Alexandra Kinias Photography

Arizona Blue Skies - Jan 11

2012-01-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hiking in Arizona under the clear blue skies in January is a blessing. When I watch the weather elsewhere in the country I am grateful to be an Arizonian.

Is Life A Journey Or A Destination - Nov 18

2011-11-18T19:01:00.001-07:00

She greeted me with a subtle smile. When she saw the camera in my hand, she thought I was a reporter and offered me a cup of tea which I heartily declined. She pleaded with me to ask the governor on her behalf for a room, four walls and a roof. That's all what she wanted: a place she can call home. "It gets cold at night in the winter." She said as she pointed to a cardboard box and a frayed blanket, few feet away from where she sat cooking in her outdoor kitchen.

I walked away, but was left wondering at the life journey she had encountered that left her homeless at this age.

And as I was sent again on another quest searching for the meaning of home, I came to the realization that as much as there are stories behind all these doors, there are yet more intriguing ones outside of them.

Cairo - Egypt

Quack - Nov 15

2011-11-15T21:20:00.001-07:00

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it has to be a duck -- Ooops, actually this is a goose.

Scottsdale, AZ

King Of The Tree - Nov 14

2011-11-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

Scottsdale - AZ

Bird Nest - Nov 13

2011-11-14T00:26:00.001-07:00

Some homes have no doors, balconies or windows and yet they are still home for others. Birds living in nests on trees have the best view.

Stitches - November 12

2011-11-12T21:47:00.001-07:00

There is absolutely no way to count the number of cross stitches in this pillow, which I have designed and stitched myself. Needle work is quite therapeutic and I immensely enjoy it. I can't say that photography had or replaced it, but unfortunately the number of hours every day don't permit me to do everything I like to do.

The colors that I picked to stitch this pillow have a common theme: They are all colors of various types of dates at different stages. I was inspired by these colors when I went to the oasis of Siwa in the Egyptian Western Desert. In this oasis everything in the life of its inhabitants is related to and inspired by their source of life and existence: Dates, even their embroidery. Dates come in all the colors I used to embodier my pillow: green, yellow, orange, red, burgundy and brown. It never stops amazing me how simple things can be an inspring source of artistic creation.

A Tint Of Blue - Nov 11

2011-11-11T23:17:00.001-07:00

Writing few lines about a photograph that I post can be mentally strenuous at times, especially when the themes are repeated. I ask myself how much I can write about trees or flowers or clouds or whatever label I file the photograph under. The reason for such blank-attack is because at times there is nothing going on in my mind, there is no story behind the photograph, life happens in between taking photographs or because I'm not in the mood or worse I'm just too lazy to think. When these thoughts bombard me, I simply run out of thoughts. Quite strenuous indeed, agree.

These clouds were gray in the original photograph. Nothing unusual about them other than they looked quite ominous. I purposely tinted this photograph in blue just to give it a little twist. It somehow looks interesting to me. Will try it with other colors.

The Language Of Baklava - Nov 10

2011-11-10T20:14:00.001-07:00

Thin sheets of filo dough, stuffed with nuts, crisped to perfection and drained in honey -- It simply melts in your mouth.

What's Your Flavor? - Nov 9

2011-11-09T22:02:00.001-07:00

What is it with ice cream that makes it so delightful? Okay, it is sweet, creamy, fluffy, fruity, and very refreshing. In other words ---- so yummy. No wonder it is so irresistible for kids, but how about the rest of us who are not kids anymore, well for those who are not supposed to be kids anymore. Do we love it because of all of the above or because it nourishes the child within?

It was such a joyful experience watching this little girl's journey in pursuing her ice-cream cone. She stood in front of the restaurant where the ice-cream fridge was, counted few coins in her hands and climbed a couple of steep steps, for her proportions, that led her inside.

We were having lunch when she stepped in and walked directly to the ice-cream fridge in the other end of the store, a trip she probably had accomplished multiple times before. She was almost the same height of the fridge and barely visible from behind it, but she stood on her toes and peeked inside it from behind the glass. Judged by what I go through to make up my mind, I can imagine how tough the decision was for her to choose her day's flavor.

A waiter finally noticed her and she pointed with her tiny fingers at whatever she had set her heart to eat. Her eyes popped as she watched the waiter scooped the pink cream and filled up her cone. So it was strawberries. Yummy decision. She forwarded her opened hand with the coins to the waiter and exchanged them with the ice-cream cone. She held it in her hand with so much care and walked to the restaurant door surrounded by a victorious aura. I waved the camera at her and she didn't hesitate for a single moment to pause for me and she gave me this beautiful smile that showed her missing tooth.

May the child within you never grows up.

Aguas Calientes - Peru

The Bread Basket - Nov 8

2011-11-08T21:35:00.001-07:00

A woman has to do what a woman has to do: take care of her family. This woman has a very interesting job. She takes orders from people of how much bread they want and waits in line in front of subsidized bakeries until they release the new batch of bread. People who can afford it, don't waist their time, but others who can't afford expensive bread have no other choice, but to stand in line for hours to get their share. Then there are those who are in between, and here is where our woman's story fits. With no one to take care of her little daughter and for few extra dimes, she sacrifices her time and stands in line. She fills up the order of bread and resells it for a small commission.

This photograph was taken of her either walking away from the bakery or as she was delivering the bread to her customers. After what she had gone through she still had a smile on her face.

My sincere respect to her and her likes for what they go through to support their families.

Alexandria - Egypt

The Sultan - Nov 7

2011-11-07T19:19:00.001-07:00

Roosters in their coups remind me of the Sultans in their palaces. They always walk around, in the rooster's case they wobble around, with their harem behind them.

I'll be Right Back - Nov 6

2011-11-06T08:46:00.001-07:00

Whenever I see little kids riding their bikes, the first thing that comes to my mind is the scene of the little boys riding their bikes in the movie E.T. But here it was totally different. The kids I saw were riding their bikes in a narrow street of the Greek coastal village of Galaxithee (which literally means milk-vinegar ). It was almost midday in August. The little kids were hot and sweaty, but they were racing down the streets with all the energy that nine or ten years old children posses. But when they approached this house, one of them jumped off his bike and ran inside the house. The other boys raced away on their bikes. It was lunch time and probably everybody was thirsty and hungry. Even though the photo is very stationary, I feel it is full of energy and life. Action was temporarily put on hold, but no doubt that it was going to be resumed shortly.

Galaxiethee - Greece

Let the Light In - Oct 17

2011-10-17T20:33:00.001-07:00

Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in. ~~ Alan Alda

Freedom - Oct 16

2011-10-16T06:00:00.001-07:00

Party Time - Oct 15

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Canadian Sky - Oct 14

2011-10-14T18:25:00.001-07:00

Just Relaxing - Oct 13

2011-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wooden Artichokes - Oct 12

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Canadian Green - Oct 11

2011-10-11T06:00:00.001-07:00

Night & Day - Oct 10

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Splash - Oct 9

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Niagara Falls - Ontario

Canadian Vineyards - Oct 8

2011-10-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Bar - Oct 7

2011-10-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

Bouquet - Oct 6

2011-10-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

Halo - Oct 5

2011-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00