Tag Archives: de compostela

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Handbills and Tags

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Hadbills and Tags
“Handbills and Tags” — Handbills and tags in a frame on a wall, Santiago de Compostela.

This subject comes from a side-street in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. It is in the historical core of the “old town” but not at one of the main attractions — on a street where visitors are perhaps more likely to walk past than to linger. In a sense, its content attests to the fact that life here goes on apart from the world of tourists like us.

I thought several things were interesting about the display. Most of the handbills seem to concern musical performances, but not quite all of them. For example, there is a “FOTO-GRAFIA” event listed on one of the fliers. It also intrigues me that this object, the inner square and the frame around it, seem to both encourage and constrain the sharing of marks that are not found on the surrounding walls.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela

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Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela
“Fountain of the Horses, Santiago de Compostela” — Morning tourists near the “Fonte de Cabalos” (Fountain of the Horses) in Santiago de Compostela.

The “Fountain of the Horses” (“Fuente de los Caballos“) is a two-centuries-old monument in the Praza das Pratarías, a small square near various sacred buildings in the city. Its name comes from the four horses at the base of the statue. We passed though the square several times during our May visit.

While the fountain was on my mind when I made the photograph, it wasn’t the main thing that I was thinking about. (I mostly thought of it as a compositional element.) I was intrigued by the arrangement of buildings on the street at and around the square and by the morning light coming straight down a narrow street to the left… and also by the positions and colors of the people in the square.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Narrow Street, Santiago de Compostela

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“Narrow Street, Santiago de Compostela” — A narrow, deserted street winds through Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Not all of Santiago de Compostela, Spain looks like this scene, but if you visit and wander around the historic old part of town you will find such places. The primary streets, although also narrow, can be quite busy at times. But off to the side are little streets and passageways that are far less crowded, especially at the right times of day.

This is an exceptionally narrow street. You are not going to drive a car here — a scooter perhaps. The buildings are old enough that they have acquired some off-kilter qualities, with walls leaning slightly.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel

Stairs, Parque de la Alameda

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Stairs, Parque de la Alameda
“Stairs, Parque de la Alameda” — A person on stairs at th Parque de la Alameda, Santiago de Compostela

While visiting Santiago de Compostela this past spring we wandered a bit outside the confines of the central old town, including a visit to the Parque de la Alameda. The large park is easy to access and features everything from statues to groves of trees and (at least during our visit) a carnival. Its open spaces provided a pleasant break from the narrow and sometimes crowded streets of the old part of town.

Our walk began on a wide route passing beneath groves of large, old trees. Eventually we arrived at a sort of platform at the top of these old stairs, which lead to a lower terrace of gardens. While all of the forms in this scene would be quite “square” and angular if viewed from directly above, here the effects of a lower angle and looking downward distort that regularly in fascinating ways.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.