This week our guest host, James of the Jazzibee blog, challenges us to consider looking up and down. The world looks a bit different depending on your viewpoint. James writes, “In taking photographs I’ve always been encouraged to shoot from various angles as a slight change can substantially alter and perhaps improve the resulting photograph…. especially true when using wide angle lens.” You can check out his entire challenge post here.
I was lucky to find a single image that actually meets both criteria. In Saint Augustine, Florida, the lighthouse museum on Anastasia Island features a convex mirror mounted almost at ground level. If you look down to take a photo of the mirror, you can get your own personal selfie as the mirror “looks up” at the lighthouse in the background.
Most of my images for this challenge features are paired, one looking up, the other providing a downward view. Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro attracts tourists by providing two cable car rides, the first to an intermediate mountain and the second to the top of Sugarloaf itself. This view of Sugarloaf was captured while we waited in line for the second of the two cable car rides.
There aren’t many places, though, where you can get views looking down on Sugarloaf Mountain short of taking a helicopter tour. There is one place, however, where the view of Sugarloaf from above is possible. That’s from one of the platforms built on the top of Mount Corcovado. What you can’t see in this view of Sugarloaf is up and to the right. The 98-foot (30 m) tall statue of Christ the Redeemer.
Visitors to Niagara Falls can look up at the three waterfalls from the Maid of the Mist tour boats. The largest of the three falls is Horseshoe Falls, also known as the Canadian Falls. Of course, you will get wet, even with the provided rain parkas. Keeping your camera and lens dry is all but impossible unless you have an underwater housing or choose not to take any photos at all. Knowing this, I grabbed a half-dozen or so lens wipes and put them in my pocket. By the time our boat got to the Canadian Falls, I’d used up every lens wipe I had with me.
Getting the view of the Canadian Falls from above is easy if you don’t mind waiting in a long line for the elevator that will take you to the top of Skylon Tower on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. If you look in the lower left of the image, you can see an approaching boat. Then if you look at the mist generated by the falls, you’ll understand completely why your gear and your clothes underneath the parka will get wet.
The giant cathedral in Barcelona, Spain, and architect Gaudí’s homage to God can’t be viewed from above without that helicopter tour, but from Montjuïc at the 1992 Olympic swimming arena, you can look down at the city of Barcelona and see how high the cathedral rises over the city.
I don’t know which is more impressive, looking down at Barcelona to see the cathedral rise above the city or to stand at ground level and look up at the unfinished work. Our tour guide hinted that La Sagrada might be finished by 2026. Construction started in 1882 so if it is completed in 2026, the cathedral’s opening would coincide with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death.
When something is big in a big city, so big that you cannot back away far enough to capture the entire structure, you may have to resort to an unusual perspective. In December, this image will be exposed again as a Cellpic Sunday with a story about the unusual perspective.
Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to reading your comments. As we are on a cruise right now and have limited access to the Internet, I may be a bit late in my reply. Please forgive my tardiness. You can view my images in 2K HD on my Flickr site here. Thanks to Anne’s Fill the Frame challenge last week, and thanks also to James for being a guest host this week. Next week, Patti hosts. If you’d like to join in on the challenges each week but aren’t sure how to get started, you can learn the details here.
John Steiner
It took me a moment to realize that clouds are not spheres even when you see them from the Maid of the Mists. Great set, liked the clever leader photo.
Thanks, I. J.
These images are so amazing. These Falls are so photogenic. Anita
They are, indeed, Anita!
Perfect post, John. I enjoyed how you paired your views, up and down, from all your subjects. Great idea and wonderful photos. I love your first one too, very clever and sweet.
Thanks, Sofia! It is hard to find paired views of most subjects of any size.
Lovely post John, Sugarloaf Mountain was a beautiful view. La Sagrada Familia impressive as is Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.
Thanks, Ritva! They are both impressive designs. Sugarloaf is unmistakable when you see its unique shape.
Such a good idea to showcase the same features above and below. Great post.
Thanks, Margaret, it took me a while to find them in my gallery. ☺️
Beautiful photos, John! 😊
Thanks, John.
Beautiful post 🌹
Thank you?
Love the photo of Horseshoe Falls, photos of the same place both up and down – top marks 🙂
Thanks for the compliment, Alison.
Perfect examples,!
La Sagrada Familia and falls my fav.
Thanks, Philo!
Welcome, John.
Your opening shot is very clever and I like the way you’ve paired looking up and down images of the same place 🙂 I had exactly the same problem at Niagara Falls but actually the water drops add to the shot!
Those water drops help tell the story in the photo!
Rio, Barcelona, Florida, New York — such great photos to illustrate the challenge. These are gorgeous photos, John.
Thanks, Egidio! Fun challenge this week!
Great ups and downs John! I especially liked your photo of Horseshoe Falls!
Thanks, Anne!
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John, I love your well thought out choices for looking up and down. The upper view of horseshoe falls is stunning.I will arrive in Barcelona tomorrow. I made note of getting to the swimming arena for the view. And I definitely want explore Gaudi’s art while there. Very nice post John.
The pool is well worth the stop as well as the art museum nearby. Also, if you are a fan of Gaudi’s work,be sure to visit Guell Park… (not sure of the spelling). Safe travels.
Hi John, yes…I just checked. Our excursion lists the places you mentioned.
Marvellous photographs in response to this challenge, John. I really appreciate how you’ve given the ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ of the same places. Great post!
Thanks, James!
Great examples this week John! I especially loved the perspective on Niagra Falls. The “funhouse” up/down image is marvelous!!
Thanks, Tina! I have never before seen such a great way to take a selfie with an attraction.
Love your impressive examples, John. We saw La Sagrada Familia while watching this year’s Vuelta a España on TV. 🙂 It was fun to see in your photo how tall it is in relation to the rest of the city.
It is an imposing edifice, for sure, especially when seen from above the city!
Great photos John. Clear and crisp.
Thanks, John!
All gorgeous, John! The Horseshoe and Gaudi’s masterpiece are unmatched!
Thanks, A-C!
beautiful shots of Corcovado and Sugarloaf John!
Thanks, John!
There are a few places I would like to revisit John and one of them is Niagra Falls, It was June 1976 when I happily boarded the Maid of the Mist and we bobbed upstream to the Horseshoe Falls. It was a truly wonderful experience.
I would like to do it again! Wonderful experience!