Photographing Florence
Palace of Rundale
The Palace of Rundāle is situated in southern Latvia. Far apart from any larger settlement, it is a beautiful baroque building surrounded by nature. Rundāle was erected in 1768 and planned by the renowned Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who mainly worked for the Russian Zars before and was also responsible for the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg and the Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo. In Soviet times, the palace was used as a school; today, it is refurbished and houses a museum. Part of the historic site is also a beautiful English garden on the rear of the building.
Architecture of Vienna
Shot in 2015.
Russia
One vast country, two very different metropoles. Last October, I had the chance to visit St. Petersburg and Moscow. The Russian capital is a sprawling metropolis, seemingly endless in size and grand scope (picture 2), with the medieval Kremlin (picture 7) being in the center, carrying the weight of the old Russian culture. Moscow is also very much a Russian city. Impressive still are the ancient Soviet monuments like the seven sisters (again, picture 7) and the subway system (picture 3). St. Petersburg is different. The city is much younger than Moscow and was erected by the Russian Tsar Peter the Great in 1703. It was conceived as a European city built on a former swamp (pictures 1, 8). Many channels divide the city, making it seem like a northern Venice or Amsterdam (picture 5). As the former capital of the Russian monarchy, it contains many beautiful palaces, such as the Eremitage (picture 4) and Katherine’s Palace (pictures 6, 9). The visit to St. Petersburg and Moscow makes an exciting mix and enables one to get different perspectives on a fascinating country with a multifaceted history and soul.
Portugal by Night
For the last weeks and months Portugal was the central recurring theme of this project. With this final post, the series is coming to an end. In this one, I want to show you some impressions of the country by night. Most of the pictures were taken in Lisbon. Night photography is a unique challenge, it takes much more work and endurance if there is no natural light at your disposal. Patience, a steady hand, and a good tripod are a must.
Azulejos of Lisbon
The capital of Azulejos is, without any doubt, Lisbon. Just to remind you, Azulejos are thin-glazed ceramic tiles covering many historic buildings in Portugal. Last time I presented them to you, I featured Azulejos from all of Portugal. This time, though, I want to lay my focus on the capital of the country. Azulejos come in all sorts of forms and colors, the variety is really remarkable. However, if you look closely, there are differences within the country (I have no scientific proof for my bold hypothesis). The patterns in Northern Portugal tend to be more flowery, and very often, they are composed of earthy and grounded colors, while in Lisboa, there are definitely more bright colors, and the style is more geometric.
Michael Hoffman Photography 