Sunday, January 25, 2009

A Matter of Perspective

Whenever I'm travelling, I find myself inexplicably drawn to taking photos of doorways and windows, be they man-made or God-given.  I don't quite know what the pull is.  They feel powerful and mysterious and Narnia-like. 

(Gargunnock, Scotland)

(Macchu Picchu, Peru)

I almost believe that if I were to cross over the threshold, something magical would happen.
  
(Stirling, Scotland)

Perhaps what I see through my camera lens is a world full of possibilities.  The other side symbolizes limitless potential and hope, a Future Yet to Come.

(Udaipur, India)

Where I am, on the shadowy interior, is rooted in the past.  My body is motionless, trying to keep the camera still.  My breath is shallow.  My entire being is focussed not on where I am standing, but on where my gaze is looking. 

(Angkor Wat, Cambodia)

In these moments, I feel elated by the possibilities in front of me.  It's all out there, waiting.

(Gargunnock, Scotland)

Sometimes my gaze is fixed on something truly breathtaking.

(Agra, India)

Other times, it's the frame itself that equally inspires.

(Bruges, Belgium)

( Cuzco, Peru)

(Delhi, India)

I am a shadow seeker...

(Portrait of the blogger, Delhi, India)

...ever grateful to the two boys in my life who are always ready to take my hand and nudge me into the sunshine.

(Stirling, Scotland)

17 comments:

JMW said...

What wonderful photographs - great perspective. I'm partial to the one in Gargunnack, Scotland. It reminds me a place we once stayed in Yawl, Ireland, on the Ballycotton Bay. Happy Monday!

AlwaysMe said...

Those pictures were breathtaking. You have such an eye for framing a shot and how fortunate you are to have traveled to such beautiful places. I hope you have framed some of those so you can enjoy them regularly. Very inspiring. Thank you.

ArchitectDesign™ said...

I think another part of it is that a photo of a door or window gives a piece of the experience of a view -rather than just the view itself .A view is much more spectacular when there is contrast applied.

pve design said...

Thoughtful post. Lovely perspective.
I always have been attracted to windows when traveling. Now I shall add doors to my view.

Laura said...

Something about that Cuzco photo is really speaking to me...but of course those Delhi pictures are quite breathtaking as well.

Ms. Katee/e-polishblog said...

Gorgeous photos!

So Lovely said...

So beautiful. I feel like I have traveled 1/2 around the way with these images. I love your perspective - what's beyond!

Elizabeth said...

Such vistas.
Yes, passages between things/places are rather wonderful.
We look forward to seeing India next month.

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti said...

Thank you all for your lovely comments. You are all such literate souls...

Elizabeth: I'll be in India next month as well. Look for me (haha)!

Bart Boehlert said...

What a beautiful blog you have! I am a big fan of Bloomsbury -- went to a great exhibition at Yale a few years ago. Perhaps you would enjoy my blog too--
Cheers,
BB

rony @ catbird said...

your blog is beautiful and inspiring. traveling with children seems like such a brave venture. i wonder how it all went. i have two (a 3 and 1 yr old) and i am beyond daunted by the idea. yet also daunted by the idea of not traveling with them.

Lisa Borgnes Giramonti said...

Bart: Thank you for your kind comments. I love meeting kindred Bloomsbury souls! Will check out your blog...

Catbird: Crazily enough, I have found that travelling with children gets both easier and HARDER. The flying part is easier -- my son is 7 and is resigned to the fact that traveling to Europe takes a LONG time (thank goodness for in-seat TVs!) and harder because he now has his own agenda for sightseeing. Whereas before I'd be able to stroll him through the Lucien Freud exhibit at the Tate and then go shopping while he napped, now it's a destination for him, a destination for me. I'm going to London in March and have been trying to get him interested in Victorian times as I want to go to the Geffrye Museum...I'll let you know if my plan is successful. We have been talking a lot about chamber pots!

Bart Boehlert said...

Thanks for your visit! Have a wonderful time in India -- I am currently obsessed with the movie The Darjeeling Limited which I saw on HBO, and the India series on PBS, and Auntie Mame went to India!
Cheers,
BB

Michelle Parks McCourt said...

What a great post, I've spent a lot of time in India - your photos are a very neat perspective.

My Notting Hill said...

Terrific photos. I like this type too - where you're peering through something to see something else.

Style Court said...

My oh my, Lisa. I must come back when I have more time. Too much good stuff here.

Clarity said...

Wow, I know what you mean about seeing things the same way now.

I adore the mix you chose, from the stained glass view to the blurred perspective. The last picture is radiant.

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