Many photographers give the advice that you should avoid shooting in bright sun light as it will give deep black shadows, or at least you should use fill-in flash to get rid of the shadows. And the advice do have its merit. But for textures like this this fern I prefer a lot of sun as the contrast will bring out the details.
Today's photo is another one from the Copenhagen Sand Festival, cphsand for short. This sand sculpture is a sci-fi vision towering 5-6 meters above the visitors and with a vortex to draw in the eye.
At the Copenhagen Harbour front in Havnegade tons of sand has been sculptured into huge sand sculptures. With the theme Myths and Legends the Copenhagen Sand Sculpture Festival seems to be on the way to become a summer tradition. This is the second year they're here and I sure hope they'll be back with more in the years to come.
Spring is a splendid time to do some macro photography. The changes between rain and sun will get you the opportunity to catch the sun in the rain drops left on leaves like this.
The shows at the Copenhagen Medieval Market also included a mock battle between Vikings and Saxons. And these boys didn't hold back, it was full contact though with dulled blades so there wasn't any blood. But I'm sure there were more than just a few bruises. And they sure seemed to have a lot of fun handing them out.
One of the more impressive shows at the Copenhagen Medieval Market was the Knight's Tournament where four knights on big horses showed their knightly skills. The coup-de-grace was this; two knights riding hard against each other trying to score a hit with the lances. It was of course just for show, so the lances were built to break and they didn't really try to un-horse each other, but it was impressive nonetheless.
An important part of a real South American carnival is the samba music, with the drums as the main rhythm beater. And the rhythms from the Copenhagen Carnival can surely be heard. No wonder many of the musicians and dancers wear earplugs to avoid loss of hearing.
Yesterday I spend most of the day at the Copenhagen Medieval Market, which has become a tradition during Pentecost. With loads of market stalls selling wicker baskets, swords, equipment for role playing, ceramic flutes and a great many other things plus tournaments, medieval music, historic reenactment, jesters and other entertainment, it's no wonder that it's popular, especially to families. And to the photographer it's heaven on earth: It will take me some time to get through the 1.200 pics I took.
Strøget in central Copenhagen was the traditional scene for the Copenhagen Carnival parade, the once-yearly chance for the Copenhageners and tourists to get a glimpse of the Latin dances and atmosphere. With the weather perfect we were in for a treat as Danish, Peruvian, Mexican and other groups competed for the attention of the crowds. And it wasn't all about showing as much skin as possibly, but about dancing to the rhythms as well, as this girl showed. The only downside was the waiting time. Why is the groups spaced with 10-20 minutes apart, so that the whole parade takes 5 hours to complete? Only the most fanatic stayed until the end and, sad to say, I wasn't among them.
Another of the many things happening in this Pentecost weekend in Copenhagen is the start of the Gumball 3000 race. And it will interesting to see how they avoid the thousands of marathon runners running in the same streets as they're going to use. At the approximately the same time. Btw today is not the day to go into Copenhagen by car or bus, as many roads will be closed down.
The statue of Hans Christian Andersen seemed to get a spring cleaning the other day by a group of youngsters with dust busters and brooms. And they made sure it was documented at the same time by a photographer. I really got the impression that this was some kind of happening and not really serious. Maybe it was the fact that they had a sign with the words Tourist Trap on it that tipped me off.
Don't get me wrong, I like the fact that Copenhagen is changing, and I really think that the many constructions will make the city a better place to live for all. But like many other Copenhageners I'm tired of having to change my routines and my way of getting from A to B on a daily basis. And I'm really looking forward to the day where the metro construction, the roadworks and the building constructions have been finished so that it will look like a city again instead of one big construction site. I also wish for the day where the constructors and city planners will show due consideration to the locals here. This dump truck driver is one of those that should have been taken on a lenghty course on how to behave when in close proximity of a busy station; he was reversing at speed into the construction site at Nørreport Station without a safety guy behind him. No one was hurt...this time!
With the renovation of the Nørreport Station in central Copenhagen the many bicycles there pose quite a problem as they're placed everywhere. And it certainly doesn't help that a large portion of the bicyclists seem to have an anarchistic streak in them. To many Danes seem very ordered and regulated but this is one instance where many of us couldn't care less about order and others, as long as we can leave our bicycle as close to the station as possibly.
No, this is not the way Copenhagen municipality punish parking violators, though some would actually find it a rather good idea. It's a piece of street art by artist Magnus Fuhr, who was inspired by a photo of an accident in Grand Canyon and decided to try to recreate it on central Copenhagen. If art is a question of getting attention this sure qualifies. On the day it was made the police were called and they couldn't decide what to make of it, until the artist got out from his nearby hiding place and told them what it was all about. It still gets the attention from tourists and locals alike as they pass it, do a double take and whip out their cameras to get the proof.
Copenhagen Botanical Garden is the right place to be to see the spring unfold. After a major makeover during the last could of years, it is a park with a lot of nooks and crannies to have some quiet time in in the middle of the busy city.
Finally the spring has really hit Copenhagen. The trees are blossoming here in Kongens Have, the King's Garden so it's time to enjoy the outdoor life again.
The building housing the Blue Planet aquarium in Copenhagen is truly magnificent. All curves and clean lines its whirlwind shape of it sends the message that it is part of nature, even if it is made of steel and glass.
A relatively small fish tank at the Blue Planet aquarium near Copenhagen has a school of herrings going round and round, making circles in the sand. After looking at it for a few minutes the guests are almost in a trance.
One of Copenhagen's newest attractions is the Blue Planet, Denmark's Aquarium, in Kastrup near Copenhagen Airport. The building itself is shaped like a whirlwind and inside it's packed with hot and warm aquariums, a bird cliff, a tropical area, sealions and a big tank with sharks, mantas and barracudas. There's enough to see for young and old for a few hours. But get there on weekdays and late in the afternoon, as it is packed with people in the weekends.
A new ride in Tivoli in Copenhagen is the Aquila, Latin for Eagle, and that's a very apt name. The ride will turn the world upside down in a fairly high speed, so don't try it on a weak or too full stomach.
