Montenegro and Serbia 2017

[Akira]

Jakov, your "master's degree" of fisheye images is going higher and higher!  Love the very wide narrow street!

[knb]

Clever use of the fish in "Narrow streets", it also looks good in b/w. I also enjoy the "Jacovian" image with the 135DC. We need more follow ups to come.

[Eddie Draaisma]

The fisheye shots are superb, the other shots excellent 

[Jakov Minić]

Akira, I am overwhelmed by the positive responses to my fish-eye images, thanks!

knb, thanks you so much! I will use the 135DC more often. More will follow

Thank you Eddie, it looks like I will be using the 10.5DX tomorrow!

Today I arrived in my place of birth, Belgrade. I decided to walk around with only one lens - 20/1.8.
My plan wasn't to shoot statues but it ended up like that. I just ran into Gavrilo Princip (never knew that he was there) so he inspired me...

So here are images of famous Serbs. Although Serbia is a small country, not famous at all globally, there are some controversial characters that I would like to present to you. Some say that they are heroes, some say that they are terrorists, some say that they are genius. Here's a bunch of them, in no particular order:

1. My inspiration for today, Gavrilo Princip. A certain controversial character that started/caused/triggered the 1st World War. Some claim that he is a murderer, some say that he is a freedom fighter. It all depends on the perspective. Mr Princip decided one day to assassinate the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria - an oppressor and tyrant, at least from his point of view.
2. King Milos Obrenovic, famous for organizing the 2nd uprising against the Turks and the Ottoman Empire. After about 500 hundred years under the Turks, Serbia became (once again) an independent state. He who lives by the sword - dies by the sword. He assassinated Karadjordje Petrovic, then King of Serbia and took power.
3. St. Sava the most famous of all Serbs and most celebrated, although not very known outside Serbian borders. He lived way back in the 12th century, before the Turks conquered the Balkans. Not only was he a prince, he was the first Archbishop of Serbia and because of him the Serbian Orthodox Church established itself as independent or autocephalous as the Greeks would say. St. Sava is the "Enlightener" of Serbia and celebrated in all schools. (No this Serb, didn't kill anyone, at least not that we know).
4. Nikola Tesla. One of the characters that I am proud of, as is mankind probably. A true genius who offered so much more than the brand of an electric car. Alternating current is one of many inventions he blessed us with. I wonder how AC-DC would have called themselves if it weren't for Tesla
5. Karadjordje Petrovic, famous for the first uprising against the Turks back in 1803. He was responsible for many Turkish heads in his day. His original name was Djordje (George) but the Turks gave him a nickname Black-George, hence he became Karadjordje. He was axed to death in his sleep thanks to the above-mentioned Milos Obrenovic. Yes, he who lives by the sword - dies by the sword (this time an ax).

Although a small country, a very turbulent one indeed
I hope I didn't bore you with history...

[Ann]

Thank you for the interesting stories about those history-changing individuals.

Some of those bronzes are very fine and you have photographed them in interesting ways.

Regarding: "you might be tempted for the zoom fish-eye, you never know how it would come in handy" — I am definitely tempted!
 

[golunvolo]

Another trip, thanks Jakov!

  Always enjoying your images, I think both "circles withing circles" of the ceiling and "narrow streets" stand out.
  Strong portraits of the statues to make them look bigger than life.

[Akira]

Jakov, thanks for the brief but dramatic introduction to the historical figures of Serbia.

[Hugh_3170]

Tesla is a man of great interest to many of us with an engineering or physical sciences bacground (and even a cult figure to some).  Nice that Elon Musk honoured the great man by naming his EV after Nikola Tesla.

Is the base of Tesla's statue reflecting the building immediately in front of it?  A nice effect.  B&W works well for this series.

[Jakov Minić]

Ann, I can hardly wait to see you zoom fish-eye images.

Paco, yes it's all about going on a trip, you know that

Akira, sometimes I think that Serbia has too many of these historical characters for its own good. It is burdened by its dramatic history so much that it's difficult to let go and start looking forwards.

Hugh, yes Tesla was a star even in my childhood, my high school was even called Nikola Tesla. He is around us on money notes, streets, squares, the airport in Belgrade is named after him. There is a museum that I wanted to visit yesterday, but it's closed on Mondays...
The building in the reflection is actually the Saint Sava Temple. A humongous building that is seen on other photos too. I am also in the reflection

Here is Saint Sava Temple.

Thank you all, once more!

[Eddie Draaisma]

A few weeks ago  I had to go for only one day to Novi Sad (business), all I saw was the airport of Beograd and the road between Beograd and Novi Sad  . Hopefully next time I have some spare time and can have a look around (and take pictures!).

[Jakov Minić]

Eddie, Novi Sad is a beautiful city. Hopefully, you will get a chance next time to explore it a bit.

[Jakov Minić]

The Subtle Art of Belgrade Architecture

[Tom Hook]

Jakov,

Thanks for the interesting history of your home with the accompanying photos. As always, your pictures are a pleasure to look at for any number of reasons. I told you recently that I could learn something from you about the the 135, and the excellent shot of the flowers makes my point emphatically.

Tom

[John Geerts]

Great shots of the statues, Jakov !!

The buildings are very similar what I have seen in Bosnia (Tuzla, Zenica, Doboj, Mostar, Serajewo, Bijeljina and Srebrenica) 

[Fons Baerken]

Great stuff.