So much left to discover

El Guajiro de Santiago (Santiago de Cuba, Cuba 2018)

I shot this portrait of a Cuban farmer on my way back from Santiago, as he was struggling to keep his cows from crossing the road. The setting sun was bathing the countryside in an amazing light, so I just had to jump out of the car and capture this. It never ceases to amaze me how friendly most Cubans are, being more than happy to pose as I capture their portraits.

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Different times (Gibara, Cuba 2018)

Founded in January 1817, Gibara is also known as "La Villa Blanca" from the color of its colonial architecture and well-planned layout of its streets, houses and parks. I composed this typical scene in a local government office inside an old colonial building. What really caught my eye was the contrast between the plain wooden wall, decorated only with the Cuban flag, the empty chairs around the single table with its flowers facing towards the light, and then the rich floor tiles, reminiscent of a different time...

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The Colorful Villa Blanca (Gibara, Cuba 2018)

Founded in January 1817, Gibara is also known as "La Villa Blanca" from the color of its colonial architecture and well-planned layout of its streets, houses and parks. Even so, Gibara's biggest asset, according to visitors, are its people, which are described as cooperative, friendly, affectionate, and proud of their village and of its history. It is said that Admiral Christopher Columbus had remarked of Gibara's environs that “it is the most beautiful land that human eyes saw.”

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The Unstoppable Maquinas (Holguin, Cuba 2018)

On the road to Gibara, a local fishing town on the northeastern side of Cuba, we passed many "maquinas", or "Yank tanks". There are still an estimated 60,000 of them still driving the Cuban roads today, taxiing locals and tourists from town to town.

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Piña Stop (Holguin, Cuba 2018)

Today we hired a classic car to drive us from Pesquero to Holguin, and stopped on the way to pickup some fresh fruits. I made this composition of my wife choosing a ripe pineapple. I am so happy to see these private businesses flourish around the country.

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Transatlantic (Holguin, Cuba 2018)

Just arrived in Cuba last night, and looking forward to relaxing a few days on the pristine beaches of Playa Pesquero. I made this iPhone snap as we crossed the Atlantic.

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The Colors of Notting Hill (London, United Kingdom 2018)

We felt like we got a taste summer this weekend, with the perfect weather to get out! We headed to Portobello Road Market, in the heart of colorful Notting Hill. While making my photos, I am always on the lookout for creative compositions. Here, I used colors to create an interesting image. Take these colors away, and the composition simply doesn't work.

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Desert Rose (Arabian Desert, United Arab Emirates 2017)

I captured this portrait of Ayesha in the soft golden light as the sun rose over the sand dunes of the Arabian Desert. This is one of the largest continuous bodies of sand in the world, stretching from Iraq to Yemen, from Egypt to Oman. Dubai has created the Emirates' first national park, dedicated to conserving the natural beauty and diversity of the Arabian Desert. The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve is an amazing place created for the protection of those endangered species and for the conservation of the natural desert habitat and heritage.

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The Bull Ring (Birmingham, United Kingdom 2016)

The Bull Ring is a major commercial area of central Birmingham. It’s been an important feature of the city since the Middle Ages, when its market was first held. Masterplanned and designed by Benoy, the new Bullring Shopping Centre opened its doors in 2003, to huge crowds. Even today, the architecture is an eye catcher, with its 15,000 shiny aluminium discs, inspired by a Paco Rabanne sequinned dress.

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The Crossing (London, UK 2016)

London is always full of photographic opportunities! I made this long exposure (handheld) over at Charring Cross, just as the diminishing ambient light allowed me to "drag the shutter", capturing this city’s constant movement, using the iconic "call boxes" to frame my composition.

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The Temple of Heaven (Beijing, China 2016)

The Temple of Heaven is a medieval complex of religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It’s now visited by millions each year. This is my favorite composition of the place, however not taken at the best time… I guess I’ll have to come back!

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El Capitolio (Havana, Cuba 2012)

The National Capitol Building in Havana, was the seat of government in Cuba until after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, and is now home to the Cuban Academy of Sciences. It’s also home to the world's third largest indoor statue, La Estatua de la República. Day or night, the area around the Capitolio is just fascinating and full of life, from the old maquinas parked in front to the lush parks and their amazing storytellers. I captured this view of the Capitolio from the Parque Central.

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Seven Million Wonders (Les Olmes, France 2010)

While looking back through my photo archive, and I came across this portrait of my niece Marilou, taken 8 years ago. It's really kind of scary how fast children seem to be growing up! Peering over this image, I am reminded of a famous quote by Walt Streightiff, who said:

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million."

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Boulangerie des Tilleuls (Faucon, France 2018)

The best bread I've ever had came from the local breadmaker in the small village of Provence where I grew up in. Last month I was fortunate to escape the big city stress and flew to southern France for a weekend. It was a short break but it brought back so many memories of my childhood as well as priceless moments with my family.

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Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain 2015)

Built alongside the Nervion River, which runs through the Basque city of Bilbao to the Cantabrian Sea, the Guggenheim Museum of modern and contemporary art, designed by Frank Gehry, has often been hailed as the most important structure of its time when it opened in 1997. Because of their mathematical complexity, the sinuous curves were designed using a three-dimensional design software called Catia, which allowed designs and calculations that, years earlier, had not been possible. The 33,000 extremely thin titanium sheets provide a rough and organic effect, adding to the material’s color changes depending on the weather and light conditions making the entire structure an amazing work of art!

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The Thien Mu Pagoda

Day 6, 07:25. Early arrival at this magnificent 7 story tower. How fitting is it to see it with a very young monk cycling by?

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Novices at the Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon, Myanmar 2013)

I came across this group of novice monks while attending the festival of lights, a celebration held each November throughout the country. At midnight, on the day of the full moon, 9999 candles are ceremoniously lit. What an amazing experience!

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Moorgate & Telegraph (City of London, United Kingdom 2018)

I made this iPhone capture on my commute to the office, as the City quickly awakes and everyone hustles to work. The early morning hours are usually my favorite time to get these snaps, as the light seems magical, cutting through the retreating shadows.

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The Garden of Europe (Lisse, Netherlands 2015)

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is considered the world's most beautiful spring gardens with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths filling over 32 hectares with incredible colors. Timing your visit is a must if you are going to avoid the big crowds!

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The Cormorant Fishermen of Guilin (Guangxi, China 2016)

One of the highlights of my trip to China was to meet the famous cormorant fishermen of Guilin. Even if the water is too polluted now for fishing to be sustainable, these fishermen remain icons of some sort in this area, prized by many photographers, yet they remain as graceful as ever, even with old age. Their art will eventually be lost, as new generations take over, turning traditions into simple tourist attractions. I’m so glad and honored to have been able to meet the authentic, original cormorant fishermen of Guilin.

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When the sand turns to gold (Thar Desert, India 2015)

Also known as the Great Indian Desert or Marusthali (Land of the dead), the Thar Desert forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan.

We reached the famous Sam Sand Dunes on camelback, in time to witness the striking beauty of the soft and soothing light at sunset, when the sand turns to gold and the shadows begin to reveal the intricate patterns left by the wind.

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The Underground Cocktail Bar (London, United Kingdom 2017)

This is one my favorite "secret" bars in London!
Cahoots is a small cocktail bar, located in what seems like an old abandoned tube station which also served as an air raid shelter in WW2. The entire place is decorated in a post-war context, from the music to the way to the waitresses were dressed. It's such an extraordinary experience that even return clients usually come dressed up, immersing themselves even more in what seems like a scene from an old movie!

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Take me away... (Alicante, Spain 2008)

I made this composition over 10 years ago, before I started getting into Travel Photography and storytelling. As I revisit my image archive every now and again, this photo always catches my eye. Taken one spring evening at dusk, I tried to capture how the colorful sky contrasted with the growing shadows. In the middle of all the darkness, the runway lights of Alicante airport seemed to invite me to take off, spread my wings, and discover the world!

Getting back into photography, after spending many years without touching a camera, was a true blessing, allowing me to evolve both as an artist and as a person into who I am today.

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The sacred Itsukushima Shinto Shrine Torii (Miyajima, Japan 2015)

Considered one of the top three sites in all of Japan, the Itsukushima Torii appears to float when observed at high tide, adding to the sense of place of this incredible and sacred shrine.

The key elements seemed to come together, the light, the tide, the sky, the clouds... I managed to pull a 30 second exposure at mid-day using a 10-stop neutral density filter, along with a 0.3 soft graduated filter, smoothing out the water and capturing the slight movement of the clouds.

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The Silk Weaving Machine (Varanasi, India 2015)

Most weavers in Varanasi are Momin Ansari Muslims. Their craft has been passed on from father to son for generations, hand-weaving silk on room-sized foot-powered looms, making the very fashionable Banarasi silk Saree, which many Indian girls dream of wearing for their wedding day.

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Misfat Al Abriyeen (Al Dhakhiyla, Sultanate of Oman 2017)

I shot this portrait of Maria in Misfat Al Abriyeen, a unique mud brick mountainous village located some 1,000m above sea level on the mountain foothills surrounding wilayat Al Hamra. This village was perched above amazing agricultural terraces, old houses built on top of solid rocks. As I lost myself in its narrow alleys, I couldn't help but notice the old wooden doors, so creatively decorated so many years ago.

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Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere (Rome, Italy 2018)

I've just returned from Rome where we held my niece's baptism, bringing together our family from all around the world, proving once again that all roads lead to Rome!

We were fortunate to hold the ceremony in one of Rome's oldest churches, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, where I made this image of the ceiling paintings of one of the chapels inside.

Rome proved to be the perfect location for our celebration, one that I feel we will cherish for a long time!

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El Cochero de 3 pesos (Holguin, Cuba 2012)

The tradition of horse-drawn carriages in Cuba has its origins in the 15th century, when they were introduced on the island by the Spanish, who used them to haul freight. Today, with the shortage of cars, buses and fossil fuels, these “coches” have become the primary means of transportation for most cubans leaving outside the capital. Depending on where, what kind of cart, and the distance to be travelled, the cost ranges from 2 to 10 pesos per passenger (10 to 50 cents of a dollar).

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Saigon's Cho Ben Thanh market (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2009)

Ho Chi Minh City, commonly known as Saigon, is a city in southern Vietnam famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam War. It's also known for its French colonial architecture, including Notre-Dame Basilica, made entirely of materials imported from France, and the neoclassical Saigon Central Post Office. Food stalls line the city’s streets, especially around bustling the Cho Ben Thanh market, an incredible place where I just loved to get lost for hours, wandering around the different stalls selling anything from food to cheap t-shirts and colorful handbags.

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Punting boats on the River Cherwell (Oxford, United Kingdom 2018)

Taking advantage of the British Bank Holiday and the magnificent weather, we escaped the capital city to spend the day in Oxford, known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world.

I made this image of the punting boats at Magdalen Bridge Boathouse on the River Cherwell, just before they were hired away by the queuing tourist.

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Cala de la Mallaeta (Villajoyosa, Spain 2011)

I made this nocturnal long exposure in a small cove on the Spanish coast, close to Alicante. Taking photos at night totally different than during the day. You are a lot less impulsive, and take the time to carefully compose your shot, using light (natural and added) to create something interesting. It may take you a few tries to get everything right, but once all the elements come together, a piece of art emerges...

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Los Caballos del Vino (Caravaza de la Cruz, Spain 2014)

The history of this unique fiesta is absolutely fascinating and is all about the extraordinary story of the True Cross, in Spanish the ‘Vera Cruz’. This fragment of wood is said to have been part of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified and it has protected the city since the 13th century. The presence of the True Cross in Caravaca is the reason for its status as a Holy City, one of only 5 in the world, on par with Rome and Jerusalem.
The legend dates back to the days of the Knights Templar, who came to the aid of the townspeople. The invading Moorish army had cunningly poisoned the water supply, which flowed into the besieged town, and many people were dying of thirst, as they couldn’t drink the poisoned water. The only liquid that could be found to drink was wine. So the brave knights tied flagons of wine to their horses and ran with them up the hill before the Moorish armies realised what was happening, bringing the precious liquid to the townspeople. The Vera Cruz was bathed in the wine and miraculously the sick and wounded were healed...

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The Hunters from Basha (Guizhou, China 2016)

Deep into mountains of southwest China's Guizhou province, lives a unique and ancient subgroup of the Miao tribe, named "Basha." Some 2,000 men and women of this tribe still live in wooden houses, practice centuries-old customs, and hold unique beliefs. The Basha people are the only group in China allowed to carry guns.

I made this portrait of the tribe's next generation of hunters as they finished receiving a lecture from the village elder. It was quite a special experience!

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The Call Box (City of London, United Kingdom 2017)

The red phone box is often seen as a British cultural icon throughout the world. The famous K2 model was the result of a competition in 1924 to design a kiosk that would be acceptable to the London metropolitan boroughs. Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, it became a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar. The color red was chosen to make them easy to spot. There are today far more 'red boxes' in tourist city locations than there ever were originally... I found this one while exploring the labyrinth of streets between Bank and Liverpool Street, in the City of London.

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Tunnel Vision (Maidstone, United Kingdom 2018)

Tunnels are always fun to photograph, especially in the high contrast areas such as the exits/entrance. I made this composition in an underpass in Maidstone, Kent. There would not have been a story had the couple at the end of the tunnel not been there. I actually spotted the photo opportunity a few minutes earlier, and simply focused, exposed in high key, and waited for the couple to be walking out. Being able to spot interesting moments just before they happen is one of the most important lessons I've learned over the years.

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Beautiful Eyes (Lisse, Netherland 2015)

The gardens of Keukenhof are in full blossom this time of the year. Considered the world's most beautiful spring gardens, it's the home to more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths filling over 32 hectares with incredible colors.

Keukenhof also specializes in variegated tulips, such as these. They symbolize beautiful eyes because of their gorgeous color patterns, perhaps them making the perfect flower to give on a date!

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The Thar Desert Cameleer (Jaisalmer, India 2015)

Also known as the Great Indian Desert or Marusthali (Land of the dead), the Thar Desert forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan. Not far from the border, the Sam Sand Dunes offered a perfect location to portrait this cameleer (camel driver) at sunset, the perfect time to witness the striking beauty of sand turning to gold as the soft light slowly faded away.

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Le Pont-du-Gard (Occitanie, France 2018)

In the first century AD, Nîmes, a prosperous Roman colony, saw its population growing to 20,000 people. At the foot of the Mount Cavalier, the Nemausus fountain no longer sufficed in providing the city with its daily needs in drinking water, let alone in supplying the baths, fountains and many gardens. It was decided to build an aqueduct to channel water from the source of the Eure in Uzés all the way to Nîmes: 50 kilometres of channels dug out of the earth to install the pipes. Along the way, the Gardon River proved to be a difficult obstacle, overcome by the construction of the Pont du Gard.

Today, I was able to retrace some of the footsteps I took almost 35 years ago, when I visited this same place with my parents and siblings. A lot has changed since, there's no more vehicle traffic across the aqueduct and it's now classed a World Heritage Site by Unesco, but I was happy to see the magnificent Roman masterpiece of engineering still stand just as tall today as it did we I saw last saw it over three decades ago!

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Arrosoir sur la grande fontaine (Puyméras, France 2018)

Today I was able to spend a few hours roaming the small Provençal village where I spent so many years of my childhood. It was a great exercise, looking for familiar details to capture and seeing how much has changed over the years and how much still remains the same.

I composed around this watering can, sitting on the fountain, in one of the village's squares. I used a very wide aperture to give the scene some creative depth, and also allowing for a fast shutter speed to capture the water droplets bouncing off the can.

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Lijn 12 Antwerpen (Antwerp, Belgium 2018)

A couple months ago, we escaped London to discover a hidden gem less than an hour away. We hopped on a direct FlyVLM flight from London City Airport and landed in Antwerp 50 minutes later. After a good night's rest at the beautiful boutique Hotel Indigo, located right next to the Central Station, we explored the old streets of the city’s historic center, where I captured this scene of a classic Tram making its way towards the port. This city is full of wonders such as the 16th-century Guildhouses at the Grote Markt and its statue of Brabo.

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A leasurely stroll through Ritsurin Garden (Takamatsu, Japan 2015)

Designed in the 17th century, the Ritsurin Garden is one of the largest parks in Japan and is unrivaled for its exquisite and historic pine trees. There is a lovely cluster of about seventy maple trees whose gold and red colors create a truly majestic atmosphere.

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La Maquina del 53 (Gibara, Cuba 2012)

The first impression you get when you land in Cuba, is that time froze decades ago, from the old classic cars to the decaying colonial architecture, but thanks to the resilience of its people, life goes on. Yank tank or máquina are the words used to describe the many classic cars present in Cuba with an estimated 60,000 of them still driving the roads today. I captured this beauty in the small fishing village of Gibara, on the eastern side of the island.

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The Legend of Mother Dragon (Halong Bay, Vietnam 2009)

Happy #Earthday fellow travellers from one of my all-time favorite places - Halong Bay.

In ancient Vietnamese, Halong literally means “descending dragon” and it is originated from a legend of this ancient land.

The legend says that during the old time when the country was newly formed, Vietnamese had to fight against fierce invaders coming from the North through the sea. Feeling sorry for the country, The Jade Emperor sent the Mother Dragon and her children descending on earth to help ancient Vietnamese people defend the country.

While the mighty enemies were attacking the mainland, The Mother Dragon and her children suddenly appeared and incinerated the enemies with their divine fire and giant emeralds. The emeralds from the dragon’s mouth were scattered around the battlefield on the sea and formed an invincible defensive wall that left enemy battleship fleet sinking. Thanks to the dragons, the Northern invaders were finally swept away and the peace finally came back the South East Asian country once again. After thousands of years, the wall of emerald turned into island and islets of different sizes and shapes.

Vietnam is such a unique and amazing country. A land rich in colors, incredible food, and friendly people. I can't wait to get back and discover more of its hidden treasures!

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Spiritual Moments at the Shinbinthalyaung reclining Buddha (Bagan, Myanmar 2013)

Burma is a land full of mystical places, legends and myths that have been shaping the culture for hundreds of years. In the dusty plain of Bagan, home to thousands of pagodas built over the last thousand years, I came across this scene of two novice monks meditating at reclining Buddha of Shinbinthalyaung. It was a truly captivating moment, full of peace and tranquillity, free of worries or burden. I was really amazed how long that feeling stuck with me, even after I returned to my daily office routine. I can hardly wait to return to the enchanted land of Myanmar, hopefully in the next few years.

Have you had a similar experience somewhere special?

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Muttrah Fish Souq (Muscat, Sultanate of Oman 2017)

Located in the old commercial quarter of Muscat, the Muttrah Souq in Muscat has seen an immense trade in the age of sail, being strategically located on the way to India and China. As I wondered the fish market, close to the port, a local porter pointed me towards the pier, where the wish was usually offloaded from the small boats. Sure enough, I came across this group of fisherman who was removing today's catches from the net. It was a moment I would most definitely have missed had I not decided to check out the backstage of the Muttrah Fish Souq.

Photo made during a #NGExpeditions trip to #Oman, travelling the sands of time.

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The Miao girls from Basha (Guizhoiu, China 2016)

I captured this portrait of these two Miao girls in the village of Basha, located deep into mountains of southwest China's Guizhou province. The Basha is a unique and ancient subgroup of the Miao tribe. Some 2,000 men and women of this tribe still live in wooden houses, practice centuries-old customs, and hold unique beliefs. An interesting fact is that the Basha people are the only group in China allowed to carry guns (for hunting). I couldn't understand what the girls were talking about, but I think it was about boys...

ASTOENChina2016Smugmug1009644Alex Stoen PhotographyBashaLeica MP Typ 240SummiluxM 35mm

Palace of Winds (Jaipur, India 2015)

Built in 1799, Hawa Mahal (also known as the Palace of Winds) is essentially a high screen wall built so the women of the royal household could observe street festivals without being seen from the outside. Constructed of red and pink sandstone, it was designed in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. Its unique five-storey exterior is similar to the honeycomb of a beehive with 953 small windows called jharokhas decorated with intricate latticework. The lattice also allows cool air from the Venturi effect through the intricate pattern, air conditioning the whole area during the high temperatures of summer. This shot was pretty challenging to pull off as I had to work very low in order to get the angle I wanted, and even though I got there early, I had to wait a while for the soft morning light to illuminate the entire façade.

ASTOENIndia2015Smugmug12451DXAlex Stoen PhotographyCanonCanon EOS 1DXGeotaggedJaipurRajasthanTravelVacation

St Dunstan-in-the-East (City of London, United Kingdom 2017)

This is one of my favorite hidden gardens in London. It's located inside the ruins of an old church, in the middle of the City of London. Originally built in about 1100, it was severely damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666, patched up, then rebuilt in 1817 only to be almost completely destroyed in the Blitz of 1941. Only the church's tower and steeple survived the bombs' impact. Of the rest of the church, only the north and south walls remained. Following the war, it was decided not to rebuild St Dunstan's, and in 1967 the City of London Corporation decided to turn the ruins of the church into a public garden, which opened in 1971.

ASTOEN2017Smugmug1000458Alex Stoen PhotographyLeica MP Typ 240LondonSummiluxM 35mmUnited Kingdomvisitbritain