Photo roundup

Ice sculpture carved on Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam.

It’s Winterlude in Ottawa, which means I should be downtown checking out ice sculptures and other activities. But I have a paper to get done about the changing conceptualizations of the Arctic. Fitting, maybe. Hopefully I’ll get out next weekend, in which case I’ll post some photos here. Meanwhile, to the left I offer you a picture of an ice sculpture carved during my holiday excursion on Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam. The chef carved this as quickly as possible, given the heat and humidity (we were in the Caribbean, after all, and this was on the Lido deck, so extra humid thanks to the pool and hot tubs). Shortly after being completed, it was quickly whisked away to a freezer somewhere so it could appear again for the dessert extravaganza they later held during the cruise.

In keeping with photos… not sure if I’m noticing it more because I’m in a photo history class, but friends have been linking to some interesting photo galleries lately. I thought I’d share the ones that caught my attention. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Remembering 1960s Afghanistan. Probably particularly interesting for those who have read A Cold War Tourist and His Camera. I find the picture of the “chemistry lesson in a mud-walled classroom” particularly interesting, especially with the one student looking back at the camera. What does he see that we cannot? Why is the photo taken from the back of the classroom, especially since the teacher doesn’t appear to be at the front giving a lesson?

2. Photographer: a dangerous profession. La Presse offers us 13 photos in sequence of an attack in Syria from Reuters photographer Goran Tomasevic.

3. Bryan Adams Photo Exhibit. This is more a curiosity than anything. Looks like musician Bryan Adams has taken up the camera, and even has a photo exhibit in Germany. Looks to be an odd mix of celebrity portraits and wounded war vets.

4. Full moon silhouettes. OK, this isn’t a photo gallery but a video taken of a moon rise in New Zealand from 2.1km away. I just really like it and wanted to share. It’s very beautifully done, especially with the addition of the music.

(Shout out to John DM for linking to the Afghanistan and moon silhouettes posts)