HX Report
Irishman in the Middle East
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Reflections
Posted on March 12, 2020
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Change your perspective
Posted on March 1, 2020
Hagia Sophia/Ayasofya
Posted on February 26, 2020
In MB’s last post, he challenged followers to identify the church in the pic that he posted. Blogger Tina (Travels & Trifles blog) thought it was the Ayasofya in Istanbul which is top of her bucket list to visit. But she was incorrect! MB encouraged her to go visit, however, as MB has done on a number of occasions. So, to whet Tina’s appetite before she travels, MB offers one of his Hagia Sophia (English) (Ayasofya in Turkish) pics below. Read More
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Treasure Hunt
Posted on February 22, 2020
Lens-Artist Photo Challenge – Narrow
Posted on February 20, 2020
Thanks to Amy for the narrow challenge.
Tuesday just past was the annual Sports Day public holiday in Qatar.
MB took a spin out to the company labour accommodation complex with his camera to see what all the Indian and Nepalese workforce were getting up to. The Basketball & Volleyball attracted a lot of participation and interest but it was the tug-o’-war that had the crowd screaming from the second the ‘start’ whistle was blown. The atmosphere was crazy and reminded MB of similar events back home in summer village festivals.
Who would ever have thought that tug-o’-war could unite the world?!
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – The Future
Posted on February 9, 2020
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Find Something Red
Posted on January 27, 2020
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge -Leading Lines
Posted on January 20, 2020
Thanks to Tina for this week’s Leading Lines challenge. Tina’s photos are visible here and are really worth a visit.
MB’s offering includes the leading line of the Doha Corniche sea wall, leading the eye to the Doha West Bay district in the background.
Windows with a view
Posted on January 13, 2020
Windows with a view.
Thanks to Amy for the ‘windows’ challenge.
MB offers an original MB Monet-type effort for this week’s challenge.
MB kids you not.
On second thoughts, describing MB’s composition as ‘Monet-like’ is not to do it the huge justice it so thoroughly deserves.
Minimalist, yet not.
Textured, yet not.
A window, yet not.
Blurry, yet not (that’s where Mr Claude Monet enters the MB scene).
A genre of photography not yet invented, so to speak.
MB entitles his composition:
Skiers. Yet not. Through the dirty window of a French Ski Lift.
You are so full of crap MB.
That’s probably a shot you forgot to delete.
It’s a total bullshit shot.
And now you’re pawning it off as some sort of Photo Fine Art.
You think you’ve fooled us MB.
Yet not!
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Special Spot Shots
Posted on January 5, 2020
Thanks to Ann-Christine for 2020’s first photo challenge – Special Spot Shots.
MB was back home for Christmas and spent an inevitable morning, camera in hand, at Lough Gur lake. Weather was nice. Beautiful morning.
Herewith:
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – On Display
Posted on December 16, 2019
Thanks to Amy for this week’s ‘On Display‘ challenge.
MB has selected one of his aerial display shots from his Doha Corniche early-morning walk on Friday last.
A Friday Stroll
Posted on December 13, 2019
MB decided to kick off his weekend with an early-morning stroll along Doha Corniche this morning. The Corniche is MB’s favourite walk in Doha, being 5km long, give or take. So if one parks one’s car at the Islamic Museum car park at one end, as MB normally does, one gets the full 5km and the same back. 10km. Walk or run. As you wish. Or mix the two. As MB often does. Read More
Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Abstract
Posted on December 6, 2019
Thanks to PA for the Abstract challenge.
Voila – MB’s offering:
On first impressions, the above small section of a vaulted church ceiling seems abstract in appearance. On closer inspection, one sees the remains of religious murals, mostly long disappeared by the vigors and passage of time. MB took the above shot in July 2019 during a visit to the Selexyz Dominican Bookstore in Maastricht, Holland, easily the most beautiful bookstore that MB has ever visited.
The church was built by the Dominican Order in 1294. All went swimmingly for exactly 500 years until French Emperor Napolian invaded in 1794 and expelled the Dominicans from the country. Since then, the church has served as a parish church, a warehouse, and an archive. In 2007 some bright spark had the great idea to turn the building into the stunning bookshop that we see today.
One can make out a coffee shop in the area of the former church altar area (if one has a magnifying glass!) in MB’s below pic. MB tasted its wares on his visit and can recommend it highly. What better way to enjoy a freshly-smelling new book than sitting in an old church altar, drinking tasty coffee and munching delicious fresh pastries?! Absolutely none, if MB can answer his own question!
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