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Friday, August 7, 2009

Friday Photo Shoot Out: Power

This week's theme is Power, so here are some examples of power that I've come across in my recent wanderings.
The power of the state. Government buildings in Europe tend to be very grandiose, an architectural expression of their importance.

The power of the state might be grand, but it doesn't, and can't, keep every last person happy clothed and fed, like this homeless man sleeping in the doorway of city hall in Lyon.
Power of the Church: buildings dominating towns, holidays on our supposedly secular calender, ideas for some. The church in La Tour du Pin, built on the hill in the middle of town, is the visual focal point of the town, though today it is no longer the focal point of life there.
The Lyon Cathedral is upstaged by the Basilica on top of the bluff overlooking the city.
In Culoz, too, the church is built on a prominent spot from which it surveys the village.
The power of water, giving us life, and joy, and making just about everything possible on earth.
Rivers often divide cities
- the Saône and Rhone dividing Old from New Lyon, like the Seine in Paris and its Rive Gauche,
The water in the Saône is deceptively calm. It's moving at quite a clip, and when it joins the Rhone in a few hundred meters, it'll be one of the strongest forces in this part of France.
Rivers also divide countries : our German neighbors are 'over the Rhine', the Jordan divides Jordan from Israel, the Danube divides Romania from Bulgaria, and many, many others.
and even continents (the Ural, dividing Europe from Asia).

The power that makes our lives go smoothly. Nuclear generators of electricity giving off steam in the distance. Train engines hauling passengers to their destinations and goods all around the continent.


Yep, I just had to get a train picture in!

I do apologize if this is a rather superficial treatment of "Power". It's a subject that merits more, but time and inclination don't always coincide with the weekly theme. I'll come back to this later for a more considered post.

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11 comments:

Sarah Lulu said...

I enjoyed your slant on it...
those buildings are so very impressive aren't they?!

Dave King said...

Always interesting to read the statements buildings make and to analyze the ways in which they make them. A good collection that!

marc aurel said...

I love your header of the vineyard in the foreground.

"Power is a funny thing", said the leproghaun(sp?), "The more you have, the more you lose".

shabby girl said...

I loved your photos! You are right about the architecture; pretty impressive! Of course, I loved the water pictures. I think you did a great job!!!

Reya Mellicker said...

The hike was really fun!

And in this post I love all the deep blue sky contrasted against all that white stone. The buildings here in DC are likewise grandiose. It always gives me a good chuckle.

Love the moon in the sky above the church. Wow.

Unknown said...

beautiful shots of your area of the world. great post!!

Kerri said...

Great take on Power. I love looking at all the architecture.

B. Casper said...

Thank you for the comment on my blog! What a beautiful place, and how it shows POWER.

Anonymous said...

enjoyed your post and love the architecture!

Heather S-G said...

Wow...these are some gorgeous, powerful photos! Really...beautiful :D

Carrie said...

Your hometown is beautiful. The buildings are magnificent and I love your angles.