Red cliffs and clear blue sky in Canoa Quebrada

Red cliffs and clear blue sky at the beach in Canoa Quebrada in Ceara State, Brazil

Nikon D3X and Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8G at 24mm, f/11, 1/320 sec and ISO 200.

Canoa Quebrada (meaning broken canoe in Portuguese), known as the pearl of the east coast of Ceará, Brazil, is an international tourist beach resort 164 km from Fortaleza, in the municipality of Aracati. This small fishing village, among dunes and cliffs, has good views and is becoming popular with tourists. The main street of Canoa, where most accommodation, restaurants and shops are concentrated, is called Broadway. The nights of Canoa Quebrada are known for animation and diversity. (Wikipedia)

Wide angle view of Times Square at night

New York City, USA – February 24, 2013: Wide angle view of Times Square at night with illuminated billboards and crowds of people.

Nikon D800E and Nikkor 14-24mm at 18mm, f/8, 1/30sec and ISO 400.

The image may be licensed at istockphoto.

Leashed dog is swimming in freezing cold water

A leashed dog (Papillon) is taking a bath in freezing cold water.

Nikon D3x and Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8G at 75mm, f/4, 1/125 sec and ISO 200.

Tourists visiting Forbidden City in Beijing

Beijing, China – October 10, 2012: Visitors in the southern section (Outer Court) – with The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tài Hé Diàn) – of The Forbidden City (or Palace Museum) north of Tiananmen Square.

Nikon D800E and Nikkor 24-70mm (with a polarizer) at 24mm, f/8, 1/200 sec and ISO 200.

The image may be licensed at istockphoto.

A fish eye view of Lisbon from Four Seasons Hotel Ritz near the Eduardo VII Park

Lisbon, Portugal – July 1, 2012: The view from the balcony of a guest room at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz near the Eduardo VII Park (shot with Nikon D3X with a 16 mm fish eye lens). The image may be licensed at istockphoto.

Calm small river running through ice and snow

Calm small river cuts a graceful curve through ice and snow covered grounds Jotunheimen National Park in Norway

Nikon D3X and Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8G at 70mm, f/22, 1/80 sec and ISO 200

Entrance to the Tower of London

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England, United Kingdom

Nikon D800 and Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8G at 34mm, ISO 200, f/8 and 1/80sec. Processed in Aperture and Photoshop.

It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078, and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The castle was used as a prison since at least 1100, although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site. (wikipedia)

Erhu Player in Temple of Heaven Park

An Erhu (Chinese violin) player and a listener at the entrance of the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing, China.

Nikon D3X and Nikkor 70-200 mm 2.8G at 70mm, ISO 200, f/11 and 1/60 sec. Processed in Aperture

The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a “southern fiddle”, and sometimes known in the Western world as the “Chinese violin” or a “Chinese two-stringed fiddle”. It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular of the huqin family of traditional bowed string instruments used by various ethnic groups of China. A very versatile instrument, the erhu is used in both traditional and contemporary music arrangements, such as in pop, rock, jazz, etc. The erhu can be traced back to instruments introduced into China more than a thousand years ago. It is believed to have evolved from the xiqin, which was described as a foreign, two-stringed lute in Yue Shu (lit. book of music), an encyclopedic work on music written by music theorist Chen Yang in the Northern Song Dynasty. The xiqin is believed to have originated from the Xi people of Central Asia, and have come to China in the 10th century. The erhu consists of a long vertical stick-like neck, at the top of which are two large tuning pegs, and at the bottom is a small resonator body (sound box) which is covered with python skin on the front (playing) end. Two strings are attached from the pegs to the base, and a small loop of string (qian jin) placed around the neck and strings acting as a nut pulls the strings towards the skin, holding a small wooden bridge in place. (wikipedia)

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy

The Pantheon (“to every god”) in Rome, Italy was built by Marcus Agrippa in 27 BC and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD. The inscription translates to: “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made this building during his third consulship”.

Nikon D3X and Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8G at 35mm, ISO 200, f/11 and 1/100 sec. Processed in Photoshop.

In the aftermath of the Battle of Actium (31 BC), Marcus Agrippa built and dedicated the original Pantheon during his third consulship (27 BC). Located in the Campus Martius, at the time of its construction, the area of the Pantheon was on the outskirts of Rome, and the area had a rural appearance. Under the Roman Republic the Campus Martius had served as a gathering place for elections and the army. However, under Augustus and the new Principate both institutions were deemed to be unnecessary within the city. The construction of the Pantheon was part of a program of construction that was undertaken by Augustus Caesar and his supporters. They built more than twenty structures on the Campus Martius, including the Baths of Agrippa and the Saepta Julia. It had long been thought that the current building was built by Agrippa, with later alterations undertaken, and this was in part because of the inscription on the front of the temple. The concrete for the coffered dome was poured in moulds, probably mounted on temporary scaffolding. The oculus is the main source of natural light. The inscription across the front of the Pantheon says: M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIUM·FECIT or in full, “M[arcus] Agrippa L[ucii] f[ilius] co[n] s[ul] tertium fecit,” meaning “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made this building when consul for the third time.” However, archaeological excavations have shown that the Pantheon of Agrippa had been completely destroyed except for the facade, and Emperor Hadrian was responsible for rebuilding the Pantheon on the site of Agrippa’s original temple. (wikipedia)

Fountain of the Pantheon

The Fontana del Pantheon (English: Fountain of the Pantheon) was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII and is located in the Piazza della Rotonda, Rome, in front of the Roman Pantheon.

Nikon D3X and Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8G at 24mm, ISO200, f/11 and 1/320 sec. Processed in Photoshop.

The Fontana del Pantheon (English: Fountain of the Pantheon) was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII and is located in the Piazza della Rotonda, Rome, in front of the Roman Pantheon. It was designed by Giacomo Della Porta in 1575 and sculpted out of marble by Leonardo Sormani. In 1711, Pope Clement XI requested that the fountain be modified and had Filippo Barigioni design a new layout, which included a different basin, made of stone, and the obelisk of Ramses II set in the centre on a plinth with four dolphins decorating the base. In 1886, the original marble figures were removed, and replaced with copies by Luigi Amici. Today, the originals can be seen in the Museum of Rome. (wikipedia)