Straw

Another one from the Delta trip. This is the straw used to thatch the roofs. It grows everywhere in the Delta, but isn't much harvested now. The morning light was coming from the right and bouncing off the grass, which gives an unusual uplighting effect on the straw.

Shell House

Another one from the Danube Delta. This was taken on a bright early morning with clear skies; the lack of any texture in the sky in the photograph shows this, there really wasn't any to show. The house is still in use, although not for humans, and the thatch roof is maintained. The next photo I upload will show the raw material, in the same early morning light.

Hair

Just to show something a little different. From the Theatre Festival in Sibiu, June 2007 when Sibiu was European Capital of Culture.

Delta

The first example from my trip to the Danube Delta. I think it combines all of the key elements of the Delta, even if only symbolically. The wood for the trees and the scales for the fish and, by extension, the water. There's probably a splodge of birdshit there as well.

Water wheel

There's something about the use of wood in Romania. It seems to age more gracefully than we're used to in Ireland; it must be the climate, which is much dryer in Romania. The working is usually fairly rough to start with, for objects like this in any case, and age adds to both the grain texture and the natural lumps and bumps in wood.

The light in this was interesting, but made for fairly strong contrast between the top, which is in full sunlight, and the lower part, much of which is in deep shadow. Happily the light was spring rather than summer and in a forested area which seemed to help keep the sunlight manageable.

Sparkles

Light on the water, taken in Azuga. I had intended to make a series of exposures and layer them to open up the exposure on the stones under the water, but when I saw how each exposure turned out in itself I decided to leave well enough alone.

Roof and moon

The very strong graphical element attracted me to this composition. The building is in a fairly poor state, but seems to be undergoing work of some kind - althought it's been in this state for quite a while. It's located right beside the Old Court in Bucharest, the first royal court in the city and the photograph was taken at about 11:00 am.

Most of the people I was with were so busy taking photographs of the rather attractive rubble and exposed steel on the inside that they didn't look up. It just goes to show, you've got to keep your eyes open.