Sculpture Garden of the Gods, by Thomas K. Shor

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Picture by Thomas K. Shor from my article:
«Thick with the eerie awe of the uncanny»

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. Hello readers! .

My name is Angelos K. and since I was nominated contributor I am afraid I have written very few entries in this blog. Let’s say that I was saving my blogging skills for special occasions. And as I hope you can tell from the introductory picture, this is a special occasion. The place is Pezi plateau located on the western part of Ikaria island, Greece. The time is two years ago, between December and January 2013. The photographer is Thomas K. Shor, an American writer, photographer and traveller. He and his wife Barbara appeared out of the blue in Ikaria in the middle of a cloudy and rainy winter. During their stay we hiked (a little), we talked (a lot) and we became good friends. Apparently, they liked the island, because they visited us two times. Between their visits I had the chance to read two of Thomas’s books, «A Step Away from Paradise» and «The Master Director» and although I know very little about the places where the action takes place, I liked both of them very much.

While in Ikaria Thomas often carried a camera but I didn’t pay much attention to the fact. Americans are well-known to carry cameras. Until one day when he came to the house and showed to me a pack of high quality B/W prints. Knowing that I am a hiker and an amateur photographer, and therefore, I was familiar with the locations and the subjects, he asked for my opinion about his work. I think there was an unspoken question as well: in what degree those pictures were «Ikaria»? Do I, as a local, more or less recognize the subjects and the ambience, or do I consider the result as outright fiction created by an imaginative artist equipped perhaps with a sophisticated camera and photo processor?

My answer was 100% positive to all the questions. Yes, the subjects are true. Yes, the locations are true. Yes, it is Ikaria. Yes, I recognize the subjects and the ambience. Yes, it is fiction. But why that? 😕
Because it’s…

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