Secret Belgium

Pretty as a picture, this shot of one of the canals in Bruges could almost have been painted by one of the artists who frequent this beautiful "Venice of the north". I love the colours and texture but find it slightly unfortunate that the wide-angle lens made it difficult to avoid a leaning belfry tower.

There is a wistfulness, perhaps sadness, in this picture of a man dwarfed by the structure of the Menin Gate looking for the name of a loved one, we may suppose, who died with others in their tens of thousands in this lesser-known part of Belgium some 100 years ago. The contrast of light and shade, the exact vertical alignment of the columns, the division into thirds both horizontally and vertically all make for a great picture.

This is one of those pictures where I think the subject needs to be dead centre - and it is! The immensity of the gate is emphasised and the colours are beautiful. However, we see not only the gate but also people gathered to search the long lists of names of those who died here some 100 years ago and, beyond, the historic town of Ypres where life is celebrated. It's a great combination!

Ah chocolate! We can see the Corné Port-Royal shop on the right but also a shop selling hats and walking sticks on the left. This is great shot of my favourite high-end shopping arcade (or galerie), which is not that widely known outside Belgium, I think. The architecture is impressive and you've captured the essence of the galeries very well.

I have visited Antwerp many times, but I've never seen this statue, which you have captured so well. It is to me truly a secret part of Belgium! I love the silhouettes and the gentle glow of sunset behind. An interesting feature of the composition is the smallest figure who mirrors - or perhaps echoes - the statue, looking in the same direction. All in all a striking photograph!

This is simply a very beautiful picture capturing a quiet part of Ghent, perhaps even less known than the town itself. The detail of the brickwork is excellent and I love the gently rippling canal with the tour boat disappearing into the distance. It's an excellent composition with the bridge neatly following a line 1/3 up the picture. The colours are warm but not overly so, contributing to the overall effect which I find very appealing and reminds me of my own canal trip in Ghent a couple of years ago.

This is an impressive building but all the more so when viewed at night and shown in black and white. I love the reflections and the long exposure which slowed the canal to a standstill. The balance between top and bottom appeals to me and the inclusion of part of the left bank (no parking!) as well as the bridge and other buildings enhance the overall image; the meat market alone would be a bit boring I feel. Great picture!