A few more Photochrom’s…

I know I have posted previously about the old skool photography technique Photochrom, but being ill and spending the last 36 hours in bed has given me time to explore the Library of Congress’ Flickr site more fully, and the images which for the record are not colour photography, and date back to between 1890 and 1900 are so wonderful, they just need another mention.

Above are images of Copenhagen, and the Fjords of Norway.

The entire Scandinavian set can been seen here, and the full continually updated set can be seen here. Enjoy.

Camp Nou – 14.03.10

Last Sunday I was lucky enough to witness the sublime Lionel Messi score a hattrick whilst sitting behind the goal at Camp Nou, Barcelona. Above are a few ‘flag’ pictures I managed to take

Pictory

I had the pleasure of coming across this great idea a little before Christmas. Pictory is a showcase for people around the world to document their lives and cultures. Anyone can submit one large, captioned image to each of Pictory’s editorial themes.

So far there has been a San Francisco theme, the above Overseas and Overwhelmed, and London has just opened. Have a look for yourself here.

A great idea created by Laura Brunow Miner.

The Grapes of Wrath revisited: Dust to dust for the ghosts of Route 66

Also enjoyed by myself on the previously documented flight and well worth a read from the Observer / Guardian, a recent series Chris McGreal spends time retracing John Stienbecks fictional great depression journey, and finds life has bypassed the famous road’s nearly deserted towns.

The article can be read here, and here.

An interactive guide can be used here.

The photographic journey can be seen here.

And the full series in video can be seen here.

Enjoy.

St. Kilda: The Edge of the World

Whilst sitting in my comfy SAS seat heading backing to Copenhagen a couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of reading and discovering St. Kilda a remote island group in the Hebrides.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday, one of the things I enjoy watching whilst undwinding are natural history programmes, programmes that keep the gypsy in me safe in the knowledge that there is a big, world with lots of amazing things and places still to see. On most occasions though the said programmes generally take pace in remote communities at the otherside of the world.

This time though as I was enlightened with the story of Norman John Gillies (one of only two remaining survivors from the evacuation), and his fellow St. Kildian’s the amazing story was unfolding much closer to home, in the UK.

Located out in the Atlantic 41 miles west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, it is the most remote island group in Britain, a place of seemingly inaccessible rocky crags rising up from the sea. But until the 1930s, St Kilda was home to a thriving community.

The full Guardian article can be read here. It’s worth it.

Slow-mo barrel

Stunning.

Anuta

Really, really want to go here. The better half thinks it would be a perfect honeymoon island. Kind of have to agree

A trip to Chernobyl

Neil Byrne paid a visit to Chernobyl, and took some great pics. Here.

Via Aaron (thanks).

Centenary trolley suitcase by Globetrotter

Oh yes. Feeling rich? I wish I was. Click here.

Going to La Paz? Visit San Pedro Prison…

I wanted to share this article about somewhere I had completely forgotten about, but having read about it again, I think it is worth a post.

I first heard about the whole bizarre possibility when I went to an evening with the mentioned author of Marching Powder, Rusty Young, in Manly, whilst I was living in Sydney. Having recovered sufficiently from the beer drunk at said event, I purchased the book and proceeded to be bewitched by the amazing true story, and goings on in the Lonely Planet recommended San Pedro Prison.

Anyways don’t listen to me, read the article, if your near by pay it a visit, or whilst your are waiting for the Brad Pitt produced film, read the book.

The beer bottle buddhist temple

My second beer bottle post of the day, and this one is whilst the other was kind of cool, is really quite amazing.

The Wat Pa Maha Chedio Kaew temple has found a way to bottle-up Nirvana, literally. The temple, which sits in Thaisland’s Sisaket province, roughly 370 miles northeast of Bangkok is made of more than a million recycled glass bottles. True to its nickname, “Wat Lan Kuad” or “Temple of Million Bottles” features glass bottles throughout the premises of the temple, including the crematorium, surrounding shelters, and yes – even the toilets. There’s an estimated 1.5 million recycled bottles built into the temple, and as you might have guessed, they are committed to recycling more. After all, the more bottles they get, the more buildings they are able to construct.