During our last visit to South Africa we saw the largest Buddhist Temple and Seminary in Africa from the road we were travelling on. We decided to drive off of the main road and visit for a while. The photo below was taken in the courtyard. My aim was to capture the beauty of the vase standing on top of the steps to the temple entrance. Looking beyond, one can see the stone statues marking the stairs, and one of the corner towers of the outside boundary.
Seeing beyond. © Colline Kook-Chun, 2013
The stairs suggested in this photo can be seen in the one below. The stone sculpture was the focus of this picture. Beyond the sculpture you can see not only the stairs to the Temple, the entrance to the place of worship, but also the vase that is the focus of my first photograph.
Seeing beyond (2). © Colline Kook-Chun, 2013
I do not often take pictures showing the ‘beyond’ but, on this day, the beautiful architecture of the Buddhist Temple encouraged it.
Do you often take pictures showing the surroundings of your subject?
(This post was inspired by Sara Rosso at WordPress.com.)
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2013
Wonderful shots. Yes I like context which surroundings provide.
Thank you
Always.
I can see by looking at your photos that you do. You often capture some interesting scenes.
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Such gorgeous photos! You are quite talented and you have really captured the breath taking beauty of this temple.
I have some more that I took. I will post them soon – just need to choose my favourite ones to share
Wonderful photographs! No, I don’t think I do take photographs showing the surrounding of my subjects, or if I do it’s quite accidental. I’ll pay more attention now.
I will too Alex as it is not something I would think of doing. Participating in these photo challenges has certainly made me think more of the end result when I take a picture.
Your examples are very good! They’re making me wish I was able to go out today with my camera for a bit. I’ve been feeling a little ‘flu-ish’ the past few days and haven’t felt up to doing very much at all, but this has me excited!
Hope you get well soon. Look forward to seeing some of your pics upon your blog
In the First pic why I feel like clouds are also making the same pattern as of Top of the Temple….the curved ends….
very well clicked pics..
Never saw that. Thank you for your observation
My think is: “When we last visited South Africa…” How often do you go? It has been a while for me, since 2004, as all the children have followed me to the UK.
Also, where is this unusual place, not something I would dream of finding in South Africa.
And also lovely pictures, too.
Liz
Our last visit was last year August in 2012. We still go as we still have family there (a parent, siblings).
The Buddhist Temple is in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng and can be approached from the N4 to Witbank.
Two beautiful responses to the challenge, Colline. The lines of that temple are just incredible!
We were amazed by the beauty of the architecture and our 5 minute pop-in extended to a much longer length of time!
Very often, when I’m the subject, my aim in taking a shot is to capture the surrounding. Beyond the subject, there could just be somethings of interest. Lovely post!
This is what I ask of the person taking the picture too – though I don’t do this often enough
Carefully angled, creatively captured… Well done!
Thank you Rommel
that is the good thing about these types of challenges they take you out of your comfort zone
They really do – and I have found myself thinking before I take pictures. I am no longer just snapping away!
Sometimes I do, if the surroundings are interesting like in these photos
I took so many pictures on that visit – I love the architecture of the building.
Nice photos. I like these architecture.
Me too. And the colours are simply vibrant.
Magnificent. Beautiful images that takes us back to an amazing past.
A past that has been brought into the future. This temple is not so old having opened in 2005. It is also a seminary where the Buddhist monks are trained.
thanks for sharing. i tend to zoom in close a lot, and sometimes find myself thinking afterwards, how nice it would have been to have a wider angled view. something to keep in mind for future reference! thanks for sharing.
That is one of the great things about blogging: sharing. This is something I have become aware of from beautiful posts that are put up by some serious photographers
A great take on the theme, and of great general interest. Amazing how many things are (relatively speaking) on one’s doorstep that one simply hasn’t come across!
My husband remembered reading about it in The Star. We saw it in the distance from the N4 and decided to stop – who knew when we would be that way again? It was worth the delay in our plans.
I would simply NEVER have guessed where it was from the picture. Certainly SA would have been one of the last possible guesses.
And especially in Gauteng
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Beautiful place Colline ,I love it
It is in such a calm and tranquil spot. It was very hard to leave.
beautiful pictures!!!
Thank you
The sun was high when I took these and it brought the colours out so nicely.
I am amazed that this is in South Africa. I would have placed it in China (except for the bright blue sky). Excellent shots.
They really outdid themselves, didn’t they? Makes up a little for the fact that I have not yet visited the temples in China
Nice Images
I too like to position my subject in the frame so that it has space to live in! That temple looks like a fascinating place to visit 
It was. There were some spaces where we could not take photographs; but the memories reside in my head.
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That 1st pic is beautiful Colline. Love the artistic composition – perfection!
Blogging is also helping me take better pictures