Urban contrasts

Another, less well known part of Rio de Janeiro is the Zona Norte, the neighbourhoods north of the city centre. This is the 'other' Rio de Janeiro, the Rio de Janeiro of the poor.

Urban contrasts

Home in Rio de Janeiro. More often than not, one window indicates the space of one apartment.

Urban contrasts

Sunset at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Copacabana, probably the most famous beach of Rio de Janeiro continues to be a very popular and, on a hot sunny day, Rio flocks to Copacabana to spend the day relaxing and playing and bathing until the final hours of the day.

Urban contrasts

Central do Brasil is a huge strain station in the heart of Rio de Janeiro. Thousands come through the station every day in their journey in and out of the city. And many will use the trains to commute to and from the Zona Norte, the northern part of town, the second Rio de Janeiro, the Rio de Janeiro of the poor.

Urban contrasts

Aterro, a huge park just south of the city centre has become the resort for stray cats. Here they have found friends among the locals who will come and feed the hundreds of cats spread out everywhere.

Urban contrasts

And then there are the neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro. High buildings filled with small apartments, these are the homes to where many will return after a day of work or a day at the beach. Many of those who can still afford to live in the areas near the beaches, the Zona Sul, live in tiny apartments in tall buildings.

Urban contrasts

  

And keeping to its fame of city on the beach, this is one of the majour attractions of Rio de Janeiro; Ipanema beach, just south of the city centre, with all the commodities of a big city just across the street. And it is a beach where ambulant vendors provide anything a person might need or want to have a relaxing time.

Urban contrasts

And than there is the city.  Rio de Janeiro city centre with its buildings and parks. An abundant mix of old and new and the King palms competing with modern heights. The city spreads out into the mountains, and, as time goes by and space becomes an increasingly scarce resource, the building start to reach into the sky. 

Urban contrasts

Introducing another site to Rio de Janeiro. Leaving the city and its parks behind, there is the sea with its many charms and timelessness.

Urban contrasts - colour and structure

Building on my series about contrast in the urban setting in Rio de Janeiro, this photo stands for its strong urban and historic feel, bearing witness of times long gone and a hint of the modern times that have followed.

Black and white

To me this image seemed to lend itself to a black and white conversion and, I thought, it contrasts well with my two previous posts.

Summer heat

With temperatures soaring to up to 30 C in London, all I can think of, is that I wish I could just pop down to the beach …

Elements

Working with a waterfall. It was set in full shade with the sun coming out from behind which did not make it an easy task. Working with this reality, I concentrated on the water gushing down the stones and the relationship between the elements.

Light study

Walking in the forest, I found the sun shining onto the spider net. I was curious how much detail would come out and how the scene would work out as a photo.

A study in blue

It was a bit hazy that morning, a sight that I like to play with in my photography. The haze seems to blur the line between sea and sky. The play of colour underlines this confusion going from dark blue to light and betraying the onlooker of where the sea becomes the sky.

Window cleaning

Every now and then I cannot resist a little curiosity. I was walking along a street in the neighbourhood of Ipanema in the early morning and my attention got caught by this lady's creativity on how to get on with the job.

Urban wildlife

While walking in Rio de Janeiro's neighbourhood Leme, I came across the Marmoset or locally called Micos, little monkeys found along the Brazilian coast line. This species is said to have been introduced from the northern state of Bahia and have settled so successfully that biologists fear they are becoming a problem to local wildlife. In Rio they have become used to people and were utterly at ease in our presence. A couple of shots, I could not miss.

Light and shade

While back in London I'm still working through my photographic adventures in Rio de Janeiro. One of my friends invited me to visit Floresta da Tijuca, an urban forest surrounding parts of Rio de Janeiro. The light that day was amazing and I soon found myself studying the effects it created breaking through the taller trees.

Little Souvenirs

Visiting the "other" Rio de Janeiro. Part of my walks in Rio de Janeiro is a regular visit to my friend from the Projeto IBISS who work in the remote areas of the Northern part of Rio de Janeiro.

In this community IBISS are building a football pitch to give the community a space where the community can come together to play, relax and have their very own little championships.

Little Souvenirs

Rio de Janeiro is a rather seductive city and it is tempting to stay with the clichés of beautiful beaches and tropical colours.  But within most neighbourhoods the visual is defined by tall buildings standing next to each other.