reflections of both buildings are visible on the waves. Optimist boats, overflown by a gull, sail into dock. More than a million people live in Thessaloniki metropolitan area and engage in all sorts of activities: artistic and cultural, trade, seafaring, literary and more. The sea has primary importance in the city's life; its Port was coveted by friends and foes. From the Concert Hall a promenade stretches along the seaside as far north as the White Tower and even farther (all the way to the harbour). Thessalonikē was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, one of Alexander the Great's rival successors. In 148 BC Thessalonikē was made capital of the Roman province of Macedon, then conquered by the Ottomans in 1430. It was liberated in 1912 by Hellenic Army. The photograph was inspired by the following lines (originally referring to another city—Antioch), written by a famous Greek poet: “… is proud of its magnificent buildings, fine streets, the lovely countryside around it, its teeming population; proud too of its glorious kings, its artists and sages, its very rich yet prudent merchants. But far more than all this … is proud to be a city Greek from ancient times, related to …” —Constantine P. Cavafy (Greek from Ancient Times) ( Original poem in Greek: ❝Καυχιέται ἡ … γιὰ τὰ λαμπρά της κτίρια, καὶ τοὺς ὡραίους της δρόμους· γιὰ τὴν περὶ αὐτὴν θαυμάσιαν ἐξοχήν, καὶ γιὰ τὸ μέγα πλῆθος τῶν ἐν αυτῇ κατοίκων. Καυχιέται ποὺ εἶν’ ἡ ἕδρα ἐνδόξων βασιλέων· καὶ γιὰ τοὺς καλλιτέχνας καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς ποὺ ἔχει, καὶ γιὰ τοὺς βαθυπλούτους καὶ γνωστικοὺς ἐμπόρους. Μὰ πιὸ πολὺ ἀσυγκρίτως ἀπ’ ὅλα, ἡ … καυχιέται ποὺ εἶναι πόλις παλαιόθεν ἑλληνίς· τοῦ Ἄργους συγγενής…❞ —Κ.Π. Καβάφης - Παλαιόθεν Ἑλληνὶς )

Thessaloniki Concert Hall comprises two buildings: an older, imposing clay-coloured edifice and, next to it, the newly erected “M2” modern, white building with the green glass façade towards the seaside. The Hall is a cultural and conference centre with the capacity to host various events, including concerts, ballet, theatre and opera, cultural and art expositions and conferences. Its main hall has 1,400 seats. It was inaugurated in January 2000. The M2 building was designed by Arata Isozaki. The two buildings' complex, occupying a 18,000 sq.m. (193,750 sq.ft.) area, became an iconic landmark of the city. The photograph was inspired by the passage: ❝Music, when combined with a pleasurable idea, is poetry; music, without the idea, is simply music; the idea, without the music, is prose, from its very definitiveness.❞ —Edgar Allan Poe (“Letter to Mr. B.–” in “Introduction to Poems–1831,” inside “Poems of Youth.” Book: The Works of Edgar Allan Poe; Volume 5 (of 5) of the Raven Edition, ebook #2151, Gutenberg.org) The same passage was narrated by Orson Welles in the 1987 re-recording of “The Fall Of The House of Usher - I Prelude” in the Alan Parson Project's “Tales of Mystery & Imagination” album.

Dawn breaks over Eindhoven, the Netherlands. As the sun is about to rise above the skyline, the cloud-laden skies are rimmed with spectacular colours of splendor and magnificence. This new day is one of the Dutch Design Week 2019 that is well underway in Eindhoven.

The 25.2-metre long female skeleton of the blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, named Hope has been hanging in Hintze Hall since July 2017. Natural History Museum. Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived (it has a heart the size of a small family car). Small-sized figures of people (on the staircase, standing next to Charles Darwin’s statue) are discerned in the photograph in order to accentuate the enormous size of Hope's skeleton. Hope is so called to highlight the powerful story she tells about man’s relationship with the natural world. Hope was beached on March 26, 1881 near the mouth of Wexfor Harbour in Ireland. In 1934 her skeleton was initially suspended in the Museum’s Mammals’ Gallery. By the middle of 20th century the blue whale was on the brink of extinction. The species started being protected in 1966, so today there are about 20,000 blue whales in the world, playing a crucial role in sustaining their ecosystem and habitat. Natural History Museum was opened in April 1881. It was designed as a cathedral to Nature with the aim to reveal the beauty and diversity of nature. The Museum is one of London’s most recognisable and iconic landmarks. At its centre there is the most evident exhibit, a true exhibit itself in its own right: Hintze Hall. Natural light streaming in through the windows picks out details in its terracotta decorations, stained glass and mosaic floor. Wide, round-arched bays along each side house some other of the Museum’s many treasures. The Hall’s core aim is to be an iconic introduction to Nature. ❝Nothing in Life is to be feared, it is only to be Understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.❞ — Marie Curie.

Replica of a traditional Korean house built by Do Ho Suh (S. Korean artist). Installed on top of a pedestrian bridge spanning Wormwood Street, near Liverpool Str. station in the City of London. One of the Bridging Home’s walls is hanging over the edge of the bridge. Other features of it: a curved gable roof, a timber frame, brick walls and shuttered windows. By modelling the design on his childhood house, the artist is really making a statement about the migrant history of London. The installation forms part of the “Sculpture in the City” programme and the “Art Night” initiative. The work of art triggers a hiatus and a detournement, taking passers-by to lands far away. It activates feelings of home, belonging and remembrance that resonate with viewers on their own journeys. A juxtaposition with the tall towers that dominate the area: “Tower 42” (aka NatWest Tower) and Heron Tower. The photograph is strongly reminiscent of Homer’s many passages referring to “nostimon ēmar,” Greek for Odysseus’s “day of returning home” (νόστιμον ἦμαρ, Odyssey, bk 1: 9, 165 etc.)

Fire. Volcanoes. Earthquakes. Earth Hall. Natural History Museum. Cromwell Rd., S. Kensington, London. The abstract photograph was inspired by the poem: “Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I’ve tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice,…” —Robert Frost (Fire & Ice)

Three towering trees cling to one another in a way strongly reminiscent of lyrics in Nina Simone’s “Wild Is the Wind” song: “Don't you know you're life itself Like a leaf clings to a tree Oh my darling, cling to me For we're creatures of the wind And wild is the wind So wild is the wind” (Written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington) A juxtaposition of human needs with plants’ converging lines. Also a juxtaposition of Nature with automotive technology along with power lines. After all, it’s spring time; let’s all enjoy…!

Brig Gen IC Papachristos MD, Ret

Photography

The Art of Photography