It’s so hard to believe that July’s over — how did this summer pass so quickly? I know, I know — it’s still August, and here in Texas, this means that we’re really entering the blistering heat of the summertime, but I can’t help it: historically, August has always meant back-to-school shopping, and getting ready for that first day of the semester. And yes, it’s been a few years (*cough*decades*cough*) since I was in school, but what kind I say: old habits die hard.
Anyway, this week I thought I’d share some of the coolest summer photographs that were taken around the world this summer, and shared in our Gadling Flickr pool. Think of it as a walk down International Memory Lane; or, if you’re not ready to let go of summer yet, let these images serve as inspiration as you squeeze those last drops out of the waning season.
May 9, 2009 — Portugal:
To start things off, take a look at this great shot shared by t3mujin. I love this shot for a couple of reasons: (a) to me, a holiday really hasn’t begun until I’ve got a fruity beverage in my hand (although, I must say, for my liking this one is lacking a paper umbrella), and (b) t3mujin did a great job of capturing the light and the colour of the beverages. No flash here: the use of the light source from the left, with the dark background make the vibrant colours of drinks look most enticing. Great job.
May 21, 2009 — Coney Island, New York, United States:
Next up: this cool shot shared by Rubys Host. This image was taken during Fleet Week — an event which occurs every Memorial Day since 1984, where the United States Navy and Marine Corps dock several of their ships in New York for the public to tour, and in honour of the enlisted men who have lost their lives in military service. I love the editorial feel of this shot: the uniformed officers next to the tourists in beach attire; the military helicopters next to the giant ferris wheel. I particularly love the vignetting of the photo, as well, giving the feel of looking at the entire scene through a telescope or periscope. Great shot.
May 23, 2009 — Le Marais, Paris, France:
One of my top two favourite cities in the world is Paris (the second is Buenos Aires) — there’s nothing like Paris in the summertime. There’s just something about a good glass of wine, some great stinky cheese and a crusty baguette, while sitting in a sidewalk cafe, just watching the world go by.
*sigh*
Anyway, you can see why I’m particularly drawn to this photo, shared by Luke Robinson: the cobblestone streets, the cafe with its little sidewalk blackboard proclaiming the specials du jour, even the little dog — you can almost hear the accordion player in the distance, can’t you? And I love that the photograph was processed in black-and-white — because the scene truly is timeless.
July 4, 2009 — Warwick, Rhode Island:
Ah, American Independence Day: a day of crowds, bad junk food, warm beer and cranky kids staying up way past their bedtimes in order to watch the 20 minute of fireworks that end all too soon. At least, that’s how I used to spend July 4th. But in recent years, my family and I tend to spend our July 4ths more quietly — just a few friends and family, a homecooked meal, and staking out a spot in the city away from the crowds, where we can still see the fireworkd. That’s why, I think, I love this photograph shared by insEyedout — I love the sense of solitude, and quiet and peace conveyed in this image that he took on July 4th — and those adirondack chairs feel like their just calling me to sit comfortably to look at the fireworks across the bay. Beautiful emotion captured here.
July 11, 2009 — Victoria, British Columbia, Canada:
If you’ve been reading Through the Gadling Lens for a while, you know I’m a sucker for a photograph with graet colour, so it’s likely no surprise that I would feature this shot shared by Bryn Tassell of an electrical storm in British Columbia, Canada. I love the long exposure (read: allowing the shutter to stay open for a while — I’m guessing the camera was sitting on a tripod), which softens all of the details of the water, and, of course, the serendipitous strike of lightning, illuminating the shot. I also love how, in essence, every colour of the spectrum is represented in this image, slowly merging one to the other. A truly amazing shot.
July 19, 2009 — Barrie, Ontario, Canada:
For some reason, in our family this summer has been full of taking my 5-year-old daughter to play in fountains — both here in Houston and in New York City. Which probably explains why I was drawn to this image shared by Bryson Gilbert of a swimming area on a lake in Ontario, Canada. The lake, the marked swim area, the huge towering fountain the background — I don’t think this image could scream “summer” any louder if it tried.
July 25, 2009 — Mount Rainier, Washington, United States:
And finally, I love this astonishing photo shared by fiznatty of Mt. Rainier in the distance, towering over the lush green fields and trees at lower altitudes. This might be summer in Washington state, but the snow capped mountains in the distance remind us that cooler weather isn’t far away. Really breathtaking.
So nice job, Gadlingers! Also, if you’ve taken a photograph this summer that you’re particularly proud of, please add the link to the comments below — we’d love to see it for some late summer inspiration. After all, in this, the last few weeks of summer, we need to keep clicking, and grab as much of the warm weather as we can while it lasts. And of course, as always, if you have any questions, you can always contact me directly at karenDOTwalrondATweblogsincDOTcom – and I’m happy to address them in upcoming Through the Gadling Lens posts.
Karen is a writer and photographer in Houston, Texas. You can see more of her work at her site, Chookooloonks.
Through the Gadling Lens can be found every Thursday right here, at 11 a.m. To read more Through the Gadling Lens, click here.