-- Past Photos of the Week -- 2012 (Part 1)


All Photographs © Sam Oppenheim 1997-2012

"Wedding Crasher Lions" - Brooklyn, NY -- (June 17th, 2012)
  • This weekend I attended a lovely wedding at the Brooklyn Prospect Park boathouse, and in the middle of cocktail hour, intense drumming was followed by a surprise assault by chinese lions to the delight of all the guests & the bride and groom! (Photograph taken June 2012) Camera & Film: Canon Powershot S90 - Digital RAW

"Jerusalem Old City Streets at Dawn" - Jerusalem, Israel -- (June 10th, 2012)
  • ItÕs the sunrise and ancient stonework that makes this scene evoke memories and hope for me, what does it evoke for you? Taken while walking toward the western wall during morning prayers just after dawn in August of 2011. Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Holy Sepulchre Portal" - Jerusalem, Israel -- (June 3rd, 2012)
  • At first impression Š where do you think this portal leads? To me there is a certain medieval magic and mystery to the architecture. It is actually a sacred entrance inside JerusalemÕs ŅChurch of the Holy SepulchreÓ to an upstairs alcove where Jesus was supposedly crucified. After ducking thru this portal, visitors can line up to reach down through an opening to touch the very stone where Roman Emperor ConstantineÕs mother declared that JesusÕ cross had been placed when he was crucified. (Photograph taken in August 2011) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Medieval Fairytale Landscape" - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg -- (May 28th, 2012)
  • Luxembourg. IÕm not sure if all visitors will agree, but IÕm pretty sure most will feel the magical wonderland aspect of Luxembourg. Its one of the wealthiest and healthiest countries per capita and is built into a landscape of truly medieval cliffs, castles, royal palaces, cathedrals, and rounded towers. This snap captures it best, shot from river level alongside a church looking up at Luxembourg CityÕs impressive cliff face and palatial renaissance buildings. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Floral Supernova" - Bronx, NY -- (May 20th, 2012)
  • Back on April 1st we visited the NY Botanical Gardens Orchid Special. This is one of my favorite floral shots from the day. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Bouillon Castle" - Bouillon, Belgium -- (May 13th, 2012)
  • The last day of our visit to Belgium, We toured Bouillon Castle, perched on a rocky outcrop between a riverÕs oxbow. Hear more in my Amateur TravelerÕs Chris Christensen radio interview online or by download at http://europe.amateurtraveler.com/2012/05/12/travel-to-belgium/. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"March of the Tulips" - Leiden, Netherlands, -- (May 6th, 2012)
  • I have to thank my cousin Alicia of http://www.cyclingwithoutahelmet.blogspot.com/ twice for this image. Once, because she hosted Mina and Me when we came to visit her in Leiden, Netherlands and took us on a lovely bike ride to see the tulip fields outside the idyllic canal and windmill filled town center. And thanks a second time, because she told me to try this shot with my camera after her good results of the same angle. This is a prime example of the paradigm that it can help to be flexible and take shots from new perspectives, and also that I can put away my big SLR and fit a tiny pocket camera close to the ground to get new views of the same subject. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon Powershot 90 - Digital RAW

"Babymoon in Brussels" - Brussels, Belgium -- (May 1st, 2012)
  • So very happy to officially announce the good news... how else but through a photo of a Giant brussels sprout? While visiting Brussels we saw many giant sculptures of Belgian food items, part of brusselicious 2012 - click here to see more about the exhibition. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon Powershot 90 - Digital RAW

"It was a dark and stormy day..." - Brugge, Belgium -- (April 22nd, 2012)
  • Belgium was very charming, almost fairytale in some places like Brugge, Ghent, Orval, and Boullion. However, it also rains according to one source 200 days out of the year in much of the low countries (Netherlands and Northern Belgium). We had a mixture of sun and rain but in between moody clouds created wonderful imagery. This shows a plaza at the end of a canal in Brugge and was taken while on a Canal boat tour. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Construction Site Portal" - New York, NY -- (April 1st, 2012)
  • While walking in the city, I saw the awesome leftovers of an apartment building, soon to be destroyed with new construction. This is a view through the construction site wall. This recalls to me two of my previous photos of the week - Construction Site Fresco -- (Week of April 4th, 2005), and "58th Street Skyline" - Manhattan, New York. -- (June 9th, 2007) both shot on opportunistic views of construction sites in NYC, Whenever I walk by open sites, there is always an exciting anticipation of destruction of the old and building of the new. (photograph taken in April 2012) Camera & Film: Canon Powershot 90 - Digital RAW

"Pass the Cheese, Please" - Key West, Florida -- (March 3rd, 2012)
  • Mallory Square, Key West, is famous for its sunsets; Hundreds of tourists go every night to watch street performers and the sunset. So I decided to make the cheesiest most plastic-fantastic, kitschy sunset photo to represent this event. Luckily for me the sun, clouds, birds, and even a sunset sailboat cooperated with me when I visited! (photo taken in February 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Florida Flamingo" - Florida, USA -- (February 26th, 2012)
  • Touring Florida, I was very excited and happy to go to a drive-thru-safari (zoo?) with some extra animals at the end including a set of adorable resting Flamingos! I thought this one was just ideal, adorable, and aesthetically beautiful. (Photo taken in February 2012) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Crusader Fort Oculus" - Karak, Jordan -- (February 12th, 2012)
  • The hills of Jordan have a series of ruined crusader fortresses from the pre-renaissance violent european conquest of the Middle-East & establishment of Crusader Kingdoms in the region. The one at Karak has been slightly repaired, is one of the largest, and is well-preserved for tourism. It is magical to explore tunnels once the home of Knights and Peasants 900 years ago! (photograph taken in August 2011) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Kempinski Light" - Jordan -- (February 4th, 2012)
  • One night at the hotel in Jordan, I photographed the awesome lights' pattern. (photograph taken in August 2011) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Dana Village Portal" - Dana, Jordan -- (January 29th, 2012)
  • While driving around the mountain range that separates the Dead sea from Jordan's interior, we came across a preserved old stone village mentioned in Lawrence of Arabia. The village was quiet, quaint, and welcoming. This was the most evocative portal I captured there. Note: If not for the CF lightbulb the image could be timeless! (Photograph taken in August 2011) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW

"Petra's "Treasury" at Day's End" - Petra, Jordan -- (January 22nd, 2012)
  • Remembering the golden color on the red sandstone at days end in Petra. This is the most famous facade - the Treasury - featured in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, as well as countless postcards. (Photograph taken in August 2011) Camera & Film: Canon EOS 40D - Digital RAW




All Photographs © Sam Oppenheim 1997-2012