Travels and landscapes – Page 2 – Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer

Rotterdam on Koninginnedag [27/04/2012]

7 December 20236 July 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesTagged 2012, digital photography, Koninginnedag, netherlands, rotterdam, travelsLeave a comment

It was late April 2012 and a long weekend was ahead of me. Together with a friend, we decided to go to Rotterdam for a 3 days trip, as it was super easy to reach by train and relatively cheap. As my first time in the NL, it was a success: we got there right in time to celebrate Koniginnensdag (27/4)! I always heard of their open-minded and tolerant culture, however being there allowed me to fully acknowledge the uncomplicated, practical attitude and the steadfast, positive thinking of Dutch people. Throughout history, they have been able to merge the traditions of their past with the modern needs of the present, looking forward to ambitious goals of the future. We could admire an “oranje” triumph of shirts, hats, crowns and every sort of gadgets!

Even though I am not interested in modern architecture, I enjoyed the modern buildings and skyscrapers. Rotterdam was clean and tidy and I could notice a precise order, based on a simple, schematic disposition of many lines.

Berck + Étaples Military Cemetery [2012]

3 December 20236 July 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesTagged 2012, berck, canon, daily trip, digital photography, etaples, france, friends, military cemetery, pas de calaisLeave a comment

In April, on a Saturday morning, my friend Caroline drove me to Berck-sur-Mer and then to Étaples military cemetery. I left a piece of my heart on that insanely vast, light beige sanded beach. Berck is famous for its kites competition and, as there was one, I took some shots of these flying sheet 🙂 Many children had fun that day. In the afternoon, we headed to Étaples Military Cemetery. I love those commemorative places for their very simple and squared architecture. Also, I have always enjoyed history and remembering and honoring the past, and the people who fought and died for our own freedom, it is righteous.

A close-up of Caro!

Étaples cemetery

Le Carnaval de Dunquerque [2012]

25 November 20236 July 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesTagged 2012, canon, carnaval de dunquerque, culture, digital photography, france, travelsLeave a comment

Because of my Italian heritage, I have always known the principles of Carnival. I remember lovely, fancy dresses that my mum would buy me on that occasion, to go to a children’s party (see the last picture of this article!). I stopped dressing-up when I was a teenager. However, when in Rome, do as Romans do! So, while I was in Saint-Omer, I could experience the craziness of the Carnaval of Dunquerque (to remember their dead fisherman, throughout the years), which I thought brought these principles to the “really next level”! It was a triumph of a very specific libertine style, it was noisy, had even too much colour, and people were uncomplicated, and delighted to have their picture taken! Even though colour was one of the main characters of this parade, I find that the most powerful shots, below, are possibly the ones in B&W. Enjoy these pictures dated March 2012!

Getting to the party! February 1992…

Autosave-File vom d-lab2/3 der AgfaPhoto GmbH

La Boucle du Cap Blanc-Nez [2012]

19 November 202329 September 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesLeave a comment

As mentioned in the previous article, 2011/2012 winter season was freezing in Pas-de-Calais. I can’t stand the cold but I reckon that winter doesn’t only have a negative side, especially when you see snow…on the beach! At that point, dressed in many layers (like an onion!), I am willing to explore the outside world, even more if I can form nice memories with my camera! My friend and colleague Marie-Anne had the car so it didn’t take long for us to reach Cap Blanc-Nez, then rolling down to Cap Gris-Nez. Côte d’Opale is one of the most popular tourist sites in northern France and there are good reasons for that. When the weather is fine, from the top of it you can see England. Starting from there, we went down to the beach where pieces of ice were lying close to the sea. The sky was crystal blue and a deep silence surrounded us, apart from the noise of the breaking waves. I was surprised of the sense of peace and solitude emanating from this location.

The one below, doesn’t it look like a postcard? I miss badly that BLUE sky!

Merci, Marie-Anne, pour avoir défié le froid!

Below my former Metz flashlight reflected on the beach (it was massive!)

Saint-Omer under the snow [2012]

18 November 202329 September 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesLeave a comment

I have never enjoyed winter with its chilly, grey days, however, I can tolerate the presence of snow 🙂 I don’t recall when I wrote this little poem (entitled “Wishes”, which is an hymn to spring!), presumably it was in Primary two or three, but I believe that it creates a nice contrast with the following pictures, so I have added it. Winter 2011/2012 was an incredibly cold and long season in Pas-de-Calais and I wanted it to be over quickly, to get into summer! I didn’t miss the chance to leave the house and take some random street snapshots that seem to show that winter has really the power to slow things down!

Below, my favorite shot

Boulogne-sur-Mer [2012]

17 November 202329 September 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesLeave a comment

I worked in Saint-Omer, Pas de Calais, between 2011 and 2012. I have always been a fan of France, its culture and of the French lifestyle but this opportunity gave me an extra credit, since it allowed me to discover the North, a region I did not know at all. I appreciated its vast spaces, the cloud-layered skies (I experienced there for the 1st time that it is possible to have four seasons in the same day!), people’s friendliness and a relatively low cost of living. As I had a car, I could move around freely and this gave me the chance to discover the breath-taking Côte d’Opale, where I left a piece of my heart! On the week-end I would go quite often on the coast to explore its massive sandy beaches and to take some memories with my camera. I am glad to share this fond memories with you, directement de Boulogne-sur-Mer!

Parisian snapshots [2011]

15 October 202329 September 2024Posted in Travels and landscapesTagged 2011, digital photography, europe, france, memories, paris, travelsLeave a comment

I had an internship in Paris in 2010 and I had the chance to travel back in 2011 for a catch-up session with friends. This was a good time of my life and I am a bit nostalgic of “la Capitale”, even though a thing that I don’t really miss is that life there was frantic and tiring: more than once I got the feeling that time never stops in Paris!

And to finish, a beautiful memory of the “Maurini”, the 2 cats owned by my friend Francesca who, at that time, was living in Montmartre!

A changeable sky [Banzola, 2011]

27 August 202328 July 2025Posted in Travels and landscapesTagged 2011, banzola, blog, cafragna, crazyweather, friends, parmaLeave a comment

I vividly remember having taken these photographs in June 2011, at my friend Carlotta’s place. I double-checked the date on one of the images and it matches: 5 June 2011! Just a few days later Carlotta gave birth to her first child. A friend and I went to visit her at home, on top of a beautiful hill overlooking a gorgeous countryside. The weather was simply crazy. Even though it was almost summer, it seemed like it was an October day, the colors were changing quickly, there was mist and it was chilly!