On this instalment of the Copenhagen trip, I'm focusing on the newest architectural icon in the city, the divisive and spectacular Opera House.
Read MoreCopenhagen Opera House viewed from the Skuespilhuset
from the inside of the Black Diamond of Bibliotekshaven
Copenhagen pt5: Det Kongelige Bibliotek, the Danish Royal Library
The library was founded in 1648 by King Frederik III, who contributed a comprehensive collection of European works. It was opened to the public in 1793. In 1989, it was merged with the prestigious Copenhagen University Library (founded in 1482). In 2005, it was merged with the Danish National Library for Science and Medicine, now the Faculty Library of Natural and Health Sciences. The official name of the organisation as of 1 January 2006 is The Royal Library, the National Library of Denmark and the Copenhagen University Library. In 2008, the Danish Folklore Archive was merged with the Royal Library. It is open to anyone above the age of 18 with a genuine need to use the collections. Of course special rules apply for use of rare and valuable items.
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Harpa and reflections on a cloudy day, Reykjavik, Iceland
dailies from Iceland: quiet day in Reykjavik with lots of Sagas
Everything in Reykjavik is quiet and at a slow pace. As you move around you can't help but notice the silence, no rush on the cars that pass by, the people that greet us friendly and today even us.
As it was our last day, we did not plan much, we just wanted to enjoy a nice meal and end the trip with the joyful Icelandic Sagas at the Harpa.
And so we leave with a smile on our somewhat cold faces, and the will to come back and explore this extreme land.
Telma & Antonio,
From the land of Ice & Fire
Inside the Harpa concert venue, Reykjavik, Iceland
dailies from Iceland: Harpa and ice-cream on Reykjavik
Today was feel like a local day.
The day started with a guided tour to the Harpa, iconic building for music and architecture lovers alike, the tour shows you how this ingenious building was created, aiming for perfect acoustic conditions but also to integrate culture in day to day city life.
After another stroll up the hill, we had a tasteful brunch at the Rok, surrounded by locals exiting mass in nearby Hallgrimskirkja, followed by a nice hipster coffee at the Reykjavik roasters.
No summer Sunday is over without ice cream and so off we went to the maritime museum area and a delicious pineapple cup at Valdis.
Telma & Antonio,
from the land of Ice and Fire, and Ice-Cream
Wiener Secessionsgebäude, the Vienna Secession Building, Vienna, Austria
weekly update 015 - Vienna's Architecture
So this week I'm focusing on Vienna's architecture, and I could only start it with a picture of the Vienna Secession Building designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich as an architectural manifesto for the secession movement. It is the home of one of the most important works by the most well known artist of the Secession movement, Gustav Klimt's Beethoven Frieze. A 34 meter wide, 2 meter tall painting homage to celebrated composer Ludwig Van Beethoven, that illustrates human desire for happiness in a suffering and tempestuous world in which one contends not only with external evil forces but also with internal weaknesses. Like all other work by Klimt that features extensive use of gold leaf, no reproduction will do it justice, and must be experience in person.
Modern and Classic Architecture at the Albertina, Vienna, Austria
A more conventional subject for a post about Viennese Architecture is the Albertina Palace, which houses one of the world's finest art collections since 1805. The palace itself, a fine example of the Neoclassical style, was built in 1744 for Count Silva-Tarouca and given as a gift to Duke Albert from which derives the name. Over the centuries it has been enlarged and updated, and by 2003 underwent a complete renovation, with the most dramatic addition being installed in 2004. Architect Hans Hollein created the spectacular 64-metre titanium wing shaped roof which has become one of its most recognizable feature.
Gutenberg Denkmal and Regensburger Hof building, Vienna, Austria
Less well known, and slightly harder to find, is the Regensburger Hof building and the Gutenberg statue in front of it. This site was home to one of the most impressive 15th-century buildings in Vienna, that was demolished in 1896 to give its place to the Orendi department store in 1897. The building was designed by Franz von Neumann, which had a long running enmity with Otto Wagner who was associated with the Vienna Secession group, and was clearly more interested in propagating the classical forms of the 19th century. In the center of the buildings facade you can find a life-size statue of Emperor Frederick III. In front of this building is the cast bronze Gutenberg Denkmal by Hans Bitterlich, and unveiled in December 1900.
Schmetterling Haus at the Burggarten, Vienna, Austria
Another great example of the variety and quality of the architecture in Vienna is the Schmetterlinghaus, The Imperial Butterfly House. Located on the Burggarten palace gardens, part of the Hofburg Royal Palace, just 200m from the Opera House, this is one of the most beautiful Art Noveau palm houses in the world. It is said that Emperor Franz Josef I and Sisi, the Empress of Austria, found tranquility and quiet inside the building surrounded by around 400 live, free flying butterflies. The main entrance of the house, pictured here, is ornamented with statues and ceiling has a lovely patina. If you're happen to be around there on a sunny day, the Palmenhaus cafe is a great place to have a snack with views to the garden. Or go at evening for a more upscale experience on their brasserie.
Facade detail of building in Stock-Im-Eisen-Platz 2, Vienna, Austria
One of the things I would recommend doing, in most cities you visit, but specially in Vienna, is to have a wander around the streets of the historic city center. Here, go for a walk from the Schmetterlinghaus, or the Albertina, towards Stephansplatz. And keep looking up at the buildings, not just the shops at ground level. You can find lots of wonderful details of the historic buildings that flank these streets. One that I really liked was at Stephansplatz, and you can read Zum Goldenen Becher, which translates to The Golden Mug. The amount of details painted on that small piece of the facade is extraordinary, and most people will just walk by not noticing it.
J&L Lobmeyr Store fron on Kärntner Str., Vienna, Austria
You can also find great looking shops, that by now are no longer what is advertised on the original facade, but you can still trace it back to the original purpose of the building. In this case, Lobmeyr is still operating from the same place. This family run business, now it its sixth generation, has been providing the excellent crystal products since 1823.
Below you can find a couple of detail pictures of the Hofburg Palace. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the centuries since, the palace has been the seat of power of the Habsburg dynasty rulers, and today the official residence and workplace of the President of Austria. It was the principal imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn Palace was the summer residence.
On the right is the main gate on the Michaelerplatz, this area of the palace is known as the St. Michael's Wing and was finished in 1893. The facade on this side is heavily ornamented with sculptures and gold details. On the left is a detail of the Amelienburg wing on the Internal Castle Square, that shows a 'modern' mechanical clock above a sundial.
Burgtheater on a cloudy day, Vienna, Austria
Probably the most important sights in the city of Vienna reside on the Ringstrasse. This 5.3km long road provides enough space for numerous monumental buildings, which were built during the period of historicism between the 1860s and the 1890s, and created under the orders of Emperor Franz Joseph.
One of the great buildings here is the Burgtheater, in the style of New Baroque according to designs by Gottfried Semper and Karl von Hasenauer, it was finished in 1888.
This theater, with its distinguished company, has held a leading position in the dramatic arts of the German-speaking countries. For the season 2014/15, the Burgtheater was awarded "Theater of the Year" by the German-language journal "Theater heute".
Rathaus, Vienna's City Hall, Vienna, Austria
Just on the other side of the road is the Rathaus, Vienna's City Hall. This imposing neo-Gothic building, the most important secular example of this style in the city, was designed by Friedrich von Schmidt who had been the architect of the Cathedral of Cologne. Built between 1872 and 1883, the main tower has a height of 97.9m, topped by the "Iron Rathausmann". This allowed to circumvent the Emperor's order that the building could not be taller that the nearby Votive Church, whose tower measures 99m. On the right is the main facade of the building, viewed from the Ringstrasse, and below is the also impressive view of the back of this extraordinary building.
Rathaus building viewed from the Landesgerichtsstraße, Vienna, Austria
This week has been a very extensive post, but if you love architecture, there is always more to say and share when talking about Vienna. Next week will be a shorter post, totally dedicated to the legendary Vienna Opera House.
And now to sleep, see you next week,
APN
weekly update 013 - 2017-01-18 - Strolling through the streets of Lisbon
Ethereal sunset at the Alges Maritime Traffic Control Tower, Lisbon, Portugal
Deciding this week's first photo of the post was very complicated for me because I have three images that are really strong. Usually I would only show one per week, but this is to be the last post dedicated to Lisbon for a while. So I ended up just sorting them out by the way I could make the text flow around them.
So I start with another two images of the Maritime Traffic Control Tower in Algés, taken on Christmas Eve 2016. This site is very popular with photographers, for obvious reasons, and is usually very busy at the end of the day. Being the 24th of December, I was the only photographer there with only a few more people for company at the beach. That meant I was able to move around quite freely and make the most of the fading sunlight from a few vantage points.
This first image using a Lee Big Stopper and a Lee Hard ND Grad filter to bring the exposure down and blur the water for that ethereal look. And on the second image going for a more subtle blur effect but using that bring more impact to the wet sand and pebbles on the foreground. I will be printing this one on metallic paper and putting it on some wall around the house, should look great.
Sunset at the Alges Maritime Traffic Control Tower, Lisbon, Portugal
Ghosts of MAAT, Lisbon, Portugal
The last photo I wanted to highlight comes from my second visit to the site of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology more commonly known as MAAT. I won't go into the usual details about the building, since I did that last week. I wanted to go back to this place, since realising I hadn't captured what I wanted first time around. As a plus of visiting on a regular night, I was also able to see how many people are using this area to exercise or just walk around at the end of the day. That is great to see since this used to be really underused part of town. So I decided to go for a very slow shutter speed to capture the movement of all the people walking by.
As I do every year I get a few hours of free time in Lisbon, I like to wander around the Chiado area of the city. Still remember the time when my grandmother used to take there for the afternoon for some shopping and coffee, milk for me at that time. The area used to be dominated by the great department stores of Armazéns do Chiado and Armazéns Grandella, which sadly burnt down when a great fire destroyed most of this area in 1988. After many years, both buildings were rebuilt but the two stores never came back. At least it was revitalised with the creation of a small shopping center and a couple of big stores which draw lots of people on a daily basis. On that area you can also find Bertrand, the World's Oldest Bookstore. Established in 1732, on a different site but moved to it's current location after the 1755 earthquake that completely destroyed most of Lisbon. And of course a stroll around Chiado is never without a visit to the Fernando Pessoa statue, that will always greet you at the front of his favourite cafe, A Brasileira, which you should visit as it is one of the most beautiful coffee houses in Lisbon.
And I'll leave this week with the final edit of the bridge photo I showed earlier on Instagram. You can't really tell the difference on Instagram, but that image was done from a single frame, and had a few issues with noise and lack of details on the highlights. This final version is a manual blend of 6 exposures, to be able to capture the detail of the Christ Tower on the South side of the river, the few visible stars in the sky and also all the reflections of the lights on the river. This was actually taken from the top of the MAAT building, which gives an interesting vantage point when shooting the 25th of April bridge of the Tejo river.
Next week I'll start showcasing photos from last years visit to the beautiful city of Vienna in Austria, hope you enjoy it. Hope to also get new galleries up on the main website in between blog posts.
Until then,
APN
Night falls over the Tejo, Lisbon, Portugal
Main staircase of the McKim Building, Boston Public Library, Boston, USA
weekly update 010 - 2016-12-19 - A farewell to Boston
This week marks the end of my showcase of last year's trip to the USA, namely to the cities of New York, Chicago and of course Boston. And to finish things off on a high, nothing better than sharing the inside of the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library. Founded in 1848, it contains 23 million items that range from books to DVDs, maps to microfilm and music scores. It's main two buildings are the Johnson building, opened in 1972, and the gorgeous McKim building which opened in 1895 pictured here.
And I'll leave you with a different version of the same picture I showcased when I was there, the George Washington statue at the Public Garden on a cloudy afternoon. Passing through these gardens became my favourite part of the day during our short stay in town. Hope to come back for a visit soon.
Since I'm flying back to Portugal for the Holidays, expect some nice shots from the westernmost country in Europe, which I called home for most of my life. Until then, enjoy the season with your loved ones, and indulge on your favourite treats.
See y'all next week.
APN
George Washington Statue at the Public Garden, Boston, USA
Omni Parker House, Boston, USA
weekly update 008 - 2016-12-05 - a taste of Boston's architecture
This week I will be focussing on some of the buildings I found interesting in Boston. Some are historic landmarks, which I had put on my list to photograph, others just caught my eye while I was passing them by. Point in case is the first photo of this post, the facade of the Omni Parker House Hotel. Of which I knew nothing at the time, but now know to be the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States, built in 1927 on the same site as the Parker House Hotel that had been operating since October 1855. It is currently under study for becoming a Boston Landmark, but at the time it was the ornate golden entrance that made me photograph it.
On the other hand, I was intent on capturing the beautiful Old City Hall building, and the historic Old State House, pictured below. You can also find a detail of the Boston Public Library facade, and the Trinity Episcopal Church.
The Old State House is a historic building built in 1713, it was the seat of the Massachusetts General Court until 1798, and is one of the oldest public buildings in the United States. One of the landmarks on Boston's Freedom Trail, it is the oldest surviving public building in Boston.
Boston's Old City Hall was home to its city council from 1865 to 1969. It was one of the first buildings in the French Second Empire style to be built in the United States.
Trinity Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The church is home to several high-level choirs, including the Trinity Choir, Trinity Schola, Trinity Choristers, and Trinity Chamber Choir. The building is currently under study for becoming a Boston Landmark.
The Boston Public Library McKim Building (built 1895) in Copley Square contains the library's research collection, exhibition rooms and administrative offices. When it opened in 1895, the new Boston Public Library was proclaimed a "palace for the people." The building includes lavish decorations, a children's room (the first in the nation), and a central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery in the manner of a Renaissance cloister.
Next week I’ll be showing some of the most interesting statues and street art that I captured in Boston and Cambridge, in what should probably be the last post dedicated to this fine city.
Until we meet again,
APN
Hard Rock Hotel at the Carbide and Carbon Building, Chicago, USA
weekly update 004 - 2016-11-07 - Up close and personal with Chicago's Architecture
This week we are up close with the extraordinary architecture that characterises the downtown area of Chicago. With a mixture of modern steel and glass skyscrapers, stone gothic facades and wonderful art-deco details, it makes for great images for all architecture enthusiasts. The raised lines of the "L" train give a different view of the streets and buildings, by elevating us above the normal viewpoint of the buildings facade at ground level. As the picture above illustrates, this city is a must for all lovers of art-deco, with the Carbide and Carbon Building being just one of the many, beautifully preserved, examples of that style present in the city. Hope to stay there next time, and see what it looks like on the inside.
This marks my last post focused on Chicago, and next week I'll move on to show the wonders of the last leg of the USA trip of 2015, the historical city of Boston, Massachusetts. The days spent in Chicago left me with the need to come back and delve deeper into the history and architecture of the Windy City, of the three cities it was the one that inspired me the most.
I'll leave today with one of my favourite shots from those few days in Chicago, taken under a viaduct that connects to the Navy Pier. Street art and derelict spaces are always attractive and make for great subjects. Here the tricky light made it even more compelling, giving it an almost ethereal vibe to the street grime.
Until next week,
APN
Chi.Town Green Dragon & Cubs Geixa, Chicago, USA
Jay Pritzker Pavillion at the Millennium Park, Chicago, USA
Weekly update 003 - 2016-10-31 : Spring morning at Chicago's Millennium Park
This week I would like to share the sights from the Millennium Park in Chicago, captured on a crisp Spring morning in 2015. Located by Lake Michigan, just next to the Art Institute of Chicago, the Millenium Park is actually a roof-top garden, built to cover railway lines and automobile garage which were rather unpleasant to the eye on such a prime location. It is an ultra modern and interactive park with state of the art fountains, sculptures, theater and plenty of garden space to relax and enjoy in the heart of the Windy City.
One of it's most iconic attractions is the "Cloud Gate" sculpture by Anish Kapoor, also known as the Bean since it resembles a giant mercury jellybean, it is made out of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates. Spending some time looking into it from different angles offers impressive views of the city's skyline, and when standing beneath it a feeling of being inside the house of mirrors at a carnival.
The Jay Pritzker Pavillion is a must see for all architecture fans. Designed by the mythical architect Frank Gehry, it follows in his use of fluid lines and panel, with a sense of weightlessness and organic shapes. "The Pavilion stands 120-feet high, with a billowing headdress of brushed stainless steel ribbons that frame the stage opening and connect to an overhead trellis of crisscrossing steel pipes".
I was also fortunate enough to be there when a large sculpture installation by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa titled "Jaume Plensa: 1004 Portraits". The entire installation is comprised of four large-scale portrait sculptures of young girls positioned in the Park, the tallest of the four sculptures, "Looking Into My Dreams, Awilda," is made of resin and rises 39 feet above the ground.
On other news, I have started the selection of the photos from Boston, which is the final city from the 2015 US trip. These should start being posted in a couple of weeks, just as I finish off the posting the Chicago photos.
With Chicago and New York done, I think this is the time to do a small update to the websites galleries. Since I also got a new piece of hardware that finally allows me to consolidate all the catalogs from the past 10 years of photography, I hope to do a big refresh to the whole website and include a lot of my concert photos as well as past trips.
Until next week,
APN