Foto Friday – Big Buddha (Po Lin Monastery), Lantau Island

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Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha, is a large bronze statue, at 85ft high it sits on a throne of lotus leaves – the Buddhist symbol of purity – and was completed in 1993, it is located at Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong.

The statue overlooks the nearby Po Lin Monastery and symbolises the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. It is a major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong.

A crazy ride via a cable car gets you from the mainland across to the island, alternatively you can hike up into the mountains from the shoreline below having crossed by boat to reach the Buddha. I took literally dozens of shots while I was on Lantau but this is still my favourite, The Buddha looks so serene when viewed directly from the foot of the steps but also so very very powerful.

Foto Friday – Yosemite Falls

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I love this shot taken back in 2006 during a road-trip around California in a stupidly long 31ft camper van. Yosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak.

Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and an absolute must for outdoor lovers and photographers alike the world over.

Foto Friday – Hagia Sophia – Calligraphic Roundels, Istanbul

Hagia Sophia - Calligraphic Roundels

During a trip to Istanbul in 2005 I visited the Hagia Sophia, once the largest basilica in Christendom, in 1453 after the siege of Constantinople it was converted into a mosque by Sultan Mehmed.

This photograph shows two of the eight famous calligraphic roundels in the Hagia Sophia that are in fact painted wooden plaques, they were added in the 19th century restoration ordered by Sultan Abdülmecid.

This shot is actually an analog photo taken using film and later scanned in for digital purposes – in fact it was the last trip I used a film camera on!