Captured some years ago at the Colombo Zoo in Sri Lanka, a quiet moment of shared curiosity between two tiger cubs. In the stillness of monochrome, every contour and delicate bristle comes to life, serving as a reminder of the wild grace found even in stillness.
Alaka Jayasekara (C)51632000644
Looking back into the archives from over a decade ago during my time on Long Island, NY. This self-portrait double-exposure study was an exercise in exploring layered narratives, interior window light, and classic monochrome textures. It is always rewarding to revisit these early experiments and see where the journey began.
A quiet, monochrome moment captured during the “Meditate with a Monk” event at Constitution Gardens in Washington, D.C. Led by the Venerable Bhante Pannakara – who completed a transformative peace walk from Texas earlier this year – this recent session invited the public for a morning of mindfulness, reflection, and collective stillness. The Washington Monument stands as a solemn backdrop to this powerful gathering in the heart of the nation’s capital.
Labor Day morning at the Smithsonian National Zoo offered a quiet moment of focus amidst the holiday crowds. Stepping out of the pool, this tiger sent a halo of backlit spray into the air, turning a split second of motion into a striking study of contrast, texture, and force.
South Mountain Creamery, Middletown – Maryland.
Carved directly into the sheer face of a massive granite monolith, the ancient Sasseruwa (Reswehera) Buddha statue of Sri Lanka stands as a timeless monument to spiritual endurance. Sculpted over fifteen centuries ago, the colossal figure captures the Abhaya Mudra – the gesture of fearlessness. Its deeply textured, weathered stone beautifully merges ancient human artistry with the raw, unyielding earth.
Antonin Mercié’s masterful Gloria Victis (“Glory to the Vanquished”) stands as a powerful tribute to resilience in defeat. Created after the Franco-Prussian War, it subverts traditional heroic imagery by depicting a winged allegory of Fame lifting a dying soldier, who holds his broken sword high in defiance. The dynamic, upward-sweeping composition captures a brilliant interplay of vulnerability and strength, immortalizing the courage of the fallen and proving that true glory is never lost.
There is something fitting about encountering this face through two layers of separation – the veil the sculptor carved, and the museum case that now holds her. This is Fantasy Bust of a Veiled Woman (c.1865–1870), a glazed terracotta by Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse, believed by some to be a portrait of Marguerite Bellanger – actress, courtesan, and one of the most talked-about women in Second Empire Paris. She looks downward, away from us, as if the gaze of the viewer is precisely what she is not interested in returning.
Nikon FE HP5
Night street photography in Nantes with the Nikon FE and HP5+. City light at night is far more generous than it looks — tram lines, shop fronts, and street lamps all contribute. HP5+ responds well to the longer exposures these conditions demand, and the grain that comes with it is an asset rather than a problem, adding texture to the empty platform and the trailing lights. See the full article: More Light Than We Imagine on IJM Photography.
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