Rest in Blue

Rest in Blue, originally uploaded by Eric Gozar.

This photo which I posted in Flickr.com, (my account - ericgozar) at the time of this posting was viewed 1,052 times and favorited by 74 people since I posted it on the Flickr site.

Sometimes I ask myself, why do people react to a photo or a picture, like this one which I took last year in May when my family and I was vacationing in Boracay. What is in this photo that makes people react favorably, leaving nice comments, invitations and virtual awards? What is the photo that makes people respond and post a comment?

After being surprised by the popularity of this photograph, I pondered and asked myself why? Many of you reading this blog will have your own answers, whether it is the allure of the place, the color of the photo and / or the composition, but I guess that is if you are a photographer or an artist viewing it as a work of photographic art.

But what if you are a plain viewer on this Flickr.com site, like some of the members just browsing and commenting?

I have some of my own opinion about the photo why people react about this image: This is just my own analysis, based on what I know about people's behavior as to the image composition, the image's theme, the image's color.

Let's start from the last one: COLOR:

This photo is appealing to many viewers because of it's color - BLUE, a universal color of acceptance. The sky is blue and it encompasses all the nations on this world, or maybe even some worlds. Thus, initially, the perception of this image being universally acceptable is immediately there. Blue is a universally acceptable color.

In one of the lectures I attended in HK, presented an Austrian expert on color, it's psychology and effects on people, the color of blue is the safest color for one to employ in most of his dealings with other people who he has never had a chance to know personally about his preferences. Blue can be used on his presentation materials to a new client, clothing for new acquaintances, even his websites to launch and target an unknown group of people. Blue is a safe and universally acceptable color.

Now the universally accepted THEME:

Rest, Serenity, Peace, Quiet, Solitude, is shown on the image, attracting the ordinary and specially stressed people viewing this image to think that they want to be in this place, on this sand, on this beach chair. The appeal of the theme of a vacation spot, and the invitation of rest or a holiday trip is expressed on this image. Warm green clean waters, white sands, light breeze and sun becons to many people whoever they are. For a fact, Europeans adore sceneries like thiis in tropical countries which has warm weather and unspoiled beaches.

Now the first one that is more inclined to be perceived by artists, specially photographers - COMPOSITION & BALANCE:

Movement is shown by the image of the blue sailed "banca" (outrigger boat) while a soft light breeze is implied by the slightly blown blue sail that propels the "banca" as it sails by two beach chairs made of bamboo. The movement is evident in this static photo.

Although the horizon it slightly tilted, it gives the sail's off-centered position on the image a semi-illusion of the "banca" sliding to it's destination, softly,quietly and gently.

But again this is balanced by the skewed position of the beach chair on the right which gives a correctional weight to the offset position of the boat of this framed view. The "rule of thirds" on photography is well exemplified on the balance of this landscape view on a portrait format.

I guess this is the intriguing part of this photo. Many photographers would normally capture a scene like this in landscape format, but I have tried to express the brevity of this slow but moving frame into a narrower frame of view.

This is just my own personal summary of why my photo has been gathering positive criticisms from fellow members and Flickr viewers since I posted this photo.

The original photo is part of my Bora Collection on Flickr.com: See this photo in Flickr.com - click on the link - http://www.flickr.com/photos/ericgozar/870251391/.

Science Fiction Structures?

science fiction, originally uploaded by suesviews.

Science Fiction Structures?

Seen in Flickr.com titled Science Fiction at selfridges.
the green lights make it look even more alien, I think... . . .photographer's comment..

The new millennium has open up a new series of architectural concept designs, that could be attributed to the intense and very fast appreciation of the power of the computer in producing architectural and engineering visualization tools, drafting and production of the materials used for construction.

In the days of the early computers, where CADD ( Computer Aided Design and Drafting) was the talk of the town, converting the industry to lean and rely more on the CADD power, architectural and engineering drawings for construction had taken a huge leap into the fast and accurate drawing via the use of the computers.

In the early years of the architecture and engineering firms who started to employ computers primarily for their drawing & drafting work, the resulting designs tend to be linear and modular as the computers allowed easy drawing of repetitive work of very complex architectural components and modules. These are exemplified in the works of Kohn Pederson Fox, Michael Graves, Foster & Associates, to name a few.

But other architects like Luis Barragan and Calatrava, did not embrace the technology immediately but waited for the latter part of the computer drawing evolution. The 3D visualization and design software for designers, architects and engineers.

Thus, we have new architectural wonders done with the help of 3Dimesional design software for both architecture and engineering. These helped designers visualize their designs in a virtual view, making their creative and formative decisions on design changes much easier and faster.

Hence we have these new buildings,structures exemplified by the architectural works of Frank Gehry. (BTW,picture shown here is not his work)

City-of-Arts-and-Sciences

City-of-Arts-and-Sciences, originally uploaded by loic_.

The City of Arts and Sciences Building, in Valencia, Spain, taken with a 500cm Hasselblad, 6x6, in black and white by http://www.35mm.ch, Genève, CH

Again, is this architecture or is this engineering? Simply viewed as a structure, then one would surmise that it is an engineering building and not an architectural edifice. But wait, if one looks closely of why those flairs in the structural members is curved and angled against the sun, then it could be a work of an architect and thus is architecture.

Are engineers supposed to think about that building feature? Or is the flairs in the structure is really meant for that? Then shall we say that engineering designs like these encroaches to the practice of architecture? How do you view it?

Thames Barrier

Thames Barrier, originally uploaded by .craig.

These structures, engineering art always baffles me!

Is it architecture? Is it both engineering and architecture?
Is it sculpture, to enhance an engineering work?

Or is it all of the latter... and it goes on. . .

In my opinion, the Thames River Barrier is primarily a magnificent work of engineering where architectural design played a major role for this magnificent structure to be a pleasant if not wondrous work of art. Engineering in the old days was utilitarian, economic civil works that was considered architecture in itself, but nowadays, it is quite difficult to tell where engineering and architecture begins and ends.

Would you say that this is a magnificent work of engineering or an architectural piece?

Or would you say that this is an engineering work of art complimented by the sculptural architecture that enhanced it?

Or would you say that this is both engineering and architecture that sculptural work has enhanced?

The questions and answers could be debated by thousands of opinionated viewers and professionals themselves as it will always be subjective from the point of every viewer or lover of engineering, architecture or sculpture, (in any order of preference). A debate on this could spark thousands of opinions. I would like to hear from you professionals, (architects, engineers, sculptors, artists)

Nancy Castigleoni's moods

If you are from the Philippines, it would be impossible for you not to know Nancy Castigleoni, a famous film and TV actress who is also well known for a multitude of TV and print media commercials all over the country. Cindy was born of Filipino & Italian parentage, was raised in Manitoba, Canada and has since practiced her acting and modelling career in her hometown, the Philippines.

Casual in her off-camera engagements, she exudes elegance and flair in her appearance and bearing, a dainty, slim and elegant lady in her blossoming career life. Posing for our camera club, Nancy exhibited her professional modeling poses from the childlike, to girl-next-door, to professional in the hundred of moves while posing for the cameras.

Bangus - the Philippine National Fish

Bangus fish, originally uploaded by Eric Gozar.

Five pieces left on a market vendor's tray.

The fish is likened to the fish described in the Bible.

Milkfish, a farmed fish that grows to sizable proportions if left in large lakes and the open sea. Often comes back to breed in a lake where water is slightly brackish. But now, this fish as a food for the masses, is farmed in many communities in the nation. It is cooked in a hundred different ways by the locals. Served with broth, simply fried, baked and garnished, sauteed in garlic, onions and tomatoes, it is a delicacy almost anywhere you go. But the most famous way of cooking this fish is by broiling it. The locals calls it "Inihaw na Bangus" (grilled bangus).

The fish used to be only caught in the brackish waters of the Philippine islands. Soon it was farmed by many hands in several fish farming communities of the land. But alas, some countries stole the fingerlings from locals and brought it to their homelands to copy the fish farming techniques. Now those neighboring nations also has this Filipino fish - Bangus!

The wild version of this fish could grow to sizable proportions as large as 3 feet long and this type of bangus is called "Banglis", now rarely caught even in large inland lakes. In Naujan Lake, this fish is caught by fishing line, but the government has disallowed fishing this fish in protected lakes.

Markets around the entire Philippines sells this fish more than any kind on the market as it is the favourite of many locals.

Banawe Rice Terraces- Philippines

Banawe Rice Terraces 1, originally uploaded by Eric Gozar.

Considered as one of the 8 Wonders of the World, the Banaue Rice Terraces is and intriguing pieced of engineering and agricultural work.

Historians of the place, says this method of rice farming dates back many centuries ago and the technique and method of building the rice paddies on terraces has been handed down from generations to generations and has survived the modernity that is looming into this hidden eden of agricultural magnificence.

Though not indigenous and exclusive to the Philippines, the technique of terracing rice paddies is one for the Guiness Book of World Records. Engineering this land with bare hands at a height of 2,500 meters above sea level is a magnificent work. There are similar construction in Taiwan, Hainan and even the Korean peninsula. In my travels, the architecture and tribal costumes in all this three locations are very much similar if not the same.

People who toil this land starts young even at the age of ten, they start learning the methods of keeping the terraced paddies from breaking water and thus starting an avalanche. They grow up to it, and spending the rest of their life toiling at this land which is high up on the mountains of Banaue.

The climate on this height is quite cool and dry, making skin dry and tough. But the residents has been accustomed to the climate and has developed a resistance to the climate's harsh treatment to them. It is thus not too uncommon to see older folk resorting to taking local herbs that strengthen their stamina, like that of dope or cocaine.

Tourists have flocked to this place for many years, and somehow, my recent visit to this mountains has showed that modernity is taking it's toll at this natural and historic sculpture of the land. Houses of masonry and tin has started to spring up even on the cliff sides along the streets towards this place. The natural museums started by the government has turned to souvenir shopping stalls, destroying the views and ecology of the place.

Noynoy's friends

Noynoy's friends, originally uploaded by Eric Gozar.

Where is our children going?

Children, the future of this country. Let them grow into a caring society and the country will see the future of this nation bloom, economically, politically and culturally.

Culture of the Filipinos revolves around the family. One attribute that is slowly dying away from many Filipinos of the younger generations. The Koreans by example still has retained many of the virtues of family togetherness. Their kids though started at an early age to be independent, learns the value of connecting with their parents, elders and ancestors. It is in their belief, like the Chinese that the support they will get in their life will be from their elders.