Well, not exactly man versus nature, the task this week was to take pictures that showed a relationship between the civilized and natural world.
My first port of call was a tiny marina in Jumeirah. The bleached sand, craggy rockwalls and azure sea made it hard to take an exposure with poor contrast and texture. Fishermen had left their lobster traps lying in clumps like huge wiry mushrooms. Clambering over the rocks I found an old dhow at anchor, and to my left a sad reminder of what humans so readily do to our stunning environment - rusty boats discarded like chicken bones, and jetsam hiding in watery corners and rockpools.
Second was a trip to the underwater zoo at Dubai Mall. More an expression of "man captures nature", but a relationship nonetheless. Loved dame iguana with her lipstick - reminded me of an old school principal.
Finally I took myself for a drive off into the desert. Seriously, how many people do you know who can do that between nursery drop-off and pick-up? My life is so cool. I found remnants of man in desolation, beauty in powerlines, camels be-shackled, and at the end of the line, Bab al Shams. A hotel that folds itself into the sands as perfectly as if it had grown there spontaneously. As the temperature climbed I found it hard not to strip to my underwear and jump in the idyll pools. Coffee instead. Don't want to scare the residents...
My first port of call was a tiny marina in Jumeirah. The bleached sand, craggy rockwalls and azure sea made it hard to take an exposure with poor contrast and texture. Fishermen had left their lobster traps lying in clumps like huge wiry mushrooms. Clambering over the rocks I found an old dhow at anchor, and to my left a sad reminder of what humans so readily do to our stunning environment - rusty boats discarded like chicken bones, and jetsam hiding in watery corners and rockpools.
Second was a trip to the underwater zoo at Dubai Mall. More an expression of "man captures nature", but a relationship nonetheless. Loved dame iguana with her lipstick - reminded me of an old school principal.
Finally I took myself for a drive off into the desert. Seriously, how many people do you know who can do that between nursery drop-off and pick-up? My life is so cool. I found remnants of man in desolation, beauty in powerlines, camels be-shackled, and at the end of the line, Bab al Shams. A hotel that folds itself into the sands as perfectly as if it had grown there spontaneously. As the temperature climbed I found it hard not to strip to my underwear and jump in the idyll pools. Coffee instead. Don't want to scare the residents...
