Black-and-white night view across Praça Tiradentes in Ouro Preto, Brazil, with a cobblestone street, lamplit colonial buildings on both sides, the granite base of the Tiradentes monument on the left, and the Palácio dos Governadores on a walled rise at the far end.

Black Gold in Black and White

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Leanne’s Monochrome Madness is hosted by Ritva this week. It sent me back to Ouro Preto, in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a town that seems made for black and white. The name means “black gold,” after the gold that prospectors found … Read More

A Rock Cafe bar and restaurant at night, its neon sign shaped like a red and blue electric guitar glowing above an outdoor patio with diners seated at tables under leafy trees in Albufeira, Portugal.

What Moves You?

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Lens-Artists Challenge #416: Music I often hear people say that music is the universal language. At some level, music touches people and goes beyond language barriers. Whether it is sacred music, opera, pop, folk, country, jazz, soul, hip-hop, rap, or … Read More

View over the red-tiled rooftops of Congonhas, Minas Gerais, seen from the terrace of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus, with green mountains under a bright, cloud-filled sky.

Aleijadinho’s Masterwork — A Pilgrimage to Congonhas

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Lens-Artists Challenge #405: Adventures Welcome back from the Lens-Artists short break! This week, Ann-Christine has asked us to share adventures we have experienced “from long ago or lately.” I wholeheartedly agree with her that “every day is an adventure.” Take … Read More

A Striated Heron stands on wet, leaf-strewn mud at the water’s edge, its gray-and-cream streaked plumage and yellow legs catching the light as it fixes on the shallows. Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, Brazil, 2023.

The Same Heron, Two Continents Apart

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Back in December 2023, I wrote about my first Striated Heron, spotted while we walked through Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo. On weekends, the park’s 390 acres (158 hectares) fill with thousands of people, so I was surprised to find … Read More

Four-panel collage of the Santuário Arquidiocesano São Francisco de Assis in Pampulha, Belo Horizonte: exterior side view with parabolic vaults and azulejo panels, interior vestibule looking out toward Pampulha Lake, interior nave with Portinari altar mural, and front entrance with the freestanding bell tower

Perspective, Depth, and Scale at the Santuário São Francisco de Assis

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Lens-Artists Challenge #403: Tools of Photo Composition: Perspective, Depth, and Scale This week’s Lens-Artists Challenge is hosted by John. He continues his series of compositional tools in photography. Specifically, he wants us to focus our attention on the “tools that … Read More