Northern Landscape Magazine - September 2014

ISSUE # 18 * SEPTEMBER 2014

www.northernlandscape.org

NORTHERN LANDSCAPE

HAVING COFFEE WITH JOHN VELOCCI PHOTOGRAPHY TUTORIAL #18 - MULTIPLE EXPOSURE

MONTHLY CHALLENGES

THIS IS (HI)STORY! ROMAN RE-ENACTMENT

NORTHERN WINDS: THE JUNCKER COMMISSION IS HERE. WHAT NOW?

COVER

Toronto Skyline 3 by John Velocci The skyline of downtown Toronto, Ontario in Canada Taken with my Canon T3i at 36mm for 15 seconds. HDR done with Photomatix pro, then prrocessed using Photoshop CS6 dedicated to Toronto http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto

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FROM THE EDITOR The beginning of something amazing!

Yes, this is the beginning of something truly fantastic! We can happily announce that the Northern landscape Project is about to go through some dramatic changes! First off, we have a new collaborator: Adnan Idrees. He is a fantastic graphic designer and he has helped us a great deal to produce this month’s issue. Adnan will be taking over this project and therefore he will be leaving his fingerprints here and there.

Another big change (and following this line of events), we are beginning to leave Redbubble to our own home. I am not talking about our website but a brand new place: the Northern Landscape Social Network! Yes, you read it well, the NL project becomes a social network!

As a consequence, we will be transferring our challenges into our Facebook page, plus we will have our own social network without having to worry about graphic designers or a company focused on profits only and nothing at all about the photographers. That is over now!

From now on, we will be having our own social network, we will be having a place focused only on ourselves and what we do: photography! But this is not everything: We will be selling printed magazines to all of you who want to have one!

Yes, finally!!

Editor Chief João Figueiredo

Test readers Charles Kosina, Alyson Kosina, Adnan Idrees

Graphic Artist João Figueiredo, Adnan Idrees

Tutorial by João Figueiredo

Special contributor Nigel Bangert

Web site www.northernlandscape.org

E-mail contact info@northernlandscape.org

Featured artists in this issue John Velocci Arie Koene derekbeattie

Again, as a consequence, we will be making a reset on the whole project, meaning that we will be deleting all our past history and starting over.

This time with a better layout, with better articles and with better tutorials. Full focus on our project!

Does this sound interesting? Well, don’t waste any more time, visit our brand new website...

Your Editor Chief João Figueiredo

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INDEX 02 About the cover 03 From the editor & technical data 06 Northern winds - The Juncker Commission is here. What now?

10 Theme Challenge August ~ Metallic Structures 20 NLM photo tutorial #18 - Multiple Exposure 28 Featured Work Challenge ~ August 38 This is (Hi)story - Roman Re-enactment 54 The BIG Challenge ~ August 62 Having coffee with John Velocci + his Featured works 74 Northern Landscape: Some facts 77 Back cover artist 78 Back cover 4 • Northern Landscape Magazine

THIS AMAZING MAGAZINE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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Norden winds

The Juncker Commission is here. What now?

Finally, after months of negotiations we finally received the announcement that the new EU commission is here! Jean Claude Junker will lead the EU commission on the next five years. But what is expected from this commission anyway – especially in turbulent times like these? What is the EU Commission and what they do? Do we need it?

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f confirmed in a Parliament vote in October, the European Commission will take office on 1 November 2014. What will this mean and why should you care, even if you live outside of the EU? Questions never seem to stop, do they? Let’s try to answer them... Jean-Claude Juncker presented his team and the new structure. He said of the candidates, “the team that will put Europe back on the path to jobs and growth”.

Juncker also reiterated that he allocated the portfolios to people, not to countries. This is extremely important in a time where all around Europe you see nationalism and right wing extremism rising again, just like 100 years ago before the World Wars.

Think of the EU Commission as the EU government – which actually is, but politicians all over Europe refuse to admit it due to populism, they need to win elections on their home countries... – that will try to administrate and set the guidelines for the whole EU, a bit like the USA government does in the “states”.

To administrate and set the guidelines for 28 different countries that have different cultures, different political agendas, languages and different economical and industrial levels of development isn’t exactly the world’s most easy task (especially when most of them have been deadly enemies during centuries, I might add) so... how will they do it and how will that affect the whole world?

Glad you ask! First off, the Commission is divided in different areas, as the picture below illustrates.

So, as you can see (try to zoom if you can’t see the image properly), the EU Commission is divided not into countries but into areas of interest such as Research, Climate & Energy, Taxation and Customs, and so on. How these people will work in the next 5 years will be dramatically important for the whole world!

You may think I am speaking like a “Drama Queen” but the fact is that allmost all of Europe is a part of either EU or EFTA (European Free Trade Association). What you

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don’t know is that all EFTA members are obligated to follow pretty much all of the EU directives because EFTA is some sort of prechamber of EU. In order to become an EU member, you have to be an EFTA member.

Then there is also the fact that both members of EU and EFTA (with the exception of the UK and Ireland) have signed in Schengen traty, plus that all members of EU and EFTA constitute the EEA (European Economic Area) which is a requisite to use Euro currency.

In addition to that, the rest of the continent that seems to be under another economic block also gets affected by EU and it’s decisions. Don’t believe me? Ask Georgia, see what is happening in Ukraine, ask the countries in the Balkan region, ask the Middle East and even Northern Africa, etc... Not enough?

Who do you think USA and China will trade if EU disappears? Until very recently, EU was the world’s biggest economy only very much recently supplanted by China. Therefore, everything EU says and does is going to influence the rest of the world – like it or not.

It seems though that the brand new shiny EU Commission is already doomed to be the big or nothing. They will practically start working on a war zone. Tight now we have EU involved directly or indirectly in many different issues: War in Ukraine, the chaotic situation between Israel and Palestine, IS and the rest of the middle East, Financial crisis that never ends, treaty of free commerce between USA and EU, and so on and son on, it just never ends!

Interestingly enough, at the same time that EU has never been more at stake and questioned by all sides of society, there has never been such a high expectation level from a EU Commission before. It is expected by pretty much everyone else that this brand new commission can solve all these problems, from war to economical growth. But can they really? What do the experts say?

I have made a quick research and found out that for starters we have new portfolios: Climate Action and Energy as well as

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Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

Sounds that Juncker is aiming for a common energetic EU strategy, exactly when USA prepares to sell shale gas at a cheaper price then Russia can sell their conventional one (one of the foundations of the conflict in Ukraine). I don’t think this is a coincidence, it seems that Juncker wants to eliminate any regional agendas inside of the EU and make it act as a single block and speak at a single voice against the Russian energetic monopoly.

At the same time, it seems reasonable to me that nearly a whole continent has an independent energy solution/politics so that it can’t get hostage of a single country’s interest or will.

Not less interesting is to see that Juncker gave the economy portfolios to people from France and... wait for it: UK! Yes, I do not believe neither it was a mere coincidence here. We are talking about a country that is taking big steps to leave EU, mostly because of economy. On the top of it, Lord Jonathan Hill (with the Financial Services portfolio) will have to work side by side with French Pierre Moscovici which will have the EU economic Policy portfolio. So, a man coming from a clear EU and Euro sceptic country cooperating with another man coming from a pro EU and pro Euro on the same area? This sounds promising. If you ask me, it sounds like Juncker is clearly trying to use this method in order to show “Brits” another point of view at the same time that UK’s PM (current and future) will not be able to complain so much any longer about EU’s economic policy and how it affects UK. Interesting idea on paper, especially if we consider that UK’s PM, David Cameron made an “hysterical” resistance against Juncker’s election as a EU Commission president. I Wonder how it will work on reality...

Jean-Claude Juncker said himself: “I wanted former leaders, ex-ministers who know the job, who know the Council, the Parliament, who know about public opinion. This will be a very political Commission.”

Well... there are many things to talk about this new Commission, but to be honest, we don’t have the time. Only the future will tell what to expect.

What I would like to point out is that I see very much ambition here and that these are very much interesting times. This Commission is a very interesting one if you have in consideration the times we are living in. I would like to remind the most distracted ones (or informed ones) that Jean-Claude Juncker is an old political dinosaur with decades of both EU and national political top jobs. If there is someone who knows how to pull the strings, it has got to be him. If that is a good thing or not, it stands to be seen, I will not kill

this Commission before it even has started to work.

One thing is for sure, in five years from now, when we will be talking about how this Commission did, the world will be a very much different place. I am sure that on one way or another, both Ukrainian and Middle East conflicts will be on different stages with all that it implicates.

To end up this debate – or free thinking – I would like to say that sometimes I don’t know anymore if I am on reality or fiction. If you want to understand what I am trying to say here, try to see Netflix series “House of Cards”.

ARTICLE BY JOÃO FIGUEIREDO IMAGE BY WWW.EURACTIV.COM

WISH TO DEBATE SOMETHING? MAKE YOUR SUGGESTION TO: INFO@NORTHERNLANDSCAPE.ORG

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Theme Challenge August ~ Metallic Structure 10 • Northern Landscape Magazine

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13 ENTRIES 19 VOTES 1 WINNER 4 DAYS OF VOTING

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UNDER THE SIBELIUS MONUMENT BY ARIE KOENE WITH 4 VOTES

Challenge winner 12 • Northern Landscape Magazine

Arie Koene I am a retired ( 60+) software engineer .

I started my career in 1961 writing programs for one of the first computers in the world in assembler language on 5-channels punched tape. I retired in 2004 while I was working on the Blu-Ray project.

To give you an idea of the progress in the computer world : If you want to make a copy of the content of a Blu-Ray disc on a punched tape, the length of the tape must be at least 60000 kilometers.

I also have a site at Flickr : akoene100 My hobbies: Travel,photography, puzzles.. like cryptograms and sudokus. I made a combination of my photos and a sudoku

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THE TITANIC MUSEUM BELFAST BY LUDWIG WAGNER

EDINBURGH LAMPLIGHT BY KASIA-D 14 • Northern Landscape Magazine

PEACE BRIDGE IN WINTER BY MICHAELJP

THE HIGHEST BRIDGE ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ROAD, NORWAY SEEN FROM APPROACH TO IT BY GERDA GRICE

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IRONBRIDGE, SHROPSHIRE BY GRAEME HYDE

TIDE’S OUT BY JOHN THURGOOD

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LIFFORD COINS, COUNTY DONEGAL BY GEORGE ROW

INFIRMARY BRIDGE, INVERNESS BY LEZVEE BY UPNORTHPHOTO

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TOWER BRIDGE AND HMS BELFAST, LONDON. UK BY ANNDIXON

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NLM PHOTO T

MULTIPLE EXPOSURE Like most things in life, you can achieve amazing results with multiple exposures – if you use it with moderation and some planing. Follow us on this tutorial and you will find out a world that you probably did not know...

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TUTORIAL #18

“AMARYLLIS SORBET” AT THE LEFT AND “COLD SUNSET” AT THE RIGHT BY JOÃO FIGUEIREDO

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have been thinking about talking about Multiple Exposure for a while. Today is the day! Just like HDR, multiple exposure is a thing that many people around the world believe is a product of the latest technologies, when in fact it is something very old. Not as planed as HDR, Multiple Exposure, aka Double Exposure was invented by accident. I found a very good article about this that I recommend. “History of double exposures” at the dubble blog.

INTRODUCTION Multiple exposure is a technique of superimposition of two or more exposures to create a single image. The different exposures may have a different value if you wish so.

This technique happened many times by mistake or accident when we all used old school film cameras due to some mistake on the developing process of the film or simply because one was too clumsy taking the film out of the camera.

If before you could easily do it with a film, today most of cameras do not use film at all, so how can we achieve this? Easier then what it may sound. First let me tell you that some DSLR (and even some compact) cameras have this function built in on their menu.

If that is the case (if your camera does this), then you will not find any difficulty at all in doing multiple exposures. Just try it. If your camera does not do this, do not despair! We will help you!

understand that multiple exposures work a lot better if you have your main subject on a neutral background, for instance black or green. If the intent was never to do a multiple exposure from the beginning, you can have instead some “natural” backgrounds like the ocean or a wall.

So the first step here will be to select at least two images that you want to use in this process. One will be used as a “base” or “mould” and the other as a kind of “filling”. There is no clear way to devide wich photography is best for what, this is something you will have to try on your own.

Despite this, most experienced photographers claim that this technique works better with B&W shots because one does not have to worry much about color. Interesting thought...

If you are going to shoot on purpose for this, try turning Auto-Gain OFF if possible. this small trick can be helpfull because AutoGain automatically tries to neutralize the Exposure Value (EV), which won’t be good at all for the high or low-key portraits.

To make it easier for you, make sure that one of the shots is brighter then the other.

You will see that this will make your life easier later on.

2-

Open your shots in Photoshop (yes, we will be working with Photoshop. I am sure you will still be able to do exactly the same thing if you work with another program that works with layers and transparency).

Place one of your shots into the other one and unblock all the existing layers that might be blocked. Place the layer that will be doing the “filling” on the top.

SO, HOW TO DO IT?

1-

If you are reading this part, it means that you cannot use your camera in order to make a multiple exposure. You have to

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3-

Next in line is to select the top layer and then on the mode (see image on top-left corner at the next page), select “Screen” or “Multiply” as a blending mode. Which one to

chose will strongly depend on what photographies you have chosen because “Screen” mode will lighten your shot and “Multiply” will darken.

¤4 -

If you are an advanced user, you can use the Dodge tool to decolorize some areas that you find to be somewhat distractive.

You can also try to make some changes on the curves of your layers. If you try to do this, there is no standard for what you should do, just try it out until you get pleased with the result!

Just remember that if you are changing the curves, you can do it in different ways: on the colour channels or on the general curves. Don’t know how to have access to the curves? Menu “Image” - “Adjustments” - “Curves”.

That should be it! Are you a perfectionist?

Great, keep reading!

Check the image beneath: You see how I moved down the small point? That will affect light and colour on my selected layer.

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CONCLUSION That should do the job. Short and concise as it should be. The biggest advantage of doing this trick on the digital era is that you have all the control. Another conclusion you can take is that this technique can easily resurrect shots from your portfolio that you thought were dead.

Otherwise, just remember to use it with style and moderation – as pretty much everything else these days...

TUTORIAL AND IMAGES BY JOÃO FIGUEIREDO

WANT TO SEND US YOUR TUTORIAL?

SEND IT TO

INFO@NORTHERNLANDSCAPE.ORG

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FINAL RESULT

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Feature Work Challen August 28 • Northern Landscape Magazine

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nge

32 ENTRIES 25 VOTES 1 WINNER 4 DAYS OF VOTING

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ISLE OF SKYE SUNSET BY DEREKBEATTIE

Challenge winner 30 • Northern Landscape Magazine

Derek Beattie I first developed an interest in photograpy many years ago when I purchased my first SLR, a Zenit E, how I wish I had those pictures today !

The Southwest of Scotland is my home now, with it’s many interesting features and an abundance of rivers, lochs and waterfalls, combined with a marvellous coastline, many of my pictures feature these and as I spend a fair amount of time fishing also, water is well represented !

My favourite location in Scotland is the Northwest Highlands, where I try to manage at least a couple of weeks every year and photographs from this area are well represented in my portfolio.

Derek Beattie 2011

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LOOKING TOWARDS GLEN KINGLAS BY IAN MAC

SKIDIGATE CHANNEL IN HAIDA GWAII BY YUKONDICK

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BOW LAKE BY VICKIE EMMS

ISLANDIC CLIFFS AND SKY BY STEVE

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LOCHAN NA H-ACHLAISE AND THE BLACK MOUNT

BY PETE JOHNSTON

BEDA FELL BY MIKEBOV

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BARN ON A FARM BY MICHAELJP

TORONTO SKYLINE 2 BY JOHN VELOCCI

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LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK #2 BY MARILYN HARRIS

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This is (h

Roman Re-enactment 38 • Northern Landscape Magazine

hi)story!

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W

hen I was at school one of my favourite subjects was history and thanks to a very animated teacher, who single-handedly brought to life the battles and skirmishes of whatever period we were learning about, a subject that became a fascination for me.

Scratch the surface of the British Isles and you will find Roman remains. Considering their occupation of this country lasted four hundred years, it’s not really that much of a surprise.

I was born in Bishop’s Stortford in Hertforshire near a Roman road that was a main thoroughfare through the town and as straight as a dye. The next door neighbour to my parents dug up his back garden, turning it into an archaeological site, his finds included coins, broaches and knives, which he had framed. To uncover so much history in such a small space just shows what an influence the Romans were.

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FIRST CENTURY ROMANS ATTACK

Where I live now in Harlow in Essex, there was a Roman villa on the common at the back of my house. I have to admit I am tempted to dig in my own garden, just to see what I might find.

FOURTH CENTURY ROMANS ATTACK Northern Landscape Magazine • 41

The next door neighbour to my mother and father in law made exhibits for local museums from the Roman period and was also a member of a Roman re-enactment group. He made me a Roman style bracelet out of silver, which I have worn since my wife had it commissioned by him as a birthday present.

FOURTH CENTURY ROMANS IN DIFFERENT STYLES OF KIT 42 • Northern Landscape Magazine

FOURTH CENTURY ROMANS CHARGE Without even really realising it, the Romans have been a part of my life since birth, so imagine if I could talk to them, discover what it was really like to live during that period, what if history came to life.

ROMAN AUXILIARY

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FOURTH CENTURY ROMANS DEFEND THEIR STANDARD

FIRST CENTURY ROMANS PUT THROUGH THEIR DRILL 44 • Northern Landscape Magazine

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I went to a Roman re-enactment in Welwyn in Hertforshire, that was organised by the group my mother and father in laws neighbour was involved with, which his wife had pointed out to me. As a photographer I wanted to capture the uniforms, especially the iconic helmets worn by the Roman soldiers, to see the drill of this legendary army that conquered so much of the world and the weapons that were used to defeat so many armies which were then brought into the great conquering machine under Roman command.

TESTING THE FOURTH CENTURY ROMAN TORTOISE FORMATION Northern Landscape Magazine • 45

STYLES OF ROMAN HELMET

The venue was at Sherrardswood School, which has a Roman baths in the grounds, so you could visit the baths to see the past and then see it come to life.

46CELTIC • Northern Landscape Magazine HARMONY RE ENACTOR

The re-enactment covered 400 years of history, showing the changes in the army over the centuries. Although no drill manual has ever been found yet, the soldiers were put through their paces in the best military tradition, showing how they would march, attack and make the Tortoise Formation, where shields were interlocked to create an impenetrable shell under which troops could advance and engage the enemy without suffering too many casualties.

All the commands were made in Latin.

As the centuries wore on, the army became less of a well oiled machine and more of a force of reserves made up from tradesmen and citizens who would be called on to police the Empire, until all Romans were recalled to their country to fight the Germanic Tribes from northeastern Europe.

FOURTH CENTURY ROMAN KIT

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The re-enactment included demonstrations of food preparation, gladiatorial fighting and Pre-Roman groups. There was an archer who had a variety of arrows used in battle, some could be used for fire, splitting the sails of ships, armour piercing and even one to be fired at the heels of the enemy to cut the Achilles Tendon. Heavy artillery was also demonstrated, firing a variety of ammunition.

This is a hobby for these dedicated people, funded for the most part by themselves. Their knowledge was extensive and they were willing to impart everything they had learnt over the years and really make the experience one that was as real as possible. For me, my energetic teacher would be no match for a day out watching these people make history live. Though I will always be grateful to him for opening my eyes and firing my imagination, I think a living classroom is something all school children should have as part of the curriculum.

THE EMPEROR VESPASIAN 48 • Northern Landscape Magazine

FOURTH CENTURY ROMAN KIT

The images I took on the day are edited to remove the spectators and any distracting objects such as fencing etc. I wanted these pictures to show just how real the whole experience was.

FIRST CENTURY ROMAN HELMET Northern Landscape Magazine • 49

FIRST CENTURY ROMANS LOAD AN ARTILLERY PIECE

Those taking part included: Chris Grocock, Latin Scholar and the host for the day.

LEG II Augusta, 1st Century Legionary Unit.

Sally Grainger, Roman cooking and culinary expert.

Colchester Roman Society. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colchester-Roman-Society/156132354428606 Celtic Harmony. https://www.facebook.com/CelticHarmonyCamp Britannia. http://www.durolitum.co.uk/aboutus.html

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CELTIC HARMONY FALCONER FROM EUROPE

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WANT TO SEND US A STORY ABOUT YOUR LOCAL 52 • Northern Landscape Magazine

FIRST CENTURY TORTOISE FORMATION

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TEXT

BY NIGEL BANGERT

MAIL US TO: Northern Landscape Magazine • 53 INFO@NORTHERNLANDSCAPE.ORG STORIES?

THE BIG CHALL

20 ENTRIES 30 VOTES 1 WINNER

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4 DAYS OF VOTING

LENGE ~ August

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TORONTO SKYLINE 3

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JOHN VELOCCI

LOFOTEN ( REINE AREA ) - NORWAY

ARIE KOENE

5 VOTES

5 VOTES

The BIG top ten

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JOY

LADYFI

3 VOTES

THE GLENFINNAN MONUMENT AND LOCH SHIEL LEZVEE

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3 VOTES

SUNSET NEAR THE BLUE LAGOON

TRAVELLING ON THE SOGNEFJORD FERRY

KERNUAK

CULLODENMIST

3 VOTES

3 VOTES

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ISLAY: PORT CHARLOTTE LIGHTHOUSE AT DAWN

NEOLITHIC TELEPORT

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TONYCREHAN

KASIA-D

2 VOTES

2 VOTES

LITTLE CHURCH ON A HILL

JÖKULSÁRLÓN

AGNES MCGUINNESS

MILOSH

2 VOTE

2 VOTE

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JOHN VELOCCI

J

Featured artist

ohn Velocci seems to be a very popular artist among the members of our community. For the second time in less then six months he wins a second BIG Challenge.

Congratulations Ann! As usual, we took a seat on our imaginary private jet and travelled from south central Sweden to Chester in the United Kingdom to have a little coffee with our winner and, take a look at him featured works in our group and last but not least, to have a little chat with him.

WINTER ROAD 2

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INTERVIEW

Having coffee with John Velocci + his Featured works Northern Landscape Magazine • 63

# When did you start photographing?

I got into photography less than 3 years ago when I started researching what camera I was going to buy to replace my Kodak P&S. A friend suggested I buy a DSLR for better picture quality. I went online and read some articles about the exposure triangle and decided to take a leap of faith and get a DSLR. One thing lead to another and now here I am, addicted to photography.

# What can you tell us about yourself?

I work in IT. I’ve been married for 14 years and have a 10 year old son. In my spare time I like to spend time with my family, play squash, read fantasy book and of course take pictures.

# How does photography fit in your life? And where do you want to get with it?

I fit photography into my life taking pictures when I have time, when I travel and when I know I’ll be somewhere that has something to take pictures of, I’ll be sure to take my gear with me.

AUTUMN ROAD TO NOWHERE

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OLD CITY HALL # What photographic gear do you have?

Canon T3i (600D) Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Canon EF-S 50mm f/1.8 Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM Manfrotto tripod

# How does it feel to win our BIG CHALLENGE and have such a feature on our monthly magazine?

It is an honor to win this challenge and to be included in your monthly magazine.

# You have your own website. Can you tell us more about it?

My website is http://www.johnvelocci.com and it’s still relatively new.

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WINTER ROAD

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# Tell us about the winning shot!

I took this shot at the end of Polson Street in Toronto with a co-worker. We got there at around sunset and stayed for another hour after that, constantly shooting. This shot in particular is an HDR.

# Describe us how would your perfect photo be!

My perfect photo would be a beautiful landscape which included water, trees and mountains in the background and shot using a long exposure to flatten out the water.

# What fascinates you the most and what do you hate the most about the Northern countries?

Ironically I haven’t travelled much in the Northern countries so I can’t really answer. But I’m not a big fan of the cold winters.

VICTORIA DAY 3

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TORONTO SKYLINE 2

NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE

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VICTORIA DAY

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VICTORIA DAY 2

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CITY HALL

WATERFALL

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WANT TO BE FEATURED?

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TORONTO SKYLINE 3

BY JOHN VELOCCI

THE WINNER OF OUR BIG CHALLENGE ~ AUGUST

DON’T LOSE OUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE! Northern Landscape Magazine • 73

Northern La Some facts Svalbard

S

valbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed by Nordaustlandet.

Svalbrad’s flag In 2012, Svalbard had an estimated population of 2,642, of whom 439 were Russian and Ukrainian, 10 were Polish and 322 were other non-Norwegians living in Norwegian settlements. The largest non-Norwegian groups in Longyearbyen in 2005 were from Thailand, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, and Germany.

[55] Svalbard is among the safest places on Earth, with virtually no crime.

Longyearbyen is the largest settlement on the archipelago, the seat of the governor and the only town to be incorporated.

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The town features a hospital, primary and secondary school, university, sports center with a swimming pool, library, culture center, cinema, bus transport, hotels, a bank, and several museums. The newspaper Svalbardposten is published weekly. Only a small fraction of the mining activity remains at Longyearbyen; instead, workers commute to Sveagruva where Store Norske operates a mine. Sveagruva is a dormitory town, with workers commuting from Longyearbyen on a weekly basis.

Ny-Ålesund is a permanent settlement based entirely around research. Formerly a mining town, it is still a company town operated by the Norwegian state-owned Kings Bay. While there is some tourism there, Norwegian authorities limit access to the outpost to minimize impact on the scientific work. Ny-Ålesund has a winter population of 35 and a summer population of 180. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has outposts at Bjørnøya and Hopen, with respectively ten and four people stationed. Both outposts can also house temporary research staff.[57] Poland operates the Polish Polar Station at Hornsund, with ten permanent residents.

IMAGES AND INFO FROM WIKIPED USED UNDER THE FAIR USE TERMS

andscape -

DIA

Company homes in Longyearbyen Rows of multicoloured homes in the town of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway.

Longyearbyen colourful homes

WANT TO SEND US YOUR FACTS? MAIL US TO:

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Back cover artist

A

rie Koene, is a pure artist! As he made it to the “back cover artist” he also won the Theme Challange of August.

When you visit Arie’s page, there you’ll notice how colorful and full of life his photographs are... Well, let’s read more about Arie, information as it’s written on the artist’s

profile:

I am a retired ( 60+) software engineer .

I started my career in 1961 writing programs for one of the first computers in the world in assembler language on 5-channels punched tape. I retired in 2004 while I was working on the Blu-Ray project.

To give you an idea of the progress in the computer world : If you want to make a copy of the content of a Blu-Ray disc on a punched tape, the length of the tape must be at least 60000 kilometers.

I also have a site at Flickr : akoene100 My hobbies: Travel,photography, puzzles..like cryptograms and sudokus. I made a combination of my photos and a sudoku

Northern Landscape Magazine • 77

NORTHERN LANDSCAPE ISSUE # 18 * SEMPTEMBER 2014

www.northernlandscape.org

LOFOTEN ( REINE AREA ) - NORWAY

NORTHERN LANDSCAPE MAGAZINE - ISSUE #18 SEMPTEMBER 2014